Untitled Sermon

“THE GREAT ESCAPE” (HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE)

Hebrews 2:1-4

Faith Baptist Church/3 August 03/am-First Baptist Church of Westminster/19 July 09/am – FBCW/26 April 2015/am - FBCW/13 Feb 2022/am

INTRO: I borrowed this title from the movie “The Great Escape”? It was about an escape of soldiers during the Second World War. How that even though many escapees were caught and killed in the attempt, some did escape, but more importantly, it was a great escape because it disrupted the German army and boosted the morale of the Allied forces. The Word of God tells us, lost mankind, prisoners of sin and the consequences of it, have a way to escape, from that dreaded fall due to sin. It is a Great/er Escape than during WWII. But, like that great escape, not everyone will make it. Some will choose to stay behind and remain in captivity, others will die in the attempt, by satan, but they will end up free from their captivity, but also like the WWII account, a few will make it all the way, though they will remain in this life for awhile, but also be free from sin and with the great hope, the Lord Jesus to look forward to. The later part of Chapter one of Hebrews speaks of angels, and how that Jesus was made so much better then they. The promise of God was not to angels, it was to Jesus “sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool?” and to the children of God, us. The writer/Paul, says therefore, because of what was just said, he warns us to pay attention to His words. We must give heed to what we have heard (preached, taught, read) or we will as it says in:

I. VS 1b SLIP, SLIDE or DRIFT BY: There was a song in the 60’s (by Simon & Garfunkle) called “Slip Sliding Away”. Slip slidin’ away, Slip slidin’ away, You know the nearer your destination, The more you’re slip slidin’ away.” That is what happens to people who reject the opportunities of life to better a relationship with others, but spiritually, the opportunity for a right relationship with God, to be saved by the shed blood of Jesus and His free gift of salvation. The words “let them slip” speak of a boat/sea vessel drifting past it’s safe harbor to dock. Some ask the question, “What must I do to be lost” the answer is nothing, just stay in the open sea of sin and drift by/past the harbor dock of safety right back into the open sea of sin and destruction. The real question is “What must I do to be saved?” Don’t slip/drift by Jesus, the only safe harbor during the storm of sin and its consequences. We need to take seriously what we learn. Or like a rowboat without oars which is like:

A. Floating down a river, past the last safe harbor dock before the waterfalls where it will go over and be destroyed.

ILLUSTRATION: There is a story told of the man who went to sleep in his boat one night on the Niagara River. Before long, his boat drifted down to the rapids and he was caught in the current. It was too late for him to do anything; He went over the falls and was killed. That is what happens to men/women who neglect/fall asleep at the oars of this life, they do nothing and when it is too late, they slip past, drift over the falls of sin and into eternal destruction. It does not have to be that way. “How shall we escape…”

B. We ought to Give more Heed to the warning signs.

1. Pay earnest/more exceedingly heed to what we have heard (the word of God).

2. We have all heard and seen that life is no accident. It is the work of a creator; it is the work of the only true living God.

3. We have heard and read and know that He is a Holy and perfect God.

4. By logic and reason alone, we know we ought to be separated from God by anything impure or not perfect/holy.

a. Psa 5:4-5 “For thou are not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.”

5. We have heard the truth of God’s word. WE NEED A SAVIOR! A safe harbor from the consequences and domination of the seas of sin.

6. Mankind must take earnest/more abundant heed to the consequences of drifting down the spiritual river before we go over the falls. WE are all lost and headed down the water falls of eternal condemnation. Mat 11:28-30 “come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Take heed of the Word of God, lest you go over/drift into the rapids and over the falls or remain in the open seas of sin and separation.

II. VS 2 THE WORD SPOKEN BY ANGELS IS STEDFAST & SURE – We can trust them, as they are the Words of God delivered by His messengers. (delivered to Moses)

A. Angels are messengers of God. They share the message of the immutable God. Therefore you can count on it, trust it and believe it. The Word of God is truth, and will not and can not change. It is always relevant and necessary!

1. The word Angel means messenger or it can be speaking of a pastor (Rev 1:20, but not in this case).

2. Jesus is greater than the angels. Heb 1:4

3. Men are a little lower, but one day we will judge the angels. Heb 2:7

i. Therefore we ought to be able to judge (discern) things in our churches. 1Cor 5:12, 6:3-4

4. God provided salvation to all men, but not to angels. Nevertheless,

B. They/angels are ministering spirits.

1. To the ones that shall be heirs of salvation. (saints of God) Heb 1:14

2. To God and Jesus.

i. Didn’t angels minister to Jesus after He was tempted forty days? Mat 4:11

3. God sent an angel to Guide Moses. Ex 23:20-23

C. They mediated in the giving of the law. Acts 7:53 (Deu 33:2, Acts 7:48)

Gal 3:19

D. They warned Sodom and Gomorrah. Gen 18 (3 angels (one was Jesus) appeared to Abraham) & 19 (the other 2 warned Lot and carried out the destruction). (Anthropomorphism/Christophany)

E. Whenever Angels speak, you can be sure/stedfast what they say, will happen.

1. Lk 2:9-14 The angels proclaimed a message to the shepherds, “behold I bring you good tidings…unto you is born this day…a saviour,…”

Because of the messages that we know, we can be sure of:

III. VS3 HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE. (if we neglect so great salvation- There is no other way than Jesus Jn 14:6) The consequences of our sin and ruined relationship with a Holy God. Hab 1:13 “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:…”

A. God can do anything, right? Nothing is impossible for God. Wrong, God can’t go against His own Holy nature. This question can’t honestly be answered!

