Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
00:00:13.39\00:00:15.53
live from the
3ABN Worship Center.
00:00:15.56\00:00:18.23
Well we're so happy
that you could join us here
00:00:22.48\00:00:24.82
in West Frankfort, Illinois
at the 3ABN Worship Center.
00:00:24.85\00:00:31.05
And I tell you, it's
been a beautiful day here
00:00:31.44\00:00:34.63
in southern Illinois.
00:00:34.66\00:00:35.87
Finally getting a
little bit cooler.
00:00:35.90\00:00:38.36
And we have had an
unbelievably comfortable summer.
00:00:38.39\00:00:43.04
And then all of a
sudden we had a late summer
00:00:43.37\00:00:45.37
right here at the end.
00:00:45.40\00:00:46.78
And it has been like
it usually is earlier.
00:00:46.81\00:00:50.63
But now today
was pretty pleasant.
00:00:51.66\00:00:54.39
Especially pleasant for me
because I spent all day inside.
00:00:54.59\00:00:57.91
The air conditioning was
working just fine at 3ABN.
00:00:59.54\00:01:04.09
We're so happy
that our local pastor,
00:01:04.12\00:01:07.95
pastor of the Thompsonville
church, Pastor John Lomacang,
00:01:07.98\00:01:11.61
is going to be
presenting our Anchors Of Truth.
00:01:12.11\00:01:16.04
Everybody knows John.
00:01:16.42\00:01:17.76
Tonight they asked me, "Should
we give you a sheet about John?"
00:01:17.79\00:01:21.15
They were teasing me, of course.
00:01:21.18\00:01:22.85
But he has been
here longer than I.
00:01:23.20\00:01:25.67
Thirteen years as pastor
here of this congregation
00:01:25.70\00:01:30.22
that meets in the
3ABN Worship Center.
00:01:30.25\00:01:33.62
And he and his wife,
Angie, are just two people that
00:01:34.11\00:01:38.80
we love so very much.
00:01:38.83\00:01:41.12
And we appreciate them.
00:01:41.15\00:01:42.77
They travel around the world.
00:01:42.80\00:01:44.16
Last week they were just
getting back from Africa.
00:01:44.19\00:01:46.88
I think John may be
over the jetlag by now.
00:01:47.16\00:01:50.26
But he was feeling it for
a few days, as you always do
00:01:50.29\00:01:54.60
when you go off that distance.
00:01:54.63\00:01:57.31
A few weeks ago, John
spoke on the danger zone
00:01:57.34\00:02:02.21
here at church.
00:02:02.24\00:02:03.41
I was very impressed with
the message that he brought.
00:02:03.74\00:02:07.69
And I said to him, "John,
could you do that for Anchors?"
00:02:08.24\00:02:13.23
He said, "I have a series that
I have done with this subject.
00:02:13.26\00:02:18.35
And I would be happy to."
00:02:18.38\00:02:20.07
Well we were thinking
about that for some later time,
00:02:20.10\00:02:22.72
and then C.A. Murray, who
was scheduled to actually have
00:02:23.03\00:02:27.05
the Anchors at this particular
time, had as you mostly
00:02:27.08\00:02:31.96
all know by now, had
open heart surgery bypass.
00:02:31.99\00:02:37.40
And he's in good shape.
00:02:37.43\00:02:38.90
We interviewed him today
for a program we're going to be
00:02:39.30\00:02:43.60
showing tomorrow night.
00:02:43.63\00:02:45.15
So be sure to watch
late tomorrow night.
00:02:45.69\00:02:49.19
You'll see C.A and
you'll see how he's doing.
00:02:49.48\00:02:52.85
But I am excited
about these subjects.
00:02:53.10\00:02:57.61
Tonight will be,
The Danger Of Neglect.
00:02:57.64\00:03:00.51
Tomorrow night,
The Danger Of Unbelief.
00:03:00.54\00:03:02.96
Friday Night, The
Danger Of Not Maturing.
00:03:03.31\00:03:07.23
And then, The Danger Of
Drawing Back, Sabbath morning.
00:03:07.60\00:03:10.47
And the final on
Sabbath afternoon,
00:03:10.77\00:03:13.51
The Danger Of Refusing God.
00:03:13.54\00:03:17.64
I'm looking
forward to this series.
00:03:17.74\00:03:19.14
This is very important.
00:03:19.17\00:03:20.92
You need to call your friends,
tell them that this is something
00:03:20.95\00:03:24.91
they do not want to miss.
00:03:24.94\00:03:27.58
Before Pastor John
comes, Lisa Yeager is going to
00:03:27.91\00:03:31.76
be singing for us.
00:03:31.79\00:03:33.01
Lisa and John are
members of this church.
00:03:33.11\00:03:36.13
John helps and
works at 3ABN in sound.
00:03:36.39\00:03:39.76
In fact, he's back there on the
soundboard tonight, I can see.
00:03:39.79\00:03:42.98
I can't see you, John,
but I can see your forehead.
00:03:43.15\00:03:45.93
There you are.
00:03:45.96\00:03:46.99
So I know that he's there.
00:03:47.90\00:03:49.71
And he raised his
hand, he is there.
00:03:49.96\00:03:52.57
But it's kind of hard
to see them behind all that
00:03:52.60\00:03:55.59
big edifice they have
to work behind in sound.
00:03:55.99\00:04:00.36
But Lisa is one of
the worship leaders here
00:04:00.46\00:04:04.31
at the Thompsonville church.
00:04:04.55\00:04:06.03
I love it when
she leads worship.
00:04:06.06\00:04:08.65
I love when they all do.
00:04:08.68\00:04:09.71
I love the worship
songs that we have here.
00:04:09.74\00:04:12.40
But I just feel real
special when Lisa does.
00:04:12.57\00:04:16.82
And right now she's
going to sing for us,
00:04:17.11\00:04:20.44
We Cry Out.
00:04:20.77\00:04:23.37
Father of life seated
on Your throne of grace,
00:04:39.48\00:04:47.36
it's only by Your
mercy we are saved.
00:04:47.52\00:04:55.76
Lord, You have said if
we call upon Your name,
00:04:55.79\00:05:03.31
we and our
families will be saved.
00:05:03.42\00:05:10.44
So we cry out Your name;
00:05:10.55\00:05:18.32
El Shaddai, God of grace,
00:05:18.43\00:05:26.39
Lord most High,
00:05:26.76\00:05:32.93
Jesus Christ.
00:05:32.96\00:05:39.92
We rely on Your grace,
00:05:39.95\00:05:47.02
Adonai crowned in praise;
00:05:47.05\00:05:54.70
Lord most High,
00:05:54.80\00:06:01.73
Jesus Christ.
00:06:02.56\00:06:09.08
Father of love,
never failing to forgive;
00:06:11.98\00:06:19.10
each moment is a
gift from You to live.
00:06:19.13\00:06:26.64
We're only here to tell
the world about Your grace,
00:06:26.67\00:06:33.96
until the day
You take us all away.
00:06:34.35\00:06:40.61
So we cry out Your name;
00:06:40.64\00:06:47.83
El Shaddai, God of grace,
00:06:47.86\00:06:54.81
Lord most High,
00:06:55.08\00:07:01.01
Jesus Christ.
00:07:01.04\00:07:07.55
We rely on Your grace,
00:07:07.65\00:07:14.62
Adonai crowned in praise;
00:07:14.65\00:07:21.84
Lord most High,
00:07:21.87\00:07:27.38
Jesus Christ.
00:07:27.41\00:07:33.80
We rely on Your grace,
00:07:34.01\00:07:40.39
Adonai crowned in praise;
00:07:40.42\00:07:47.19
Lord most High,
00:07:47.60\00:07:54.54
Lord most High,
00:07:54.77\00:08:01.61
Lord most High,
00:08:02.06\00:08:07.62
Jesus Christ.
00:08:07.84\00:08:15.87
Thank you, Lisa.
Can we say amen to that?
00:08:25.31\00:08:27.44
What a wonderful
song, We Cry Out.
00:08:28.83\00:08:32.05
I believe that by
the end of this series,
00:08:33.46\00:08:35.15
and those of you
who are joining us,
00:08:35.18\00:08:36.51
will discover that because of
the dangers that we're going to
00:08:36.54\00:08:40.17
be outlining from night to
night, the best thing to do
00:08:40.20\00:08:43.22
is to cry out to
the Lord for salvation.
00:08:43.25\00:08:45.18
Can you say amen?
00:08:45.21\00:08:46.24
I didn't plan for this series.
00:08:48.65\00:08:50.31
It just, the
lot just fell on me.
00:08:50.34\00:08:52.49
And because God never is a
God of coincidence or accidents
00:08:53.95\00:08:57.88
or luck, I believe that
God ordained for this to be so.
00:08:58.18\00:09:01.65
And so tonight I want to
invite you to bow your heads
00:09:01.94\00:09:04.12
with me as we go before the
Lord asking for His guidance.
00:09:04.15\00:09:09.50
Gracious Father in
heaven, we thank You, Lord, that
00:09:10.10\00:09:13.03
this opportunity will
not be wasted on humanity,
00:09:13.06\00:09:16.04
but will rely on divinity.
00:09:16.73\00:09:19.73
Come tonight, Lord, and
speak not only to my heart,
00:09:20.25\00:09:22.72
but speak to those who
have gathered around this hour
00:09:22.75\00:09:27.10
to hear from You.
00:09:27.13\00:09:29.15
And as we outline the dangers
that are found in Your Word,
00:09:29.68\00:09:32.61
we pray that Your purpose of
salvation may be accomplished
00:09:32.64\00:09:36.30
in and for every one of us.
00:09:36.33\00:09:38.82
In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
00:09:39.32\00:09:43.68
The Danger of Neglect.
00:09:46.21\00:09:47.81
About 20 years ago when I was
living in northern California
00:09:49.34\00:09:52.55
in the Northern California
Conference where I was
00:09:52.65\00:09:55.07
pastoring, I sat down
and read the book of Hebrews,
00:09:55.10\00:09:59.98
which actually started
a number of years before.
