09/29/24 Mark 9:38-50 Pastor Cody

E and what e going I e what here not we there [Music] good morning welcome to First Baptist we're so glad you guys are here this morning as we get settled and get started here I have a few announcements to share with you today at 2 o'cl out at the ethnos 360 campus we will be celebrating the life of Janet wont and you were invited it'll be in our Recreation gymnasium in the middle of our campus we' invite you also to be in prayer for Gordon and the family at this time coming up on October 13th is a family safety in Tech potluck and that will be facilitated by Tim and Sarah balato and they will help equip you with protecting your children from social media and internet and things of that nature October 20th 2 to 4 o' will be ivories and harmonies it's an afternoon of inspirational music with local musicians presented by Lake Area Council coming up on October 31st is our one of our largest Outreach opportunities here from our church and we've rebranded it's now called candy palooza obviously we need a lot of candy to facilitate this opportunity but that it will also have a theme an Old Testament theme to create and so you can read that announcement as well but we really seriously need some candy to make this go well coming up on this Friday will be another

Opportunity for Fellowship with a family game night here at the church we're also in the process of collecting Operation Christmas Christmas Child items you can also see that and Nursery continually looking for more help in child providing child care for our children and then today we will also be taking a benevolence offering so I' invite you if you've not already prepared for that you can still do that online this week I believe but we would really encourage you to participate in that if you're able if you are a guest with us I would also invite you to take advantage of this a guest or a regular attender member use this connection card to communicate with us if your first time give us your information so we can connect with you and get to meet you get to know you if you have prayer requests this is also a tool that we use so that we can become aware of any requests that you might have and we will pray for them and follow up so please take advantage of that opportunity now as we prepare for worship I'd invite you to close your eyes and join me in quieting our hearts as we prepare for worship perhaps you've arrived this morning weary feeling overwhelmed I'd ask you to ask God to help you to drink deep this morning to be refreshed filled up and prepared for the week that he'll have for us ahead perhaps you've been tempted to fear and your high view of God has been obscured by doubt and pain this week I invite you to release your grip and allow that fear to be replaced with his presence father you give more grace as our burdens grow greater you send more strength as our labors

Increase to added afflictions you've add your mercy to multiply trials you peace when we have exhausted our store of endurance when our strength has failed a the day is half gone when we reach the end of our hoarded resources your full giving has only begun we choose not to fear that our need shall exceed your provision you God yearn to share your resources we choose to lean hard on the arm Everlasting availing your love has no limits Your Grace has no measure your power no boundary know unto men for out of your infinite riches in Jesus you give you give and you give again father this morning we come broken weary hurting grieving loss but father this morning we're in this room with our brothers and sisters with your word with music and I pray that Lord we would just be able to receive every intricate piece that you have for us to be restored to be refreshed to be prepared for the day ahead for the week ahead Lord we pray for the wut family we pray that Lord as they just face this new reality without their mom without their grandmother without our sister Lord I just pray that you would just fill that void with yourself help us today as we celebrate her life that Lord we would just be reminded over and over and over again of your goodness Lord we pray for the Lal family we pray for Connie for Jason for Heather and the extended family we pray that as they process and become acquainted with this unforeseen reality Lord that Lord you

Would just help them help them as they gu as a family just to feel to know to experience your peace that passes all understanding Lord we pray for the Hal family as Chris has lost his Dad we just pray that you would be near to him to Mary Jane to this family as well sustain them strengthen them encourage them we pray for Vern and Denny Lord as she continues to persevere in her treatment that Lord you would just continue to be glorified in how you are working in and through them in her treatment and in just the relationships with the medical staff and the community and world that is behind them praying and seeing their Joy in midst of this journey we pray for Diana our sister who LED this team to Mexico and is now back Lord refresh her strengthen her build her up we pray for Larry and just the logistics of things that need to take place tomorrow that Lord you would just help him strengthen encourage uplift him father now as we continue in worship may you just be honored and glorified and you would be high and lifted up and that Lord we would just be able to just release the anxiousness anything that distracts or obscures or inhibits our complete worship to you we give you all the honor and praise do your name we ask this in your name amen Psalms 29 says ascribe to the Lord oh Heavenly beings ascribe to the Lord glory and strength ascribe to the Lord the glory to his name Worship the Lord in the Splendor of Holiness the voice of the Lord is over the waters the God of Glory Thunders the Lord over many Waters the voice of the Lord is powerful the voice of the Lord is full of majesty the voice of the Lord breaks the Cedars the Lord breaks the Cedars of Lebanon he makes Lebanon to skip like a calf and Syrian like a young wild ox the

Voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire the voice of the Lord shakes the Wilderness the Lord shakes the Wilderness of cadesh the voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bear and in his Temple all cry glory the Lord sits enthroned over the flood the Lord sits enth throned as king forever may the Lord give strength to his people may the Lord bless his people with peace if you would stand and sing as we praise the one who is worthy of it all I seen my father's Glory revealed in Jesus Christ and the more that I Behold Him the more he satisfies when I gaze upon his Beauty when I see him as I should then my eyes are lifted upward for his glory and my good [Music] there is hope in every Tri for I can trust the Lord he will turn my heart towards him and help me bear The Thorn so in faith I follow Jesus to the road not unod for I know that he is working for his glory and my good [Music] to our God be the glory to our God be prais he alone the name above all names I will boast ever only in the Lord my God for I know his glory is my [Music] good see the Open Arms of Jesus upon the cross that day what they understood as weakness deserves my every praise for charge that was against me it was nailed into the wood yes I know that he has saved me for his glory and my [Music] good to our God be the glory to our God be praise he alone the name above all

Nam I will boast ever only in the Lord my God for I know his glory is my [Music] good would I gladly be made nothing that Christ would be made more would I seek the only kingom that far un ways them all I will stand before my father where the faithful Saints have stood I Joy my heart shall praise him for his glory and my good and with joy my heart shall Praise Him for his glory and my good [Music] good to our God be the glory to our God be prais he alone the name above all names I will Bo ever only in the Lord my God for I know his glory is my good to our God be the glory to our God be prais he alone the name above all names I will boast ever only in the Lord my God for I know his glory is my good for I know his glory is my good [Music] when we walk with the Lord in the light of his word what a glory he sheds on our way we do his good will he abides with us still and with all who will trust and oy trust and oy for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and oy not a shadow can rise not a cloud in the sky but his quickly drives it away not a doubt a fear not a sign or a tear can abide while we trust and oy trust and oy for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and oy then in Fellowship sweet we will sit at his feet or we walk by his side in the way what he says we will do where he says we will go never fear only trust and oy trust and oy for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and oy trust and oy for there's no other way to be happy in

Jesus but to trust and oy [Music] you may be seated let's pray together heavenly father thank you this morning for this opportunity once again in our worship service to worship you with our material possessions that you have given to us and help us as the Scripture says to give cheerfully we ask these things in Jesus name [Music] amen of Sorrow what a name for the Son of God who came ruin Sinners to reclaim hallelujah what a [Music] Savior heing sham and scaring rud in my place contemp he seal my paron with his love hallelujah what a saor man of sorrow oh son of God purchas Freedom by his blood then who takes the blame for sin hallelujah what a saor [Music] guilty VI and helpless we spotless Lamb of God was he full atonement can it be Hallelujah [Music] the Savior of Sorrow Son of God purchased Freedom by his blood then who takes the blame for sin

Hallelujah what I s [Music] lifted up was he to die it is finished was his cry now in heaven exalted High hallelujah what a Savior [Music] Hallelujah for the saor Hallelujah for the saor [Music] let us sorrow Son of God purchas Freedom by his blood them who takes the blame for sin hallelujah what a saor [Music] when he comes our glorious King all his Ransom home to bring then I knew this song will sing Hallelujah What A Savior of Sorrow Son of God purchase Freedom by his blood lamb who takes the blame for sin Hallelujah [Music] What A Savior hallelujah what a saor [Music] how a foundation he saint of the Lord is laid for your faith in his excellent word what more can he say than to you he has said to you for ref to [Music] Jesus fear not I am with thee Oh Be not dismay for I am thy God I will still

