Hebrews chapter 2. Let's read
the first four verses. 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 steadfast in every transgression, and disobedience received a just
recompense or 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 the witness both with signs and wonders and with diverse
miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will. Last Sunday my text was from
this chapter, verse 10, the captain of our salvation. Today God enabling
me, I want to speak to you about that great salvation that he
gives. God's great salvation. Considered
from God's side, what a great salvation. What divine wisdom,
mercy, grace, and justice involved by God in the salvation of a
sinner. All these attributes are seen
more clearly at Calvary than anywhere else. As we sometimes
sing, oh, what a mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary. Listen to what the psalmist said.
Mercy and truth are met together. Righteousness and peace have
kissed each other at Calvary by the Lord Jesus Christ. and
consider from man's side. Again, what a great salvation
because look what God has to work with. Look at man as he
finds him. He can't offer any help. He can't
do anything to help save himself. He doesn't even know he's lost. He'll never see his need of a
savior till God Almighty teaches him that he's lost. Again, the
psalmist said, out of the depths. That's where I was, out of the
depths. Helpless, hopeless, without life. Out of the depths have I cried
unto you, O God. Oh, but look where grace finds
him. In the pit, in spiritual death,
out of the depths. Oh, but look where grace brings
him. Look where the great arm of God's
omnipotent grace brings him. He reaches down and lifts him
up to be with Christ forever in glory. Father, I will, our
high priest pray. I will. Oh, and this is the will
of him who has his way. This is the will of him that
always has his way in the whirlwind, who always accomplishes his will. And he said, I will. that all
those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am. My soul, what a great salvation. Notice again here in verse 1
of chapter 2, the first word that comes before us, therefore. That is, in light of what we
just read in chapter 1, in light of what we're told there, based
upon God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. who he is, what he's
done, his glorious gospel. Paul says, in light of these
things, this being so, God speaking not by angels, not by the prophets,
oh, but by his own Son. He has the final word, therefore
give heed, give earnest heed. Give the more earnest heed to
the things which you have heard, lest at any time you should let
them slip." This word slip is the only place in the Word of
God here that that word is used. It has the meaning of a cracked
vessel where it's leaking out its water. Don't let it slip. professing Christians can and
do, sadly neglect the gospel. They let it slip. Do you know
how that happens? Do you know what you have to
do to let the glorious gospel of God's salvation, that gospel
concerning God's Son, that good news, the needy sinners, you
know what one has to do to let it slip? You know what you have
to do? Nothing. Just do nothing. and let it slip. It requires
nothing to drift along with the tide. Oh, but what a great loss. What a cost when we let the gospel
slip. And then you had the question
in verse 3. How shall we escape if we do
that? If we neglect this so great salvation,
God's great salvation, how shall we escape? And the answer, of
course, is we won't. We won't. None will. For breaking God's law, there's
a remedy. There's a cure in the gospel. But for disobeying the gospel,
there is no remedy. There is no cure. There's only
one salvation and there's only one savior. I fear for professing
believers who can live without the gospel that can let it slip
away and don't seem to be bothered by it. I fear for them. Something
is desperately wrong there. I want to consider just three
things. There's so much more we could.
But just three things concerning this so great salvation. First of all, this salvation
comes from the great God of all grace himself. Nowhere else. Nowhere else. God in mercy says
the needy sinners look unto me. The other evening I read again
a message by Mr. Spurgeon from Isaiah 55. Those verses that God used to
save young Mr. Spurgeon as a lad of 15 or 16
years old when he said, look unto me and be ye saved. To God be the glory. great things
he had done. Remember the quote by Brother
Henry Mahan in last Sunday's bulletin. Henry wrote that all
error in theology springs from two sources. From two sources. Attempts to make God Almighty
less than he is or attempts to make puny man more than he is. And so it is. That is so. And so it is with salvation.
Does man need a great Savior or will less do? It depends on
the shape he's in, does it not? Little need equals a little Savior. The less you make of man's need,
the less it's required to meet that need. Men are told in our
days, sadly, we all heard it all of our lives. Sadly again. This is the message that is preached
in the majority of churches this morning. Men are being told that
salvation is easy. It's easy. It's simple. It doesn't require much. A decision. A moving from the back to the
front? A shaking of the preacher's hand? Reciting a prayer after
the preacher? That's easy. Oh, but the Lord
said, not so. Not so. When the disciples asked
the Lord, who can be saved? Now, that's a pretty plain question,
isn't it? And the Lord gave a very plain answer. Who can be saved? He said, with men. With men,
it's in... It's impossible. It's impossible,
but not with God, except only if God does the saving. The very first time, the very
first time we find the word salvation in the scripture, it's used by
Jacob. The first time the word is used.
