This Gospel

THIS GOSPEL

HEBREWS 2:1-3

INTRODUCTION: THE WAY TO SALVATION IS NOT THROUGH THE PHILOSOPHICAL TEACHINGS OF PLATO, SOCRATES, OR ARISTOTLE. NOR IS THE WAY TO SALVATION ROOTED IN THE POLITICAL CONCEPTS OF CAPITOL HILL. FOR YEARS, MILLIONS HAVE TRIED TO COME TO CHRIST BY MANY MEANS. HOWEVER, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, EXCEPT A MAN OR A WOMAN, COME TO CHRIST THROUGH THE FATHER, THEY ARE ON A FRUITLESS JOURNEY.

THE POSSIBILTY OF ONE TO SAVE HIMSELF IS A FOOLISH FABRICATION. TO PLACE HOPE AND SECURITY IN FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND JOB, IS AN ENDLESS HOPE. FRIENDS ARE OFTEN FICKLE, FAMILY IS OFTEN HARSH, AND JOBS ARE BEING DOWNSIZED ON A REGULAR BASIS.

NO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THE WAY TO JESUS IS NOT THROUGH SYSTEMS, BUT THIS GOSPEL. IF THERE IS ANYTHING WORTH PAYING ATTENTION TO IT’S THIS GOSPEL. IF THERE IS ANYTHING WORTH SHOUTING ABOUT, IT’S THIS GOSPEL. IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE THIS CHAOTIC WORLD, IT’S THIS GOSPEL. IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO SAVE THE SOULS OF HUMANITY, IT’S THIS GOSPEL.

I. THE TEXT

AS I STATED IN LAST WEEKS SERMON, THE JEWS, BECAUSE OF SEVERE PERSECUTION, WERE ABANDONING THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST AND RETURNING TO THE PRACTICE OF JUDAISM. THEY HAD HEARD THE WORD, BUT WERE NOW TURNING THEIR BACKS ON THE WORD. THEY HAD HEARD THE WORD EXTERNALLY RATHER THAN INTERNALLY. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE MERELY HEARERS OF THE WORD, BUT NOT DOERS OF THE WORD.

WHENEVER YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON JESUS AND HIS GOSPEL, YOU ARE DESTINED TO SLIP INTO A STATE OF APOSTACY, A FALLING AWAY. AND I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT SLIPPING CAN BE QUITE PAINFUL.

VERSE ONE SAYS, “THEREFORE WE OUGHT TO GIVE THE MORE EARNEST HEED TO THE THINGS WHICH WE HAVE HEARD, LEST AT ANY TIME WE SHOULD LET THEM SLIP.” MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE MUST NOT LET THE TEACHINGS OF THE GOSPEL SLIP FROM US, FOR IF THEY SLIP WE ARE SURE TO FALL.

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS GOSPEL? ROMANS 1:16 SAYS, “FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH; TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GREEK.” FURTHERMORE, THE GOSPEL IS GREAT BECAUSE CHRIST IS THE OBJECT AND THE AUTHOR OF THE GOSPEL. HE IS THE GOSPEL! HE MET AND SATISFIED THE SALVIVIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE GOSPEL.

THE AUTHOR GIVES A STERN WARNING BY EXHORTING HIS READERS TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE GOSPEL. AND THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO DO TODAY. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE US TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE GOSPEL. NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE GOSPEL. IF WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE GOSPEL, WE LOSE SIGHT ON HOW TO PROPERLY LOVE, FORGIVE, BE UNDERSTANDING.

MANY TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS OCCUR BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO STOP SIGNS, RED LIGHTS, AND YEILD SIGNS. MANY OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTER IN THE CHURCH ARE HAVING ONE SPIRITUAL ACCIDENT AFTER ANOTHER BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE GOSPEL.

II. CONCLUSION/THREE POINTS

THREE POINTS THAT I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO: ONE, WHEN WE TAKE OUR EYES OFF JESUS AND HIS GOSPEL, WE WILL DISCOVER THAT OUR TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS ARE TOO HARD FOR US TO HANDLE. MATT. 14:28 TEACHES,” AND PETER ANSWERED HIM AND SAID, LORD, IF IT BE THOU, BID ME COME UNTO THEE ON THE WATER. 29AND HE SAID, COME. AND WHEN PETER WAS COME DOWN OUT OF THE SHIP, HE WALKED ON THE WATER, TO GO TO JESUS. 30BUT WHEN HE SAW THE WIND BOISTEROUS, HE WAS AFRAID; AND BEGINNING TO SINK, HE CRIED, SAYING, LORD, SAVE ME.”

TWO, WHEN WE TAKE OUR EYES OF JESUS AND HIS GOSPEL WE ARE FORFEITING THE BLESSINGS AND PROMISES THAT THE LORD WANTS TO PROVIDE FOR US. JESUS SAYS IN JOHN 14:15, “IF YE LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.” JOHN 14:21 TEACHES, “HE THAT HATH MY COMMANDMENTS, AND KEEPETH THEM, HE IT IS THAT LOVETH ME: AND HE THAT LOVETH ME SHALL BE LOVED OF MY FATHER, AND I WILL LOVE HIM, AND WILL MANIFEST MYSELF TO HIM.”

THREE, WHEN WE TAKE OUR EYES OF JESUS AND HIS GOSPEL, WE ARE LEFT TO OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN OTHER WORDS WE WILL DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO.BUT I MUST HASTEN TO TELL YOU THAT WE SHOULD NEVER IGNORE HIS WORD BECAUSE:

· HIS WORD IS A LIGHT TO WALK BY.

· HIS WORD IS A SURE FOUNDATION.

· HIS WORD IS A SATISFYING TABLE.

· HIS WORD IS A REFRESHING FOUNTAIN.

· HIS WORD IS A BED TO REST UPON.

· HIS WORD GIVES MERCY TO THE MISERABLE.

· GRACE TO THE GUILTY.

· FREEDOM TO THE FUGITIVE.

· COUNSEL TO THE CONFUSE.

· SALVATION TO THE SINNER.