Hebrews 2-Gospel

Glad to see you tonight. And we just look to the Lord for his help and blessing on the word of God. Look at Hebrews chapter 2 and we'll read from verse 1. Therefore, or you could read that for this reason or because of this, we ought, we must give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Actually, the word here, let them slip is not an active sense, it's passive. So what really indicates that we should allow them to drift away from us. The things that we have heard have a tendency, he says, to drift away.

And if we're not careful, they'll drift away beyond our reach and we'll lose the ability to grasp them. Lest at any time we should let them drift away, or we should drift away from them. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers or different kinds of miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will. That's all we'll read for this point in time, but keep your Bibles open. We'll look at other passages a little bit.

It's interesting that in the book of Hebrews, we have a number of interjections, parenthetical expressions, where the writer just breaks off the train of thought that he has been developing, and he has this little section before he goes on to another one. In fact, I would say the book of Hebrews can be divided in this way, that first of all, we have passages that teach doctrine, passages that have to do with setting forth tremendous truth concerning the Lord Jesus, and what he really is, and the greatness of this one that he wants to present to these readers of this epistle. Whoever the writer is, I'm not too concerned about that.

I could tell you what I believe, but that doesn't make any difference. The Spirit of God has given us the order that's found in this lovely epistle, an epistle that sets before Christ as supreme and far superlative to everything else, whether it be in the Old Testament, or whether it be in the history of the nation of Israel, or whether it be in the world around us. The Lord wants to know, God wants us to know, that he is absolutely the only thing that he wants to set before us, the only person.

He is far better, and men must have him if they're going to have anything right in relation to God. And so we have this pattern in the book of Hebrews, that there's doctrine given first, then there's an exhortation, that they might go in for it, that they might seek it, that they might grasp it, that they might appreciate it, and then sadly, following that, there's always a warning. Now that is a logical pattern in the word of God that's a proper pattern, that we have the truth being set before us first, and then God wants to tell us, this is what you must go in for, this is important, don't allow it to get away from you, don't drift away from it.

But then if you do, if you don't take this to heart, then there are consequences that will be experienced, and that is a sad case, of course, when it comes to the gospel, because God in the truth of the gospel sets before every person the great doctrines and the great expressions of the work of Christ, and all that he is teaching us in it. Well then there's an exhortation, and it's the exhortation that one might believe on the Lord Jesus, and they might receive him as savior, and might not lose the opportunity that is being afforded them, that they might take in the gospel and be saved. But if they don't, then we know that there are the consequences, there are the results that will be seen.

So that indicates that there are five different sections in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews can be divided logically into two parts, where you have the first part terminated about chapter 10 and verse 18, and the last part going on with its practical implications. One has said that the first part, chapter 1 through chapter 10, is centered upon the expression, let us draw near.

We saw that this morning. Coming before God as worshipers, and enjoying access into the presence of God on the ground of the precious blood of Christ alone. Being made fit to be in his own presence, and able to enjoy the blessedness of coming before him in worship.

Let us draw near is the exhortation of the first ten chapters. Almost the first ten chapters. And then the last part is centered upon the expression, let us go forth unto him.

And so you can divide it any way you want, but I want to notice with you that here is one of the first passages that has to do with an exhortation and a warning that follows it. And this warning is centered upon the fact that it is so easy for the individual to allow precious truth concerning Christ just to drift away. Just to let it go downstream.

Just to allow this precious, wonderful, important aspect that has to do with their eternal salvation to just somehow leak out and somehow get away from them. And to come to the point where it's impossible to recover it. You know really, God gives men in this present day, he gives them, just like he always has, a period of opportunity.

A period in which they can embrace the gospel. A period of time in which they can come to the realization of their need as a sinner and trust Christ alone as their savior. A friend, if we miss that opportunity, if we miss that period that God calls the day of grace, the day of God's favorable dealings with us, the result is how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation.

I'm interested in the fact that this verse, chapter 2 and verse 1 begins with this expression, therefore. And any time you find therefore in your Bible, it always links with what goes before it. It's for this reason.

He says, because of what I have been telling you and setting before you in all these wonderful things that center upon quotations from the Old Testament that make it very clear that Christ alone is the one that has provided salvation in his work at Calvary. He says, for this very reason, we must. It's not a matter of choice or a matter of whether you want to or not.

He says, we really must. It's absolutely necessary that we, he says, give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard. Now there's some things I want to notice with you in that expression.