00:10:00.01\00:10:03.35
I mention the story as
I was traveling back from
00:10:03.80\00:10:06.46
Taipei, Taiwan when I
was in the Heritage singers.
00:10:06.49\00:10:09.24
And the plane was shaking
during the time that meals
00:10:10.02\00:10:13.36
were being served, and
a movie about George Burns
00:10:13.39\00:10:17.75
entitled, "Oh God, You
Devil," was being shown, and
00:10:17.78\00:10:20.27
they tried to sell me headsets.
00:10:20.30\00:10:22.00
And I thought, if there is
ever a dangerous thing to do,
00:10:22.44\00:10:24.73
is to buy headsets to
watch a blasphemous movie
00:10:24.76\00:10:27.92
while we're relying on
God to get us home safely.
00:10:28.12\00:10:30.93
So I decided not
to buy the headsets.
00:10:31.64\00:10:34.00
And people were
watching this movie.
00:10:34.03\00:10:35.71
And I was sitting
down reading my Bible,
00:10:36.12\00:10:38.27
I was reading
the book of Hebrews.
00:10:38.30\00:10:40.51
Two Bibles ago.
00:10:40.54\00:10:42.21
I go through Bibles.
00:10:42.24\00:10:43.58
And I remember that very well.
00:10:44.57\00:10:46.66
And it sparked my interest
about the overall theme of the
00:10:46.69\00:10:50.06
book of Hebrews.
00:10:50.09\00:10:51.61
And then one day I began to
sit down and I looked through it
00:10:52.06\00:10:54.31
methodically, and I found
out in its pages there are
00:10:54.34\00:10:57.24
five dangers outlined.
00:10:57.44\00:11:00.24
How many dangers did I say?
00:11:00.27\00:11:01.52
Five dangers outlined.
00:11:01.91\00:11:03.95
And as you follow these dangers,
you'll discover that every one
00:11:03.98\00:11:07.62
of them is a progressive
step that finally leads to the
00:11:07.65\00:11:12.79
irreversible step
of the very last one.
00:11:12.82\00:11:15.16
That is the
danger of refusing God.
00:11:15.19\00:11:17.98
The danger of neglect,
the danger of unbelief,
00:11:18.01\00:11:21.02
the danger of not maturing,
the danger of drawing back,
00:11:21.05\00:11:23.82
and finally the
danger of refusing God.
00:11:23.85\00:11:26.88
Tonight, if you have
your Bibles, we're going to
00:11:26.91\00:11:28.45
begin by going to the
book of Hebrews chapter 2.
00:11:28.48\00:11:31.35
And we're going to
look together at verse 3.
00:11:31.65\00:11:34.41
Hebrews chapter 2, and I'm
going to read briefly verse 3.
00:11:34.72\00:11:38.58
"How shall we escape if we
neglect so great a salvation,
00:11:41.31\00:11:45.09
which at the first began
to be spoken by the Lord,
00:11:45.54\00:11:48.40
and was confirmed to us
by those who heard Him..."
00:11:48.70\00:11:52.57
How shall we escape?
00:11:52.86\00:11:56.29
My wife and I just got
back from Nairobi, Kenya.
00:11:57.27\00:12:00.03
And when we said to
our brothers and sisters,
00:12:00.79\00:12:05.29
and our members alike,
that we were going to Kenya,
00:12:05.32\00:12:07.22
they said, "Are you sure
that's a safe place to go?"
00:12:07.25\00:12:09.95
And truly, we questioned
whether or not it was safe
00:12:10.48\00:12:12.89
because of all the
things that are happening
00:12:12.92\00:12:14.79
in different parts of
the world that are really
00:12:15.03\00:12:17.46
putting our safety at risk.
00:12:17.49\00:12:19.55
But what I discovered is
that we live in one of the most
00:12:19.98\00:12:22.21
dangerous
generations in recorded history.
00:12:22.24\00:12:24.87
Doesn't have to be in Nairobi.
00:12:24.90\00:12:26.35
It could be
anywhere in the world.
00:12:26.38\00:12:27.98
And we are living in the
most dangerous generation
00:12:28.01\00:12:30.63
in recorded history.
00:12:30.66\00:12:32.23
Our world is
replete with dangers.
00:12:32.55\00:12:35.21
Every day we are confronted
with danger avoiding decisions.
00:12:35.41\00:12:40.15
In our own homes.
00:12:40.18\00:12:41.36
Our homes are dangerous.
00:12:41.41\00:12:42.85
I think about some of
those who put up light bulbs
00:12:42.95\00:12:45.31
and fall off ladders.
00:12:45.34\00:12:46.70
It's a dangerous
world we live in.
00:12:47.29\00:12:48.60
Our homes are dangerous.
00:12:48.63\00:12:49.66
Every day, if we can make
it through our homes without
00:12:49.69\00:12:52.04
killing ourselves we've
avoided the obvious dangers.
00:12:52.07\00:12:55.28
I read a statistic once, how
many deaths occur in our homes;
00:12:55.67\00:12:59.02
from drowning, from
children dying from asphyxiation
00:12:59.05\00:13:02.62
messing with the plastic
that comes with your clothing
00:13:02.65\00:13:05.26
when you pick it
up from the cleaners.
00:13:05.29\00:13:06.97
Our homes are
dangerous at times.
00:13:07.21\00:13:09.60
There are countries
that are dangerous to visit.
00:13:09.78\00:13:12.33
There are mountains
that are dangerous to climb.
00:13:12.64\00:13:15.03
I was reading a story
just recently about a place
00:13:15.13\00:13:17.96
in China called Culu, China.
00:13:17.99\00:13:23.14
And I think about our
children traveling to school
00:13:23.59\00:13:26.25
not too far from here.
00:13:26.28\00:13:27.66
And the article pointed out
that every day children travel
00:13:27.69\00:13:31.23
five miles to school
through the mountains.
00:13:31.26\00:13:35.06
And the path is
only one foot wide.
00:13:35.09\00:13:37.43
And I thought, that's dangerous.
00:13:37.46\00:13:39.80
And then there's also in
the Philippines where children
00:13:39.90\00:13:41.87
go to school on a day by
day basis, and in one of the
00:13:41.90\00:13:44.27
provinces, to get to school
they float on a rubber tire,
00:13:44.30\00:13:48.47
inflated rubber
tire, across a muddy river
00:13:48.50\00:13:51.55
just to get to school.
00:13:51.58\00:13:52.89
That's dangerous.
00:13:53.17\00:13:54.40
Then there are foods
that are dangerous to ingest.
00:13:55.00\00:13:57.62
Matter of fact, it's
dangerous to drink alcohol
00:13:57.94\00:14:00.32
and abuse drugs.
00:14:00.35\00:14:01.79
But it's also now
dangerous to drive and text.
00:14:02.12\00:14:04.77
When I was growing
up, it use to be dangerous
00:14:05.70\00:14:07.67
to disrespect your parents.
00:14:07.70\00:14:09.34
There are growing dangers
from countless insecurities,
00:14:11.94\00:14:14.53
if you follow the list.
00:14:14.56\00:14:15.67
And I've said nothing
about the senseless shootings
00:14:15.94\00:14:18.69
that occur in our
schools in civilized America.
00:14:18.89\00:14:22.60
Or the growing number
of home born terrorists;
00:14:23.32\00:14:26.00
another avenue of danger.
00:14:26.03\00:14:27.88
Or the increased militarization
of the urban centers
00:14:28.11\00:14:31.99
of our nation; like
what happened in St. Louis.
00:14:32.02\00:14:35.68
Dangerous cities.
00:14:35.94\00:14:37.48
How about the increasing
fear over the spread of Ebola?
00:14:37.56\00:14:40.85
When we got back from
Africa someone said to my wife,
00:14:40.92\00:14:44.50
"If you start feeling sick
or you start getting a fever,
00:14:44.53\00:14:47.12
you can stay home."
00:14:47.15\00:14:48.32
Because they were
concerned about the Ebola virus
00:14:48.73\00:14:50.58
coming back with us.
00:14:50.61\00:14:51.77
These are dangers that lurk
in our minds from day to day.
00:14:51.80\00:14:55.74
But the fact of the matter
is, it wouldn't be danger unless
00:14:56.31\00:14:59.75
the possibility
of harm was imminent.
00:14:59.99\00:15:02.42
Think about that.
00:15:02.45\00:15:03.48
It wouldn't be danger
if the threat of safety
00:15:03.51\00:15:05.66
were not a probability.
00:15:05.69\00:15:07.82
It wouldn't be danger
unless ignoring it made
00:15:07.92\00:15:11.20
the risk of death likely.
00:15:11.23\00:15:13.65
But all I've mentioned so
far does not measure up with the
00:15:14.30\00:15:17.04
most dangerous
circumstance of all.
00:15:17.07\00:15:20.69
Look at this one in
Hebrews chapter 2 verse 1 to 3.
00:15:20.72\00:15:24.75
At the intersection of death
and eternity, the apostle Paul
00:15:24.78\00:15:27.95
shouts these words.
00:15:27.98\00:15:29.35
And here they are.
00:15:29.38\00:15:30.43
I don't believe that the apostle
Paul would have put these words
00:16:07.29\00:16:10.22
in Scripture if there was
not a possible loss of salvation
00:16:10.25\00:16:15.02
in this text.
00:16:15.22\00:16:16.51
Danger; "How can we escape if we
neglect so great a salvation?"
00:16:16.71\00:16:20.90
Every day when I wake
up, I think about salvation.
00:16:21.01\00:16:23.16
I think of where I
was and where I am today.
00:16:23.19\00:16:25.14
And I praise the
Lord for His salvation.
00:16:25.30\00:16:26.90
Can you say amen to that?
00:16:26.93\00:16:28.08
If we think of our
lives before Jesus,
00:16:28.23\00:16:30.36
BC; before Christ,
and AC; after Christ,
00:16:30.39\00:16:34.29
we can see that the best
decision we have ever made
00:16:34.72\00:16:37.45
is to accept His grace,
to accept His salvation.