Give thee a all strength and the hey and cause me to stand upheld by my rightous [Music] on Trials th shall lie my grace all sufficient shall be my Supply the flame shall not hurt Thee I only design th to consume and thy gold to refine that soul that on Jesus had lean for repose I will not I will not deser to expose and so though all hell should endeav to shake I'll never no never no [Applause] forsake all hell should end to shake I never no never never [Music] forsake dear heavenly father God it's what an opportunity we have this morning opportunity and digging into your word in our small group opportunities to sing to your glory God an opportunity to give of what we have and now an opportunity to hear your word preach from our pastor God I just pray that you speak through Pastor Cody this morning use your servant this morning to teach and to equip us to go out and teach others God we love you and we pray this in your name amen well good morning church it's really good to see you here today if you have your Bible and I hope that you do please turn with me to Mark chapter 9 Mark chapter 9 we're we're going to start out in verse 38 we're going to find ourselves going through the rest of the chapter today couple of housekeeping things real quick one you know I love that the Lord is bringing together our worship Ministry it's been really a cool thing to see God stretching our musicians and our vocalists in some really neat ways especially after losing Austin that was a tough loss you know him going off to

Seminary and all that kind of stuff men okay I want to tell you God is really glorified when men lead amen that's a great place for men to go amen okay and so if you're a vocalist and you're a dude okay I don't I don't know I'm I'm not a vocalist and I don't need to be singing I'm already playing and you know if you play guitar we'd love to have you as well but I just want to let you know that you're invited to be a part of that Ministry because I think that's essential if you're not serving somewhere consider on letting that be a place where you might serve anyways I digress we are going to be finishing the ninth chapter today we're talking about discipleship and the attitude that goes along with it and that the attitude that we should have regarding discipleship I once read of a dashing Knight who really wanted to rescue his princess and she was imprisoned by a cruel enemy in this Tower and he devised this plan and he recruited two really small friends to send her a message the first one was this guy his name was Claude caterpillar okay all right Claude was not a happy guy he was really a hardworking fellow but crusty he was Sour he was grumbly well some of people that I've met in my life started inching his way up the wall and finally he gets to this leaf and he peers over and he calls to the princess on the way up he had gone through all sorts of different things sweat and nearly pecked by a bird and a storm occurred on his way up he was just kind of mythed by the time that he got there and finally gets over there and he looks at the fair Maiden he says hey you get over here you the lady I'm supposed to talk to and she says yes and Claude gave her once over he said you're kidding right

You I climbed all the way up here for the likes of you he says well the Knight says to get ready he'll be here by 5 p.m Shar you be sharp be ready do you think that you can remember that she said yeah okay and he just scurried away but night the night also sent Benny butterfly okay who also went and talked to her and his disposition was very sweet he said lovely favored Maiden I've went through all sorts of different things I've been through all sorts of Storms and I was nearly snatched by a bird but your knight loves you dearly and tonight he's coming to rescue you he asks only that you'd be ready by 5:00 P.m. And Princess smiled she said thank you so much Mr butterfly you're very sweet and I will be ready tonight when he comes you know Claude caterpillar he already came and he told me that but he was very rude and angry he was disagreeable why he brought me the same news but after he left I' kind of felt bad butterflies said Oh you mean Claude well don't worry about Claude that's just the way he is because I used to be that way too before I was transformed you see the transformed renewed mind in Christ is what leads us to be able to view the truth of God's word and apply it to our lives really it's through that radical transformation where we receive the Holy Spirit of God where which whereby which we are made new we are made New Creations in Christ with a new mind and a new heart our spirit is brought forth from death and into life and it is by that act that we can be transformed and we get a unity in Christ we can see true humility and we see the reality of sin and we respond in Holiness let's talk about that together and study the passage together as we read Mark chapter 9 verses 38-50 let's all stand together and let's read it God's word says

This John said to him teacher we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to stop them because he was not following us but Jesus saido not stop him for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me for the one who is not against us is for us for truly I say to you whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin it would be better for him if a great Millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea and if your hand causes you to sin cut it off it is better for you to enter life crippled then with two hands to go to hell to the unquenchable fire and if your foot causes you to sin cut it off is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell and if your eye causes you to sin tear it out it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown in hell where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched for everyone will be salted with fire salt is good but if the salt has lost its saltiness how will you make it salty again have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another and so Lord we do thank you for this time that we get to apply this passage to our lives give us greater greater understanding to know what your word is saying here and how to apply it to our lives rightly help us to really take seriously sin not to treat it casually Not to cause little ones to stumble but Lord let this be a call to Holiness and of course that call to Holiness is a call to follow you and a call to follow you as discipleship and so help us God we do pray for the many needs in our congregation we pray for many folks that may be distracted I pray that we are focused on

