July 30, 2021
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There are two words that send a shudder through almost everyone who is either in school or was ever in school, because you remember the fear that goes with these words. And if you're currently a student, you don't have to remember them at all; you're living with them. The words - final exam!
Now, different students have learned different ways of dealing with final exam time. Occasionally you'll hear of an incident where students will actually get a copy of the exam, take a peek at the questions so they can be prepared. Well, I don't recommend that as a good way to get through finals, but I want to tell you this: whatever your situation as far as being a student is concerned, there is a final exam scheduled for you... Yep. In fact, it's scheduled for all of us.
Now, our final exam will come at different times. I don't know when mine is and I don't know when yours will be. But you know what? I have taken a peek at the question on the exam, and you can be ready for this one.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Final Exam."
Our word for today from the Word of God is a peek at that final exam. It says in Hebrews 2:3, "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" Now see, this is looking ahead to the time when we're going to stand before God and have to answer that final exam question related to what we did with this wonderful thing He describes as "such great salvation."
Now, here's what He's referring to - it's what happened on that middle cross outside of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, when the only son God has, took my rap - took your rap - paid our payment for our sins so we could get back into the orbit we were built to live in; an orbit around God.
You notice here it says that we neglect salvation. Now, that's the way that most good things end up being wasted. I mean, you don't say, "Oh, I think I'm going to grow some weeds in my garden this year. Yeah, let's just see what kind of weed crop I could have?"
No, no no! The way weeds grow is by neglect. You don't intend to grow them. How about your weight? I'm sorry to bring that up, but I know a lot about this. A lot of times the old pounds just start piling up again. You don't say, "I want to gain ten pounds this month." It's just done through neglect; it just kind of creeps up. We didn't mean to; we didn't do anything, it just happened. We just didn't exercise! We didn't control our eating.
How about our car? All of a sudden our car grinds to a halt and starts smoking. Why? You neglected the maintenance, that's all. You didn't do anything bad; you just didn't do what you could have done. The same thing holds true for marriages - they can die from neglect.
Okay now, about neglecting such a great salvation. Do you know that most people don't reject Christ; they just neglect Him. They've got other things to think about until they neglect themselves right into eternity. Maybe you're in danger of that right now. You're not against Jesus; you've just neglected making your peace with Him.
Do you want to know the question on your final exam when you keep your appointment with God? I think He's going to ask you something like this, "What did you do with My Son?" Not what did you do with your church, or your religion, or that guy on the radio. "What did you do with My Son?" That's the issue that will settle your eternal address, because what God cares about most is what His Son did for you.
See, His death on the cross is your only hope of getting into heaven, because you can't get into heaven with your sin. It can only be forgiven by the One who paid for it. That's Jesus! And you've got to grab Him and take that gift of eternal life. And maybe you've been sitting around church for years, and you've been through all kinds of opportunities to do something with Jesus. But you've just kind of passed them by. Today's your day! The day to change your eternal address from hell to heaven, and to go from dirty inside to clean. Say, "Jesus, this is my day. Today I'm making "the Savior" my savior."
And our website will help you cross that line, it's helped many. ANewStory.com - Go there!
You've had opportunities to reach out to Christ before and you didn't. Isn't it time now that you say, "On this day, Lord, I give my life to You." He made His move on the cross. It's your move now.