00:16:37.80\00:16:41.41
But how can we
escape if we neglect?
00:16:41.69\00:16:45.03
How can we ignore the
word spoke by the Lord
00:16:45.23\00:16:48.14
and expect a different
outcome from those that ignore
00:16:48.24\00:16:51.07
the word spoken by angels?
00:16:51.10\00:16:53.42
So allow me tonight to
begin our series as we unfold
00:16:53.73\00:16:57.12
the steps that lead to danger.
00:16:57.15\00:16:59.71
The writer of Hebrews demands
us to read the obituary of
00:17:00.20\00:17:04.13
those that ignored
the counsel of God;
00:17:04.16\00:17:06.92
those that God gave all the
privileges and opportunities,
00:17:06.95\00:17:10.10
those that God has blessed.
00:17:10.13\00:17:11.49
The write of Hebrews
said "Read their obituary.
00:17:13.02\00:17:15.96
Look at their DNA.
00:17:15.99\00:17:17.49
And as you learn
what they've done,
00:17:17.52\00:17:19.25
choose not to do it."
00:17:19.35\00:17:21.18
By the way, if you follow that
carefully in the lives of the
00:17:21.88\00:17:24.16
children of Israel, and
when you study their lives,
00:17:24.19\00:17:26.61
we are told that if you
look at the way they lived,
00:17:26.71\00:17:29.32
it is almost a parallel to the
way that Christians live today.
00:17:29.56\00:17:33.75
We can learn a
lot by their failures.
00:17:33.78\00:17:36.55
We can learn a lot of what
not to do by the things that
00:17:36.58\00:17:39.55
the children of Israel did.
00:17:39.58\00:17:40.70
We can learn what
to avoid by the things
00:17:40.73\00:17:43.04
that they chose not to avoid.
00:17:43.07\00:17:44.90
We can learn about
the decisions to make
00:17:45.00\00:17:46.71
by the decisions
that they did not make.
00:17:46.74\00:17:49.16
And so when I read the
life of Israel, I discover
00:17:49.63\00:17:51.96
that a people that had all
the advantages that God had made
00:17:54.44\00:17:57.32
available to them lost because
they did not make the proper
00:17:57.35\00:18:01.20
spiritual decisions.
00:18:01.23\00:18:02.92
They lost their
salvation because of neglect.
00:18:03.39\00:18:07.37
If ever there were a
people that had it all,
00:18:07.62\00:18:09.82
it was the Israelites.
00:18:09.85\00:18:11.29
And by the way, when we
look back and think of them
00:18:11.49\00:18:13.29
having everything,
look at your own life.
00:18:13.32\00:18:15.49
Are we not blessed?
00:18:15.52\00:18:16.95
We are blessed abundantly.
00:18:18.61\00:18:20.23
My wife and I were talking
about that today, and I said,
00:18:20.39\00:18:22.60
you know, as I sat
down and I thought about
00:18:22.83\00:18:24.62
where our lives where
and how we have gotten to
00:18:24.65\00:18:26.94
the place where we are today,
I think back to the fact that
00:18:26.97\00:18:29.94
we are just little ole John and
Angie from Brooklyn, New York.
00:18:30.34\00:18:33.91
Two knuckleheads, as it were,
that just simply turned their
00:18:36.05\00:18:38.64
lives over to the Lord.
00:18:38.67\00:18:40.26
And it's amazing what God
can do if we avail ourselves,
00:18:40.36\00:18:44.49
of ourselves, and put our
lives in the hand of the Lord.
00:18:44.52\00:18:48.21
Everything that Israel
had, God blessed them with.
00:18:48.62\00:18:51.57
And He blessed them,
not because of who they are,
00:18:51.60\00:18:54.09
but because of who He is.
00:18:54.56\00:18:55.59
Amen, church?
00:18:55.62\00:18:56.65
But look at
Deuteronomy chapter 7.
00:18:56.80\00:18:58.28
The Bible outlines
this very carefully
00:18:58.50\00:19:01.06
about God's blessing
to the children of Israel.
00:19:01.45\00:19:03.70
And you'll discover
that what He did for them
00:19:03.73\00:19:05.40
He wants to do for us.
00:19:05.71\00:19:06.74
Look at Deuteronomy
chapter 7 verse 6 to verse 8.
00:19:06.77\00:19:10.52
And the Lord speaks of the
children of Israel by saying...
00:19:12.89\00:19:15.29
Everything that God
did for Israel, church,
00:20:03.07\00:20:05.82
He wants to do for us.
00:20:05.85\00:20:08.34
And by the way, if you
don't know that, we are special
00:20:08.59\00:20:10.23
in the sight God.
00:20:10.26\00:20:11.55
We are not special
because of who we are,
00:20:12.07\00:20:13.99
but we are special
because of who He is.
00:20:14.02\00:20:16.20
If God takes the time to
bless us, He chooses to bless us
00:20:16.23\00:20:19.66
that His glory might be seen.
00:20:19.69\00:20:21.75
He chooses to equip us so
that His message can go forward.
00:20:21.91\00:20:25.51
He chooses to make us
a vessel of honor to Him.
00:20:25.54\00:20:29.63
When I began to look at
that and break that down,
00:20:30.06\00:20:31.99
I was sitting there thinking,
00:20:32.02\00:20:33.07
"Lord, what made
them so different?
00:20:33.10\00:20:34.91
What made them so unique?
00:20:34.94\00:20:36.36
What did You do for them
that You could not do for us?"
00:20:36.39\00:20:39.71
And I'll think about it.
00:20:39.94\00:20:41.25
He saved them from
the slavery of Egypt;
00:20:41.28\00:20:44.63
and He saves us
from the slavery of sin.
00:20:45.00\00:20:47.65
He made them a holy people;
He makes us a holy people.
00:20:47.98\00:20:51.66
Amen?
00:20:51.69\00:20:52.72
He brought them out
of the land of darkness;
00:20:52.82\00:20:54.95
He brought us out
of a life of darkness.
00:20:54.98\00:20:58.32
Look at 1 Peter
chapter 2 verses 9 and 10.
00:20:58.35\00:21:01.04
Go there with me, 1 Peter
chapter 2 verses 9 and 10.
00:21:01.07\00:21:05.09
All the Lord did for
Israel, He has done for us.
00:21:05.12\00:21:10.58
1 Peter chapter 2
verses 9 and 10 now almost
00:21:11.33\00:21:14.68
parallels Deuteronomy, but
this time it's not about Israel.
00:21:14.71\00:21:18.88
This time it's about us.
00:21:18.91\00:21:20.80
Let's read this together.
00:21:21.09\00:21:22.25
The Lord speaks
of us and He says,
00:21:22.46\00:21:24.05
to John and Angie He says...
00:21:24.08\00:21:25.38
Can you say amen to that?
00:21:56.39\00:21:57.69
I go back to my gang life,
if that's the word I can use...
00:21:57.93\00:22:01.36
And David knows
what I'm talking about.
00:22:01.39\00:22:02.77
I could go back to the
streets of New York City
00:22:02.93\00:22:04.92
and recall the fights
that I had with those that
00:22:05.25\00:22:08.64
had knives, and those
that held me up at gunpoint,
00:22:08.67\00:22:11.01
and those that broke a
broomstick over my head.
00:22:11.04\00:22:13.04
I can go back to that,
00:22:13.07\00:22:14.42
look at the deliverance of God
and say that where I am today
00:22:14.99\00:22:17.91
is not because of coincidence,
nor is it because of my plan,
00:22:17.94\00:22:22.09
but it is always
because of the plan of God.
00:22:22.19\00:22:24.57
Can you say amen to that?
00:22:24.60\00:22:25.93
So we are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood.
00:22:26.43\00:22:29.05
And sometimes, when I
think about it, sometimes
00:22:29.08\00:22:32.42
we ought to take
that into consideration.
00:22:32.45\00:22:34.15
We're not just another people,
but we are a special people.
00:22:34.25\00:22:37.84
We're not just a generation,
we are a chosen generation.
00:22:37.91\00:22:42.41
Does that not ring your bell?
00:22:42.51\00:22:44.32
Think about it.
00:22:45.15\00:22:46.20
Out of all the people
on earth, God chose you.
00:22:46.39\00:22:50.42
Out of all the individuals that
could have done the work that
00:22:51.51\00:22:53.66
you do, God chose you.
00:22:53.69\00:22:56.27
Out of all the ones that
are saved on a day by day basis,
00:22:57.51\00:23:01.14
God chose you.
00:23:01.17\00:23:03.25
God chose me.
00:23:03.86\00:23:05.20
When I think about that,
I'm not just another person.
00:23:05.42\00:23:07.90
Every time I go back
to New York City and I
00:23:07.93\00:23:09.68
run into the friends that
I had when I was growing up,
00:23:09.71\00:23:12.16
I go into the neighborhoods that
I lived when I was growing up,
00:23:12.58\00:23:15.09
I go into the places
where many years before
00:23:15.12\00:23:17.92
you can see the crack
vials and the butts left from
00:23:17.95\00:23:21.50
marijuana, you can
see the broken glass,
00:23:21.53\00:23:23.50
and sometimes you can
see an empty bullet shell,
00:23:23.53\00:23:26.40
and I think of all those things
that God brought me through,
00:23:27.55\00:23:29.95
and I think of where I am
today, and I realize in fact
00:23:29.98\00:23:33.65
that when I sing
Amazing Grace, I need to realize
00:23:33.84\00:23:36.90
how amazing
God's grace really is.
00:23:36.93\00:23:39.53
His grace is amazing.
00:23:40.11\00:23:41.14
But I'm talking
about salvation tonight.
00:23:41.17\00:23:42.70
We're going to begin by talking
about the most important thing
00:23:42.73\00:23:45.02
in the Christian life.
00:23:45.13\00:23:46.42
God has saved every one of us.