And we're told here in Genesis chapter 49 verse 18, I have waited
for thy salvation, O Lord. Salvation belongs to you. Ask, if you were to ask anyone,
ask those holy angels. Ask cherubim or seraphim. How
can God Almighty be just and yet extend mercy to a guilty
sinner? Give us the answer. See if you
can figure that out. And you know what? They would
have never been able to answer. They would have never been able
to figure that out. Only God Almighty, only the great
mind of the infinite God can answer that question, how can
a man be just with God? You remember when Abraham was
going up to the mount with his son Isaac at the command of God
to offer his son? And Isaac said to his father
Abraham, here's the burnt, here's the wood, and here's the fire,
where's the offering? Where's the sacrifice? Where's
the burnt offering? And you remember what Abraham
answered? Sure you do. He said, my son,
God will provide himself a land. God will provide. And when Jesus
Christ walked by that day, John the Baptist pointed him out and
said, there he is. There's God's land. God has provided
himself a land. Oh, again I say, the mighty gulf
that God did span at Calvary. Oh, grace and mercy there. Justice and mercy have met together. Righteousness and peace have
kissed one another. There and there alone can God
be justified in justifying the sinner. Turn, if you will, to
Titus. Titus chapter Let's look at a verse there, Titus chapter
2. Most people, most people, when
you talk to them about God's grace, they have the idea that
God's grace is no more than his desire to save. He wants to save,
but he can't. I hope that those words just
don't sit well with you. I mean, when you hear something
like that, God wants to, but can't. That just doesn't sound
right. That just doesn't sound right.
God wants to, but He can't? That doesn't sound right at all.
And many think that God's grace is only God's offer to save. Grace is God's offer to save
the sinner. God's done all He can. Now if
you'll do your part, grace of work, it'll be of some benefit
to you. Look here in verse 11 of Titus
chapter 2. So thankful that what we're told
here concerning God's grace is not a matter of perchance. It has nothing to do with man's
will. Look what we read here. For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation had appeared to all men. God's grace, God's free
grace, God's omnipotent grace, God's reigning grace, it brings
salvation. Man's will can't do that, and
man's work can't do that, and man's worth can't do that, but
God's grace can. And God's grace does. God's grace
brings so great salvation. Great because it saves from sin's
penalty. There's no condemnation. I believe
John mentioned this this morning. There's no condemnation to those
who are in Christ Jesus. Grace saves from sin's power. Sin shall not have dominion over
you. Why? Because you're not under
the law but under grace. And all that same mighty grace
one day shall save all those to whom God extends it from the
very presence of sin. Because where sin abounded, God's
grace doth much more. Much more abound. The grace of
God reigns. God's grace doesn't offer to
save. Is that what we read here in
Titus 2 and 11? It doesn't speak of an offer.
It doesn't say that the grace of God attempts to save. or merely
offers to save, it saves. It brings salvation when it comes. It brings salvation with us.
He has risen, our great God and Savior, with healing in His wings. He's the great physician. He
heals those that have need of healing. John's been teaching
from the Gospel of Matthew. And in verse 21 of the first
chapter, we're told concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, the one
that Joseph was instructed to name Jesus for this reason. He lives up to that glorious
name. Jesus, what does it mean? It
means Savior, the salvation of the Lord. Give him that name
because he shall save his people, not that he shall offer to save
them. What good is that? What good
does it do if all that the Lord Jesus Christ does for dead sinners
is to exhort them to take the first step? They can't do it. They can't do it. Oh no, call
his name Jesus. He shall not offer the same. He shall save. He shall save. He shall save. Don't you like
this? He, the God-man, Very God of
very God. He, Emmanuel with us. He who comes to do God's will. He who was made sin that we might
be made the righteousness of God in Him. He who did all things
to the glory of God His Father. He shall save. Save to the uttermost. As much as they need saving,
He, the Lord Jesus, shall save His people. All of His people. And they're a multitude. A multitude
that can't be numbered. He shall save every one of them
from all their sins. Oh, glory to His name. Would
God become a man for anything less than that? Would the Lord
Jesus live and die as their substitute for anything less than that?
