scripture: hebrews 2:1-2:10

The "Jesus Is Better" sermon series is focused on the central theme from the Book of Hebrews. In a world of uncertainty and at times when many do not have a sure footing on what they believe, the Book of Hebrews provides the strong foundation for our faith in Jesus. It reveals why Jesus is greater, more excellent, more perfect, everlasting...Better. Pt 3 :: Believers must guard against drifting away from their confession of Jesus.

When a person is saved from drowning three aspects of rescue must be observed. First, the person is taken out of the water; second, the rescuer removes the water from the person’s lungs. If this is successful, the third stage is making sure that the rescued person is properly cared for until he is whole. In a real sense, this is a picture of the scope of God's salvation for us. When God saves a person He delivers him or her from: 1. Past Sins—"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (Ephes. 2:8). Here is salvation from the penalty of sin. All men and women outside of Christ are under God's condemnation (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23). In view of this, man has no hope apart from God's salvation, which reaches into his past and delivers him from the penalty of all that he has incurred. Do you know what it is to be saved from your past, with all its guilt, fear and shame? 2. Present Sins—" … the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor. 1:18). God saves a man not only from his past, but also in the present. Paul puts this beautifully in Romans 5:10—" … if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." The glorious experience of the believer is that he is being saved moment by moment, by the power of an indwelling Christ. This constitutes salvation from the power and dominion of sin. 3. Future Sins—" … Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation" (Hebrews 9:28). This looks on to the final redemption of the believer when he shall be saved from the presence of sin, admitted to heaven and glorified in the presence of his Lord. This is "the blessed hope" of every genuine Christian (Titus 2:13). Click the link to listen to this inspiring message "The Result of the Resurrection - Part 1" on Bethel TV or iTunes Podcast. #TransformingLives, #TransformingLivesWithPastorObe, #BethelCityOfGlory, #ObadiahSwen, #Obelizswen, #BethelVA, #PastorObe.

When a person is saved from drowning three aspects of rescue must be observed. First, the person is taken out of the water; second, the rescuer removes the water from the person’s lungs. If this is successful, the third stage is making sure that the rescued person is properly cared for until he is whole. In a real sense, this is a picture of the scope of God's salvation for us. When God saves a person He delivers him or her from: 1. Past Sins—"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (Ephes. 2:8). Here is salvation from the penalty of sin. All men and women outside of Christ are under God's condemnation (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23). In view of this, man has no hope apart from God's salvation, which reaches into his past and delivers him from the penalty of all that he has incurred. Do you know what it is to be saved from your past, with all its guilt, fear and shame? 2. Present Sins—" … the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor. 1:18). God saves a man not only from his past, but also in the present. Paul puts this beautifully in Romans 5:10—" … if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." The glorious experience of the believer is that he is being saved moment by moment, by the power of an indwelling Christ. This constitutes salvation from the power and dominion of sin. 3. Future Sins—" … Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation" (Hebrews 9:28). This looks on to the final redemption of the believer when he shall be saved from the presence of sin, admitted to heaven and glorified in the presence of his Lord. This is "the blessed hope" of every genuine Christian (Titus 2:13). Click the link to listen to this inspiring message "The Result of the Resurrection - Part 1" on Bethel TV or iTunes Podcast. #TransformingLives, #TransformingLivesWithPastorObe, #BethelCityOfGlory, #ObadiahSwen, #Obelizswen, #BethelVA, #PastorObe.

Salvation is one of the key words of the Bible. Its meaning is rich, and includes the whole idea of deliverance from sin and its blessings: redemption, healing, soundness, prosperity, protection, deliverance, abundant and eternal life, etc. The word encompasses God's saving work in Jesus Christ. Salvation is all of God in its conception, initiation, operation and implementation, (Romans 10:6-10). It was always in His heart to save men from their sins and " … to present them faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). If we know about the greatness of God's salvation then it is because the Holy Spirit has opened our eyes to appreciate this divine conception. "How shall we escape if we neglect SO great salvation … " (Hebrews 2:3). The writer of Hebrews use the word SO to convey the unspeakable sacrifice of God's love in providing an eternal salvation for undeserving men and women (John 3:16). He describes the cost of salvation when he says, " … we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone" (Hebrews 2:9). That tells the story of the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony of soul, " … Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as My will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). There He accepted the dreaded cup of God's judgment upon sin. The very horror of drinking that cup caused Him to sweat great drops of blood; and yet He did not turn back, but went all the way to Calvary. As He hung on the cross, He did not swallow the contents of that awful cup in one act. Indeed, He sipped every drop, so that the ingredients of that cup of sin and judgment might be tasted to the very last ounce. His was a prolonged, agonizing, fearful but atoning death. Click the link to listen to this inspiring message "The Result of the Resurrection - Part 2" on Bethel TV or iTunes Podcast. #TransformingLives, #TransformingLivesWithPastorObe, #BethelCityOfGlory, #ObadiahSwen, #Obelizswen, #BethelVA, #PastorObe.

Salvation is one of the key words of the Bible. Its meaning is rich, and includes the whole idea of deliverance from sin and its blessings: redemption, healing, soundness, prosperity, protection, deliverance, abundant and eternal life, etc. The word encompasses God's saving work in Jesus Christ. Salvation is all of God in its conception, initiation, operation and implementation, (Romans 10:6-10). It was always in His heart to save men from their sins and " … to present them faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). If we know about the greatness of God's salvation then it is because the Holy Spirit has opened our eyes to appreciate this divine conception. "How shall we escape if we neglect SO great salvation … " (Hebrews 2:3). The writer of Hebrews use the word SO to convey the unspeakable sacrifice of God's love in providing an eternal salvation for undeserving men and women (John 3:16). He describes the cost of salvation when he says, " … we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone" (Hebrews 2:9). That tells the story of the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony of soul, " … Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as My will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). There He accepted the dreaded cup of God's judgment upon sin. The very horror of drinking that cup caused Him to sweat great drops of blood; and yet He did not turn back, but went all the way to Calvary. As He hung on the cross, He did not swallow the contents of that awful cup in one act. Indeed, He sipped every drop, so that the ingredients of that cup of sin and judgment might be tasted to the very last ounce. His was a prolonged, agonizing, fearful but atoning death. Click the link to listen to this inspiring message "The Result of the Resurrection - Part 2" on Bethel TV or iTunes Podcast. #TransformingLives, #TransformingLivesWithPastorObe, #BethelCityOfGlory, #ObadiahSwen, #Obelizswen, #BethelVA, #PastorObe.