00:23:46.45\00:23:49.86
But the problem is that
sometimes we do what Israel did.
00:23:51.90\00:23:54.64
We look to God
for the wrong things.
00:23:54.67\00:23:56.20
Look at Deuteronomy
chapter 4 and verse 7 tonight.
00:23:56.23\00:24:00.49
Israel served God
for His temporal benefits
00:24:01.02\00:24:04.21
and missed out on the
greatest benefit of all;
00:24:04.27\00:24:07.38
the benefit of salvation.
00:24:07.56\00:24:08.76
Look at Deuteronomy
chapter 4 verse 7 to verse 9.
00:24:08.79\00:24:13.32
The Bible says...
00:24:17.16\00:24:18.19
Think about that.
00:25:08.27\00:25:09.39
You know, I was sitting down
today, and every now and then
00:25:09.49\00:25:14.26
I peruse the
internet to see what's new.
00:25:14.55\00:25:17.13
And when I say, "What's new,"
00:25:17.32\00:25:18.35
I mean I'm
somewhat of a gadgetarian.
00:25:18.38\00:25:20.51
I like to see what's
coming out, what's new.
00:25:20.54\00:25:22.50
And then I see
what's new and I think,
00:25:22.69\00:25:25.11
"Wow, you know, how
much does that costs?"
00:25:25.14\00:25:27.77
And then the thought came
to me today when I went back
00:25:28.00\00:25:31.31
and I thought about
the blessings that God
00:25:31.34\00:25:33.68
brings to us and how
when we focus on just the
00:25:33.89\00:25:36.63
temporal things, they
lose their impact in our lives.
00:25:36.66\00:25:40.21
But when we focus
on the eternal things,
00:25:40.24\00:25:42.07
they never lose
their impact in our lives.
00:25:42.10\00:25:44.92
I was thinking about
when we got our first vehicle,
00:25:45.36\00:25:47.27
our very first new
vehicle when we were married.
00:25:47.30\00:25:50.20
You know, in New York
City my wife had a Toyota
00:25:50.23\00:25:53.25
that her brother gave her.
00:25:53.68\00:25:54.83
And it had only, it
didn't have a reverse gear.
00:25:54.86\00:25:57.39
It only went forward.
00:25:57.59\00:25:58.78
We called that our Christian
vehicle, it only went forward.
00:25:58.81\00:26:01.97
And the first time we used
it for pleasure, it broke down
00:26:02.00\00:26:05.87
on the George Washington Bridge.
00:26:05.90\00:26:08.40
Whenever we took
it to prison ministry,
00:26:10.14\00:26:11.98
it always worked.
00:26:12.29\00:26:13.51
Whenever we went to a
Bible study, it always worked.
00:26:13.54\00:26:15.89
The moment we used
that for our own pleasure,
00:26:15.92\00:26:17.96
it broke down at the toll booth
on the George Washington Bridge
00:26:17.99\00:26:22.43
over the Hudson River.
00:26:22.46\00:26:24.24
After I paid the toll
and I pressed the gas pedal,
00:26:25.71\00:26:27.96
and the guy at the toll
booth looked at me like to say,
00:26:29.09\00:26:31.42
"Aren't you leaving?"
00:26:31.45\00:26:32.78
"I'm trying."
00:26:33.23\00:26:34.39
And the engine was just revving
and I was going nowhere fast.
00:26:34.42\00:26:37.70
And all I could hear
was the gears grinding
00:26:37.99\00:26:40.63
and I could hear
the oil pouring out.
00:26:40.66\00:26:42.52
And almost imperceptibly in my
mind, I began to rock to maybe
00:26:42.80\00:26:46.27
hopefully I could add
some momentum to this vehicle.
00:26:46.30\00:26:48.63
But because God was merciful,
He allowed us to be at the
00:26:49.28\00:26:51.80
apex of the bridge,
which from the toll booth
00:26:51.83\00:26:54.04
it was downhill from there.
00:26:54.07\00:26:55.46
Amen, somebody.
00:26:55.49\00:26:56.57
And so I was able to get that
thing going by really pressing
00:26:57.16\00:26:59.70
and revving up the gears, and
it was all downhill from there.
00:26:59.73\00:27:04.05
No brakes, and the
cars are whizzing by us
00:27:04.48\00:27:07.37
at 35 or 40 miles an hour.
00:27:07.40\00:27:09.04
But we were going just a good
ole cool 25, and eventually 30,
00:27:09.07\00:27:12.86
and maybe 35 at the
highest peak of our coasting.
00:27:13.25\00:27:16.91
And we made it all the way down
the George Washington Bridge
00:27:17.54\00:27:21.98
until we broken down and
left the car on the street
00:27:22.27\00:27:24.93
under the bridge.
00:27:24.96\00:27:26.18
And I think about that,
when I was living the life
00:27:26.37\00:27:28.11
that I didn't live, there
were broken things in my life
00:27:28.14\00:27:31.30
all the time.
00:27:31.33\00:27:32.36
I had my own car.
00:27:32.39\00:27:33.73
I remember that very well.
00:27:33.92\00:27:35.30
Finally got my own Toyota.
00:27:35.33\00:27:36.50
It was broken down
too. It had cancer.
00:27:36.53\00:27:38.78
But when we both
dedicated our lives to the Lord,
00:27:39.04\00:27:42.13
when we got married,
the Lord took the old things
00:27:42.16\00:27:45.23
out of our lives and
put the new things in.
00:27:45.26\00:27:47.75
Come on say amen, somebody.
00:27:47.78\00:27:49.14
I remember getting
our very first vehicle
00:27:49.65\00:27:51.25
in Orlando, Florida,
our Toyota Forerunner.
00:27:51.28\00:27:53.48
And I was excited about that.
00:27:54.44\00:27:56.61
But that was back in
1987, and that's old now.
00:27:57.40\00:28:00.92
Then I think about
getting the one in 1996
00:28:01.54\00:28:03.77
when we traded that one
out and got another Forerunner.
00:28:03.80\00:28:06.29
But that's old now.
00:28:06.32\00:28:07.82
And I think about
the 2005 Nissan Armada.
00:28:08.46\00:28:10.77
But that's old now.
00:28:10.80\00:28:12.34
You see, things
on earth get old.
00:28:13.38\00:28:15.56
But God's salvation and His
mercies are new every morning.
00:28:15.91\00:28:19.35
What do you say?
00:28:19.38\00:28:20.41
That's the salvation
that never lets us down.
00:28:20.44\00:28:23.94
That's the salvation
that brings to us every day
00:28:23.97\00:28:27.18
the honor and the
security that comes only
00:28:27.21\00:28:30.77
from the newness that the
Lord has brought into our lives.
00:28:30.87\00:28:34.09
Our lives are new.
00:28:34.12\00:28:35.18
Our lives are new every day.
00:28:35.60\00:28:37.21
And when Israel served God
for the newness that was divine,
00:28:37.90\00:28:41.17
and the newness
that was spiritual,
00:28:41.20\00:28:42.83
they never lost
their connection with God.
00:28:42.86\00:28:45.08
That's why today when I think
about the church that we are
00:28:46.40\00:28:48.35
a part of, there's
no movement on earth
00:28:48.38\00:28:50.13
that can claim a connection with
God as intimate as His church,
00:28:50.33\00:28:55.06
as powerful as the
connection that we have
00:28:55.17\00:28:58.00
because we serve Him.
00:28:58.03\00:28:59.06
There is no insurance policy
that can give us the assurance
00:28:59.09\00:29:02.83
that we can find in a
relationship with Jesus.
00:29:02.86\00:29:05.90
That's what salvation means,
that's what salvation really is.
00:29:05.93\00:29:09.44
When the apostle
says, "How shall we escape
00:29:11.30\00:29:15.26
if we neglect so
great a salvation,"
00:29:15.36\00:29:18.45
I had to ask the question,
"What makes salvation great?"
00:29:18.48\00:29:22.05
What makes salvation great?
00:29:22.82\00:29:24.71
Salvation is great
because its Author is God.
00:29:25.72\00:29:29.16
The Author and
Finisher of our faith.
00:29:30.78\00:29:34.16
Salvation is great
because God made a way
00:29:34.38\00:29:37.00
for sinners to
enter the kingdom.
00:29:37.03\00:29:38.63
What do you say?
00:29:38.66\00:29:39.69
Salvation is great first
because of the Author, God.
00:29:39.95\00:29:42.99
Think of God.
00:29:43.09\00:29:44.22
And every now and
then when I look at these
00:29:44.25\00:29:46.02
planets, and every now
and then I look at the stars
00:29:46.54\00:29:50.51
and I see the skies, and
I compare what I see to this
00:29:50.54\00:29:54.08
little earth, and I think
God could have easily wiped out
00:29:54.11\00:29:57.40
this earth, and
nobody would have missed us.
00:29:57.43\00:30:01.58
But because of
God's plan of salvation,
00:30:02.20\00:30:04.77
He made a way that this
little dot within a dot,
00:30:04.80\00:30:07.88
a speck within a
speck, and us on the speck,
00:30:07.91\00:30:10.59
that we can be
citizens of an eternal kingdom.
00:30:10.62\00:30:13.09
Amen?
00:30:13.12\00:30:14.15
That's salvation.
00:30:14.18\00:30:15.23
Salvation is great
because of its Author.
00:30:15.33\00:30:17.99
Second reason salvation is
great is because of the price
00:30:18.02\00:30:21.60
that was paid;
the life of Jesus.
00:30:21.63\00:30:24.19
Now who do you know that
would be willing to die for you?
00:30:24.65\00:30:26.99
Who do you know?
00:30:27.35\00:30:28.38
I can only think of
mothers being willing
00:30:30.90\00:30:33.31
to die for their children.
00:30:33.34\00:30:34.41
Or fathers being willing
to die for their children.
00:30:35.17\00:30:37.18
But outside of that, the
Bible says, "For scarcely would
00:30:37.21\00:30:40.63
anybody die for a righteous
man, let alone a sinner."
