NEW LIFE BIBLICAL SEMINARY

CHERUVAKKAL, AYOOR

SENIOR SERMON

A Senior Sermon Submitted to The

Faculty of New Life Biblical Seminary

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of

Bachelor of Theology.

Preacher: Bro. Vignesh (B.TH III)

Translator: Bro.

TITLE: Importance of Paying attention to the word

TEXT: Heb 2:1-4

Submitted to: Rev. Saju Varghese

Signature……………………………………….

Chaplain: Rev. Daniel George

Signature……………………………………….
 Greetings: With a joyful heart I welcome all of you to this wonderful time of worship and
preaching.
Opening prayer
 Let us close our eyes and look to God in prayer, gracious heavenly father! thank you for this
day that you have given to us, thank you for your mercy, compassion and love towards us,
thank you for selecting us for your ministry. Lord now we are going to worship and adore you.
Please help us and pour your spirit into our heart so that we may worship with whole heart and
mind. I submit the entire congregation into thy hand help us, guide us and speak to us through
your servant. in Jesus name We do offer this prayer Amen…
 Praise and worship
 Intercessory prayer
 As we remain standing in the presence of the lord.
 Let us pray some of the prayer matters.
 Firstly let us pray for our respected President, Administrator and all the teaching and non-
teaching staffs of our college.
 Secondly let us pray for the sponsors and prayer supporters of our college & student body and
their families. And also pray for today’s preacher and translator.

 Greetings and Thanks giving

 I greet you all in the unique name of our lord and savior Jesus Christ at this blessed occasion.
 I presume that it’s my great joy and privilege to stand before you with the transforming Word
of God.
 At this time of great joy, as a final year student of Bachelor of Theology, I want to give thanks
to certain people who have really contributed a lot for the accomplishment of my course.
 First of all I give all glory and honor to my living God who has selected and molded me for
his glorious ministry and empowered me to complete my senior sermon.
 I thank Rev Dr. Johnson Daniel the founder and president of New Life Biblical Seminary &
Sam C. Daniel, the administrator, the principal, the vice principal, the Chaplain, the Academic
dean, student’s dean, registrar, librarians and all teachers and non-teaching staffs for molding
me to stand as God’s servant in this chapel service.
 My heartfelt thanks to Rev. Saju Varghese for his help and guidance in the preparation of this
Sermon.
 And I thank all my class mates and junior brothers for their love and concern throughout my
study. (Hallelujah)

 Introduction
 Today we all live in 21st century and the period where crisis has become common
everywhere.
 For more than past two years we all are fighting with Corona and suffering a pandemic crisis.
 Currently many nations are experiencing economic crisis and they have no idea about what
their future will be.
 There are uncertainties and fear everywhere.
 This crisis era has even affected the believing community.
 Many believers have left the faith and drifted away.
 Many churches have been shut down
 believers were mocked by others and their faith got challenged.
 People lost the interest to listen God’s word and live accordingly.
 In such a crisis situation of challenges and difficulties what instruction does the scripture give
us?
 What is the role of God and His word in this crisis situation of the people?
 What shall be done to save the people who drift away from faith due to the crisis in their
lives?
 To know this let us turn our attention towards a scripture portion, the epistle to Hebrews 2:1-
4.
 I request the assigned brothers to please come forward and help us in reading.