You right in this moment God speak to our hearts in Jesus name amen well let's recap where we've been okay Jesus he has revealed himself to be the Messiah the anointed one the promised one of God and he has revealed himself to Peter James and John on the Mount of transfiguration in a really powerful way where he has slipped back his disguise a bit where yes he was truly made flesh but he Reveals His deity up upon the mountain and God the Father speaks from heaven and says this is my beloved Son and whom I am well pleased listen to him and as they come down the mountain there's this big argument that takes place where the remaining nine that were at the bottom of the mountain arguing with the scribes because there was this little boy that was possessed by a devil and what happens yeah there you go I love it he wasn't able to do it he wasn't able they weren't able to do it and so there was this big confusion as to why and then the disciples they're reinstructed that Jesus is going to go and be killed and raised again and instead of listening they begin to argue about who is the greatest in the kingdom and if anyone is to be the greatest he's to be the least if he's to be the top dog he's to be the servant and this is an ongoing call to discipleship from Jesus and he is teaching them that the greatest must serve the least now perhaps when John is talking about this situation he might be feeling a little guilty I don't know I assume not because of his attitude that we're going to get to in chapter 10 I believe that there was some sense of entitlement here's what he says teacher we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to stop them because he was not following us really interesting words that Mark records here firstly that we is likely James and John

Okay they go hand inand but it seems as though John here he feels like his call from Christ to follow him sets him apart with special entitlements and privileges which in some ways is true as an apostle of the Lord but in other ways it's not true because the Paul to be the call to be an apost a follower of Christ is a call ultimately to serve with faith and not only that but remember the context that the disciples they couldn't cast out a demon and yet here's a stranger they don't even know who he is we don't know who he is he's lost to us in history and he is casting out demons and what a blow to the tw's pride that must have been what about their special status call The Stranger is doing things that they weren't able to do and this claim wasn't that this person isn't following Christ the claim was that he was not following us he's not a part of our group but you know what he was a follower of Jesus Christ he wasn't like the sons of ska that we read about in the book of Acts where they had no power they thought they could just manipulate Jesus's name and the demons they looked at the sons and they said I do not know you instead they departed from this man this reminds me of numbers 11 and vers 16 where the elders they were appointed to serve the nation of Israel and God he commanded 70 elders of Israel to go out to the tent and meet with the Lord and the Lord would put a portion of the spirit that was on Moses also upon them and the Scripture it goes on to say this then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him and some of the spirit that was on Moses and put it on the 70 elders and as soon as the spirit rested on them they prophesied but they did not continue doing it now two men remained in the camp one

Named lad and the other named mad and the spirit rested on them and they were among those registered but they had not gone out to the tent and so they prophesied in the camp and a young man ran and told Moses L dad and me dad are prophesying in the camp and Joshua the son of nun the assistant of Moses from his youth said my Lord Moses stop them but Moses said to him are you jealous for my sake would that all the Lord's people were prophets that the Lord would put his Spirit on them and Moses and the Elders of Israel returned to the camp once again there was this mentality of tribalism that permeated the people of God all the way from their Foundation going back to Mark what did Jesus tell John don't stop him don't prohibit this act it's the present tense in the Greek of an imperative Co which means that this word from Jesus is valid in all of these circumstances and instances and Jesus he provides his reasoning for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me if someone is truly empowered by God to do these works then it is not up to Cody or anyone else to minimize that work why Jesus says it for the one who is not against us is for us now it's pretty clear that people get competitive in their field of professions right I mean you know people they get they get protective and very territorial you think of doctors and lawyers and professors and people in the tech industry that you ever dealt with a tech person before and they look talk to you like you're an idiot OT it happens pastors can be that way too and I'm thankful for the ministers in our area that pray for our church that encourage me in religious circles you might hear well they're not Southern Baptist or whatever right it reminds me of a poem I once heard it says believe as I believe no more no less that I am right no one else confess feel as I feel

