Anchors of Truth

The Danger of Neglect

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Pr. John Lomacang

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Series Code: AOT

Program Code: AOT000136


00:13 Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
00:15 live from the 3ABN Worship Center.
00:22 Well we're so happy that you could join us here
00:24 in West Frankfort, Illinois at the 3ABN Worship Center.
00:31 And I tell you, it's been a beautiful day here
00:34 in southern Illinois.
00:35 Finally getting a little bit cooler.
00:38 And we have had an unbelievably comfortable summer.
00:43 And then all of a sudden we had a late summer
00:45 right here at the end.
00:46 And it has been like it usually is earlier.
00:51 But now today was pretty pleasant.
00:54 Especially pleasant for me because I spent all day inside.
00:59 The air conditioning was working just fine at 3ABN.
01:04 We're so happy that our local pastor,
01:07 pastor of the Thompsonville church, Pastor John Lomacang,
01:12 is going to be presenting our Anchors Of Truth.
01:16 Everybody knows John.
01:17 Tonight they asked me, "Should we give you a sheet about John?"
01:21 They were teasing me, of course.
01:23 But he has been here longer than I.
01:25 Thirteen years as pastor here of this congregation
01:30 that meets in the 3ABN Worship Center.
01:34 And he and his wife, Angie, are just two people that
01:38 we love so very much.
01:41 And we appreciate them.
01:42 They travel around the world.
01:44 Last week they were just getting back from Africa.
01:47 I think John may be over the jetlag by now.
01:50 But he was feeling it for a few days, as you always do
01:54 when you go off that distance.
01:57 A few weeks ago, John spoke on the danger zone
02:02 here at church.
02:03 I was very impressed with the message that he brought.
02:08 And I said to him, "John, could you do that for Anchors?"
02:13 He said, "I have a series that I have done with this subject.
02:18 And I would be happy to."
02:20 Well we were thinking about that for some later time,
02:23 and then C.A. Murray, who was scheduled to actually have
02:27 the Anchors at this particular time, had as you mostly
02:31 all know by now, had open heart surgery bypass.
02:37 And he's in good shape.
02:39 We interviewed him today for a program we're going to be
02:43 showing tomorrow night.
02:45 So be sure to watch late tomorrow night.
02:49 You'll see C.A and you'll see how he's doing.
02:53 But I am excited about these subjects.
02:57 Tonight will be, The Danger Of Neglect.
03:00 Tomorrow night, The Danger Of Unbelief.
03:03 Friday Night, The Danger Of Not Maturing.
03:07 And then, The Danger Of Drawing Back, Sabbath morning.
03:10 And the final on Sabbath afternoon,
03:13 The Danger Of Refusing God.
03:17 I'm looking forward to this series.
03:19 This is very important.
03:20 You need to call your friends, tell them that this is something
03:24 they do not want to miss.
03:27 Before Pastor John comes, Lisa Yeager is going to
03:31 be singing for us.
03:33 Lisa and John are members of this church.
03:36 John helps and works at 3ABN in sound.
03:39 In fact, he's back there on the soundboard tonight, I can see.
03:43 I can't see you, John, but I can see your forehead.
03:45 There you are.
03:47 So I know that he's there.
03:49 And he raised his hand, he is there.
03:52 But it's kind of hard to see them behind all that
03:55 big edifice they have to work behind in sound.
04:00 But Lisa is one of the worship leaders here
04:04 at the Thompsonville church.
04:06 I love it when she leads worship.
04:08 I love when they all do.
04:09 I love the worship songs that we have here.
04:12 But I just feel real special when Lisa does.
04:17 And right now she's going to sing for us,
04:20 We Cry Out.
04:39 Father of life seated on Your throne of grace,
04:47 it's only by Your mercy we are saved.
04:55 Lord, You have said if we call upon Your name,
05:03 we and our families will be saved.
05:10 So we cry out Your name;
05:18 El Shaddai, God of grace,
05:26 Lord most High,
05:32 Jesus Christ.
05:39 We rely on Your grace,
05:47 Adonai crowned in praise;
05:54 Lord most High,
06:02 Jesus Christ.
06:11 Father of love, never failing to forgive;
06:19 each moment is a gift from You to live.
06:26 We're only here to tell the world about Your grace,
06:34 until the day You take us all away.
06:40 So we cry out Your name;
06:47 El Shaddai, God of grace,
06:55 Lord most High,
07:01 Jesus Christ.
07:07 We rely on Your grace,
07:14 Adonai crowned in praise;
07:21 Lord most High,
07:27 Jesus Christ.
07:34 We rely on Your grace,
07:40 Adonai crowned in praise;
07:47 Lord most High,
07:54 Lord most High,
08:02 Lord most High,
08:07 Jesus Christ.
08:25 Thank you, Lisa. Can we say amen to that?
08:28 What a wonderful song, We Cry Out.
08:33 I believe that by the end of this series,
08:35 and those of you who are joining us,
08:36 will discover that because of the dangers that we're going to
08:40 be outlining from night to night, the best thing to do
08:43 is to cry out to the Lord for salvation.
08:45 Can you say amen?
08:48 I didn't plan for this series.
08:50 It just, the lot just fell on me.
08:53 And because God never is a God of coincidence or accidents
08:58 or luck, I believe that God ordained for this to be so.
09:01 And so tonight I want to invite you to bow your heads
09:04 with me as we go before the Lord asking for His guidance.
09:10 Gracious Father in heaven, we thank You, Lord, that
09:13 this opportunity will not be wasted on humanity,
09:16 but will rely on divinity.
09:20 Come tonight, Lord, and speak not only to my heart,
09:22 but speak to those who have gathered around this hour
09:27 to hear from You.
09:29 And as we outline the dangers that are found in Your Word,
09:32 we pray that Your purpose of salvation may be accomplished
09:36 in and for every one of us.