First of all, it indicates that the people that he is writing to knew the truth. That's obvious. The things that we have heard were things that they knew to be the truth.

They had recognized that they had the ring of scripture about them. And they knew that there was something about it that should call for their obedience to it. You know, they're like a lot of people today.

A lot of people today know the truth. A lot of people today have been exposed to the light of the gospel. Multitudes in this world today have some semblance of knowledge of the word of God.

Especially in this country. When it comes to the realization and the willingness to allow it to be applied to them in such a way that it brings conviction to their heart and awakens them to their desperate need and causes them to tremble on the verge of eternity and to be awakened to the fact that they need Christ and they need him now. They're not willing.

They don't believe it's important enough to give the more earnest heed to the things that they've heard. You know, we're all together careless about things of eternity, aren't we? People can put so much attention on the things of time. They're concerned about their family.

They're concerned about their relationships. They're concerned about their job. They're concerned about the loss of a particular item materially in this life.

They're concerned about the election that's coming up. They're concerned about all kinds of things. But when it comes to the matter of their eternal soul, they don't have the degree of interest they ought to have.

Too easy to look at the things that are seen and forget that the things that are seen, the Bible says, are only temporary. The things which are not seen are the things that are eternal. Too easy to put my attention upon the things that I can touch and feel and handle and that seem to affect me day by day and forget that in a moment of time I can leave them all behind.

And out into eternity that soul would go, without Christ, without salvation, without a hope for eternity, without any possibility of ever enjoying the blessing of God's gracious provision. So easy, isn't it? And as a result, it says that like people today, he's writing to those kind of people, we must give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard. What does that mean? Well, it means more than just a casual passing interest now and then.

It means more than just saying certain words that acknowledge the fact of the truth. It means more than being willing just to listen to the word of God. It means that I allow that word to grip my heart and I allow the Spirit of God to apply it to me.

And I'm willing to recognize the fact that when God gives passages that warn me of my danger, he is speaking right to me and I must apply it to myself. You know, the Bible says God is speaking to his people, that none of them, he says, stirreth up himself. Some would almost take the idea, well, I have to wait for God to stir me up.

I have to wait for God to do whatever he has to do because I can't do anything. Listen, God says we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard. In other words, God places the responsibility on the individual in view of the grandeur and the greatness and the truthfulness of the message that he has given to them.

But in the light of what God has imparted to us concerning our particular need as sinners and the great provision of salvation that he has made in his Son, it's my responsibility to put my heart and soul to it in the recognition that I need this salvation. Therefore, he says, for this reason, because of what he's been developing in the previous verses, this is worthy of our utmost consideration. Paul says in 1 Timothy 1 and verse 15, this is a faithful saying, absolutely true.

And worthy that all should consider it, all should accept it. Worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And Paul says of whom I am chief.

And every one of us should be willing to apply that epithet to ourselves as well. That we are indeed in the eyes of God recognizing and willing to recognize I am the chief of sinners. Because really all that matters is my standing and where I am before God.

And so we see the fact that he is bringing before us here that the things that we have heard, he says, it's so easy to let them drift away from us. It's so easy not to apprehend the moment and to recognize the preciousness of it. And not to understand that this is so important that I dare not allow it.

I dare not allow it to get away. I must have it today. God's exhortation to every soul tonight is that behold now is the accepted time.

Behold now is a day of salvation. I want to go back into chapter 1 and show you what he is basing this on. Because his argument is that there are some things in this, in the previous verses that he's been bringing before them that are so important that they deserve the attention.

They deserve the deepest thought and apprehension of the individual because of the importance of it. Why does he say that we should give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard? Go back with me to chapter 1 verse 1. You notice in that first and second verse of chapter 1 that he says that God is a God that has been speaking. And God really has nothing more to say.

He looks back at the Old Testament. He says in old times, in the past, in different ways, and in different times, and in a fragmented way, God spoke. And God spoke to the fathers, the ones that lived long ago, the ones that lived prior to our day, he says.

And he spoke to them through the prophets. God conveyed to them a message of divine authority. God raised up those men that spoke for God.

And those prophets came before the people and said, Thus saith the Lord. This is what God has to say to this people. And God spoke to them in that way.

He spoke to them in the prophets. He spoke to them in different ways. In fact, he indicates that in many parts and in many manners, God spoke because God did speak in many different ways.

