DANGEROUS NEGLECT
October 8, 2006 Jay Davis Robison HEBREWS 2:1-4
An unthinkable case of neglect . .
8-4-06 Liz & David Carroll left their home East of Cincinnati
For a 3-day family reunion in Grant County KY
When they did left 3-year old Marcus Fiesel in a closet at home
Marcus foster child mentally challenged took extra attention
Perhaps Carrolls did not want to be bothered while at reunion
When returned home 3 days after leaving Marcus dead in closet
Decided to dispose of the body burning it, before dumping it
Wk later concocted story Marcus wondered off massive hunt
18 bone fragments found in a chimney almost unrecognizable
Certainly this is an outrageous example of neglect
Neglect=fail to pay attention to, careless, habitual lack of care
If we are not wise in lives we may also show habitual lack of care
Dare say if we all look deeply into life all have areas of neglect
Destroy a marriage not by adultery but by neglect partner,
Finances destroyed as we ignore and neglect responsibilities
Work place destroyed by neglect, health is effected by neglect
Our church can lose it’s edge, and aggressiveness by neglect
Neglect brings with it consequences did for Marcus and for us
Heb 2 is written as a wakeup call warning Vs 2-3 TNIV
How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?
It’s a warning to us, stir us to deliberate
1. God offers A GREAT SALVATION
First we need to recognize what is at stake what we are risking
Hebrews paints picture of God’s work in world
Listen to Hebrews 1:2 CEV But now at last, God sent his Son to
bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son,
and everything will someday belong to the Son.
Jesus is the one God sent to bring to us salvation
he is the only one of a kind son of God, "only begotten"
Ch 1:2 through whom God created world, Jesus there at the start
he supercedes the Old Covenant of the law
Jesus reflects very glory\nature of God,
we say he God incarnate reign forever and ever,
It was through him that God defeated Satan and all evil forever
God’s plans and prayers of saints are once for all fulfilled
Remarkable statements Jesus\God 2:4 why should we believe it
After all aren’t there millions of other compelling arguments
Do we have any more to stand on than any other religion?
First of all, it was delivered in person by the Master, then accurately passed on to us by those who heard it from him. All the while God was validating it with gifts through the Holy Spirit, all sorts of signs and miracles, as he saw fit. Vs 4 the Message
Confirmed underline,
in person by master Jesus Christ real person lived on earth
Everything Jesus said and did was good news,
by those who heard him, apostles eyewitnesses had to tell story,
Lk 19:40 says if they quiet very rocks on earth would cry out
Christianity is the only WORLD RELIGION
WHERE GOD COMES LOOKING FOR PEOPLE
believe by confession & faith in X God comes to live inside us,
we do not have to deny reality of world as in buddhism
wonder if we will be saved as in Islam,
which God of Hinduism
struggle to unfold the truth as in Confucianism
we know that in him we have life and it is life eternal
Signs and miracles= GOD’S ACTIVITY
TO SHOW GOD’S PURPOSE
signs, wonders and miracles occurred at the name of Jesus
and they still do, never for a show, to point to gospel
gifts given by the Holy Spirit to those who believe in him
Because there has never been a move of God like Jesus
we must take notice of the gospel, good news
called to place faith in great salvation
Billy Graham: “people argue, "I do believe in Christ. I believe in
the Church, & I believe in the Bible. Isn’t that enough? No!
You must RECEIVE Christ.
I may go to airport, have a reservation, a ticket in my pocket.
Plane on runway is a big, powerful plane. I certain it will fly. They call flight 3 Xs. I neglect to get on board. They close door.
Plane taxis down runway & takes off but I am not on the plane.
Why? I "believed" in the plane, but I neglected to get on board.
That’s just it! You believe in God, Christ, the Bible, & Church –
but you have neglected to actually receive Him in your heart.
Your belief has been an impersonal, speculative thing,
and you have not entrusted yourself to Him.
2. Beware of DRIFTING
You see I believe most neglect happens unintentionally
Marcus’ foster family did not mean to kill him just tired
Not talking about active opposition like resisting it, rejecting it,
or violently opposing it but merely passive neglect.
