THE GREAT SALVATION

TEXT-- Hebrews 2:1-4

I. INTRODUCTION-- Why is the salvation of this text called "great?"
A. We could answer this question in a number of ways.

    1. It is great because of the extensive preparations of God to bring a savior into the world. Isaiah 49:5-6 "And now saith Jehovah that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered unto him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Jehovah, and my God is become my strength); 6 yea, he saith, It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."
    2. The greatness of the salvation is seen in the provisions of the "New Covenant," with Christ as the mediator. Hebrews 8:6-12 "But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers In the day that I took them by the hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt; For they continued not in my covenant, And I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, And on their heart also will I write them: And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every man his fellow-citizen, And every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For all shall know me, From the least to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And their sins will I remember no more."
2.It is great because of the great sacrifice made to obtain it. Hebrews 9:26b-28 ".....now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment; 28 so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation."
B. But, let us consider the reasons given in our text...

II. LESSON-- "How shall we ESCAPE, if we neglect so great a salvation,.."
A. Which was"First spoken by the Lord..."
1. Not "first spoken" by Moses, or the prophets, or even John the Baptist.
a. Greater than Moses. Hebrews 3:1-3 "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus; 2 who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house. 3 For he hath been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by so much as he that built the house hath more honor than the house."
b.Greater than the prophets. Matthew 16:13-17 "Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of man is? 14 And they said, Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But who say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven."
c.Greater than John the Baptist. John 3:28-30 (John said,) "Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, that standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is made full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease."
2.The mission of Christ was to "bear witness to the truth." John 18:37 "P ilate.......said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."
B. "Confirmed unto us by them that heard..."
1. Jesus commissioned the Apostles to be "witnesses." Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Remember Isaiah 49? Israel AND Gentiles.)
a. "Receive power...Holy Spirit." John 16:12-14 "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you."
b. "Judea (Jews)...uttermost parts (Gentiles)." (Romans 1:16-17)
2. The first opportunity to fulfil their commission was on Pentecost. Acts 2
a. Power to speak by the Holy Spirit. vs. 4
b. The gospel was preached. vs. 22-36
c. The hearers believed, repented and wer baptized. vs. 37-41
d. Remission of sins was promised, and sinners exhorted. vs. 38, 40
e. Continued in the teaching. vs. 42
C. "God bearing witness with them...with signs, wonders, etc."
1. The signs were promised to confirm the word. Mark. 16:17-20 "And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed."
2. One example of this is found in Acts 8:4-8 (After the stoning of Stephen) "They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about preaching the word. 5 And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ. 6 And the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did. 7 For from many of those that had unclean spirits, they came out, crying with a loud voice: and many that were palsied, and that were lame, were healed. 8 And there was much joy in that city."
3. The Word is now confirmed and complete. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

III.APPLICATION--The "great salvation" must not be "neglected." We must give "more earnest heed!" (Remember--This was written to faltering Christians!)
A.The word of God is consistent (God says that every transgression will receive its just recompense of reward), so we should continually use the offer of a "great salvation" as a motivation to ESCAPE the consequences of sin.
B. ESCAPE should be a high priority for us, in view of the alternative.
1.It was the hope offered by the prophets to all. Joel 2:32 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as Jehovah hath said, and among the remnant those whom Jeho-vah doth call." (On Pentecost, Peter said the event fulfilled this prophecy!!)
2. Some very religious folks will not escape. Matthew 23:29-33 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and garnish the tombs of the righteous, 30 and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye witness to yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell?"
C. Appreciation for our heritage will motivate our escape. Hebrews 12:22-28