09:39 In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
09:46 The Danger of Neglect.
09:49 About 20 years ago when I was living in northern California
09:52 in the Northern California Conference where I was
09:55 pastoring, I sat down and read the book of Hebrews,
10:00 which actually started a number of years before.
10:03 I mention the story as I was traveling back from
10:06 Taipei, Taiwan when I was in the Heritage singers.
10:10 And the plane was shaking during the time that meals
10:13 were being served, and a movie about George Burns
10:17 entitled, "Oh God, You Devil," was being shown, and
10:20 they tried to sell me headsets.
10:22 And I thought, if there is ever a dangerous thing to do,
10:24 is to buy headsets to watch a blasphemous movie
10:28 while we're relying on God to get us home safely.
10:31 So I decided not to buy the headsets.
10:34 And people were watching this movie.
10:36 And I was sitting down reading my Bible,
10:38 I was reading the book of Hebrews.
10:40 Two Bibles ago.
10:42 I go through Bibles.
10:44 And I remember that very well.
10:46 And it sparked my interest about the overall theme of the
10:50 book of Hebrews.
10:52 And then one day I began to sit down and I looked through it
10:54 methodically, and I found out in its pages there are
10:57 five dangers outlined.
11:00 How many dangers did I say?
11:01 Five dangers outlined.
11:03 And as you follow these dangers, you'll discover that every one
11:07 of them is a progressive step that finally leads to the
11:12 irreversible step of the very last one.
11:15 That is the danger of refusing God.
11:18 The danger of neglect, the danger of unbelief,
11:21 the danger of not maturing, the danger of drawing back,
11:23 and finally the danger of refusing God.
11:26 Tonight, if you have your Bibles, we're going to
11:28 begin by going to the book of Hebrews chapter 2.
11:31 And we're going to look together at verse 3.
11:34 Hebrews chapter 2, and I'm going to read briefly verse 3.
11:41 "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation,
11:45 which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord,
11:48 and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him..."
11:52 How shall we escape?
11:57 My wife and I just got back from Nairobi, Kenya.
12:00 And when we said to our brothers and sisters,
12:05 and our members alike, that we were going to Kenya,
12:07 they said, "Are you sure that's a safe place to go?"
12:10 And truly, we questioned whether or not it was safe
12:12 because of all the things that are happening
12:15 in different parts of the world that are really
12:17 putting our safety at risk.
12:19 But what I discovered is that we live in one of the most
12:22 dangerous generations in recorded history.
12:24 Doesn't have to be in Nairobi.
12:26 It could be anywhere in the world.
12:28 And we are living in the most dangerous generation
12:30 in recorded history.
12:32 Our world is replete with dangers.
12:35 Every day we are confronted with danger avoiding decisions.
12:40 In our own homes.
12:41 Our homes are dangerous.
12:42 I think about some of those who put up light bulbs
12:45 and fall off ladders.
12:47 It's a dangerous world we live in.
12:48 Our homes are dangerous.
12:49 Every day, if we can make it through our homes without
12:52 killing ourselves we've avoided the obvious dangers.
12:55 I read a statistic once, how many deaths occur in our homes;
12:59 from drowning, from children dying from asphyxiation
13:02 messing with the plastic that comes with your clothing
13:05 when you pick it up from the cleaners.
13:07 Our homes are dangerous at times.
13:09 There are countries that are dangerous to visit.
13:12 There are mountains that are dangerous to climb.
13:15 I was reading a story just recently about a place
13:17 in China called Culu, China.
13:23 And I think about our children traveling to school
13:26 not too far from here.
13:27 And the article pointed out that every day children travel
13:31 five miles to school through the mountains.
13:35 And the path is only one foot wide.
13:37 And I thought, that's dangerous.
13:39 And then there's also in the Philippines where children
13:41 go to school on a day by day basis, and in one of the
13:44 provinces, to get to school they float on a rubber tire,
13:48 inflated rubber tire, across a muddy river
13:51 just to get to school.
13:53 That's dangerous.
13:55 Then there are foods that are dangerous to ingest.
13:57 Matter of fact, it's dangerous to drink alcohol
14:00 and abuse drugs.
14:02 But it's also now dangerous to drive and text.
14:05 When I was growing up, it use to be dangerous
14:07 to disrespect your parents.
14:11 There are growing dangers from countless insecurities,
14:14 if you follow the list.
14:15 And I've said nothing about the senseless shootings
14:18 that occur in our schools in civilized America.
14:23 Or the growing number of home born terrorists;
14:26 another avenue of danger.
14:28 Or the increased militarization of the urban centers
14:32 of our nation; like what happened in St. Louis.
14:35 Dangerous cities.
14:37 How about the increasing fear over the spread of Ebola?
14:40 When we got back from Africa someone said to my wife,
14:44 "If you start feeling sick or you start getting a fever,
14:47 you can stay home."
14:48 Because they were concerned about the Ebola virus
14:50 coming back with us.
14:51 These are dangers that lurk in our minds from day to day.
14:56 But the fact of the matter is, it wouldn't be danger unless
14:59 the possibility of harm was imminent.
15:02 Think about that.
15:03 It wouldn't be danger if the threat of safety
15:05 were not a probability.
15:07 It wouldn't be danger unless ignoring it made
15:11 the risk of death likely.
15:14 But all I've mentioned so far does not measure up with the
15:17 most dangerous circumstance of all.
15:20 Look at this one in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 1 to 3.
15:24 At the intersection of death and eternity, the apostle Paul
15:27 shouts these words.
15:29 And here they are.
16:07 I don't believe that the apostle Paul would have put these words
16:10 in Scripture if there was not a possible loss of salvation
16:15 in this text.
16:16 Danger; "How can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"
16:21 Every day when I wake up, I think about salvation.
16:23 I think of where I was and where I am today.
16:25 And I praise the Lord for His salvation.