Think as I think eat what I eat and drink but what I drink look as I do always as I do then and only then I'll fellowship with you unfortunately that's how many Christians actually feel this is antithetical to the call that Christ is making here and we can see this call to Unity in Christ's name now shocker some of my favorite preachers are not Baptists okay I generally think that Baptists make the best preachers but I know some Presbyterians like you know the deceased RC Sproul and Kevin D young that put some Pentecostals to shame with their fervor the Frozen chosen we might call them have a holy Zeal for the Lord I enjoy reading and listening list in to anglicans like Dr Martin Lloyd Jones and ji Packer and John stot some are non-denominational like Jerry Bridges or Alis beg some of you are like Alistair beg's not Southern Baptist Leonard Raven Hill he was a Holiness Pentecostal preacher the point that Jesus is making In this passage is that doesn't matter if they're a part of your tribe whether they're SBC PCA ifb X XYZ whatever you want call it right and this leads us to apply this truth that Christ's Kingdom extends beyond our own theological Camp reformed or not reformed cessationist or continuationist traditional or modern suit and tie or jeans and tea we're not permitted to create unnecessary divisions and yet there are limitations according to other portions of Scripture that I think that we should make note of because we are a Baptist Church we do have C certain doctrinal distinct distinctives that we hold to profess firstly one of those things that we have to have limitations on is that we can't tolerate evil I think

That just needs to be said we can't tolerate evil there are moral standards for the people of God when we look at Romans Chapter 2 it says While You Preach against stealing do you steal you who say that one must not commit adultery do you commit adultery you who abore Idols do you rob temples you who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking them for as it is written the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles Because of You secondly serious doctrinal errors cannot be tolerated you wouldn't think that something like circumcision would be a threat to the Gospel but it was especially in the first century because by it certain evil men were sneaking into local churches and we're attempting to take the Gospel captive and teach a Salvation by works Paul he writes this in Galatians Chapter 2 yet because of false Brothers false Brothers not genuinely authentic Brothers okay not people that are sincere false Brothers secretly brought in we would can assume by Satan who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus so that they might bring us into slavery to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment so that the truth of the Gospel might be preserved for you and listen to what Peter writes about people that teach falsely that means teaching heresy in order to enslave Christians to apostasis here's what it says but false prophets also arose among the people just as there will be false teachers among on you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies even denying the master who bought them bringing upon themselves Swift destruction and many will follow their sensuality and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed and in their greed they will exploit you with false Words Their condemnation from long ago is not Idol

And their destruction is not asleep and so there are essential issues and there are non-essential issues Essentials regarding the character and the nature of God the truth of his word the basics of the Gospel what is not essential is if a man is a part of the 12 or not we know that there were at least 120 in the upper room in the book of Acts after Pentecost Christianity spread at a very rapid rate to different tribes and tongues and Nations when the Gentiles receive the spirit of God those those different traditions and tribes were multiplied to the nth degree and there are differences in how people worship from culture to culture from generation to generation we hold to different confessions as churches we interpret passages differently and yet Baptist Presbyterian non-denominational whatever we have to than God when we see good Ministry even if they do things in error like baptized babies okay but we need to put great distance between ourselves and false teaching so simply put what we need is discernment and look at the next truth that Christ points us to for truly I say to you whoever gives a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward God he rewards even the smallest act of kindness especially towards Believers when you minister to Believers when you love the least of these okay Jesus he tells us and he promises us that there's this continuing principle of even humility that disciples are supposed to have to serve even the least of these if we are to be great we are to be servants and it reminds me of what Christ said in Matthew 25 and the King will answer them truly I say to you as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers you did it to me but Christ he continues teaching with a deep concern about the least of these

