A Sermon For You
A Ministry of Huckaby’s Evangelism
"Our Great Salvation"
By Evangelist Gary Huckaby
Hebrews 2:1-4
"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. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs, and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?"
Prayer: Father, we commend ourselves to you, to be used as you will, bless the words given, to each hearer, and reader of this message, save the lost, revive the saved, and glorify thyself, In Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!
Please notice in verse three these words, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?’
Our Great Salvation
Religion vs Salvation
Religion says, I can get to God on my own, Salvation says, only through Jesus Christ can you get to God. Religion says, You can get to heaven by your works, Salvation says, It is by grace that we are saved, through faith, it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9.
To illustrate by means of a story; There was a town which had an old clock which needed repair, for the clock had broken. The town council in an attempt to fix it tried new weights, they replaced the cover, they even installed new hands, but to no avail. A little boy who had been watching the workers told the mayor who was standing beside him; "It needs new insides."
This is also true of our relationship with God, to meet Him, we must have new insides. This is called by Jesus, A new birth. (Born Again). Before sinful man can come before a Holy God there must be a change of heart. 2 Corinthians 5:17, says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new."
During a revival in the old west, the congregation was mixed with worshipers, some native Americans, others were strangers, and then there were the local people too. At the invitation an old Indian came forward to receive Christ as Savior. The local store clerk who was seated beside the Indian stayed in his place. On the next night, the store clerk went forward to receive Christ, and upon returning to his seat, the Indian who had been saved the night before, said,
Me take new coat last night, you liked yours a day longer before you got your new one.
A Test Of Our Great Salvation
If our salvation is so great let us put it to a test, then we will see just how great it really is.
The Water Test
Can Water Sink It?
In Genesis 6:8-14, But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah; Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japeth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his was way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
Noah Obeyed And Was Saved
Noah obeyed God, and he and his family were spared from God’s judgment of the flood. So we see that water cannot sink our Great Salvation.
Next;
The Fire Test Can Fire Burn It?
In Daniel 3:8-25, "Wherefore at that time certain Caldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar O king, live forever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the providence of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: But if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace: and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king, But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, not worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar full of fury and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more that it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, there hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the forth is like the Son of God.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Put God Firs
They were to pay the ultimate price for disobeying the king, but God had other plans. The fire did not hurt them, why they didn’t even smell of smoke when they came out of the furnace. Fire won’t burn our Salvation!
Next
The Lion Test Will Lions Eat It?
In Daniel 6:16-24, "Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet; and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before innocency was found in me; and also before thee O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take up Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had mastery over them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came to the bottom of the den."
Not only can lions not eat this great salvation, Revenge is placed on those whom had tried to have that salvation destroyed.
Jails, Can Jails Hold It?
In Acts 16:16-24, "And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: the same followed Paul and us saying, These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days, But Paul, being grieved, turned and said unto the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour, And when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market place unto the rulers, And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men being Jews , do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up against them; and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, trust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them, And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried, with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
No sir, no Mam, jails can’t hold our Great salvation.
Death
Can Death Destroy It?
In Acts 2:22-24, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know; Him, being delivered by the determinate council and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."
Death didn’t have a chance! No way could death have held down the lord Jesus Christ. Jesus came forth Victorious over Death and the grave. Death cannot destroy, our "Great Salvation. Nothing can destroy it. Nothing anywhere, at anytime. For It belongs to God almighty, and no other is equal to Him.
Are you a Child of God? Have you received Christ into your heart, as Lord and Savior? If not bow to Him right now, and receive Him as you Lord.
My God is not in the grave, HE LIVES!
Huckaby’s Evangelism
P.O.Box 1011
Pine Mountain, GA 31822
email- glhuckaby@excite.com
glhuck@earthlink.net