16:26 Can you say amen to that?
16:28 If we think of our lives before Jesus,
16:30 BC; before Christ, and AC; after Christ,
16:34 we can see that the best decision we have ever made
16:37 is to accept His grace, to accept His salvation.
16:41 But how can we escape if we neglect?
16:45 How can we ignore the word spoke by the Lord
16:48 and expect a different outcome from those that ignore
16:51 the word spoken by angels?
16:53 So allow me tonight to begin our series as we unfold
16:57 the steps that lead to danger.
17:00 The writer of Hebrews demands us to read the obituary of
17:04 those that ignored the counsel of God;
17:06 those that God gave all the privileges and opportunities,
17:10 those that God has blessed.
17:13 The write of Hebrews said "Read their obituary.
17:15 Look at their DNA.
17:17 And as you learn what they've done,
17:19 choose not to do it."
17:21 By the way, if you follow that carefully in the lives of the
17:24 children of Israel, and when you study their lives,
17:26 we are told that if you look at the way they lived,
17:29 it is almost a parallel to the way that Christians live today.
17:33 We can learn a lot by their failures.
17:36 We can learn a lot of what not to do by the things that
17:39 the children of Israel did.
17:40 We can learn what to avoid by the things
17:43 that they chose not to avoid.
17:45 We can learn about the decisions to make
17:46 by the decisions that they did not make.
17:49 And so when I read the life of Israel, I discover
17:54 that a people that had all the advantages that God had made
17:57 available to them lost because they did not make the proper
18:01 spiritual decisions.
18:03 They lost their salvation because of neglect.
18:07 If ever there were a people that had it all,
18:09 it was the Israelites.
18:11 And by the way, when we look back and think of them
18:13 having everything, look at your own life.
18:15 Are we not blessed?
18:18 We are blessed abundantly.
18:20 My wife and I were talking about that today, and I said,
18:22 you know, as I sat down and I thought about
18:24 where our lives where and how we have gotten to
18:26 the place where we are today, I think back to the fact that
18:30 we are just little ole John and Angie from Brooklyn, New York.
18:36 Two knuckleheads, as it were, that just simply turned their
18:38 lives over to the Lord.
18:40 And it's amazing what God can do if we avail ourselves,
18:44 of ourselves, and put our lives in the hand of the Lord.
18:48 Everything that Israel had, God blessed them with.
18:51 And He blessed them, not because of who they are,
18:54 but because of who He is.
18:55 Amen, church?
18:56 But look at Deuteronomy chapter 7.
18:58 The Bible outlines this very carefully
19:01 about God's blessing to the children of Israel.
19:03 And you'll discover that what He did for them
19:05 He wants to do for us.
19:06 Look at Deuteronomy chapter 7 verse 6 to verse 8.
19:12 And the Lord speaks of the children of Israel by saying...
20:03 Everything that God did for Israel, church,
20:05 He wants to do for us.
20:08 And by the way, if you don't know that, we are special
20:10 in the sight God.
20:12 We are not special because of who we are,
20:14 but we are special because of who He is.
20:16 If God takes the time to bless us, He chooses to bless us
20:19 that His glory might be seen.
20:21 He chooses to equip us so that His message can go forward.
20:25 He chooses to make us a vessel of honor to Him.
20:30 When I began to look at that and break that down,
20:32 I was sitting there thinking,
20:33 "Lord, what made them so different?
20:34 What made them so unique?
20:36 What did You do for them that You could not do for us?"
20:39 And I'll think about it.
20:41 He saved them from the slavery of Egypt;
20:45 and He saves us from the slavery of sin.
20:47 He made them a holy people; He makes us a holy people.
20:51 Amen?
20:52 He brought them out of the land of darkness;
20:54 He brought us out of a life of darkness.
20:58 Look at 1 Peter chapter 2 verses 9 and 10.
21:01 Go there with me, 1 Peter chapter 2 verses 9 and 10.
21:05 All the Lord did for Israel, He has done for us.
21:11 1 Peter chapter 2 verses 9 and 10 now almost
21:14 parallels Deuteronomy, but this time it's not about Israel.
21:18 This time it's about us.
21:21 Let's read this together.
21:22 The Lord speaks of us and He says,
21:24 to John and Angie He says...
21:56 Can you say amen to that?
21:57 I go back to my gang life, if that's the word I can use...
22:01 And David knows what I'm talking about.
22:02 I could go back to the streets of New York City
22:05 and recall the fights that I had with those that
22:08 had knives, and those that held me up at gunpoint,
22:11 and those that broke a broomstick over my head.
22:13 I can go back to that,
22:14 look at the deliverance of God and say that where I am today
22:17 is not because of coincidence, nor is it because of my plan,
22:22 but it is always because of the plan of God.
22:24 Can you say amen to that?
22:26 So we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood.
22:29 And sometimes, when I think about it, sometimes
22:32 we ought to take that into consideration.
22:34 We're not just another people, but we are a special people.
22:37 We're not just a generation, we are a chosen generation.
22:42 Does that not ring your bell?
22:45 Think about it.
22:46 Out of all the people on earth, God chose you.
22:51 Out of all the individuals that could have done the work that
22:53 you do, God chose you.
22:57 Out of all the ones that are saved on a day by day basis,
23:01 God chose you.
23:03 God chose me.
23:05 When I think about that, I'm not just another person.
23:07 Every time I go back to New York City and I
23:09 run into the friends that I had when I was growing up,
23:12 I go into the neighborhoods that I lived when I was growing up,
23:15 I go into the places where many years before
23:17 you can see the crack vials and the butts left from
23:21 marijuana, you can see the broken glass,
23:23 and sometimes you can see an empty bullet shell,
23:27 and I think of all those things that God brought me through,
23:29 and I think of where I am today, and I realize in fact
23:33 that when I sing Amazing Grace, I need to realize
23:36 how amazing God's grace really is.