00:30:40.70\00:30:43.51
We have to look for
reasons to give our lives.
00:30:43.85\00:30:46.02
And often those reasons
are things that are beneficial.
00:30:46.05\00:30:48.72
"Why should I die for you?
00:30:48.75\00:30:49.78
What have you done for me?"
00:30:49.81\00:30:51.18
But the Lord died for us.
00:30:51.49\00:30:53.06
"In that while we were yet
sinners, Christ did.." What?
00:30:53.09\00:30:56.54
"...died for us."
00:30:56.65\00:30:58.64
Third reason why
salvation is so great is because
00:30:59.03\00:31:02.17
of its accomplishments.
00:31:02.20\00:31:03.97
Our redemption.
00:31:04.07\00:31:05.77
Now I was expecting a whole
hallelujah chorus on that one.
00:31:08.39\00:31:11.25
Salvation is great
because we are redeemed.
00:31:12.34\00:31:16.33
We're not just
members, we're redeemed.
00:31:18.53\00:31:20.66
We're not just church attenders.
00:31:20.76\00:31:23.46
We are one day going to
attend the banquet of the ages.
00:31:23.49\00:31:26.82
We are not just in a
building, we are in God's will.
00:31:27.01\00:31:30.76
We are not just
citizens on an earth,
00:31:31.17\00:31:33.44
we are going to be
citizens on the new earth.
00:31:33.47\00:31:36.05
We are getting ready for that
transaction that's going to make
00:31:36.75\00:31:39.90
our lives far
greater than it is today.
00:31:40.10\00:31:42.76
Look at the words
of David the psalmist
00:31:42.79\00:31:44.62
in Psalm 103 verse 4 and 5.
00:31:44.65\00:31:46.21
Look at these words.
00:31:46.24\00:31:47.27
He describes salvation,
what makes it so great.
00:31:47.30\00:31:50.43
He describes salvation
and what makes it so great.
00:31:51.01\00:31:53.86
Look at what he says about God.
00:31:53.89\00:31:55.44
Salvation is the
divine transaction
00:32:18.92\00:32:22.09
that transforms us
from the enemies of God
00:32:22.12\00:32:25.36
to the children of God.
00:32:25.39\00:32:26.92
Salvation is the
transaction that transforms us
00:32:27.99\00:32:33.56
from enemies of
God to children of God.
00:32:33.59\00:32:36.82
I think about that
video that I watched on CNN.
00:32:37.76\00:32:40.54
It's actual a repeating video.
00:32:41.22\00:32:43.27
They showed the mother
that pleaded for her son.
00:32:43.87\00:32:47.47
Pleaded to this terrorist group,
this Islamic group called, ISIS.
00:32:47.75\00:32:55.84
This terrorist group.
00:32:55.87\00:32:57.07
And she looked in the
camera and she pleaded the case.
00:32:57.10\00:32:59.90
She said, "Please
spare my son's life.
00:32:59.93\00:33:03.09
Please spare my son's life."
00:33:03.12\00:33:06.22
And I'm moved at the
fact that she lost her plea
00:33:06.25\00:33:09.04
and they executed her son.
00:33:09.07\00:33:10.72
And then I looked in God's Word
and I asked myself the question,
00:33:12.17\00:33:14.75
what happened when
Jesus pleaded our case?
00:33:14.78\00:33:18.87
What happened when Jesus
pleaded for our salvation?
00:33:18.90\00:33:22.18
Look at a book that most
likely wouldn't have the answer.
00:33:22.21\00:33:25.16
The book of Lamentations.
00:33:25.19\00:33:26.31
It sounds like a sad
book, but look at that book.
00:33:26.34\00:33:28.74
Lamentations chapter 3 verse 58.
00:33:28.95\00:33:31.80
Look at what it says
about what happens when
00:33:32.13\00:33:34.28
Jesus pleads our case.
00:33:34.31\00:33:37.19
And here's what it says.
00:33:37.40\00:33:38.56
When He pleads our case,
He does what to our lives?
00:33:47.21\00:33:49.77
He redeems our lives.
00:33:49.80\00:33:51.56
And I tell you, as my
mother told me when I met her,
00:33:51.79\00:33:54.62
she said, "If I raised,
you'd probably be a drunk
00:33:54.65\00:33:58.98
on the streets of
the Virgin Islands.
00:33:59.01\00:34:00.86
You surely wouldn't
be what you are today."
00:34:02.18\00:34:04.08
And I think of even
my abandonment as a plan
00:34:04.46\00:34:06.48
of God's eternal will.
00:34:06.51\00:34:08.40
To take me from
what I could have been
00:34:08.50\00:34:10.29
to make me what I am today.
00:34:10.32\00:34:12.03
God redeems us.
00:34:12.95\00:34:14.30
He looks at the situations
developing in our lives
00:34:14.33\00:34:16.90
and He has a plan that
interrupts what the enemy
00:34:17.11\00:34:21.20
wants to do in our lives.
00:34:21.23\00:34:22.86
That's why when
Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 3
00:34:23.35\00:34:26.03
proclaims it, the
question is asked again,
00:34:26.06\00:34:28.58
"How shall we escape if we
neglect so great a salvation?"
00:34:28.61\00:34:32.44
How can we escape?
00:34:32.60\00:34:33.77
I was sitting in the airport
on our way, my wife and I were,
00:34:33.80\00:34:37.80
on our way to the University of
Nebraska about five years ago.
00:34:37.91\00:34:41.01
And I was invited there to
speak to a class of students
00:34:41.62\00:34:45.26
at a secular university.
00:34:45.29\00:34:46.68
And they said, "Come,
we'd like you to share
00:34:46.86\00:34:48.67
with this university some
things about what it means
00:34:48.70\00:34:52.04
to be a pastor, what it
means to be an Adventist."
00:34:52.07\00:34:54.57
And what an opportunity
to be able to do that
00:34:54.73\00:34:56.75
at a secular university.
00:34:56.78\00:34:58.87
But I was sitting at the airport
thinking about neglecting.
00:34:59.01\00:35:04.46
I was sitting at the
airport, and we transferred from
00:35:04.49\00:35:07.16
one plane, and we were
sitting at the next stop
00:35:07.36\00:35:09.91
to make the next connection.
00:35:09.94\00:35:11.33
And we got to our gate
and we were sitting there.
00:35:11.36\00:35:14.66
And I said to my wife,
"Seems like we're the only ones
00:35:15.91\00:35:19.77
going to North Dakota."
00:35:19.80\00:35:21.26
Or Nebraska.
00:35:21.46\00:35:22.49
And I said, "I guess so.
00:35:23.13\00:35:24.79
You know, we're early.
Our plane is not here yet."
00:35:24.82\00:35:26.80
And we sat down and
went back to the food counter
00:35:26.83\00:35:31.09
and got something to eat.
00:35:31.12\00:35:32.27
And we thought about
it, and we came back,
00:35:32.73\00:35:36.19
and we realized that
we were at the wrong gate.
00:35:36.22\00:35:40.21
We realized that
after our plane left.
00:35:41.81\00:35:44.24
You know why? Because we
neglected to check our ticket
00:35:45.71\00:35:49.34
with the sign.
00:35:49.37\00:35:50.82
And it was only
one number different.
00:35:51.12\00:35:53.11
Flight 1135, and
I saw flight 1134.
00:35:53.14\00:35:58.29
One number, we
neglected to compare the two.
00:35:58.93\00:36:01.61
We thought we
were the only ones.
00:36:01.64\00:36:03.37
I thought everybody else
was wrong and I was right.
00:36:03.40\00:36:05.54
Sometimes we can neglect
the finest things in our lives
00:36:05.57\00:36:08.31
and forget to realize that
God's Word is always right.
00:36:08.51\00:36:12.65
We should always
assume that we are wrong
00:36:12.85\00:36:15.02
and God is always right.
00:36:15.05\00:36:16.08
Can you say amen to that?
00:36:16.11\00:36:17.34
That's why when I think
about the goodness of God,
00:36:18.28\00:36:19.94
there is no escape
from death other than Jesus,
00:36:19.97\00:36:22.44
there is no escape from the
pain of life other than Jesus,
00:36:22.47\00:36:25.79
there is no escape from
condemnation other than Jesus.
00:36:25.82\00:36:29.65
There's no real
joy outside of Jesus.
00:36:29.99\00:36:32.17
There's no lasting
peace without Jesus.
00:36:32.20\00:36:35.12
There is no hope beyond
the grave apart from Jesus.
00:36:35.15\00:36:39.41
There's no
possibility of eternal life
00:36:39.44\00:36:41.61
unless we have Jesus.
00:36:41.64\00:36:43.00
What do you say?
00:36:43.04\00:36:44.08
Jesus is the focus.
00:36:44.53\00:36:45.83
I've got to begin this
series by looking at Jesus,
00:36:45.86\00:36:48.17
because I can't have salvation
if it were not for Jesus.
00:36:48.20\00:36:51.95
The only one that can
heal my hurts is Jesus.
00:36:52.98\00:36:55.70
The only one that can
dry my tears is Jesus.
00:36:55.73\00:36:58.80
The only one that can
calm all my fears is Jesus.
00:36:58.83\00:37:02.46
The only one that
can bring me through
00:37:02.49\00:37:04.59
whatever I'm
going through is Jesus.
00:37:04.62\00:37:06.31
What do you say?
00:37:06.34\00:37:07.40
The only one that
can lift us up is Jesus.
00:37:07.50\00:37:10.47
And the only one that can
keep us from falling is Jesus.
00:37:10.50\00:37:16.00
So why should I
neglect that kind of Friend?
00:37:16.45\00:37:18.75
Why should I neglect somebody
who will never let me down,
00:37:19.21\00:37:22.25
who's always there for me?
00:37:22.28\00:37:23.94
That's why the most
wonderful statement ever made
00:37:24.23\00:37:26.80
to human ears is found in
Matthew chapter 1 and verse 21.
00:37:26.83\00:37:30.07
Look at it, it's on the screen.