Oh, no. He shall save his people from
their sins. Such a great salvation. And secondly,
this salvation, which is from our great God, is a great work. Oh, the salvation of a sinner
is a great and mighty work. God the Father purposed it. God
saves people on purpose. They're not saved by accident. They're saved on purpose. And
God the Son purchased their salvation again on purpose. I come to do
thy will, O God. The Son of Man came to give his
life a ransom for many. The good shepherd lays down his
life for who? For the sheep. Christ loved the
church and gave himself for it. This is my blood which is shed
for many for the remission of sins. And God the Holy Spirit
performs this great salvation. and preserves it, and perfects
it, and he shall have all the praise for it. In Revelation
chapter 5, listen, included in the song of praise to our God,
we read, and they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy
to take the book and to open the seals thereof. Who are they
speaking of? The Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb,
who is in the midst of the throne. For thou wilt slay and tried
to redeem us to God. Oh, I'm so glad it doesn't read
that way. I'm so glad that that's not true. Joe, this sinner would have no
hope whatsoever. My soul, I would have no comfort
whatsoever, not in life, not in death. That which gives me
peace is to know that the Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed me
to God. And we sang it just a moment
ago. Payment God will not. God will not twice demand. Not if He's a just God. Not if
He's a holy God. Not if He's that God that does
what's right. Payment God will not twice demand. First at my bleeding surety's
hand and then again at mine. Never, never. Thou has redeemed
us to God by thine own blood out of every kindred and tongue
and people and nation. Thank God Jesus has paid it all. What a mighty work. of God's
grace that brings a sinner from the pit of death to be with the
Lord Jesus Christ in glory forever. To be forever with the Lord. Salvation is a work. Salvation
is a work that is worthy of God. Who else could do it? Who else
could perform it? Turn, if you will, to Ephesians
chapter 2. I know you're familiar with this
passage, but let's look at it again. Who else could do this? Raise dead sinners to life. Who else can accomplish it? Brother
Scott Richardson used to say, until you know what happened
in the garden, when Adam fell, you won't have any idea what
happened at Calvary, when the second Adam brought in an everlasting
righteousness. When Adam fell, what did the
Lord God say to him? The day you eat of that forbidden
fruit, The day you disobey me, Adam, you're going to hurt yourself.
You're going to stumble. You're going to trip up and stomp
your toe. Oh no, Adam, you're going to die. You're going to
die. And sinners today without Jesus
Christ, they're dead in sins. They need more than a little
propping up by religion. They need life. They need a new
heart. And who can give them that? Who
is that one who has the power to breathe life, the very life
of God, into a sinner? Who can do that? I'll tell you
what, the preacher can't do it. And the sinner can't do it. The
only one who can is the one who spoke these words. The hour is
coming and now is, oh bless his name, the hour is coming, he
said, and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son
of God and they that hear shall live. Lazarus, come forth. And he who spoke those words,
he who is the resurrection and the life, Power went forth with
that command and Lazarus received life. This is exactly what we're
told here in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1. And you had he quickened. Who did the quickening? God. Who was dead? We were. You had
he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in
times past ye walked according to the course of this world.
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also
we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and were by nature children of wrath even as others. But God,
but God, who maketh thee to differ from another? But God, Why do
you now love the things you used to hate and hate the things you
used to love? But God, but God, who was rich
in mercy for His great love were with, He loved us even when we
were dead in sins, had quickened us together, had given us life
with Christ. By grace, ye are saved. Turn,
if you will, back a few pages to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2
Corinthians chapter 5. I said that this great salvation
by our great God and Savior is a work that is worthy of Him.
Salvation is of the Lord. To God be the glory. Great things
He hath done. Verse 17. Therefore, if any man
be in Christ, he's a new creature. He's a new creation is the word. Old things are passed away. Behold,
John, lo and behold, lo and behold, would you look at this. Look
at this miracle. Look at this wonder. This is
something that would never be seen in this world apart from
God's mighty grace. Behold, a new creation in Christ
Jesus. All things are become new. First Corinthians chapter 15, Paul says, tells us the reason of the great
change that took place in him. I declare, I don't believe there
was a more unlikely candidate, so to speak, to be a recipient
of God's grace than Saul of Tarsus. My, so that man hated the name
of Jesus Christ. He hated the name of Jesus Christ.
Paul was convinced that Jesus Christ was an imposter and he
would wipe out the memory of that name off the face of the
earth. He was breathing out cursings and slaughter against the disciples
of Christ that day when the King of Glory When the God of all
grace, Louis, that sits upon the throne of sovereign grace
said, well, I think I'm going to try to do something for Saul.
I tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to offer to save
Saul. No, that won't do it. That won't
do it. Oh, no. He who sits in the heaven
said, arrest that man. Mighty grace, arrest that man. He's not going to take another
step further in his rebellion. He's going to come down and bow
to King Jesus. And Paul says that's exactly
what happened. Here in verse 10 of 1 Corinthians 15. But, there's that word again,
oh but by the grace of God I am what I am. Paul never denied
what he was. He never denied before he had
experienced God's grace that he was a blasphemer, that he
was a self-righteous religious Pharisee. But that all changed. Paul never denied what God's
grace did either, did he? But by the grace of God, I am
what I am. You're washed. You're justified. You're sanctified in the name
of the Lord and by the Spirit of His grace. But by the grace
of God, I am what I am, and His grace which was bestowed upon
me was not in vain. Oh, I'm so glad of that, aren't
you? God's grace is not in vain. God's grace gives life to dead
sinners. Nothing else can. God's grace
brings rebels down to the footstool of that name which is above every
name. Nothing else can. God's grace
gets blind sinners lost. Nothing else can. By the grace
of God I am what I am and His grace was not in vain. But I
labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the
grace of God which was in me." Oh, God's mighty, sovereign grace. What does it do? It does this. Thy renown went forth among the
heathen for thy beauty. Beauty? Beauty, a sinner, beautiful
in Christ Jesus, for it was perfect, your beauty. Oh, robed in the
perfect righteousness of the Son of God, clothed in His righteousness,
perfect through my comeliness which I have put upon you, saith
the Lord God. Salvation is a great salvation. from the great God and Savior,
and then last of all, this great salvation is only for great sinners. That's right, John. It's only
for great sinners. Nobody else needs it. Nobody
else wants it. Only the greatest of sinners.
Grace saves the very chief of sinners, sinners without any
merit, without any strength, without any hope in themselves.
You find a sinner like that and I declare God's grace is already
at work in their heart or they would never know it otherwise.
Real sinners, our Lord said, all that have learned of the
Father. God Almighty teaches a sinner
a few things. All that have learned of the
Father, Christ says, comes to me. They come to me. Being taught of God, they learn
that they're lost. They're lost. They learn that
only God Almighty can save them. Before anybody experiences God's
great salvation, they must come down. Modern religion tells sinners
to stand up. Stand up and let God. But oh,
the gospel of God's grace says, come down sinner, don't stand
up. That's your problem now. Your
problem now that you're proud. You're proud you're standing
up. What you need to learn is to come down. Bow before the
King of glory and sue for mercy. Just like our Lord said to Zacchaeus. He came to where he was. He stopped
where Zacchaeus was and he looked up and said, Zacchaeus, come
down. You've got to come down. Bow before the king of glory
and thou shall find mercy. Before any sinner is clothed
in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, he must be stripped. That's a painful work. That's
a painful experience, but it's absolutely necessary. He must
be stripped of his own righteousness. You can't wear both. You can't
wear the robe of Christ's righteousness and your own as well. God won't
allow it. God won't allow it. You can't
bring your fig leaves and expect to be clothed in the pure righteousness
of Jesus Christ. No, all that's got to go. Like
Barnimaeus, remember? When the Lord said, bring him
to me, we're told that Barnimaeus threw away his cloak. Laid it
aside. It was just a hindrance. And
so was any righteousness other than the righteousness of God
in Christ. The Great Shepherd. The Great
Shepherd. by his grace, bring sinners down
until they're made to feel, I'm the sinner. I'm the sinner. There's not one worse than me.
There's not one that's in bad shape as I am. If I'm ever saved,
if this sinner is ever saved, God Almighty will have to do
it. He'll have to do it all. The
great shepherd The great shepherd sought me and found me. And he wouldn't take no for an
answer. He did it all. And I wish that
I could say this with the conviction, with the praise, with the thankfulness
in my heart that he deserves. But right now this sinner can
sing. I am His and He is mine forever. And I will always be
His. And He will always be mine. Always. And you know why? The reason
is because He will not let me go. He will not let me go. That's
the reason. Oh, the great salvation for great
sinners of our great God and Savior. Is there one here today? Any great sinners here today? Oh, Christ says, look unto me
and be ye saved. But Israel shall be saved in
the Lord with an everlasting salvation. Ye shall not be ashamed,
nor confounded world without end. Look unto me, look and live. Oh God, draw back the curtain
of memory now and then. Show me where you brought me
from and where I would have been. Look unto me and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth. Do you remember that look? Do
you remember that look? Remember when God removed the
scales from your eyes, and you beheld the Lamb of God, and just
like that, just like that, all your sins, all your sins were
washed away. And for the first time in your
life, you had peace. Peace. Peace with God. Oh, my. What would you get for
that? What would you give to have peace
with God? Nothing. Nothing I can give. Oh, but he says, look unto me,
and you'll have it. You'll be saved. For I am God,
the God of so great salvation. For I am God, and there is none
else. Look unto me. Look unto me. God bless you. Thank you for
your attention.