God spoke with an audible voice from Mount Sinai. And the people heard the voice of God speaking to them. What a tremendous impact that should have had upon them.

You know, the sad thing is that when the people heard the voice of God, while they trembled in hearing it, they disobeyed it very shortly thereafter. They heard the voice of God speaking. And others heard God speaking to them directly.

So God had one way of speaking. He spoke in the thunders. He spoke in the fact that the mount was on, as it were, on a fire, and it was smoking.

He spoke in different other ways as well in the Old Testament. He spoke in the law, with all of its requirements, and its judgments when men failed to carry it out. He spoke in the sacrifices, as he pointed men forward to the work of Christ and those animals that were killed.

God spoke in many, many different ways. And he spoke in ways that were supplemented one upon the other, intended to come together in the minds of the people to form a cohesive whole in what he was conveying to them. God spoke.

But the indication of this word is that God is no longer speaking that way. He's not speaking by prophets. He spoke that way and he terminated that way of speaking.

He's not speaking by the law. He's not speaking by an audible voice from heaven. He's not speaking by the sacrifices that are offered upon altars.

He's not speaking in that way anymore. Well, that's past. He fulfilled his purpose in doing that.

And then he says, in these last days, or at the end of the days, God has spoken in son. Literally, it's the idea he's spoken in son. Not just through the son.

It's not the idea that God sent his son in the world like he sent prophets and raised them up before the people and say, now he's going to speak to you with a word from God. No more than that. He spoke in the person of son.

That indicates to us that the very coming of Christ into the world was a message from God. That coming of Christ to the world was intended by God to indicate something far greater than could be spoken by the prophets. And God has spoken in his son.

The one who is the heir of all things. The one by whom he created the worlds. The one who is the center of God's purposes.

The one that God says is going to one day be enthroned upon the universe and is going to rule for God from sea to sea and from shore to shore. He's going to be the one. And he is the one, he says, that God has spoken in son.

You know, I think that it's very similar to what we read in the Gospels where we read that Jonah himself was assigned to the Ninevites. You remember that story in the Old Testament of the prophet Jonah was sent to preach to the Ninevites? Well, you know, it wasn't so much what Jonah said in that case that I believe is involved. I believe that what is being said is that Jonah's presence in the city of Nineveh, that wicked city that was the enemy of God's people, in that city there came a prophet from God and his presence in the city was a sign.

What was it a sign of? Well, I think it was a sign of the fact that God wanted them to repent and that God was showing grace to them by sending a prophet from the land of Israel to preach the message to them. It wasn't so much what he said, although that was a part of it, but it was what he was in the midst of a wicked city that was under judgment. And into a world in which you and I are living that is under the judgment of God and deserves it came the eternal Son of God, an expression of the grace of God, because in Titus chapter 2 we read that the grace of God has appeared unto all men or bringing salvation to all men has appeared.

And there has come into this world the expression of God's grace, making known to you and me that God does not want one single soul to perish. He wants them to be saved. But as God terminated his manner of speaking in the Old Testament time when he spoke to the prophets, the end of that, in the same way God is saying that he has no more to say to mankind more than what he has said in his Son.

He's not going to send any further messengers. He's not going to bring you some special envoy from heaven. He's not going to give you some special indication other than what he has conveyed to you and me in this tremendous message in his Son.

God has said everything he could say. He has said what you and I deserve when he sent his Son to the cross of Calvary and there calls to come down upon him the judgment of our sin. He says that's what our sin deserved.

And that's what it will receive from the hand of God if we're never saved. If God would bring such judgment down upon his own Son there at that cross of Calvary enduring the judgment of our sin and holding nothing back but enduring all that we deserve for eternity just think what you and I will receive if we neglect so great salvation. So God is saying that there's a message he has conveyed a message of his grace a message of his great desire that sinners might be brought to a knowledge of the Savior and be delivered from the wrath to come and enjoy the blessedness of eternal life in the Lord Jesus.

He has spoken in Son. And literally that's God's final word. You know when God speaks his last word that means that you and I had better take heed to it.

I want to tell you if you miss what God says in his Son you've missed the eternal blessing of salvation. If you miss God's message that is being brought in giving his Son to come into this world and go to the cross of Calvary I want to tell you you have no hope for eternity only a dark future under the judgment of God. God's absolute final word to this dark world is his Son.