23:40 His grace is amazing.
23:41 But I'm talking about salvation tonight.
23:42 We're going to begin by talking about the most important thing
23:45 in the Christian life.
23:46 God has saved every one of us.
23:51 But the problem is that sometimes we do what Israel did.
23:54 We look to God for the wrong things.
23:56 Look at Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 7 tonight.
24:01 Israel served God for His temporal benefits
24:04 and missed out on the greatest benefit of all;
24:07 the benefit of salvation.
24:08 Look at Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 7 to verse 9.
24:17 The Bible says...
25:08 Think about that.
25:09 You know, I was sitting down today, and every now and then
25:14 I peruse the internet to see what's new.
25:17 And when I say, "What's new,"
25:18 I mean I'm somewhat of a gadgetarian.
25:20 I like to see what's coming out, what's new.
25:22 And then I see what's new and I think,
25:25 "Wow, you know, how much does that costs?"
25:28 And then the thought came to me today when I went back
25:31 and I thought about the blessings that God
25:33 brings to us and how when we focus on just the
25:36 temporal things, they lose their impact in our lives.
25:40 But when we focus on the eternal things,
25:42 they never lose their impact in our lives.
25:45 I was thinking about when we got our first vehicle,
25:47 our very first new vehicle when we were married.
25:50 You know, in New York City my wife had a Toyota
25:53 that her brother gave her.
25:54 And it had only, it didn't have a reverse gear.
25:57 It only went forward.
25:58 We called that our Christian vehicle, it only went forward.
26:02 And the first time we used it for pleasure, it broke down
26:05 on the George Washington Bridge.
26:10 Whenever we took it to prison ministry,
26:12 it always worked.
26:13 Whenever we went to a Bible study, it always worked.
26:15 The moment we used that for our own pleasure,
26:17 it broke down at the toll booth on the George Washington Bridge
26:22 over the Hudson River.
26:25 After I paid the toll and I pressed the gas pedal,
26:29 and the guy at the toll booth looked at me like to say,
26:31 "Aren't you leaving?"
26:33 "I'm trying."
26:34 And the engine was just revving and I was going nowhere fast.
26:37 And all I could hear was the gears grinding
26:40 and I could hear the oil pouring out.
26:42 And almost imperceptibly in my mind, I began to rock to maybe
26:46 hopefully I could add some momentum to this vehicle.
26:49 But because God was merciful, He allowed us to be at the
26:51 apex of the bridge, which from the toll booth
26:54 it was downhill from there.
26:55 Amen, somebody.
26:57 And so I was able to get that thing going by really pressing
26:59 and revving up the gears, and it was all downhill from there.
27:04 No brakes, and the cars are whizzing by us
27:07 at 35 or 40 miles an hour.
27:09 But we were going just a good ole cool 25, and eventually 30,
27:13 and maybe 35 at the highest peak of our coasting.
27:17 And we made it all the way down the George Washington Bridge
27:22 until we broken down and left the car on the street
27:24 under the bridge.
27:26 And I think about that, when I was living the life
27:28 that I didn't live, there were broken things in my life
27:31 all the time.
27:32 I had my own car.
27:33 I remember that very well.
27:35 Finally got my own Toyota.
27:36 It was broken down too. It had cancer.
27:39 But when we both dedicated our lives to the Lord,
27:42 when we got married, the Lord took the old things
27:45 out of our lives and put the new things in.
27:47 Come on say amen, somebody.
27:49 I remember getting our very first vehicle
27:51 in Orlando, Florida, our Toyota Forerunner.
27:54 And I was excited about that.
27:57 But that was back in 1987, and that's old now.
28:01 Then I think about getting the one in 1996
28:03 when we traded that one out and got another Forerunner.
28:06 But that's old now.
28:08 And I think about the 2005 Nissan Armada.
28:10 But that's old now.
28:13 You see, things on earth get old.
28:15 But God's salvation and His mercies are new every morning.
28:19 What do you say?
28:20 That's the salvation that never lets us down.
28:23 That's the salvation that brings to us every day
28:27 the honor and the security that comes only
28:30 from the newness that the Lord has brought into our lives.
28:34 Our lives are new.
28:35 Our lives are new every day.
28:37 And when Israel served God for the newness that was divine,
28:41 and the newness that was spiritual,
28:42 they never lost their connection with God.
28:46 That's why today when I think about the church that we are
28:48 a part of, there's no movement on earth
28:50 that can claim a connection with God as intimate as His church,
28:55 as powerful as the connection that we have
28:58 because we serve Him.
28:59 There is no insurance policy that can give us the assurance
29:02 that we can find in a relationship with Jesus.
29:05 That's what salvation means, that's what salvation really is.
29:11 When the apostle says, "How shall we escape
29:15 if we neglect so great a salvation,"
29:18 I had to ask the question, "What makes salvation great?"
29:22 What makes salvation great?
29:25 Salvation is great because its Author is God.
29:30 The Author and Finisher of our faith.
29:34 Salvation is great because God made a way
29:37 for sinners to enter the kingdom.
29:38 What do you say?
29:39 Salvation is great first because of the Author, God.
29:43 Think of God.
29:44 And every now and then when I look at these
29:46 planets, and every now and then I look at the stars
29:50 and I see the skies, and I compare what I see to this
29:54 little earth, and I think God could have easily wiped out
29:57 this earth, and nobody would have missed us.
30:02 But because of God's plan of salvation,
30:04 He made a way that this little dot within a dot,
30:07 a speck within a speck, and us on the speck,
30:10 that we can be citizens of an eternal kingdom.
30:13 Amen?
30:14 That's salvation.
30:15 Salvation is great because of its Author.
30:18 Second reason salvation is great is because of the price
30:21 that was paid; the life of Jesus.
30:24 Now who do you know that would be willing to die for you?
30:27 Who do you know?
30:30 I can only think of mothers being willing
30:33 to die for their children.