And he's not just talking about children okay although that's included he's talking about the vulnerable the weak the old the crippled the poor and Jesus he begins to transition this conversation into discussing the seriousness of sin and a call to holiness and it starts with this warning against causing others to sin Luke he says in he writes in 17 chapter 1 do I have that I don't have that okay and he said to the disciples Temptations to sin are sure to come but woe to the one through whom they come woe to the one come and now Jesus he recently brought a child and brought him and set him in the middle and so we can apply it to children but it applies to the least of these regular Believers that follow Christ with childlike faith I can tell count it over a hundred of my friends that have gone on to be pastors or missionaries ministers things like that who go to a Christian College or to Seminary who wind up becoming deeply damaged because of a professor that constantly puts stumbling blocks in front of them instead of encouraging them in Christ many Believers that are wrestling with things even things like the deity of Christ the reality of who is thank the Lord for the perseverance of the Saints it reminds me of that truth that the Lord is the one that holds us securely no one can take them out of my hand says Jesus no one can take them out of my father's hand he will not allow you to fall but there is a warning here about the influence that you do have over others and we must be careful not to put stumbling blocks in front of Believers and when we do we must be quick to apologize and seek forgiveness whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin it would be better for him if a great

Millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea I mean can you think of a more terrifying death in that I mean that's just so vivid being dragged to the depths of the sea to be crushed to drown to feel it rip up against your neck and drag you to the depth that's how serious Jesus is about avoiding sin and avoiding causing others to sin and there's also this call to radical self-denial for the sake of Holiness now Jesus he drives home this point by using hyperbole right this is overstating for the sake of driving at home he's not instructing you to cut off your hand cut off your foot or gouge out your eye God he prohibits the mistreatment of our body all throughout the Mosaic law so what is he pointing to he is emphasizing the importance of resisting sin of putting sin to death Believers are called to kill the sin that ens snares us that entraps us and so crucify whatever it is your laziness kill your lack of zeal behead Your Lust stab your pride we are taught in Romans chapter 8 that if you live according to the flesh you will die but if by the spirit you put to death the Deeds of the body you will live this is not about your efforts it's about abiding in Christ and through the power of the spirit putting to death the Deeds that are at work in your body so quit playing with your sin quit thinking that you can have Jesus and everything that the world has to offer because you can't take sin seriously remove those Temptations and those triggers that might lead you to sin and commit to a lifestyle of repentance and Holiness if you spend hours every day just Doom scrolling on your phone perhaps you should put up some guidelines okay if you're spending four plus hours every day going through Facebook

[Music] reels put up some guidelines get an accountability partner if you're think if you're looking at things that you shouldn't look at get something like accountable to you a great app I mean it's you got to pay for it but your Soul's worth it right and ask someone to hold you accountable sit down with someone ask them to hold you accountable get serious about hating your sin and I guarantee you that even if you do hate your sin you don't hate it enough but there is a warning here because Jesus he also teaches us about hell Jesus here he quotes from Isaiah chapter 66 and the context here is about Eternity for as the new heavens and the new Earth that I make shall remain before me says the Lord so shall your Offspring and your name remain from New Moon to New Moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath All Flesh shall come to worship before me declares the Lord and they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me for their worm shall not die their fire shall not be quenched and they shall be an abhorrence to All Flesh this passage it's about the valley of Hanam according to Jeremiah chapter 7 in the Greek it's it's like a an Aramaic transliteration it's known as gah Benham and in ancient Israel during the Reigns of king ahaz and manassin the southern kingdoms of Judah the people became involved in one of the worst pagan practices of sacrificing their children to the Pagan deity moak these sacrifices they occurred in the deep ravine there in Jerusalem and that Ravine became known as gehenna there's some commentators that'll say it was set on fire and all that kind of stuff that's that's just a myth but it was desecrated okay this practice of sacrificing children was condemned by the Prophet Jeremiah and it was put to an end under good King Josiah