And it's a message that speaks loudly and clearly to all that will take it in. So he says in these last days he has spoken in Son. There's another reason though why he says we ought to give them more earnest heed to the things that we have heard and that's in verse 3. That one who was eternally the brightness of God's glory exact image of all that God really is.

It says when he by himself made purification for sins sat himself down on the right hand of the majesty on high. What is he saying? That that work that is necessary for you and me to know our sins forgiven to be cleansed and made fit for the presence of God to have all that guilt and all that which would separate us from God and bar us from God's heaven for eternity have it completely taken away. That was all done once for all in the work of the Lord Jesus.

Having made purification for sins he sat himself down on the right hand of God. That signifies of course that work is finished. That signifies that God is perfectly satisfied in the work of the cross and God asks and expects nothing more.

I think that this relates back to the Old Testament of course like most things do in the book of Hebrews. That he is looking back to the day of atonement when the high priest alone would enter into the holiest of all. And there he'd go with the blood of that bullock for himself and for his family and sprinkle that blood before the ark in the very presence of God and upon the ark.

And that would provide the grounds upon which he could continue in his priesthood before God because he was a man that was failing like you and I. Well then he goes in again with the blood of that goat the blood that was offered for the sins of the people the transgressions of the uncleannesses of the nation of Israel and into the presence of God he goes and he sprinkles that blood again upon the ark the mercy seat and there's where God his eye would look upon it and he would see the blood that would satisfy his righteous requirement and on the ground of that blood that was sprinkled on the mercy seat over the ark God he says he could look upon the people of Israel and he could deliver them he could assure them of the fact that their sins had been forgiven and that they were not standing before God in the guilt of them. Every year it had to be done and Hebrews tells us it had to be done repetitiously and of course it was because the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin. But the implication of verse 3 is that this one who has come in the very essence of God manifested flesh and all that God was in his glory and his beauty and his majesty and his own person that there is the one who in the presence of God made purification for sins the one that satisfied every requirement of God in heaven went out to Calvary's cross he went lifted up to die between two malefactors willing to endure the judgment of sin and there he shed his precious blood so that you and I could know our sins have been taken away to be purified and cleansed from the presence of God.

You see there was a work that was done in the Old Testament on behalf of the people and it was done by the high priest when he entered in with the blood of others but here's something far greater because the word of God tells us that this one is the eternal son of God the one who came and by his own precious blood offered at Calvary's cross he made purification for sins so that you and I could stand before the presence of God and know that we've been cleansed by the blood of Christ. That's why he says you must give the more earnest heed to the things that you've heard. He has set himself down at the right hand of the majesty on high there he is in heaven signifying his work is done signifying that God is perfectly satisfied all his requirements are met and there's a salvation provided for the guilty sinner tonight and everyone that takes it in and trusts Christ as Savior can enjoy the blessing of God's great salvation and forgiveness of sins.

So he has set himself down that's why it's important as well but notice as well down the chapter notice with me verse 10 of chapter 1 And thou, Lord, he says, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thine hands they shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up or change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail. What's another reason? This reason is because everything that is material is just passing away it's only temporary. I've said it already this evening that it is a great mistake on the part of most people that they get so occupied with their present life they get so taken up with their material things and their existence day by day and their problems of living and their difficulties that they encounter and all circumstances that have to do with the present effects upon their life they lose sight of the fact it's only temporary.