30:35 Or fathers being willing to die for their children.
30:37 But outside of that, the Bible says, "For scarcely would
30:40 anybody die for a righteous man, let alone a sinner."
30:43 We have to look for reasons to give our lives.
30:46 And often those reasons are things that are beneficial.
30:48 "Why should I die for you?
30:49 What have you done for me?"
30:51 But the Lord died for us.
30:53 "In that while we were yet sinners, Christ did.." What?
30:56 "...died for us."
30:59 Third reason why salvation is so great is because
31:02 of its accomplishments.
31:04 Our redemption.
31:08 Now I was expecting a whole hallelujah chorus on that one.
31:12 Salvation is great because we are redeemed.
31:18 We're not just members, we're redeemed.
31:20 We're not just church attenders.
31:23 We are one day going to attend the banquet of the ages.
31:27 We are not just in a building, we are in God's will.
31:31 We are not just citizens on an earth,
31:33 we are going to be citizens on the new earth.
31:36 We are getting ready for that transaction that's going to make
31:40 our lives far greater than it is today.
31:42 Look at the words of David the psalmist
31:44 in Psalm 103 verse 4 and 5.
31:46 Look at these words.
31:47 He describes salvation, what makes it so great.
31:51 He describes salvation and what makes it so great.
31:53 Look at what he says about God.
32:18 Salvation is the divine transaction
32:22 that transforms us from the enemies of God
32:25 to the children of God.
32:27 Salvation is the transaction that transforms us
32:33 from enemies of God to children of God.
32:37 I think about that video that I watched on CNN.
32:41 It's actual a repeating video.
32:43 They showed the mother that pleaded for her son.
32:47 Pleaded to this terrorist group, this Islamic group called, ISIS.
32:55 This terrorist group.
32:57 And she looked in the camera and she pleaded the case.
32:59 She said, "Please spare my son's life.
33:03 Please spare my son's life."
33:06 And I'm moved at the fact that she lost her plea
33:09 and they executed her son.
33:12 And then I looked in God's Word and I asked myself the question,
33:14 what happened when Jesus pleaded our case?
33:18 What happened when Jesus pleaded for our salvation?
33:22 Look at a book that most likely wouldn't have the answer.
33:25 The book of Lamentations.
33:26 It sounds like a sad book, but look at that book.
33:28 Lamentations chapter 3 verse 58.
33:32 Look at what it says about what happens when
33:34 Jesus pleads our case.
33:37 And here's what it says.
33:47 When He pleads our case, He does what to our lives?
33:49 He redeems our lives.
33:51 And I tell you, as my mother told me when I met her,
33:54 she said, "If I raised, you'd probably be a drunk
33:59 on the streets of the Virgin Islands.
34:02 You surely wouldn't be what you are today."
34:04 And I think of even my abandonment as a plan
34:06 of God's eternal will.
34:08 To take me from what I could have been
34:10 to make me what I am today.
34:12 God redeems us.
34:14 He looks at the situations developing in our lives
34:17 and He has a plan that interrupts what the enemy
34:21 wants to do in our lives.
34:23 That's why when Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 3
34:26 proclaims it, the question is asked again,
34:28 "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"
34:32 How can we escape?
34:33 I was sitting in the airport on our way, my wife and I were,
34:37 on our way to the University of Nebraska about five years ago.
34:41 And I was invited there to speak to a class of students
34:45 at a secular university.
34:46 And they said, "Come, we'd like you to share
34:48 with this university some things about what it means
34:52 to be a pastor, what it means to be an Adventist."
34:54 And what an opportunity to be able to do that
34:56 at a secular university.
34:59 But I was sitting at the airport thinking about neglecting.
35:04 I was sitting at the airport, and we transferred from
35:07 one plane, and we were sitting at the next stop
35:09 to make the next connection.
35:11 And we got to our gate and we were sitting there.
35:15 And I said to my wife, "Seems like we're the only ones
35:19 going to North Dakota."
35:21 Or Nebraska.
35:23 And I said, "I guess so.
35:24 You know, we're early. Our plane is not here yet."
35:26 And we sat down and went back to the food counter
35:31 and got something to eat.
35:32 And we thought about it, and we came back,
35:36 and we realized that we were at the wrong gate.
35:41 We realized that after our plane left.
35:45 You know why? Because we neglected to check our ticket
35:49 with the sign.
35:51 And it was only one number different.
35:53 Flight 1135, and I saw flight 1134.
35:58 One number, we neglected to compare the two.
36:01 We thought we were the only ones.
36:03 I thought everybody else was wrong and I was right.
36:05 Sometimes we can neglect the finest things in our lives
36:08 and forget to realize that God's Word is always right.
36:12 We should always assume that we are wrong
36:15 and God is always right.
36:16 Can you say amen to that?
36:18 That's why when I think about the goodness of God,
36:19 there is no escape from death other than Jesus,
36:22 there is no escape from the pain of life other than Jesus,
36:25 there is no escape from condemnation other than Jesus.
36:29 There's no real joy outside of Jesus.
36:32 There's no lasting peace without Jesus.
36:35 There is no hope beyond the grave apart from Jesus.
36:39 There's no possibility of eternal life
36:41 unless we have Jesus.
36:43 What do you say?
36:44 Jesus is the focus.
36:45 I've got to begin this series by looking at Jesus,
36:48 because I can't have salvation if it were not for Jesus.
36:52 The only one that can heal my hurts is Jesus.
36:55 The only one that can dry my tears is Jesus.
36:58 The only one that can calm all my fears is Jesus.
37:02 The only one that can bring me through
37:04 whatever I'm going through is Jesus.
37:06 What do you say?
37:07 The only one that can lift us up is Jesus.
37:10 And the only one that can keep us from falling is Jesus.
37:16 So why should I neglect that kind of Friend?
