TEXT:  Heb. 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 ).