Sermon Outline Text: Neglecting and Rejecting God’s Salvation Plan
Text: Hebrews 2:3
Theme: The Consequences of Neglecting God’s Salvation
Big Idea: Every person must choose what to do with God’s offer of salvation—believe and be saved or neglect and be lost.
1. The Great Question: How Shall We Escape? (Hebrews 2:3)
a. To neglect salvation is to reject God’s plan of redemption through His Son Jesus Christ.
b. Rejecting Christ’s sacrifice is saying to God, “I don’t believe Your Son can save me.”
c. Faith in Christ means trusting in His finished work on the cross and surrendering your life to Him.
d. Those who reject God’s truth gamble with eternity—believers win either way, but unbelievers lose everything.
2. The Reality for Those Who Reject Salvation (Luke 16:19-31; 1 Timothy 2:4)
a. People who refuse salvation have only this world to enjoy—their “heaven” ends when life does.
b. Hell is a place of torment, regret, and separation from the love of God forever.
c. In hell, every soul becomes a believer—but it will be too late to repent.
d. God doesn’t send anyone to hell—people choose it by rejecting His offer of salvation through Christ.
3. The Testimony of the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31)
a. The rich man had everything money could buy but lost what mattered most—his eternal soul.
b. He lived for himself and neglected his soul’s need for redemption.
c. He cried out in torment, wishing for one more chance to repent—but that chance never came.
d. What a tragedy—to live for the temporary and lose the eternal.
4. The Deception of Delay (Genesis 6:3)
a. Many believe they have plenty of time to “get right” with God, but time is not guaranteed.
b. Genesis 6:3 says God’s Spirit will not always strive with man—there comes a time when He will stop calling.
c. Ignoring conviction hardens the heart until repentance is no longer possible.
d. Every time a person says “no” to God, it becomes easier to say it again until God says, “Have it your way.”
Illustration / Example:
A man who lived near the preacher for decades was often told about salvation. When he was young, conviction stirred his heart, but as the years passed, it faded. At 85, he said, “Tell the preacher who does my funeral to say I’ve lived life my way.” He did it “his way,” but his way led away from God. The danger of delay is that one day, conviction may never come again.
Alliterated Main Points:
Rejection – Neglecting salvation is rejecting God’s Son.
Reality – Hell is the eternal result of that neglect.
Regret – The rich man’s story warns of eternal sorrow.
Resistance – Delaying God’s call hardens the heart.
Conclusion / Invitation:
What would it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his never-dying soul? Earthly pleasure is short, but eternity is long. Heaven is a choice, and so is hell. God has done everything possible to save you through His Son. The only thing left is your decision. Choose salvation. Choose life. Choose Jesus today.