To make sure that didn't happen again Josiah he desecrated that Ravine where those sacrifices were made by burning poles okay by burn burning the pillars and all of these things that were done to these demonic entities but he also put bones in the valley that word bones can also be translated as the dead bodies in that Valley and you can read about it all in 2 Kings chapter 23 they would sometimes even put animal carcasses and things like that the visualization is that there's just corpses everywhere in this in this Valley because they put this evil practice to death and the worms they stayed busy devouring those carcasses animals people that were dumped there this imagery in Isaiah 66 is a picture of a terrible awful place judgment and eventually gehenna became a Jewish metaphor for that place of final judgment and it's translated in English as hell yenna in the Greek but it's use it used to be that preachers we would talk often times about hell with all the fire and the brimstone most of hell is just skirted past many people they think that they're okay just simply because they're a pretty good person and nothing terrible has happened to them yet so they must be okay if God really hated their sin that much then wouldn't he do something about about that but here's what the Scripture says it says or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance but because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of Wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed some people believe that hell is a scare tactic invented by the church in order to control people but most of the teachings that we have on Hell come directly from Jesus Christ no one talked about hell in the entire Bible more than our Lord and

Savior it's almost as if that Doctrine was so important that the father only entrusted it to the son Jesus he taught about love he talked about Mercy he talked about how to treat our neighbors and we all think that's awesome but when he teaches about hell we begin to recoil and go well that may not be true the truth about hell is that we were if we were to find the loneliest person on this planet the most friendly friendless person in the worst state with the worst mental torment the worst physical torment that you could think of think of a person covered from head to toe in boils a person who is slowly drowning and can't get air they hadn't eaten in three weeks crippled by headaches they haven't had a sip of water in days we think about the most destitute person constantly abused over and over and over again and we find that person and we look upon them and we recoil and we think my God how can this person exist let me tell you that person is infinitely better off than the best sinner in hell because they still enjoy God's common Grace that is extended to all creation in Hell there is no grace of God there is no mercy of God there is no forbearance in love it is an eternal destination of every single person that does not know Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior and as a church we believe that hell is that Eternal destination of those that are not lost that are lost and it is incumbent not just upon the pastor and the Professionals in Ministry but it is incumbent upon every Christian to share the truth of the Gospel because we have friends and neighbors that are going to hell unless they're

Warned unless God does that work and God is not going to do that work unless they hear the Gospel and shame on us if we do not share the Gospel and if you're here today let me tell you that there is that hope of Salvation the only way to escape from the Wrath to come is to trust in Christ and so trust in Christ believe in his death for your sake claim him as your own as the man said earlier in chapter nine I believe help my unbelief and we believe that it is an a punishment that lasts forever where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched and we believe that because sin is Cosmic treason against God it's you giving God the middle finger and saying I'm going to do exactly what I want to do I don't care what you did about Jesus I'm going to do life on my own and I'm good enough God and you are deceived quit lying to yourself and cling to the Cross of Christ it is the hope of Salvation And it is the only way that you can be saved it is so heinous that Jesus says it's better for you to pluck out your eye cut off your hand cut off your feet than to go to H than to go to hell M it is better for you to go to heaven with a lost foot with a hand that's cut off with an eye that's gouged out he's using hyperbole there remember that you get a new body John the Baptist lost his head for the sake of God Paul lost his head for the sake of God I guarantee you that Paul's not walking around headless in heaven right now and there is a procedure here that Jesus is pointing to talking about the hand and the foot and the eyes you know he the hands are the things that we do the feet are the places that we go the eyes the things that we look at and that encompasses all sin what are the things that you're watching the places that you have no business going

To those habits that you can't get rid of it awaits you unless you trust in Christ this passage it doesn't teach that those who discipline their body go to heaven because that teaches salvation by works in my office you know I've got my desk and my computer and right above that is the hymn Rock of Ages Cliff for me it's my favorite himym and in the F third verse it says nothing in my hands I bring simply to the cross I cling naked come I to thee for dress helpless look to thee for Grace foul I to the Fountain fly Wash Me Savior or I die and if you do not turn from that path of Destruction that you are on you will suffer the severe Eternal punishment of hell and I don't want that for you so last Point here is the call to be salted with fire okay every Christian goes through a refining process the passage it says for everyone will be salted with fire and salt is good but if the salt has lost its saltiness how will you make it salty again have salt in yourselves be at peace with one another that passage is not teaching that c Christians will face a final Judgment of Hellfire okay what it is talking about here is in the Old Testament with every single offering according to Leviticus 213 every single offering had to be given with salt is synonymous with sacrifice so the principle here is that every Christian is a willing Living Sacrifice which directly ties into this big principle that Christ is teaching regarding discipleship so it has a preserving principle it has a flavor principle when Jesus when he said in Matthew Chapter 5 you are the salt of the earth but if salt is lost its taste how shall it saltiness be restored is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and Trampled Under people's