He says that this whole universe is just like a garment it's going to be taken off folded up, rolled away it's passing it's not going to be permanent God has new heavens and a new earth in mind but he says thou remainest and the one that you and I have to deal with is the one that is forever unchanging un- un- airing in this person everything always the same he is saved yesterday today and forever and he is the one who makes it very clear that while you and I are in a passing world we're bound for eternity bound for eternity, friend and the big issue that you and I need to face is those that live in this world born as descendants of Adam as a sinner where are we going to be when it comes to eternity? where will that great eternity take us? either to heaven or to hell it's one or the other things in this world that attract people and hold them in their grip are all passing away but your soul is going to go into eternity and the issue that you need to ask yourself is how can I know for sure that when this life is over I'll be in heaven? the hymn writer said when this passing world is done when it sunk yon glaring sun when I stand with Christ on high looking over life's history then Lord, shall I fully know not till then how much I owe that's for the child of God a friend to think about this world passing away and eventually to be changed in God's purposes and one day all the things that men put their attention upon and hold so dear in life my wife said some years ago when she looked at we looked at our possessions that we had she said, really, you know they're all just for the fire because they're not going to last anyway and so we look at this issue and he says because of this because of this we must give the more earnest heed to the things that we have heard lest we should let them drift away for he says in verse 2, chapter 2 if the word spoken by angels that's the law of the Old Testament if that word was steadfast it was confirmed and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward in other words based on the fact that that law that was given in the Old Testament that word that was given to men by the mouth of prophets God proved it to be true and God judged men because of their failure and their refusal to obey it he says in view of that how shall we escape in this present day having heard the word that is given us by the Lord how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation I would take it that this word neglect is the very opposite of give more attention to I think it's an idea of just letting it drift away failing to put my attention to it failing to realize its importance and failing to understand that this is something that must have utmost priority if I'm going to enjoy it he says how shall we escape if we neglect if we neglect there's a parable the Lord Jesus told in the gospels gospel of Luke another gospel as well where it speaks of the invitation going forth and some neglected it they simply failed to appreciate the importance of it they went to their farms they went to their houses they went to their fields they went to other activities but they didn't realize the importance of responding to the invitation that's what the writer is saying how shall we escape and you know what it means how will we ever escape God's righteous judgment how will a person ever escape being in hell for eternity on the lake of fire how will they ever escape standing before God on the great white throne judgment to answer to God for their sins and to find out God's verdict upon them because of their sin how shall we ever escape if we neglect so great salvation it's like you might say a building and it only has one fire escape only one means of an exit only one possibility of escaping from what might happen in terms of a disaster and if we neglect that he says there's no other escape there's no other way out and there's no possibility of a deliverance how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation I want to think with you about this great salvation because that's the essence of the gospel it's a great salvation he says in comparison with everything else in comparison with the law in comparison with the sacrifices in comparison with all these Old Testament important persons in their history he says this is a great salvation I would take it that this writer by the spirit of God is simply implying to us that words fail to emphasize how important it really is words fail to really express how much we must pay attention to it and grasp it with all of our heart so great salvation so great I have a book at home that's called that so great salvation trying to describe how wonderful and how great this salvation really is my friend until you ever take it in for yourself you'll never realize how great it really is it's great beyond compare it's great beyond description it's great beyond any possibility of anything else taking its place it's the most wonderful thing you could ever have but you'll lose everything if you don't take it in for yourself it's great I would take it great because of the cost you know when we think of something that's very great we think of how much it costs to procure it how much it costs to build it how much it costs to make it possible everything is measured by the quantity in terms of money or in terms of time and effort that is put into it I would just take it that this salvation is so great because of the cost that was paid to make it possible I don't know that you and I could ever possibly ever possibly even estimate what it cost God to provide salvation I can't I can't fathom the depths of the sufferings that the Lord Jesus went to when he hung upon Calvary and the darkness of those hours in which he was hanging upon the tree being made a curse for us enduring the awfulness of being separated from his God alone there in that darkness buried the weight of our sin and all of its crushing crushing pressure upon him as it bore upon him and God himself put it upon him we read in Isaiah chapter 53 in those familiar words that he was wounded that word means he was thrust through for our transgressions it's a violent word he was bruised that word means he was crushed beneath the awful weight of it for our iniquities the chastisement, the punishment the infliction of the blow of judgment was upon him and he says by his stripe we are healed the words indicate the violence and the terribleness of the suffering that he endured and all has to do with the cost to make possible this great salvation and when I think of great things in this world I recognize that here's something far greater it cost God far more to provide salvation for you as a sinner than it cost him to make this entire universe with all the stars and all the moons and all the planets and all the different stellar systems that are spinning in space and all their infinitude it cost God nothing to make that he spoke and there they were but it cost God everything to make salvation possible for your soul that's why when men despise God's salvation that's why when they don't go in for it with all their heart and soul and