37:19 Why should I neglect somebody who will never let me down,
37:22 who's always there for me?
37:24 That's why the most wonderful statement ever made
37:26 to human ears is found in Matthew chapter 1 and verse 21.
37:30 Look at it, it's on the screen.
37:31 I want you to read it with me.
37:33 The most wonderful statement ever made to humanity.
37:35 Here it is, Matthew 1 verse 21.
37:48 That's a guarantee.
37:50 He doesn't save us in our sins, He doesn't fix us up.
37:53 He saves us from our sins.
37:55 He saves us from the penalty of our sins.
37:58 Every day, He saves us from the power of sin.
38:01 And one day He's going to save us from the presence of sin.
38:04 That's the good news to me.
38:05 I think about where I could have been.
38:08 When I read this story about neglect, the sad message
38:11 of the apostle is not that salvation is rejected,
38:15 but salvation is neglected.
38:17 Salvation is disregarded.
38:19 Salvation is postponed.
38:20 Salvation is minimized, relegated.
38:22 And salvation is ignored.
38:25 And so allow me to put in that DVD,
38:28 allow us to walk through the life of those
38:31 that did not escape.
38:35 Let's go together to the movie entitled, Neglect,
38:38 as we read the transcript in 1 Corinthians chapter 10
38:42 verse 1 to 11.
38:43 Look at the movie, look at all the credits.
38:46 Here's what Paul writes about those that did not escape.
40:15 What a movie.
40:16 If you could see that movie, you would tap on the screen
40:18 and say, "Wait, wait, don't do that.
40:21 Don't make that decision.
40:23 Don't ignore that kind of Friend."
40:25 But I looked at some of the things that were similar.
40:27 Look at the things that they had in similarity.
40:29 There's a great lesson here.
40:30 They were all under the cloud.
40:32 In other words, they all enjoyed God's protection,
40:35 but they still neglected salvation.
40:38 They all passed through the sea.
40:40 They all enjoyed God's deliverance,
40:41 but they still neglected salvation.
40:44 They all were baptized into Moses.
40:47 We can experience baptism and still neglect salvation.
40:52 They had the same spiritual food.
40:53 We can have doctrinal unity and still neglect salvation.
40:59 And they had the same spiritual drink.
41:01 We can experience God's provision
41:03 and still neglect salvation.
41:06 And so allow me now to outline the five step plan
41:10 to neglect salvation.
41:13 The first one, nurture a desire for things that lead you back.
41:22 You know, I could never forget when we were driving
41:24 to California a number of years ago.
41:25 And I'm going to make this short because I want to
41:26 cover the entire message.
41:28 And we stopped in Texas on our way to California
41:30 to begin ministry.
41:31 And we parked at a hotel, I think it was in Houston, Texas.
41:35 I'm not exactly sure what city it was.
41:37 But we got up in the morning and began our journey
41:40 I thought on the way to California, until my wife said,
41:43 "You know, there's a restaurant just like that behind us."
41:47 And then we saw a metal dinosaur, something like that.
41:50 She said, "There's a dinosaur that looks just like
41:52 that behind us."
41:54 And I didn't realize it until I looked at the signs.
41:58 10 east when I was suppose to be going 10 west.
42:04 My point is, when you start seeing the things
42:09 that you passed showing up in your life again,
42:13 you're going in the wrong direction.
42:16 The children of Israel nurtured a desire for the things
42:20 that led them back.
42:21 Look at Numbers chapter 14 and verse 4.
42:23 Look at what they said.
42:24 They complained when God separated
42:27 them from the things of Egypt.
42:28 They said in Numbers 14 verse 4, the desire was so deep
42:30 they said to one another...
42:38 Now can I make a testimony today?
42:40 Can I make a testimony, can I give a testimony?
42:42 I ain't going back to the way life use to be.
42:44 Come on say amen.
42:46 I ain't going back to that.
42:48 I know what would happen, I know the certainty
42:50 of what would happen if I go back to the way I lived before.
42:53 But I want you to also understand,
42:54 the devil doesn't take my declaration as a,
42:57 "Don't bother him anymore."
42:59 He looks for convenient times.
43:01 He tries to find ways to get me to say it differently.
43:03 So he redresses the sin.
43:06 So don't nurture a desire for things that will lead you back.
43:11 Secondly, step two, they established a religion
43:17 that preferred pleasure above service.
43:21 The Bible says in verse 7 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10...
43:34 Oh, that's a dangerous one.
43:35 If all you like is fellowship lunch after the sermon,
43:38 you do nothing to advance the cause of God,
43:40 you're in the same category.
43:44 If all you're concerned about is the food after the food,
43:47 and you don't hit the street with the gospel beat
43:49 to let others know, you fall in the same category.
43:52 The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
43:57 They didn't neglect salvation because they didn't like it.
44:00 But the things that they chose to do instead of
44:03 what God called them to do.
44:06 And thus the second step was they established a religion
44:09 that preferred pleasure and ease above service.
44:13 Look at step three.
44:17 They fed their sensual passions.
44:20 Look at verse 8 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.
44:35 Can you imagine at the end of the day, "How many people died?"
44:37 "Twenty-three thousand died today."
44:41 Now I don't want to make a comparison, but
44:44 how many of our members would die during the week
44:48 if we knew the secrets of their lives?
44:50 "Whatever happened to so and so?"
44:51 "He died."
44:53 "From what?"
44:54 "Sexual immorality."
44:58 Don't take their story seriously and ignore your story.
45:02 When you follow the life of the Israelites,
45:04 when the men went out to war they won every battle
45:07 that they faced.
45:08 But the devil decides, "Okay, you can win against
45:11 the men that you fight, but I'm going to send some
45:14 Moabite women and see how much you win."
45:17 And that led the men of Israel down the path of
45:20 sexual immorality.
45:21 And all those victories became failures
45:24 because they nurtured and they fed their sensual passions.
