Dangerous Neglect

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