 Background
 The book of Hebrews is a letter written mainly focusing on Jewish Christians in AD 68-69.
 Though the author of the book is unknown, many believe in the Pauline authorship.
 Jewish Christians in the latter days of the first century were on the point of returning to
Judaism.
 The absence of external ritualistic and cultic elements in Christianity was one of the reasons
for the apostacy of the believers.
 The glories of the religion which they had left, appeared in striking contrast before them.
 The Jewish identity of the Jewish Christians were questioned by the new belief they accepted.
 They were mocked by the traditional Jews for being the followers of Christ.
 Being a Christian has become a shame for many.
 Therefore, there was a need of highlighting the greatness of Christ and Christianity among
Jewish Christians.
 And also, there was a necessity of giving warning against the peril of backsliding from the
Christian faith.
 Thus, the book of Hebrew was written to warn against apostasy of the believers,
 To exalt Christ and his greatness,
 And to reestablish the faith of the believers.
 Throughout the epistles the author exalts the person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 Therefore, this epistle is also called as ‘the book of exaltations’ and ‘the treasure of great
things.’
 Based on the Christ centered themes, this epistle can be divided mainly into four parts
 1:1-4:13 says about Jesus, the living word
 4:14-8:13 says about Jesus, our high priest
 9-10 says about Jesus, the perfect sacrifice
 11-13 says about Jesus, Our sanctification.
 The selected passage comes under the first section where Jesus, the living word is
highlighted.
 And particularly in 2:1-4 we can read about the importance of listening to that Word in the
life of Christian believers.
 So based on the read portion I would like to entitle y sermon as,
“The Importance of Paying attention to the word”
 In the read passage, the writer makes an attempt to reestablish the believers in the word
which they have already heard.
 Here ‘more’ and ‘earnest’ are continuously used in one sentence.
 This repeated use of adjectives for paying attention to the word shows the high importance of
the word and the act listening it.
 The following words of the passage reveals the importance.
 Here my first point is
i) Do not be drifted away from the word of God (v.1)
 V.1 says, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard,
lest we drift away.”
 Here the word ‘therefore’ shows that this admonition has to deal with the previous
passages which talks about Jesus and his greatness.
 In the ancient days, God spoke through his angels and Servants.
 But In 1:2 we see that the word the word of God has come to us through His Son, Jesus.
 It shows how important to obey such a word and listen it very carefully
 The audience of this book was on a point of backsliding and going back to the previous
faith
 They were in a lot of uncertainties and hopeless of their destiny.
 Their Christian life was in a condition where they might easily get drifted away from
God’s way.
 It was necessary to make them stable again.
 For that the writer of the epistles encourages them to earnestly pay attention to the word
of God.
 Today in our societies and churches also people are struggling day by day to keep up
their faith on God.
 Many have become backsliders and many have left the faith during the crisis situations
of their lives.
 During the pandemic the faith of many were questioned and they were left in great
confusion.
 Believers are losing their sincerity in the church and they are not sincere on their
responsibilities towards God
 If this continues like this, after few years there may be a big downfall in the believing
community.
 So, as the upcoming servants of God and disciples of Lord Jesus Christ it is our
responsibility to proclaim the word of God to them.
 When first century Jewish Christians were in the peril of drifting away from God’s
word, the writer of Hebrews took the burden to write a letter and warn them.
 Similarly, today let us take the burden to reestablish the people encouraging them to
listen God’s word.
 Let us offer the hope in the word to the hopeless people.
 Let us impart the power in the word to strengthen the weakened people.
 Let us make stable the steps of the people who are unstable and in the peril of drifting
away from the word.
 Let our churches be reestablished strongly in the word.
 Let our communities be restored in the word of God.
 Let our people may not drift from the word rather they may stay strong in the word.
 For that let us proclaim and remind the people the word which we received through
Jesus, the son of God.
 May God help all of us and our people to be reestablished in the word and not be drifted
away from it.
 Here the second point is,
ii) The Salvation avoids Punishment
 Vs.2 and 3 says, “For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every
transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect
so great a salvation”
 Here it is noted that God does not sit idly and permit His children to rebel against Him.
 He will continue to speak and, when necessary, He chastens His own.
 This chastening my finally end up as judgement.
 Second thing to be noted here is, the neglection of the great salvation confirms the
judgment
 Acceptance of salvation avoid the punishment.
 When someone pays attention to the word of God and obey it,
 The word which he or she listens would bring salvation.
 Eventually this salvation avoids the punishment from him or her.
 But the danger here is that of neglecting the salvation.
 when the salvation is neglected by an individual, the judgment is put upon her or him