1. There is no answer, because there is no escape if we neglect the salvation God provided to mankind because there is no escape from the consequences of sin “the wages of sin is death” nor in a Christian’s life either. Salvation is eternally assured, but God won’t hear our prayers. Isa 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Our relationship with God is at the very least hindered.

B. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.

1. The word neglect (means to make light of, or have no regard for, in this case, implies conscience effort on ones part not to do something.

2. Not only, the rejecting of Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

3. But, putting it/Him off until later, ignoring or disregarding His gift of salvation (drift by/slip) past the safe harbor of Jesus. Even in our daily circumstances or spiritual slipping/drifting.

4. Choosing not to do something or an unfilled promise to do it later is a no to Jesus, a rejection of His free gift of salvation Rom 6:23 “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

5. Paul is not just encouraging sinners to become Christians, but also encouraging Christians not to neglect (no regard or take lightly) their salvation. Mankind must be saved or he will remain in the seas of sin, condemned forever. Jn 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

C. What must we escape? Several things!

1. The transgressions and disobedience of the natural man. Spiritual insensitivity and lack of understanding. 1Cor 2:14 “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God….” “neither can he know them…”

WE MUST:

a. ESCAPE- Transgressions = implies sins of commission. What we do!

b. ESCAPE- Disobedience = implies sins of omission. What we don’t or won’t do that God commands us to in contrast to committing them! Which is not pleasing to God, in the flesh Rom 8:8 (they that are in the flesh cannot please God) WHY?

2. Vs 2 For those whose sin of transgressions and/or disobedience will receive or be recompensed of reward, justly/fairly administered. Negatively they will slip past the safe harbor of Christ, Positively, they will rest in Jesus for eternity.!

a. Separation for God and His acceptance is the consequence. In and through Christ. For Christians, the rewards/or lack of and blessings of God, now and for eternity.

b. For the unregenerate separation from God and there will be a just judgment.

3. In our text, We are not just talking about any-old opportunity nor missing an opportunity of little consequence, but so great of an opportunity, which is eternal salvation versus eternal condemnation.

a. I recently read that a poll was taken in the Presbyterian USA Church, that 70% agreed that they believed “absolute truth for all humankind is in Jesus Christ, but of those, only 43% of parishioners, 50% elders, and 39% of clergy said they could agree with exclusiveness of salvation by Christ alone! In other words the majority of professing Christians, even of church leaders don’t believe in the deity and of salvation in Jesus alone. Many are slipping by/drifting past a great salvation.

b. Nothing is more important than this opportunity, at this time.

c. We don’t know how much time we are given in this life.

i. Now is the day of salvation. 2Cor 6:2 We don’t

know what is on the morrow. “life is a vapor” All

we have is today, now! What have you done with

this day?

4. As Christians we must not miss/neglect the opportunity that salvation gives us. SALVATION PROVIDES:

a. The fruit of the Spirit. Gal 5:22,23 longsuffering, gentleness, temperance, goodness, faith, meekness.

b. The love, peace, and joy which is in loving Jesus and doing as he commands. Jn 15:11

c. The opportunity to serve and to be used of God.

d. The good works because of salvation. Not just promising to do something later. Let us not be content just waiting for God to bless (could be a long wait) before we do right, always.

IV. VS 4 WITNESSES CONFIRM THE MESSAGE. It is not a message without support or truth.

Heb 12:1-2 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

A. In the N.T. signs and wonders to the Jews.

1. The book of John speaks of 7 signs/miracles to the Jews. [Water into wine, Healing official’s son, healing invalid. Feeding 5000, walking on water, healing blind man, raising Lazarus]

B. Prophets in the O.T. Spoken of in:

1. 2Pet 1:21 “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

2. They spoke of the Messiah to come and his second coming.

3. They didn’t understand what they prophesied. 1Pet 1:10-12

4. We don’t have that excuse today, we have the complete Word of God. 1 Cor 13:10 “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away”

C. Today, the message is confirmed according to the will of the Holy Spirit.

1. Working in the hearts and lives of those who have gone before us.

i. In the testimony of others living in Christ.

2. Through His Word. Through signs, wonders, miracles, and:

3. By the giving of gifts, to us, from the H.S., sealing us (Eph 1:13), confirming in us the truth (our spirit bears witness to the H.S.), and working in men/women. Rom 8:16

4. Nevertheless, we are sometimes found to be Spiritually drifting which is caused by lack of prayer, or reading of the Bible, and not being obedient to the Word/H.S..

ILLUSTRATION: Composer Robert Robinson, (#17 Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing), was converted under the mighty preaching of George Whitefield, but later he drifted from the Lord, He had been greatly used as a pastor, but neglect of spiritual things led him astray. In an attempt to find peace, he began to travel. During one of his journeys, he met a young woman who was evidently very spiritually minded. “What do you think of this hymn I have been reading?” she asked Robinson, handing him the book. It was his own hymn!

He tried to avoid her question but it was hopeless, for the Lord was speaking to him, finally, he broke down and confessed who he was and how he had been living away from the Lord. “But these ‘streams of mercy (1st verse)’ are still flowing” the woman assured him; and through encouragement, Robinson was restored to fellowship with the Lord. Just like Gal 6:1 “ye which are spiritual, restore such and one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Today, now! is the time of reconciliation, the day of salvation, what time is it in your life?

CLOSING: It is so easy to drift with the current, but it is difficult to return against the stream. Our salvation is a great salvation, purchased at a great price. It brings with it great promises and blessings, and it leads to a great inheritance in glory. How can we neglect it?