Lest We Drift: A Gospel Tune-Up
About a year and a half ago, Pastor Kris received a guitar.
As he began learning to play, he quickly discovered something: if he didn’t regularly tune it, it would drift out of tune.
That’s the nature of instruments—they don’t stay aligned on their own.
In the same way, our hearts drift.
Hebrews 2:1 warns us:
“We ought to give the more earnest heed… lest at any time we should let them slip.”
The imagery is powerful—a boat untied from the dock doesn’t drift intentionally.
It drifts through neglect.
Spiritually, the same is true.
We don’t drift toward the gospel—we drift away from it.
What Are We Drifting From?
Hebrews 1 reminds us of two foundational truths:
- Who Jesus is — fully God, the exact image of the Father, Creator and Sustainer of all things
- What Jesus has done — He has purged our sins once and for all
Jesus is not just a messenger — He is God Himself.
And His sacrifice is not temporary — it is complete.
Because of that, Hebrews 2:1 calls us to pay close attention to the gospel… lest we drift from it.
Why We Drift
We drift because our hearts default to performance.
We begin to believe:
- God accepts us because we’re doing well
- our standing depends on our consistency
- our failures define our relationship with Him
When we “perform well,” we feel confident.
When we fail, we feel defeated.
But that’s not the gospel.
The gospel says:
- you are accepted in Christ
- your righteousness is not your own
- your standing is based on His finished work
We don’t just need the gospel once—we need it every day.
As another pastor once said:
“The gospel is not just the diving board off of which we jump into the pool of Christianity; it is the pool itself.”
The Danger of Drifting
Hebrews chapters 3 and 4 point us to Israel in the wilderness.
- they heard God’s promises
- they saw His works
- but they did not believe
Because of unbelief, they missed the rest God offered.
Hebrews 4:1 warns us:
“Let us therefore fear, lest… any of you should seem to come short of it.”
The danger is this:
We can hear the gospel, know the gospel, and still fail to rest in it.
What Is Gospel Rest?
Gospel rest is:
- freedom from trying to earn God’s favor
- confidence in Christ’s finished work
- peace in your standing before God
Hebrews 4:10 says:
“He that is entered into His rest… has ceased from his own works.”
This doesn’t mean we stop living for God—it means we stop trying to earn from God.
In the book of Matthew, Jesus invites us:
“Come unto Me… and I will give you rest.”
3 Truths to Tune Our Hearts
To recalibrate our hearts, we look at John chapter 3.
1. Our Works Earn Us Nothing
Nicodemus was a Pharisee—a deeply religious man.
- he knew Scripture
- he lived morally
- he led spiritually
And yet… he had no rest.
Jesus confronts him with a shocking truth: all of that effort earned him nothing.
No amount of:
- church attendance
- Bible reading
- good behavior
can earn salvation.
2. God’s Spirit Is the Source of Life
Jesus tells Nicodemus: “You must be born again.”
Salvation is not self-improvement—it is new life.
We were not spiritually weak—we were spiritually dead.
Dead people don’t need advice—they need resurrection.
And only the Spirit of God can bring that life.
How Do You Know You’ve Been Born Again?
Jesus uses the example of wind: you can’t see it—but you can see its effects.
Signs of spiritual life include:
- faith in Jesus
- a desire for obedience
- love for God and others
- conviction over sin
Not perfection—but evidence of life.
3. The Gospel Invitation Is for All
Jesus points to the story of the bronze serpent (Numbers 21).
Those bitten by snakes were told:
Look—and live.
No effort.
No earning.
Just faith.
In the same way, Jesus would be lifted up on the cross.
And now:
“Whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
The invitation is open to all.
A Final Reminder
The Apostle Paul, once deeply religious, said:
“Not having mine own righteousness… but that which is through the faith of Christ.”
That is the heart of the gospel:
- not earned righteousness
- but gifted righteousness
Stay Tuned to the Gospel
We don’t move on from the gospel—we grow deeper into it.
So we continually remind ourselves:
- our works earn us nothing
- the Spirit gives us life
- the invitation is open to all
And we fight the drift by intentionally fixing our eyes on Christ.
Because the good news is not about what we do—it’s about what He has already done.
Turn your eyes to the hillside where justice and mercy embraced
There the Son of God gave His life for us and our measureless debt was erased
— lyrics by George Romanacce / Kevin Winebarger / Nathan Stiff / Nic Trout
thoughts taken from “Lest We Drift: A Gospel Tune-Up” from Pastor Kris Wilder on April 12, 2026