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The Great Salvation

TEXTHeb. 2:1-4

INTRODUCTION:

A.      RHETORICAL - NO ESCAPE FOR THOSE WHO NEGLECT.

B.      A GREAT SALVATION.  WHY?  IT IS GREAT BECAUSE:

I.      THE WAY IT WAS GIVEN.

A.      FIRST SPOKEN BY THE LORD( vs. 3;  John 6:68 ).

B.      CONFIRMED BY THEM THAT HEARD, THE INSPIRED

          APOSTLES( John 16:26;  1 Cor. 2:12-13 ).

C.      GOD ALSO BORE THEM WITNESS( Heb. 2:4 ).

          1.       How?  Miracles!( Mark 16:17-20 ).

          2.       Prove the spirits( 1 John 4:1, 6 ).

D.      CONSIDERING WHO IT IS FROM, WE ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE!

II.     GREAT BECAUSE IT IS UNIVERSAL.

A.      WHAT SEPARATED JEW & GENTILE?( Eph. 2:11-12, 15 ).

B.      THE PARTITION HAS BEEN TORN DOWN( vs. 14-18 ).

C.      IN JESUS, NO LONGER ANY DIFFERENCE( Gal. 3:28;  5:6 ).

D.      THE GOSPEL IS FOR ALL( Mat. 28:19-20;  Mat. 11:28 ).

III.    GREAT BECAUSE OF ITS COST.

A.      IT COST GOD HIS SON( John 3:16;  Rom 5:8;  1 John 4:9-10 ).

B.      JESUS DIED FOR IT( 1 Pet. 1:18-19 ).

IV.   GREAT BECAUSE OF THAT FROM WHICH IT SAVES.

A.      SAVES FROM SIN'S CONSEQUENCE( Rom. 6:23;  Eph. 2:1 ).

B.      SAVES FROM THE GUILT OF SIN( Col. 1:12-14 ).

          1.       Without Christ's blood there is no escape( Heb. 9:22, 11-12 )

          2.       His blood is reached in baptism( Rom. 6:3-4 ).

V.    WHAT IS SALVATION?

A.      NOT KNOWING HAS LEAD MAY TO QUESTION AND DOUBT.

B.      BELIEVING THE WRONG ANSWER LEADS TO FALSE SECURITY.

C.      SALVATION IS NOT:

          1.       A tingling sensation of the body or miraculous abilities.

          2.       An emotion or emotional felt in the chest.

          3.       A spiritual high.

D.      A CHANGE IN STATUS

          ( 1 Pet. 2:9-10;  Rom. 6:17-18;  Eph. 2:1, 12, 13, 16 ).

          1.       Results in emotions( Phil. 4:6-7 ).

          2.       Hopefully involves occasional spiritual highs - ZEAL( Titus 2:14 ).

          3.       These feelings are not salvation.  They can be had by people

                   who are not saved( Acts 18:24-25;  Gal. 1:13-14; Rom. 10:1-3 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      OUR SALVATION IS GREAT!  WHAT A SHAME IF WE NEGLECT!

B.      WHY DO YOU WAIT?( Acts 22:16 ).