Ben Parr, author of the book, Captivology : The Science of Capturing People's Attention, spent two years researching and investigating the science behind capturing the human attention.  So, what did he find?  According to Parr, there are seven main triggers that call people to attention:

1. Automaticity - sensory triggers will cause subconscious (i.e. automatic) responses that draw or focus our attention (for example, a flashing neon sign or someone firing a gun into the air)

2. Framing - biological, social, and personal experiences/biases that lead us to embrace and pay attention to some ideas and to ignore others entirely (for example, how we may perceive $99.99 as affordable, but $100 as expensive)

3. Disruption - we pay special attention to unanticipated violations of social norms and expectations; the more disruptive something is, the more interesting it becomes (for example, a person wearing beach clothes outside in a snow storm)

4. Reward - the neurotransmitter dopamine causes us to feel pleasure when we get what we want and the prospect of capturing these things makes us pay attention

5. Reputation - scientists have found that the decision-making centers of our brains slow or even shut down while we are receiving advice from "experts;" in other words, we blindly trust them

6. Mystery - our memory is fine-tuned to remember incomplete stories and tasks (the Zeigarnik effect), so our compulsion for completion will nag at us and draw our attention (for example, cliff hanger endings in a show compel us to keep watching)

7. Acknowledgement - our need for validation and empathy from others is one of our most vital needs; so, when we receive it, we pay attention

In this week's passage from Hebrews, the author warns us to pay attention.  He says, "we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it."  So, what does he want us to pay attention to?  How does paying attention protect us from drifting away?  And what simple practices can help us to become better at focusing our attention where it should be?

First, as Cody pointed out in his sermon, we are called to pay attention to "what we have heard."  There is no shortage of information in our culture.  We live in the information age and all of it is vying for our attention.  With the rise of social media, opinions are a dime a dozen.  Everyone is, at least in their own minds and on their own platform, a subject matter expert.  Who or what we listen to, where we focus our attention and what influences our decision making, is a vitally important question we all must ask ourselves.

We see in chapter 1 of the book of Hebrews that the author believes that Jesus is central to all things.  In other words, it is Jesus, and his gospel, that should reign and rule in our lives.  Is that the case in your life?  Is it Jesus you are paying attention to, or is there something else that has captivated your attention?

We, as human beings, are created in the image of God.  But, our sin has marred that image.  Through the redeeming work of Jesus though, we are being remade and restored day by day into his image once again.  So the question becomes, are you a creature of the Word or a creature of the world?  What is shaping your life?

It is often helpful to think of ourselves as clay in the potter's hands.  The clay doesn't decide for itself what it will become, rather it is the power of the potter working upon it that determines the outcome.  The apostle Paul uses this same illustration in Romans chapter 9.  Our lives amount to the sum of a million different choices...some big and some small.  We like to think of ourselves as autonomous and self-determining, but the reality is, in more ways than we likely care to admit, our influences are shaping the decisions that are in turn shaping our lives.

If this is true, and I believe it is, then we must, as the author of Hebrews states, be diligent to keep our attention focused on Christ if we don't want to drift away into apostasy.  We like to think of the Christian life more like a one-time saving act than a deliberate, consistent, daily commitment to a way of life.  Some would argue that such a view is too pragmatic.  After all, we want to lead people away from works-based righteousness.

I would simply respond by quoting Jesus, who said both:

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all" (John 6:63).

And...

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15).

Jesus was content with the tension that exists between God's sole sovereignty in justifying sinners to himself (there is no work of obedience that can make us right with God) and man's responsibility to pursue holiness.  The two are separate in that the justification comes first and then the pursuit follows.  We are made righteous through Christ so that we can pursue righteousness in Christ.

It is the pursuit that Jesus refers to as "abiding" in John 15.  But the pursuit is a two way street.  He doesn't simply call us to abide in him, but rather he promises to also abide in us (John 15:4).  So as we walk towards Jesus in faith, he is faithful to draw ever closer to us.  Thus closing the gap from both ends.  This is the opposite of drifting away, rather it is a drawing near.

So, how do we abide in Christ?  If this is the key to the Christian life, then how do we do it?  In closing, let me share three key questions that I think give us a good starting point for a theology of abiding.

First, I believe it is a matter of trusting.  Do you trust Jesus?  And this isn't a question of simply saying, sure, I like what Jesus says and I like his offer, so I think I will be a fan of his team.  We do understand that just because we wear the jersey it doesn't mean we are on the team...right???  When I say trusting Jesus, I am talking about really trusting him.  Do you believe what he says, enough so that you are willing to follow him wherever he calls you to go because you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that what he has for you there is better than anything else you could possibly find anywhere else?

Second, I believe it is a matter of patience.  Are you patient to wait upon Jesus?  This ties closely to our trusting.  We live in a fast paced world of instant gratification.  We have been trained to want it all right now.  Fast food, credit cards, smart phones...we don't wait for anything.  But one thing I have learned in ministry is that things move slowly.  People don't (typically) change overnight.  I believe this so strongly that when I do witness drastic and dramatic change in someone's life, I am consistently skeptical at first.

Often times we find ourselves in seasons of waiting upon the Lord.  For one reason or another this is how he chooses to care for our hearts...slowly and methodically.  Does your trust falter when Christ doesn't respond when or how you think he should?  Abiding is a marathon, not a sprint.  In his analogy, Jesus teaches about vines and branches.  The branches grow and blossom, in time, because they receive the life-giving nutrients they need from the vine.

Finally, I believe it is a matter of affection.  Do you love and cherish Jesus?  Abiding requires trust and patience, but most of all it requires love.  I can experience trust apart from love.  Likewise with patience.  But when you marry the three, you have a recipe for genuine abiding.  Trust and patience that is rooted in love will motivate our hearts and minds in unimaginable ways.

Jesus modeled these three things for us in the way he abided in his Heavenly Father.  He displayed perfect trust (Luke 22:42), he displayed perfect patience (John 17:1), and he displayed perfect love (John 14:31).  As he abided in the Father, the Father abided in him.  He drew him near and nourished his spirit.  The result...Christ displayed the Father's love to us:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

In Grace,
Chris Morris

If you missed this week's sermon (or just want to listen again), follow the link below to listen. Or subscribe to our podcast in iTunes.

Part 3 - Don't Drift Away!

Questions discussed in this sermon:

1. How do Christians drift away from their faith?
2. How was God's law proven reliable?
3. How have you responded to God's warnings?

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