45:28 That's the third step.
45:29 You've got to watch that.
45:31 When those passions arise, throw some water on it and
45:34 call on Jesus.
45:38 Like somebody once said, "We run away from sin like..."
45:42 Really slowly.
45:43 You've got to do like Elijah; run for your life.
45:47 Because you stand up, you'll discover that the things that
45:49 you think you can handle will end up handling you.
45:52 Look at the fourth step.
45:54 The fourth thing that they did, they pushed the boundaries
45:57 of God's grace.
45:58 They pushed the boundaries of God's grace.
46:01 Look at verse 9 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.
46:03 We ran through that.
46:04 They tempted Christ, in other words.
46:14 Now how did they tempt Christ?
46:19 How do you tempt God?
46:22 Well I did my homework.
46:24 They tempted God by insisting on retaining their old habits,
46:29 their old practices, their old appetites,
46:32 and their old customs.
46:34 God was getting them ready for Canaan,
46:37 and they continually complained about all the things that God
46:41 made them abandon in Egypt.
46:43 Forgetting that it was in Egypt that they were slaves.
46:46 Let me make the point; you can't go back
46:48 to the life you had before and expect the devil to not
46:50 make you a slave again.
46:53 It's not a possibility.
46:54 "Let's go back to Egypt,"
46:55 thinking that if you come back voluntarily,
46:57 then this time you and the devil will be on the same grounds.
47:00 I'm always amazed by people that get upset with God.
47:04 They get mad at God.
47:05 If you get mad at God and you're a Christian,
47:07 who do you talk to?
47:09 "I'm not on talking terms with God."
47:11 Are you on talking terms with the devil?
47:14 How do Christians do that?
47:16 They push the boundaries of God's grace.
47:18 That was the fourth step.
47:20 And the fifth step.
47:24 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 10, look at this.
47:38 They complained.
47:39 They criticized God's leading.
47:43 You know, I learned this one really well.
47:44 Because after we came to California, I'll never forget
47:47 the time when...
47:49 You know, I don't want to be too detailed.
47:51 But you know, sometimes the Lord sends you some place
47:56 and you never see the wisdom of God sending you there.
47:58 Like the first big church that we had.
48:01 I want to tell you, for the first three years
48:03 we walked through the valley of the shadow of death.
48:06 It was one battle after the other,
48:08 one torment after the other, one trial after the other.
48:11 And I never knew why God allowed us to go through that.
48:14 But I look back on it now and I say, "Thank the Lord."
48:17 Thank the Lord for the difficult battle then, because
48:19 the difficulties of the past gives you thicker skin
48:22 for the battles of the future.
48:25 If you don't go through the difficult trials of the past,
48:27 you never can handle the difficult ones that are coming.
48:30 As somebody once said, "David killed the lion and a bear."
48:34 His lion and his bear got him ready for his giant.
48:39 So I learned not to complain when God allows things to come.
48:42 Never complain about God's leading.
48:45 And I'll never forget that; my wife and I, you know,
48:47 God led us to California.
48:48 We knew that.
48:50 But how do you do...
48:51 I mean, what do you do when you get to California
48:53 and all you have is four hundred and something dollars left,
48:55 and you're 3000 miles away from home,
48:57 and you can't find an apartment in northern California?
49:01 What do you do?
49:03 You go back, or you call God.
49:07 Or you could say, "Lord, You could have give me
49:09 some more money.
49:11 You didn't have to send me to California with
49:13 only 400 dollars left.
49:15 How am I going to get an apartment in California?"
49:17 I've learned that there's nothing impossible for God.
49:21 Can you say amen?
49:22 So I don't criticize God anymore.
49:24 I may not understand at the moment what God is doing,
49:27 but I don't criticize God anymore.
49:30 Sometimes it gets close.
49:31 Can we testify?
49:32 Sometimes we get close.
49:33 "Lord, You didn't have to do that."
49:36 But I don't criticize God anymore on long term basis.
49:39 You know, when I read the book of Job,
49:40 this is an amazing thing,
49:42 when the Lord's servant, when the book of Job says
49:46 Job did not sin nor charge God foolishly,
49:52 I went to the book of Job and I thought,
49:53 well maybe he sinned right there.
49:55 Or maybe he sinned right there.
49:56 I looked at all the things that Job said and I thought,
49:58 well he sure would have sinned if he said that.
50:00 He said so many things, but God did not allow Job's humanity
50:05 to cancel God's blessing for that man's life.
50:09 So sometimes we say things, and God does not account
50:13 our foolish words as a sin.
50:15 Because He understands our weaknesses.
50:17 Amen to that?
50:18 Because when you read the book of Job,
50:20 and I see a whole lot of complaining,
50:23 but it says Job did not charge God foolishly.
50:28 Even his wife tried to get him to curse God.
50:31 And He didn't say anything to her.
50:34 Good thing He didn't.
50:39 Israel lost God's protection when they complained
50:42 about God's provision.
50:44 I want to tell you today, as we are winding up this first night,
50:47 God is a God who is beyond any estimate that we can
50:51 ever add to anything on this planet.
50:53 What do you say?
50:54 What's so great about salvation?
50:57 The fact of the matter is, God did not deliver Israel to death.
51:01 God delivered Israel from death.
51:05 God does not deliver us to death,
51:08 God delivers us from death.
51:12 God did not take Israel from the best,
51:15 God was getting Israel ready for the best.
51:18 We're going to talk about that tomorrow night,
51:20 what God was getting Israel ready for.
51:22 We're going to talk about that tomorrow night
51:23 under the title, The Danger of Unbelief.
51:26 You've got to come back for that.
51:27 And you don't want to miss, The Danger of Not Maturing.
51:32 You don't want to miss, The Danger of Drawing Back.
51:35 And you surely don't want to miss,
51:36 The Danger of Refusing God.
51:39 They thought that God was taking them from the best.
