"The Danger of Indifference" (Part 1)

We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Hebrews 2:1-4 NIV).

Last weekend was John Wayne all day on one of the cable stations. I can’t resist it! I watched parts of several of his movies set in World War II, In Harm’s Way and Midway being two of them. I like the westerns too, but as I was watching these a thought crossed my mind that deals with a very important truth in our Christian life. Our reading today calls our attention to is as the writer says, We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. I believe he is warning us of the danger of indifference.

On the morning of December 7, 1941, there were 353 Japanese warplanes swarming the harbor of our Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor. Within a few short hours, America lost eight battleships, six major airfields, almost every plane, and 2,400 men and women. That happened at 7:50 AM in what was supposedly a surprise attack. However, the real facts are somewhat different. That morning at 7:00 AM, while the Japanese planes were still 132 miles away, some 50 minutes of flight time, two soldiers on a small radar station in the Pacific scanned the screen and saw numerous blips begin to appear until the entire screen was filled with the images of the planes approach. These soldiers did all they were taught and ordered to do. They notified the commanding officer, who at that time was a young lieutenant. He reasoned that these must be panes sent from California. Without another thought or action, he nonchalantly dismissed the idea that Pearl Harbor could be in any danger and said, “Don’t worry about it.” There would have been time to scramble our planes and meet the threat securing the harbor, but, during this critical moment, this young lieutenant failed out of an attitude of indifference.

We live in such a time in our lives and churches. We cannot afford to let our vigilance slip for a moment. There is so much at stake in the family and church indifference cannot be allowed to set in. So, as we begin this little series, let me ask you some questions. How long have you been a Christian? In that length of time, is your response and relationship to Jesus growing or slipping backward in intensity? Have you “settled down” in your spiritual life? If the answer is yes, to any degree, I urge you to make a commitment to renew your intensity. Become more vigilant than ever before. Over the next few days we’ll look more closely at this. Today, however, make a new beginning!