grasp the importance of it and turn away from all else repenting of their sin and trusting Christ as their savior they're really telling God it's not worth it so far as I'm concerned it's not of enough value or importance to me but God says it cost him everything and you and I will never ever be able to understand how much it cost him just to save one soul from their sins and from hell it's so great friend don't miss it don't think lightly of it don't let it pass by and you fail to grasp it no, put your heart and mind and soul into grasping the fact that God wants you to be saved and he proved it by giving his only son to go to the cross of Calvary and there to suffer the wrath and the judgment of sin to deliver your soul it's so great salvation because of its cost it's so great salvation as well because of its finality it doesn't require a second time the Bible says that once in the end of the age he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself in Galatians chapter 4 we read that in the fullness of the time God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law that he might redeem them who are under the curse of the law that might receive the position of sons and so we find that God emphasizes again and again the once for all value of the work of the Lord Jesus and friend he will never come again to put away sin we read in Hebrews chapter 9 that even as it is appointed unto men once to die and after this the judgment so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them to look for him shall he appear the second time apart from sin altogether unto salvation so once never to be repeated again the Lord Jesus suffered for sin it's final friend never needs a repetition there will never be another version of it coming out there will never be anything to substitute for it it's all been done and the Lord Jesus is seated in the right hand of God today so great salvation because of the cost so great salvation because of its finality so great salvation because of the scope of its provision I know there are a lot of things in the history of Israel that were only provided for certain people and there are things in this world that are given and they're made available for a certain group and sometimes you feel left out don't you because you're not included but here's a salvation provided and it's for whosoever will as an offering that has been made and provided for and paid for in the work of the Savior and God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son a work that is so sufficient in its value and its efficacy that every soul could take it in and enjoy God's salvation because there's no limit in what is provided in the work of the cross God offers it he offers it to those who are unworthy of it he offers it to those that deserve the very opposite of it to be in hell for eternity he offers it to those that are drifting on through life and going on toward the dark eternity that lies beyond he offers, holds it out makes it very clear describes it in all of its glowing beauty he says there's how you can know your sins forgiven by trusting Christ alone as your own personal Savior the scope of it would take in every person red and yellow, black and white we sing to the children all are precious in his sight and he loves every sinner and he wants them to be saved men that go on in their own way and end up in hell they pass by the cross of Christ they pass by the love of God they pass by the grace of God's provision they pass by the pleading and the warning of the Holy Spirit and they ignore all that God is seeking to put in their pathway and they end up enduring the judgment of God for eternity the scope of it is there any exception? do you think that God doesn't want you to be saved? no, I want to tell you a friend he is including every soul tonight in the potentiality in the possibility of enjoying his salvation because it's so great so great it's a wonderful salvation I've enjoyed it friend for almost 54 years and God reached out in my life and arrested me in my pathway of going farther and farther from him I'm so thankful that he saved me when I was young I wonder where I'd be tonight if it hadn't been for it it's so great in the future that lies before every soul that trusts and knows Christ as their Savior it's so great in what it delivers them from to be in the awful place of suffering and eternal torment friend, God says how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation I would dare say that those that are not saved here tonight have been neglecting God's salvation for many a year many a year, many a time to hear the gospel and yet many a time to put it off to go out the door of the hall and as it were to say not tonight some other night neglect, neglect some would have said that neglect is so easy but escape is so impossible and here you are tonight friend another opportunity to be provided in the grace of God in the salvation of your soul through the work of Christ are you going to neglect it? will you pass by it? will you ignore it? will you put other things ahead of it? God holds you responsible for what you know from the word of God He says how shall we neglect so great salvation it was verified, it was confirmed there was evidence that God was working and that God was speaking and there's no question or doubt in the word of God that this is a salvation provided fully and freely in the work of the Savior and he sits now at the right hand of God a resurrected man able and willing to save and to receive all that will come unto him the question is whether you will take it whether you will trust him or whether you will receive this offer of salvation paid for fully in the work of the Savior when he suffered blood and died and finished the work to God's satisfaction how shall we escape? how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation may God help you friend not to neglect it but to trust the Savior go in for it with all your heart that you dare not miss it because eternity is forever eternity never ends and from eternity there's no coming back it's final but today is a day of salvation a day of provision a day of opportunity may God bless his word let's pray our God and our gracious father we bow in thy presence thankful to thee that again the gospel message can be proclaimed to those that know not the Savior not only here but other places thou knowest where thy word is going forth and we pray thy blessing upon it we pray there might not be a soul that would neglect God's salvation we notice oh God that this doesn't say they have to refuse it or they have to reject it just to neglect it and how easy that is and father we pray tonight for thy blessing upon the gospel thank thee for all that know the Savior thank thee for all oh God that have repented and have bowed to the truth of the word of God and submitted themselves to what thou hast said and have embraced the work of the Lord Jesus and entered in the good of the blessing of their sins forgiven we ask thy blessing upon thy word tonight and commend it to thee and each one of us in the name of the Lord Jesus Amen