00:37:30.17\00:37:31.74
I want you to read it with me.
00:37:31.77\00:37:32.98
The most wonderful
statement ever made to humanity.
00:37:33.01\00:37:35.63
Here it is, Matthew 1 verse 21.
00:37:35.66\00:37:37.38
That's a guarantee.
00:37:48.77\00:37:50.12
He doesn't save us in our
sins, He doesn't fix us up.
00:37:50.15\00:37:53.04
He saves us from our sins.
00:37:53.07\00:37:55.17
He saves us from
the penalty of our sins.
00:37:55.20\00:37:58.20
Every day, He saves
us from the power of sin.
00:37:58.23\00:38:01.28
And one day He's going to save
us from the presence of sin.
00:38:01.31\00:38:04.04
That's the good news to me.
00:38:04.07\00:38:05.46
I think about
where I could have been.
00:38:05.92\00:38:07.43
When I read this story
about neglect, the sad message
00:38:08.75\00:38:11.57
of the apostle is not
that salvation is rejected,
00:38:11.60\00:38:14.61
but salvation is neglected.
00:38:15.13\00:38:17.12
Salvation is disregarded.
00:38:17.22\00:38:18.97
Salvation is postponed.
00:38:19.00\00:38:20.51
Salvation is
minimized, relegated.
00:38:20.54\00:38:22.68
And salvation is ignored.
00:38:22.71\00:38:24.22
And so allow me
to put in that DVD,
00:38:25.22\00:38:27.79
allow us to walk
through the life of those
00:38:28.35\00:38:31.68
that did not escape.
00:38:31.99\00:38:33.89
Let's go together to
the movie entitled, Neglect,
00:38:35.14\00:38:38.53
as we read the transcript
in 1 Corinthians chapter 10
00:38:38.77\00:38:42.27
verse 1 to 11.
00:38:42.53\00:38:43.67
Look at the movie,
look at all the credits.
00:38:43.77\00:38:45.98
Here's what Paul writes
about those that did not escape.
00:38:46.01\00:38:49.59
What a movie.
00:40:15.18\00:40:16.53
If you could see that movie,
you would tap on the screen
00:40:16.87\00:40:18.84
and say, "Wait,
wait, don't do that.
00:40:18.87\00:40:20.52
Don't make that decision.
00:40:21.19\00:40:22.63
Don't ignore
that kind of Friend."
00:40:23.61\00:40:25.21
But I looked at some of
the things that were similar.
00:40:25.50\00:40:27.14
Look at the things
that they had in similarity.
00:40:27.17\00:40:29.00
There's a great lesson here.
00:40:29.14\00:40:30.32
They were all under the cloud.
00:40:30.75\00:40:32.68
In other words, they all
enjoyed God's protection,
00:40:32.71\00:40:35.47
but they still
neglected salvation.
00:40:35.50\00:40:37.59
They all passed through the sea.
00:40:38.15\00:40:40.04
They all enjoyed
God's deliverance,
00:40:40.07\00:40:41.86
but they still
neglected salvation.
00:40:41.89\00:40:44.10
They all were
baptized into Moses.
00:40:44.48\00:40:47.42
We can experience baptism
and still neglect salvation.
00:40:47.76\00:40:51.57
They had the
same spiritual food.
00:40:52.22\00:40:53.85
We can have doctrinal unity
and still neglect salvation.
00:40:53.88\00:40:58.56
And they had the
same spiritual drink.
00:40:59.66\00:41:01.46
We can
experience God's provision
00:41:01.49\00:41:03.83
and still neglect salvation.
00:41:03.86\00:41:06.58
And so allow me now to
outline the five step plan
00:41:06.87\00:41:10.52
to neglect salvation.
00:41:10.55\00:41:12.19
The first one, nurture a desire
for things that lead you back.
00:41:13.16\00:41:21.54
You know, I could never
forget when we were driving
00:41:22.56\00:41:24.06
to California a
number of years ago.
00:41:24.09\00:41:25.46
And I'm going to make
this short because I want to
00:41:25.49\00:41:26.72
cover the entire message.
00:41:26.75\00:41:27.99
And we stopped in Texas
on our way to California
00:41:28.16\00:41:30.41
to begin ministry.
00:41:30.44\00:41:31.60
And we parked at a hotel, I
think it was in Houston, Texas.
00:41:31.63\00:41:34.99
I'm not exactly
sure what city it was.
00:41:35.02\00:41:36.94
But we got up in the
morning and began our journey
00:41:37.33\00:41:40.44
I thought on the way to
California, until my wife said,
00:41:40.47\00:41:43.34
"You know, there's a restaurant
just like that behind us."
00:41:43.37\00:41:46.47
And then we saw a metal
dinosaur, something like that.
00:41:47.39\00:41:50.33
She said, "There's a
dinosaur that looks just like
00:41:50.36\00:41:52.31
that behind us."
00:41:52.34\00:41:53.58
And I didn't realize it
until I looked at the signs.
00:41:54.08\00:41:58.17
10 east when I was
suppose to be going 10 west.
00:41:58.62\00:42:03.77
My point is, when you
start seeing the things
00:42:04.88\00:42:09.14
that you passed
showing up in your life again,
00:42:09.17\00:42:13.35
you're going in
the wrong direction.
00:42:13.38\00:42:15.62
The children of Israel
nurtured a desire for the things
00:42:16.28\00:42:20.14
that led them back.
00:42:20.17\00:42:21.68
Look at Numbers
chapter 14 and verse 4.
00:42:21.71\00:42:23.45
Look at what they said.
00:42:23.48\00:42:24.54
They complained
when God separated
00:42:24.91\00:42:27.05
them from the things of Egypt.
00:42:27.08\00:42:28.11
They said in Numbers 14
verse 4, the desire was so deep
00:42:28.14\00:42:30.46
they said to one another...
00:42:30.66\00:42:32.76
Now can I make
a testimony today?
00:42:38.43\00:42:40.14
Can I make a testimony,
can I give a testimony?
00:42:40.17\00:42:42.26
I ain't going back to
the way life use to be.
00:42:42.36\00:42:44.93
Come on say amen.
00:42:44.96\00:42:45.99
I ain't going back to that.
00:42:46.09\00:42:47.70
I know what would
happen, I know the certainty
00:42:48.55\00:42:50.69
of what would happen if I go
back to the way I lived before.
00:42:50.72\00:42:53.00
But I want you
to also understand,
00:42:53.54\00:42:54.93
the devil doesn't
take my declaration as a,
00:42:54.96\00:42:57.19
"Don't bother him anymore."
00:42:57.22\00:42:58.83
He looks for convenient times.
00:42:59.67\00:43:01.00
He tries to find ways to
get me to say it differently.
00:43:01.03\00:43:03.27
So he redresses the sin.
00:43:03.30\00:43:05.13
So don't nurture a desire for
things that will lead you back.
00:43:06.86\00:43:11.37
Secondly, step two,
they established a religion
00:43:11.47\00:43:17.15
that preferred
pleasure above service.
00:43:17.75\00:43:20.83
The Bible says in verse 7
of 1 Corinthians chapter 10...
00:43:21.98\00:43:25.90
Oh, that's a dangerous one.
00:43:34.75\00:43:35.94
If all you like is fellowship
lunch after the sermon,
00:43:35.97\00:43:38.78
you do nothing to
advance the cause of God,
00:43:38.81\00:43:40.55
you're in the same category.
00:43:40.58\00:43:42.02
If all you're concerned about
is the food after the food,
00:43:44.09\00:43:46.73
and you don't hit the
street with the gospel beat
00:43:47.71\00:43:49.84
to let others know, you
fall in the same category.
00:43:49.87\00:43:52.72
The people sat down to eat
and drink, and rose up to play.
00:43:52.75\00:43:56.04
They didn't neglect salvation
because they didn't like it.
00:43:57.65\00:44:00.55
But the things that
they chose to do instead of
00:44:00.58\00:44:03.66
what God called them to do.
00:44:03.69\00:44:05.37
And thus the second step
was they established a religion
00:44:06.36\00:44:09.61
that preferred
pleasure and ease above service.
00:44:09.64\00:44:13.06
Look at step three.
00:44:13.58\00:44:14.88
They fed their sensual passions.
00:44:17.72\00:44:19.83
Look at verse 8 of 1
Corinthians chapter 10.
00:44:20.92\00:44:23.10
Can you imagine at the end of
the day, "How many people died?"
00:44:35.32\00:44:37.17
"Twenty-three
thousand died today."
00:44:37.20\00:44:39.10
Now I don't want to
make a comparison, but
00:44:41.31\00:44:43.92
how many of our members
would die during the week
00:44:44.58\00:44:46.82
if we knew the
secrets of their lives?
00:44:48.03\00:44:50.08
"Whatever
happened to so and so?"
00:44:50.47\00:44:51.50
"He died."
00:44:51.53\00:44:52.56
"From what?"
00:44:53.55\00:44:54.58
"Sexual immorality."
00:44:54.88\00:44:56.45
Don't take their story
seriously and ignore your story.
00:44:58.22\00:45:01.70
When you follow the
life of the Israelites,
00:45:02.87\00:45:04.84
when the men went out to
war they won every battle
00:45:04.87\00:45:07.43
that they faced.
00:45:07.46\00:45:08.72
But the devil decides,
"Okay, you can win against
00:45:08.94\00:45:11.41
the men that you fight,
but I'm going to send some
00:45:11.44\00:45:14.03
Moabite women and
see how much you win."
00:45:14.06\00:45:16.36
And that led the men
of Israel down the path of
00:45:17.34\00:45:20.20
sexual immorality.
00:45:20.23\00:45:21.67
And all those
victories became failures
00:45:21.70\00:45:24.63
because they nurtured and
they fed their sensual passions.
00:45:24.88\00:45:28.40
That's the third step.
00:45:28.43\00:45:29.46
You've got to watch that.
00:45:29.49\00:45:30.85
When those passions arise,
throw some water on it and
00:45:31.17\00:45:34.00
call on Jesus.