51:41 The best is not the life that I use to live.
51:44 The best is the life that I live now.
51:46 And it's going to get better.
51:47 One day we're going to see the best that God has to offer.
51:51 And I'm staying on the ship so that I can benefit
51:54 from the best that God has to offer.
51:56 The five step plan for neglecting salvation
52:00 is going to be immediately replaced with the
52:03 one step plan to escape neglect.
52:06 Here it is.
52:07 I'll close with the one step plan.
52:09 Are you ready?
52:10 Here's the one step plan.
52:11 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 13.
52:13 How shall we escape? Here it is.
52:16 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 13.
52:20 The apostle gives the answer.
52:51 So right now can I escape?
52:53 You know what, I don't have to worry about
52:55 whether or not I'm going to escape.
52:56 I just call on my Deliverer.
52:59 I don't have to worry about, can I get out of this?
53:01 I just call on the Lord.
53:02 And the Bible says, "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord
53:05 shall be..." What?
53:06 "...shall be saved."
53:07 So I don't worry about, can I get out of this?
53:09 Just call the Lord. He'll get me out.
53:11 When you don't see a way out, He said there is a way to escape.
53:14 And you know, just like that Rubik's Cube;
53:16 there's always a way to line life up.
53:17 But don't try to line it up.
53:19 Call on the Lord and He'll line it up.
53:22 Don't try to make heads out of tails, and tails out of heads.
53:25 Just simply put it in the Lord's hand,
53:28 and He'll make all that doesn't make sense
53:30 one day it's going to make sense.
53:32 So I don't have to worry about whether I'm going to get out.
53:36 I'm just going to call on my Deliverer.
53:38 My favorite text for tonight is this, Psalm 34 and verse 19.
53:42 I want you to read this with me as I close.
53:44 Notice what the Lord says.
53:46 Don't neglect the greatest blessing you have.
53:48 But here it is.
53:57 Out of most of them?
53:59 Out of some of them?
54:01 Out of how many of them?
54:02 All of them.
54:04 But how does He do that?
54:06 You can't neglect salvation and expect God to be your Deliverer.
54:10 You've got to embrace salvation,
54:12 and then He becomes your Deliverer.
54:15 You can't work out your situation,
54:17 you've got to give God the opportunity to work it out.
54:20 You can't fix what only God can fix.
54:26 I've had afflictions.
54:27 But I'm standing here today because the Lord is faithful.
54:30 Is He not, Karen?
54:31 He delivers us out of them all.
54:33 So tonight as I close, remember these words;
54:35 Jesus is the ear that is never stopped,
54:38 and the arm that is always stretched out to save.
54:41 How shall we escape?
54:42 We can escape if we take hold of that arm.
54:45 Jesus is the door that is never closed,
54:48 and the gate that is always open.
54:50 He is the river that never runs dry,
54:53 and the sun that always shines.
54:55 Jesus promised never to leave me,
54:58 and He's always been there for me.
55:01 So how shall I escape if I neglect so great a salvation?
55:04 I'm not going to neglect it.
55:05 How can I neglect a friend like Jesus?
55:08 Well I tell you, it's going to get rough before it gets better.
55:12 But when it gets better, Bob, it is going to be better eternally.
55:15 I look at the life of the children of Israel,
55:17 I look at the life of my friends,
55:20 I look at the things that some people struggle through,
55:22 and I have a simple saying that I live by.
55:25 "I'm going to learn from your mistakes."
55:28 I won't have to say... I don't have to make the same...
55:30 Am I right, honey?
55:31 I always say, "I'm going to learn from..."
55:32 I've seen people choking on smoking; I ain't trying it.
55:37 I've seen people end up in the hospital because of drug abuse;
55:40 I ain't trying it.
55:42 Sadly enough, there are those that know about salvation,
55:44 there are those in church today that know about salvation,
55:48 but are neglecting the parameters of a safe
55:51 and thriving relationship with Jesus.
55:54 There are those that have been given every advantage,
55:56 like the children of Israel, but they're still serving God
55:59 for the benefits and not for the long term blessing.
56:04 We've got to get out of the category of asking
56:05 God to bless us.
56:07 We've got to start praying for God to make us holy.
56:09 What do you say?
56:10 We're living in the blessing generation.
56:12 "Ask God for your blessing."
56:14 "Pray for your blessing."
56:15 "Beseech the Lord for the blessing."
56:17 Like one preacher recently said, he said, "When I get to heaven,
56:19 I'm not going to get there broke."
56:23 And so he's swindling individuals
56:24 to pad his bank account so he can get to heaven with wealth.
56:27 But what he doesn't know, you can't take anything to heaven
56:29 with you but your character.
56:35 But there's something else you can take.
56:37 And that's the gift of salvation.
56:39 Come on, say amen.
56:40 And so tonight, I'm embracing that gift.
56:42 I'm holding onto that gift.
56:44 I'm holding onto the unchanging hand of the One
56:48 who has extended that gift so that every one of us
56:50 can be saved.
56:51 How shall we escape?
56:53 I'll escape through the life and the righteousness
56:57 and the power of Jesus.
56:58 Can you say amen?
57:00 Let us pray.
57:01 Our Father in heaven, we begin our series tonight
57:06 on the danger of neglect.
57:09 Lord Jesus, we want to have such a thriving connection with You
57:14 that when we are beset by the dangers that can cause us
57:17 to neglect so great a salvation, Lord, may Your Spirit
57:20 tap us on the shoulder that our hearts
57:22 may be in tune with Yours.
57:24 And may our eyes behold the greatness that You
57:27 desire for us to experience.
57:29 And may we find deliverance by trusting You
57:32 with our whole heart.
57:34 Keep us, Lord. Deliver us, Lord.
57:37 And save us, we ask, in Your eternal kingdom.
57:40 In Jesus' name we pray, amen.


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Revised 2014-12-17