Bucket w\a small leak, drifting doesn’t happen in a moment
it takes place a little at a time
We must give our full attention to what we were told,
so that we won’t drift away. Vs 1 TNIV
If Jesus isn’t Better than anything else for us,
we’ll neglect our salvation. If we get distracted
and pursue something else we’ll drift away from God
Word used there is used for instances when a ring slips off finger
also used when a point in an argument has escaped someone
can happen when a ship drifts away off course, past a point
Drifting brings CONSEQUENCES
Few people actively oppose Jesus, go head long into hell
do not curse God, say I’ll have nothing to do w\Christ most who
die w\out X, simply neglect gospel, never get around to it
Hear Vs 2 NKJV Every transgression and disobedience
received a just reward,
There is a cost to sin transgression to step across line willful act
sin of commission intentionally doing something know wrong
Or omission leaving something undone, drifting
We neglect the gospel by not allowing it to
PERMEATE OUR LIVES
Primary thrust seems to be aimed at Christians vs 1
pay greater attention to what we have heard,
Christians in danger of letting will of God drift past their hearts
Sometimes we compartmentalize life
Have our religious side, business side, in work or school
We neglect the gospel by not letting touch all of life
the abundant life that Jesus came to give us requires our all
God will not accept our half hearted efforts,
Herschel Hobbs when passage says to let gospel slip
passive voice says like person who sits on side of river
watching water flow by, but never launching into the deep
How bad you want Jesus I guess I really don’t want Jesus that bad
John MacArthur tells of lady of evening coming into his office
she hit bottom, needed help, she prayed to receive Christ,
John said as testimony to new life in Christ, lets burn your little
black book of contacts worth a lot of money,
guess I really do not want Jesus that bad
The indifferent are in as great a need of a savior
as much as a drug addict, drunk, murderer, or terrorist
Are you drifting in your personal walk with God?
Conscious of effort, daily hourly, resistance to stream around you?
Do the things of God\heaven loom more clearly on your vision?
Is God doing something new in your life? If so rejoice!
Avoid drift by moving on with God at wheel
Churches CAN DRIFT AND STAGNATE
Many Christians never get off the pew and into the marketplace
Churches have become havens for spectators
We want to keep something of ourselves away from God
Church can be full of nominal Christians, who will do
something for God as long as it does not cost too much
involve sacrifice, require personal commitment, take faith
Good News ceases to be Good for those who treat it casually
have we become complacent, comfortable, about gospel
The opposite of neglect is GIVING ATTENTION
Neglect may be indifference
begin life with Christ enthusiastically, want to change the world
but soon wanes soon indifference comes
Neglect also the result of preoccupation
with things such as job, politics, or recreation
for these Christians salvation is important but not that important
What are our priorities?
Does our church believe in worship?
Did you pray before came to worship today prepare your heart
For worship leaders, that decisions would be made
Giving to others, did you give gift of sacrifice to God
Or only a tip as offering earlier
Discipleship are you in SS or small group
Loss of passion no longer passionate for God and his word
Outreach into community helping people connect with God
Serve community, have you done so?
World is looking for a change beyond self centeredness.
For real devotion.
How can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?
if will not accept it lose eternal life with God
if will not allow it to permeate our lives, lose walk with God
if will not share it with world, cannot be blessed of God
Neglecting involves drifting, keep from it by an anchor
Hebrews 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul
Firm and secure
Procrastination is another reason for neglect
sharing Christ is always something we mean to do
but just like the lost person we never get around to God’s task
As hideous as neglect story in beginning,
much worse if we neglect this gospel
Are you holding God away from you?
DANGEROUS NEGLECT
October 8, 2006 Jay Davis Robison HEBREWS 2:1-4
An unthinkable case of neglect . .
How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?
Vs 2-3 TNIV
1. God offers
But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son. Hebrews 1:2 CEV
First of all, it was delivered in person by the Master, then accurately passed on to us by those who heard it from him. All the while God was validating it with gifts through the Holy Spirit, all sorts of signs and miracles, as he saw fit. Vs 4 the Message
Christianity is the only
Signs and miracles=
2. Beware of
We must give our full attention to what we were told,
so that we won’t drift away. Vs 1 TNIV
Drifting brings
Every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,
VS 2 NKJV
We neglect the gospel by not allowing it to
I guess I really don’t want Jesus that bad
Churches
The opposite of neglect is
What are our priorities?