00:45:34.03\00:45:35.46
Like somebody once said,
"We run away from sin like..."
00:45:38.92\00:45:41.36
Really slowly.
00:45:42.07\00:45:43.29
You've got to do like
Elijah; run for your life.
00:45:43.71\00:45:46.12
Because you stand up, you'll
discover that the things that
00:45:47.05\00:45:49.16
you think you can handle
will end up handling you.
00:45:49.19\00:45:51.49
Look at the fourth step.
00:45:52.26\00:45:53.45
The fourth thing that they
did, they pushed the boundaries
00:45:54.26\00:45:57.24
of God's grace.
00:45:57.27\00:45:58.58
They pushed the
boundaries of God's grace.
00:45:58.84\00:46:01.25
Look at verse 9 of 1
Corinthians chapter 10.
00:46:01.35\00:46:03.33
We ran through that.
00:46:03.36\00:46:04.48
They tempted
Christ, in other words.
00:46:04.83\00:46:06.55
Now how did they tempt Christ?
00:46:14.74\00:46:18.34
How do you tempt God?
00:46:19.00\00:46:20.42
Well I did my homework.
00:46:22.79\00:46:23.92
They tempted God by insisting
on retaining their old habits,
00:46:24.77\00:46:28.70
their old
practices, their old appetites,
00:46:29.04\00:46:32.14
and their old customs.
00:46:32.17\00:46:34.02
God was getting
them ready for Canaan,
00:46:34.38\00:46:37.17
and they continually complained
about all the things that God
00:46:37.20\00:46:40.98
made them abandon in Egypt.
00:46:41.32\00:46:43.54
Forgetting that it was in
Egypt that they were slaves.
00:46:43.57\00:46:46.50
Let me make the
point; you can't go back
00:46:46.95\00:46:48.42
to the life you had before
and expect the devil to not
00:46:48.45\00:46:50.91
make you a slave again.
00:46:50.94\00:46:52.26
It's not a possibility.
00:46:53.05\00:46:54.21
"Let's go back to Egypt,"
00:46:54.24\00:46:55.62
thinking that if you
come back voluntarily,
00:46:55.65\00:46:57.65
then this time you and the devil
will be on the same grounds.
00:46:57.68\00:47:00.71
I'm always amazed by
people that get upset with God.
00:47:00.74\00:47:03.23
They get mad at God.
00:47:04.62\00:47:05.65
If you get mad at God
and you're a Christian,
00:47:05.68\00:47:07.06
who do you talk to?
00:47:07.09\00:47:08.42
"I'm not on
talking terms with God."
00:47:09.37\00:47:11.49
Are you on talking
terms with the devil?
00:47:11.52\00:47:13.44
How do Christians do that?
00:47:14.07\00:47:15.39
They push the
boundaries of God's grace.
00:47:16.60\00:47:18.54
That was the fourth step.
00:47:18.57\00:47:19.79
And the fifth step.
00:47:20.08\00:47:21.28
1 Corinthians chapter
10 verse 10, look at this.
00:47:24.06\00:47:26.73
They complained.
00:47:38.47\00:47:39.75
They criticized God's leading.
00:47:39.78\00:47:42.89
You know, I learned
this one really well.
00:47:43.19\00:47:44.84
Because after we came to
California, I'll never forget
00:47:44.87\00:47:47.65
the time when...
00:47:47.68\00:47:48.71
You know, I don't
want to be too detailed.
00:47:49.82\00:47:51.93
But you know, sometimes
the Lord sends you some place
00:47:51.96\00:47:56.07
and you never see the
wisdom of God sending you there.
00:47:56.10\00:47:58.47
Like the first big
church that we had.
00:47:58.98\00:48:01.41
I want to tell you,
for the first three years
00:48:01.44\00:48:03.54
we walked through the
valley of the shadow of death.
00:48:03.57\00:48:06.22
It was one
battle after the other,
00:48:06.88\00:48:08.43
one torment after the other,
one trial after the other.
00:48:08.46\00:48:11.33
And I never knew why God
allowed us to go through that.
00:48:11.36\00:48:14.23
But I look back on it now
and I say, "Thank the Lord."
00:48:14.26\00:48:17.30
Thank the Lord for the
difficult battle then, because
00:48:17.33\00:48:19.72
the difficulties of the
past gives you thicker skin
00:48:19.75\00:48:22.91
for the battles of the future.
00:48:22.94\00:48:24.60
If you don't go through the
difficult trials of the past,
00:48:25.10\00:48:27.49
you never can handle the
difficult ones that are coming.
00:48:27.52\00:48:30.30
As somebody once said, "David
killed the lion and a bear."
00:48:30.50\00:48:34.62
His lion and his bear
got him ready for his giant.
00:48:34.65\00:48:38.33
So I learned not to complain
when God allows things to come.
00:48:39.39\00:48:42.18
Never complain
about God's leading.
00:48:42.21\00:48:45.03
And I'll never forget
that; my wife and I, you know,
00:48:45.06\00:48:47.45
God led us to California.
00:48:47.48\00:48:48.68
We knew that.
00:48:48.71\00:48:49.74
But how do you do...
00:48:50.07\00:48:51.10
I mean, what do you do
when you get to California
00:48:51.13\00:48:53.35
and all you have is four hundred
and something dollars left,
00:48:53.38\00:48:55.62
and you're 3000
miles away from home,
00:48:55.65\00:48:57.38
and you can't find an apartment
in northern California?
00:48:57.41\00:49:01.27
What do you do?
00:49:01.49\00:49:02.52
You go back, or you call God.
00:49:03.71\00:49:05.74
Or you could say,
"Lord, You could have give me
00:49:07.81\00:49:09.93
some more money.
00:49:09.96\00:49:10.99
You didn't have to
send me to California with
00:49:11.94\00:49:13.73
only 400 dollars left.
00:49:13.76\00:49:15.48
How am I going to get an
apartment in California?"
00:49:15.83\00:49:17.49
I've learned that there's
nothing impossible for God.
00:49:17.52\00:49:21.42
Can you say amen?
00:49:21.45\00:49:22.53
So I don't
criticize God anymore.
00:49:22.73\00:49:24.32
I may not understand at
the moment what God is doing,
00:49:24.35\00:49:26.96
but I don't
criticize God anymore.
00:49:27.42\00:49:29.76
Sometimes it gets close.
00:49:30.01\00:49:31.50
Can we testify?
00:49:31.76\00:49:32.89
Sometimes we get close.
00:49:32.92\00:49:33.96
"Lord, You
didn't have to do that."
00:49:33.99\00:49:35.62
But I don't criticize God
anymore on long term basis.
00:49:36.36\00:49:39.63
You know, when I
read the book of Job,
00:49:39.66\00:49:40.85
this is an amazing thing,
00:49:40.88\00:49:41.91
when the Lord's servant,
when the book of Job says
00:49:42.12\00:49:46.51
Job did not sin nor
charge God foolishly,
00:49:46.54\00:49:52.27
I went to the book
of Job and I thought,
00:49:52.30\00:49:53.74
well maybe he
sinned right there.
00:49:53.77\00:49:55.39
Or maybe he sinned right there.
00:49:55.55\00:49:56.65
I looked at all the things
that Job said and I thought,
00:49:56.68\00:49:58.36
well he sure would
have sinned if he said that.
00:49:58.39\00:50:00.50
He said so many things, but
God did not allow Job's humanity
00:50:00.53\00:50:05.84
to cancel God's
blessing for that man's life.
00:50:05.87\00:50:09.12
So sometimes we say
things, and God does not account
00:50:09.88\00:50:13.07
our foolish words as a sin.
00:50:13.10\00:50:15.54
Because He
understands our weaknesses.
00:50:15.90\00:50:17.57
Amen to that?
00:50:17.60\00:50:18.73
Because when you
read the book of Job,
00:50:18.76\00:50:20.04
and I see a whole
lot of complaining,
00:50:20.07\00:50:22.19
but it says Job did
not charge God foolishly.
00:50:23.05\00:50:26.63
Even his wife tried
to get him to curse God.
00:50:28.75\00:50:30.64
And He didn't
say anything to her.
00:50:31.73\00:50:33.21
Good thing He didn't.
00:50:34.71\00:50:35.87
Israel lost God's
protection when they complained
00:50:39.97\00:50:42.50
about God's provision.
00:50:42.53\00:50:44.36
I want to tell you today, as we
are winding up this first night,
00:50:44.51\00:50:47.17
God is a God who is
beyond any estimate that we can
00:50:47.20\00:50:51.29
ever add to
anything on this planet.
00:50:51.32\00:50:53.23
What do you say?
00:50:53.26\00:50:54.29
What's so great about salvation?
00:50:54.74\00:50:56.33
The fact of the matter is, God
did not deliver Israel to death.
00:50:57.20\00:51:01.80
God delivered Israel from death.
00:51:01.83\00:51:04.84
God does not
deliver us to death,
00:51:05.71\00:51:08.24
God delivers us from death.
00:51:08.27\00:51:10.91
God did not take
Israel from the best,
00:51:12.18\00:51:15.21
God was getting
Israel ready for the best.
00:51:15.24\00:51:18.77
We're going to talk
about that tomorrow night,
00:51:18.80\00:51:20.07
what God was
getting Israel ready for.
00:51:20.10\00:51:22.36
We're going to talk
about that tomorrow night
00:51:22.39\00:51:23.79
under the title,
The Danger of Unbelief.
00:51:23.82\00:51:26.23
You've got to
come back for that.
00:51:26.26\00:51:27.36
And you don't want to miss,
The Danger of Not Maturing.
00:51:27.39\00:51:30.33
You don't want to miss,
The Danger of Drawing Back.
00:51:32.64\00:51:34.47
And you surely
don't want to miss,
00:51:35.29\00:51:36.33
The Danger of Refusing God.
00:51:36.36\00:51:38.86
They thought that God was
taking them from the best.
00:51:39.63\00:51:41.82
The best is not the
life that I use to live.
