KJV Sermon Outlines

ARE YOU DRIFTING?

Text: Hebrews 2:1 – 4

"Two young men were fishing above a low dam on a river near their hometown. As they were concentrating on catching fish, they were unaware that they had drifted until they were not far from the water flowing over the dam. When they realized their situation, the current near the dam had become too powerful for them to keep their boat from going over. Below the dam the water was dashing with strong force over great boulders and through crevices in the rocks. Caught by the swirling waters under the rocks, they never came to the surface. After days of relentless searching, the divers finally found one body, and then, two or three days later, the other."
2. The danger of drifting is not limited to the physical realm...
a. In He 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip., We find a warning against drifting
b. Sadly, it is not uncommon for Christians to drift toward destruction!

I. THINGS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DRIFTING
A. DRIFTING REQUIRES NO EFFORT...
1. Just stop oaring or tracking against the wind, and a boater will begin to drift
2. The same is true for the Christian, which is why we are told:
"We must give the more earnest heed..." - He 2:1
B. IT IS AN UNCONSCIOUS PROCESS...
1. It is possible to drift unaware
a. In a boat, or undercurrents are often unnoticeable from the surface
b. In a plane, the wind or gravitational forces move the plane without you realizing it
2. The same is true in the spiritual realm
a. Many individual Christians have slowly drifted away
b. Many churches have gradually drifted into error
Only one day to find themselves far removed from the Scriptures
C. WE NEVER DRIFT UPSTREAM OR AGAINST THE TIDE...
1. Faithfulness to the Lord is like oaring upstream
2. You must constantly be "adding to your faith..." - 2 Pe 1:5
3. You must continue to grow - 2 Pe 3:18
The moment you stop growing, you start going backwards or downwards
D. THE SPEED DOWNSTREAM INCREASES...
1. The dangers increase with the speed of the drift
a. When we can hear the noise of the waterfall, it is already too late
b. When we lose sight of land, it is more difficult to discern that we are drifting
2. As we move farther and farther from the Lord, we care less and less about what we do
E. IT IS DANGEROUS TO OTHERS...
1. A ship, just drifting, is a hazard to all other vessels at sea
2. Parents who are just drifting, will soon loose golden opportunities to teach their children - Ep 6:4
3. Many are tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine - Ep 4:14
F. IT ENDS IN SHIPWRECK...
1. A boat adrift will crash on the rocks or go over the falls
2. For those who drift spiritually through their own neglect, there shall be no escape from a just punishment - He 2:1-3

II. COMMON SIGNS OF DRIFTING
A. DIMINISHING DESIRE TO STUDY GOD'S WORD AND PRAY...
1. The Bible is a unique book - a source of information not found anywhere else.
 When one loses their desire to study God's word, they are drifting!
2. Prayer is a wonderful blessing - an avenue to communicate with God!
When the Christian prays less and less, he is drifting more and more!
B. DIMINISHING DESIRE TO BE WITH GOD'S PEOPLE
1. This includes attending services to worship God
a. If we no longer rejoice in the worship of God in the presence of brethren, we are drifting!
2. Fellowship with God's people extends beyond the services of the church
a. We are to be concerned with edifying one another - Ro 14:19
When a Christian prefers the companionship of people of the world, rather than fellow Christians, he is drifting toward the rocks of spiritual destruction!
C. DIMINISHING DESIRE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL...
1. When one obeys the gospel, he knows God has blotted out his sins, made him a new creature in Christ, and he wants to tell the world about Jesus
2. When a Christian no longer has the desire to take the message of salvation to others, he is drifting!
D. INCREASING THRILL OVER THINGS OF THE WORLD...
1. Such as greater thrill over worldly honors;
a. The apostle John warns us against the love of the world and the things in the world - 1 Jn 2:15-17
2. Such as increasing enjoyment in worldly pleasures
a. Paul described some who were "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God" - 2 Ti 3:4
b. If we reach the point when we find more pleasure in some worldly activity than meeting with others to worship God, we definitely are spiritually adrift!

III. REMEDIES AGAINST DRIFTING
A. KEEP ROWING...
1. Spiritually speaking, this involves diligence - 2 Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2. It also means to keep abounding in our Christian graces
3. There is no place for "retirement" in living the life of a Christian
B. WATCH OUT FOR UNDERCURRENTS...
1. We must always be on guard for undercurrent of temptation
2. For we have a fleshly nature which wages war against the soul
C. EXPECT TO GO AGAINST THE TIDE...
1. There are many tides to sweep us away
a. Popularity, peer pressure, the praise of others
b. Modernism, skepticism, humanism
c. false doctrines of all kinds
d. Liberalism and worldliness in the church - probably the greatest enemies of the church in our lifetime
e. Neglect -- indifference, apathy, lack of interest and concern
2. If one drifts along with the majority, he certainty will be lost

CONCLUSION

1. Brethren, are we drifting?
a. The danger is real, we would be foolish to say otherwise
b. Many have drifted away from the Lord, we would be arrogant to say it could not happen to us!

2. Are there signs of drifting in your life? Honestly ask yourself:
a. Is my desire to study God's word and pray diminishing?
b. Is my desire to be with God's people not what it has been in the past?

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