HELL IS REAL – SIN IS SERIOUS
HITTING THE MARK WITH JESUS Part 50
July 26, 2026
HELL IS REAL – SIN IS SERIOUS
Mark 9:42-48
INTRODUCTION:
1 John 4:1 (NIV)Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 Peter 2:2-3 (NIV)Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
Matthew 24:24 (NIV) For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew 24:11 (NIV) … many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Romans 16:18 (NIV) For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
How to Recognize False Teaching
- Sheep’s clothing
- Bad
- A different gospel
- Christ
Actions Commanded by Scripture
- Test everything
- Expose the
Ephesians 5:11 (NIV) Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
- and avoid
John 3:17-18 (NIV)For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Mark 9-16 What does it look like to follow Jesus?
TEXT:
Mark 7:24-30 (NIV) 42 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. [44] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. [46] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where “‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
THREE CHARACTERISTICS OF A FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST
1. THEY TAKE SERIOUSLY
Mark 9:42 (NIV) “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.”
Mark 9:37 (NIV) “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
John 13:20 (NIV) Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.
John 14:23 (NIV) Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
Acts 9:4-5 (NIV) He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
Ask yourself:Are you by action or attitudeleading someone away from pursuing Christ, loving Christ, or obeying Christ?
2. THEY COMBAT PERSONAL
Mark 9:43-48 (NIV) 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. [44] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. [46] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where “‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
Four thingsabout our sinful nature:
- It’s
Romans 5:12 (NIV) Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned…
Psalms 51:5 (NIV) said, Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Ephesians 2:1 (NIV) apart from Christ we are …dead in your transgressions and sins.
- Only Jesus can .
Galatians 5:24 (NLT) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.
- The indwells me to daily defeat it.
Romans 8:5-6 (NLT) Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So, letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
Romans 8:12-13 (NLT) Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.
- In Heaven of sin.
1 Corinthians 15:52 (NIV) …in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
3. THEY ALIGN WITH
Mark 9:43 (NIV) 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.
Mark 9:45 (NIV) 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.
Mark 9:47-48 (NIV) 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where “‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
Jesus taught three things about hell.
- Hell was a literal place. 'Better to cut off your hands than to go to hell'
- Hell was for personal punishment. '...their worm does not die...'
- Hell was eternal. 'And the fire is not quenched...''
God minces no words here.If you trivialize your sin, minimize your sin, excuse your sin, ignore your sin, and eventually refuse to hate your sin and repent of your sin—then you deserve hell and you will receive hell forever.
Daniel 12:2 (NLT) Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace.
2 Thessalonians 1:5-9 (NIV) 5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.
Jude 7 (NIV) In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
CONCLUSION:
PRAYER:
ALTAR:
- What is the Holy Spirit saying to you as you’ve listened to God’s Word today?
- What do you need to do as a result of what you’ve just heard from God’s Word?
- Help us get the word out! Please consider sharing this message on social media with your friends. Thank you.
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