00:51:41.85\00:51:44.23
The best is the
life that I live now.
00:51:44.26\00:51:46.41
And it's going to get better.
00:51:46.75\00:51:47.94
One day we're going to see
the best that God has to offer.
00:51:47.97\00:51:50.50
And I'm staying on the
ship so that I can benefit
00:51:51.04\00:51:54.23
from the best
that God has to offer.
00:51:54.26\00:51:56.09
The five step plan
for neglecting salvation
00:51:56.12\00:52:00.25
is going to be
immediately replaced with the
00:52:00.28\00:52:03.12
one step plan to escape neglect.
00:52:03.15\00:52:06.15
Here it is.
00:52:06.18\00:52:07.21
I'll close with
the one step plan.
00:52:07.49\00:52:09.47
Are you ready?
00:52:09.50\00:52:10.53
Here's the one step plan.
00:52:10.56\00:52:11.78
1 Corinthians
chapter 10 and verse 13.
00:52:11.81\00:52:13.96
How shall we escape? Here it is.
00:52:13.99\00:52:16.02
1 Corinthians
chapter 10 and verse 13.
00:52:16.05\00:52:18.40
The apostle gives the answer.
00:52:20.00\00:52:21.59
So right now can I escape?
00:52:51.43\00:52:53.39
You know what, I
don't have to worry about
00:52:53.42\00:52:55.07
whether or not
I'm going to escape.
00:52:55.48\00:52:56.87
I just call on my Deliverer.
00:52:56.90\00:52:59.01
I don't have to worry
about, can I get out of this?
00:52:59.40\00:53:01.03
I just call on the Lord.
00:53:01.06\00:53:02.49
And the Bible says, "Whoever
calls on the name of the Lord
00:53:02.52\00:53:05.57
shall be..." What?
00:53:05.60\00:53:06.63
"...shall be saved."
00:53:06.66\00:53:07.78
So I don't worry
about, can I get out of this?
00:53:07.81\00:53:09.36
Just call the
Lord. He'll get me out.
00:53:09.39\00:53:11.62
When you don't see a way out, He
said there is a way to escape.
00:53:11.65\00:53:14.40
And you know, just
like that Rubik's Cube;
00:53:14.43\00:53:16.21
there's always a
way to line life up.
00:53:16.24\00:53:17.82
But don't try to line it up.
00:53:17.85\00:53:19.19
Call on the Lord
and He'll line it up.
00:53:19.68\00:53:22.17
Don't try to make heads out of
tails, and tails out of heads.
00:53:22.27\00:53:25.81
Just simply put it
in the Lord's hand,
00:53:25.84\00:53:28.47
and He'll make all
that doesn't make sense
00:53:28.50\00:53:30.64
one day it's
going to make sense.
00:53:30.67\00:53:32.31
So I don't have to worry about
whether I'm going to get out.
00:53:32.78\00:53:35.97
I'm just going to
call on my Deliverer.
00:53:36.47\00:53:38.04
My favorite text for tonight
is this, Psalm 34 and verse 19.
00:53:38.07\00:53:42.08
I want you to read
this with me as I close.
00:53:42.11\00:53:44.15
Notice what the Lord says.
00:53:44.18\00:53:45.77
Don't neglect the
greatest blessing you have.
00:53:46.36\00:53:48.78
But here it is.
00:53:48.81\00:53:49.84
Out of most of them?
00:53:57.83\00:53:59.12
Out of some of them?
00:53:59.84\00:54:01.02
Out of how many of them?
00:54:01.48\00:54:02.69
All of them.
00:54:02.91\00:54:04.60
But how does He do that?
00:54:04.63\00:54:05.80
You can't neglect salvation and
expect God to be your Deliverer.
00:54:06.08\00:54:09.91
You've got to embrace salvation,
00:54:10.60\00:54:12.68
and then He
becomes your Deliverer.
00:54:12.71\00:54:15.22
You can't work
out your situation,
00:54:15.25\00:54:17.14
you've got to give God the
opportunity to work it out.
00:54:17.17\00:54:20.25
You can't fix
what only God can fix.
00:54:20.40\00:54:25.60
I've had afflictions.
00:54:26.45\00:54:27.77
But I'm standing here today
because the Lord is faithful.
00:54:27.97\00:54:30.04
Is He not, Karen?
00:54:30.07\00:54:31.26
He delivers us out of them all.
00:54:31.29\00:54:33.01
So tonight as I
close, remember these words;
00:54:33.04\00:54:35.58
Jesus is the ear
that is never stopped,
00:54:35.61\00:54:37.98
and the arm that is
always stretched out to save.
00:54:38.01\00:54:41.45
How shall we escape?
00:54:41.48\00:54:42.74
We can escape if we
take hold of that arm.
00:54:42.77\00:54:45.53
Jesus is the door
that is never closed,
00:54:45.83\00:54:48.24
and the gate
that is always open.
00:54:48.27\00:54:50.20
He is the river
that never runs dry,
00:54:50.23\00:54:53.55
and the sun that always shines.
00:54:53.81\00:54:55.71
Jesus promised
never to leave me,
00:54:55.74\00:54:58.39
and He's always
been there for me.
00:54:58.69\00:55:00.73
So how shall I escape if I
neglect so great a salvation?
00:55:01.23\00:55:04.09
I'm not going to neglect it.
00:55:04.12\00:55:05.68
How can I neglect
a friend like Jesus?
00:55:05.71\00:55:08.28
Well I tell you, it's going to
get rough before it gets better.
00:55:08.73\00:55:11.83
But when it gets better, Bob, it
is going to be better eternally.
00:55:12.01\00:55:15.19
I look at the life of
the children of Israel,
00:55:15.34\00:55:17.39
I look at the
life of my friends,
00:55:17.96\00:55:19.98
I look at the things that
some people struggle through,
00:55:20.39\00:55:22.76
and I have a simple
saying that I live by.
00:55:22.79\00:55:24.94
"I'm going to learn
from your mistakes."
00:55:25.33\00:55:28.06
I won't have to say... I
don't have to make the same...
00:55:28.34\00:55:30.20
Am I right, honey?
00:55:30.23\00:55:31.26
I always say, "I'm
going to learn from..."
00:55:31.29\00:55:32.52
I've seen people choking
on smoking; I ain't trying it.
00:55:32.55\00:55:35.66
I've seen people end up in the
hospital because of drug abuse;
00:55:37.38\00:55:39.99
I ain't trying it.
00:55:40.02\00:55:41.39
Sadly enough, there are
those that know about salvation,
00:55:42.33\00:55:44.65
there are those in church
today that know about salvation,
00:55:44.68\00:55:48.01
but are neglecting
the parameters of a safe
00:55:48.31\00:55:51.48
and thriving
relationship with Jesus.
00:55:51.51\00:55:54.00
There are those that have
been given every advantage,
00:55:54.03\00:55:56.16
like the children of Israel,
but they're still serving God
00:55:56.19\00:55:59.37
for the benefits and not
for the long term blessing.
00:55:59.40\00:56:03.68
We've got to get out
of the category of asking
00:56:04.10\00:56:05.80
God to bless us.
00:56:05.83\00:56:06.97
We've got to start
praying for God to make us holy.
00:56:07.07\00:56:09.31
What do you say?
00:56:09.34\00:56:10.37
We're living in the
blessing generation.
00:56:10.55\00:56:12.40
"Ask God for your blessing."
00:56:12.86\00:56:14.24
"Pray for your blessing."
00:56:14.27\00:56:15.53
"Beseech the Lord
for the blessing."
00:56:15.56\00:56:17.00
Like one preacher recently said,
he said, "When I get to heaven,
00:56:17.23\00:56:19.72
I'm not going to
get there broke."
00:56:19.75\00:56:21.21
And so he's
swindling individuals
00:56:23.30\00:56:24.95
to pad his bank account so he
can get to heaven with wealth.
00:56:24.98\00:56:27.39
But what he doesn't know, you
can't take anything to heaven
00:56:27.42\00:56:29.89
with you but your character.
00:56:29.92\00:56:31.30
But there's
something else you can take.
00:56:35.45\00:56:37.27
And that's the
gift of salvation.
00:56:37.72\00:56:39.18
Come on, say amen.
00:56:39.21\00:56:40.35
And so tonight, I'm
embracing that gift.
00:56:40.50\00:56:42.80
I'm holding onto that gift.
00:56:42.91\00:56:44.76
I'm holding onto the
unchanging hand of the One
00:56:44.86\00:56:48.10
who has extended that
gift so that every one of us
00:56:48.13\00:56:50.71
can be saved.
00:56:50.74\00:56:51.90
How shall we escape?
00:56:51.93\00:56:53.42
I'll escape through the
life and the righteousness
00:56:53.56\00:56:57.27
and the power of Jesus.
00:56:57.30\00:56:58.91
Can you say amen?
00:56:58.94\00:57:00.11
Let us pray.
00:57:00.26\00:57:01.40
Our Father in heaven,
we begin our series tonight
00:57:01.98\00:57:05.78
on the danger of neglect.
00:57:06.96\00:57:08.78
Lord Jesus, we want to have such
a thriving connection with You
00:57:09.26\00:57:14.48
that when we are beset by
the dangers that can cause us
00:57:14.66\00:57:17.28
to neglect so great a
salvation, Lord, may Your Spirit
00:57:17.31\00:57:20.83
tap us on the
shoulder that our hearts
00:57:20.86\00:57:22.50
may be in tune with Yours.
00:57:22.53\00:57:24.06
And may our eyes
behold the greatness that You
00:57:24.56\00:57:27.95
desire for us to experience.
00:57:27.98\00:57:29.84
And may we find
deliverance by trusting You
00:57:29.97\00:57:32.80
with our whole heart.
00:57:32.83\00:57:34.25
Keep us, Lord. Deliver us, Lord.
00:57:34.59\00:57:37.23
And save us, we ask,
in Your eternal kingdom.
00:57:37.26\00:57:40.84
In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:57:40.87\00:57:43.97