Sermon Tone Analysis

There is an old saying that goes something like this, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

That word “fury” means rage and anger.

A woman scorned is a vindictive, determined woman to get her revenge [Jezebel after Elijah].

Though that saying might be true about a woman scorned, it is not accurate about hell.

Jesus tells us that Hells Fury is so bad, it would be better for a person to hobble into heaven that to walk into Hell!

Text; Mark 9:42-50

Jesus has just finished dealing with His disciples about their misguided ambition on who would be the greatest and reminded them that humble ambition and receiving and serving those who cannot give to you in return [child] is the attitude of greatness in Christ.

Here Jesus warns His disciples/us to be careful of how we live our lives!

1. Warning about Christian’s Walk; 42

Because of the disciples lack of closeness with the Lord [individual prayer & fasting] which led to the inability to heal the demon-possessed boy and weaken the faith of the boys father, and the argument among themselves of who would be the greatest, Jesus continues a rebuke about their life’s influence on others.

Little ones- children, new believers, even weak christians, all children of God

Stumble- cause to sin, fall away from faith, scandalize their life

Millstone- “donkey stone” for grinding grain

When Jesus used this image, His listeners were very familiar with what He said.

On more than one occasion the Romans had carried out executions by tying heavy stones around the necks of their victims and throwing them into rivers and lakes.

Jesus is describing a death as horrible as any that can be imagined.

Yet, He says it would be more preferable for a person to die this way than for them to cause one of His little one to fall into sin.

If we claim to be christians then we need to look, walk, talk and smell like a christian!

2. Warning about Hell; 43-48

HELL IS REAL! Jesus says hell a real place!

Jesus talks more about hell in the bible than any other person in all of scripture.

He is the one who vividly describes it.

Hell is a place of intense suffering, both external and internal.

The fire represents the source of external suffering.

The worm represents the source of internal suffering.

Hell is eternal.

Some people argue that unbelievers are “annihilated” after death, but Jesus says the worm doesn’t die and the fire isn’t quenched.

The suffering of hell is never-ending.

Hell is a New Testament word for eternal punishment.

The Greek word gehenna comes from the Hebrew ge-hinnom, “Valley of Hinnom,” a valley south of Jerusalem where Kings Ahaz (2 Chr 28:3) and Manasseh (2 Chr 33:6) offered child sacrifices to the pagan god Molech.

King Josiah tore down the pagan altars and desecrated the site, turning it into a garbage dump.

By Jesus’ day Gehenna was a horrible place!

Fires burned there continually.

Wild dogs roamed the dump, feeding on the carcasses or animals and criminals.

The insane and other outcasts lived there as well.

It was a fitting description of what Hell will be like.

If Jesus says there’s a hell, you better listen, because Jesus doesn’t lie!

3. Warning about Sin; 43-48

Jesus warns about SIN being the cause that condemns a person to hell!

He warns His listeners about three areas of our life that can cause us to SIN and how we are to deal with those area’s.

[43] Hands; the hands are a tool of the flesh that we use to do things.

We use our hands to turn the TV or search the internet to something moral/immoral

We use the hands to point out the faults of others or pat them on the back in encouragement

We use the hands to touch unclean things or clean things in life

Jesus is saying if your hands are leading you into temptation and sin, you need to cut that out of your life immediately.

[45] Foot; the feet are a tool of the flesh that takes us places

Do your feet carry you places that are questionable in the eyes of God?

b.

Do your feet keep you away from places you need to be at?

Sunday school, church, bible study, children’s/youth ministry, church fellowships, mission trips.

Jesus is saying if your feet are leading you into temptation and sin, you need to cut that out of your life immediately.

[47] Eye; the eye is a tool of the flesh that let’s us see either good or evil

The eye is probably the most important tool of the flesh to man.

Most people would rather lose any other sense than to lose the sense of sight.

Because of the enormous need for sight and the power of the eye, Christ stacked it up against the Kingdom of God.

David let his feet keep him from where he should have been [in battle], and his feet begin to roam on the rooftop of the palace.

His eyes saw a beautiful married woman bathing [Bathsheba], and his eyes led him to lust and he reached out with his hands and touched what was not his.

What have your eyes looked at that may cause you to go where you shouldn’t and touch what is not yours?

The eyes are the windows to your soul!

Jesus is saying if your eyes are leading you into temptation and sin, you need to cut that out of your life immediately.

Hell’s Fury is the consequence to SIN!

In each instance Jesus says “the fire that shall never be quenched”- “where their worm does not die.”

Fire never quenched- Fires on earth can be put out or they burn out, but not in hell.

The fires of hell are the external torment that never ends!

Their Worm does not die- because Jesus used the word “their”, He made it something personal about the individual being tormented in hell.

Their worm is the memory and conscience reminder of what a person gave up to gain hell, the free gift of eternal life through the salvation of the Lord!

4. Warning about our Witness; 49-50

Jesus wants us to know how important our witness of Him is to the world.

[49] Every persons earthly works will be seasoned with fire [tested] and every sacrifice [believer] will be preserved with salt to see whether it is worthy of Christ or not.

[50] Salt creates thirst.

Like salt, we are to make this world thirsty for Jesus.

Like salt, we are to make this world a better.

Like salt, we are to help stop the spread of corruption in the world.

Close;

This morning you’ve heard about Hell’s Fury and what puts a person there, SIN!

I want you to know this morning there’s an alternative to Hell’s Fury, it’s called Heaven!

And you don’t have to whack off any part of your body to get rid of sin to get to heaven, all you have to do is REPENT and be SAVED!

Christian we need to be salt and light that God has saved us to be to help others have hope in Him!