 But, the salvation which come from the word of God avoids the judgment.
 Therefore here the writer is encouraging Christians to pay attention to the word and
receive the great salvation so that they may be saved.
 The readers were the Jewish Christians who joyfully accepted the Word of God and
received salvation once before.
 But when the difficulties came in the life, they started avoiding the word and neglecting
the salvation.
 They were unaware of the fact that the salvation would avoid the eternal punishment and
the present difficulties will be over.
 But today, my dear servants God who listen me right now, we must be aware of the fact
that the salvation which we receive through the listening of the word avoids the
judgement from us and gives us the eternal peace.
 Unfortunately, some of the people of God today take God’s word and His salvation
lightly
 Thereby they end up with punishments and judgment.
 But for us it is an encouragement to take hold of the salvation in the word and escape
from the punishment.
 Let’s commit ourselves to spread this power of salvation everywhere we are.
 The salvation has the power to save us from the upcoming punishment.
 As v.3 says, if the word which was spoken through angels brought punishment and
judgment for all transgression and disobedience,
 How much more will be the judgment if we disobey the word which comes through
Jesus, the son of God.
 So, let’s not disobey the word and neglect the great salvation,
 Rather let us embrace the salvation in the word of God and escape from the punishment
and the eternal judgement.
 Here the third point is,
iii) God confirms our salvation through wonders and deeds
 In v.4, we read like this, “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with
various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will”
 It means God bears witness for the salvation which comes from the word both with signs
and wonders.
 In other words, God confirms the salvation through wonders and deeds.
 The writer of the book of Hebrews tries to convince that the salvation experience, which
was announced by the Lord had also received confirmation through the various miracles
and manifestations of the Spirit.
 the Jewish Christians, the recipients of the book were uncertain of their eternity.
 Traditionally they were believing in Yahweh and the salvation through the word of his
angels along with all his saints.
 But now when they accepted Christ, their traditional belief about salvation was
challenged.
 In Christianity salvation is only through Christ and by the faith in his Words.
 And when they were going through the crisis and difficulties of their lives, the mockery
words of others traditional Jews made them doubted of their salvation.
 They might have started thinking if we are really saved by Lord Jesus through the Word
why do we suffer difficulties?
 In such an uncertain situation of their lives, confirmation of the salvation was necessary
 So, the writer reminds them how God confirms the salvation that comes through the
word.
 God confirms the salvation through miracles and wonderful, marvelous deeds of the
Holy Spirit.
 These were so evident in the first century church.
 God was continuously performing miracles and wonders in the lives of His people who
accepted the salvation.
 Today in the present context of pandemic and war crisis also people become uncertain.
 Death of several saints during the pandemic made the believers to question their
salvation.
 But today we should realize that the present struggles and crisis in our lives are not
actually judgments
 All those difficulties are the part of our lives.
 But if we really believe God and trust in His salvation, God will surely give us assurance
through His wonders and deeds.
 Amidst of many difficulties God kept us safe and sound
 The word of God assures that Just like God confirmed the salvation through wonders
and miracles in the first century church,
 In this century also he will confirm our salvation through miraculous works.
 Let’s not be discouraged and disheartened rather let’s be courageous and trust in God.
 The power of Holy Spirit is with us to perform God’s mighty deeds among us.
 So let’s trust in him, obey his words and accept the salvation comes from it.
 Let our salvation be confirmed through the might deeds of God and the wonderful works
of the holy spirit amidst of all adversaries.
Conclusion
 Here I would like to conclude my words.
 Today we heard about the importance of Paying attention to the word of God.
 When we pay attention to the word of God, we will not be drifted away from it.
 When we pay attention to the word of God it gives us salvation and the salvation avoid
eternal punishment.
 When we pay attention to the word of God, we will know that God confirms our
salvation through wonders and deeds.
 Dear friend in the present condition of our world, where people are uncertain of their
future and in fear,
 Only God’s word can make our steps stable.
 Amidst of the groups of people who drift away from God, only paying attention to the
word will bring them back.
 When we are worried of the crisis around us, the word gives us assurance that the
salvation avoid all punishment and judgment and we will be saved.
 In the midst of the situations where our salvation and faith get challenged and questioned
God is able to confirm our salvation through wonders and deeds.
 So, let us pay attention to the word of God.
 Let us trust in God’s word and be saved.
 Let us all close our eyes and look unto God in prayer.
 Prayer
 Benediction
 May the Love of the Father, grace of son Jesus Christ and sweet communion of Holy
Spirit rest and abide with us now and forever more. Halleluah!!!
 Thank you! May God bless you!