Feet he is saying that Christians those who follow him his disciples must live in a way that promotes Christ and shares the Gospel that phrase have salt among yourselves is explained in that next verse and live at peace with one another and this is in line with Jesus's teaching with serving one another who is the greatest and even as he says simply offering a cup of cold water to the little ones it's like serving him so as we wrap this up we must apply this truth that in Christ we have the strength to fight sin only in Christ not in ourselves in Christ we have the strength to live at peace with others to prefer each other and also to serve humbly see that Jesus he calls us to Unity to humility and to Holiness so we must avoid things like pride and tribalism while serving others in Jesus's name so take sin seriously and endure the trials that come that makes us more like Christ head heart hand to head God wants you to know that you must not cause others to sin there's a lot of principles we can take in this passage and I was sitting there at about midnight last night going which direction do I take that this is the direction I chose to take it so God wants you to know that you must not cause others to sin because it's a terrible thing he pronounces a woe that is a judgment upon those that do that it's a call to warning that judgment surely awakes awaits you so correct that course seek forgiveness from God before it's too late heart God wants you to believe that sin is serious it Grieves him he hates sin and he will severely J judge those that do sin especially if they're outside of Christ doesn't mean that there's a judgment that remains on Christians but you will give an account okay Psalm 5:

4-6 it says for you are not a God who Delights in wickedness evil may not dwell with you the boastful shall not stand before you your eyes you hate all evildoers you destroy those who speak lies the Lord abhor the bloodthirsty in deceitful man let us not think that we will escape unless we come to Christ lastly hand God wants you to come to Christ for cleansing from sin because it is the only safe and sure place to escape let's pray father we do thank you so much for this time that we get to have together we ask that you would just please help us to take sin seriously to forsake it to kill it God not in our own strength but through your power God I just ask that you would move Among Us that you would call us to Greater Holiness either as disciples that maybe are deceived by some sort of sin help us to turn away from that and trust in you but also for those that may not know you I pray that today would be that day that perhaps they come to you and say I need Jesus right now and I know I can't do it in my own strength and I need Christ I pray that today that you would just work in their hearts bring about that work of rebirth and bring give them that gift of faith that they might be born again to a living hope we love you God and we thank you for this day in Jesus precious name amen let's all stand and let's worship [Music] together I have seen my father's Glory revealed in Jesus Christ and the more that I Behold Him the more satisfies when I gaze upon his Beauty when I see him as I should then my eyes are lifted upward for his glory and my good to our God be the glor Glory To Our God be praised he alone the name above all names I will boast ever only in the Lord my God for I know his glory is my good let's sing that course one more

Time our God be the glory to our God be prais he alone the name above all names I will boast ever only in the Lord my God for I know his glory is my good yes I know his glory is my good if y'all mind having a seat real quick Diana I'm GNA invite her to come up and of course she's had quite a week and we've been praying for her that's a that's a rough week and so here you go I felt like I was supposed to do this I don't know if I can I want to tell you a little story it's just a tiny story I love this verse today about giving the water in Jesus name after Mike died one of the church members gave Connie and I a little glass little disposable glass of grape soda s pretty far down on the list of the beverages I would have chosen honestly but that cup of water tasted or cup of soda tasted like love and I just want you to know that there were many blessings along the way of our journey this week and one of those was the prayers of our brothers and sisters and on behalf of Connie and the vision 36 and myself I really want to thank you for your prayers you know even Moses as great a leader as he was needed help to hold up right and I felt the every prayer people said like Cody just said I've been praying and I said I know we felt every prayer we saw God's hand in so many ways during this last week and I know Connie will want to share some of that in days to come but for today I just wanted to say thank you my brothers and sisters it means everything to know that you were there with us amen Church let's pray together father we do thank you that we get to celebrate what you've done even in the midst of darkness and in the

Midst of so much hurt and pain we see your hand at work so in the in the waiting in the hurt in the darkness Lord help us to abide help us to seek shelter and help us to Bear your light to a world that desperately needs to see it we love you thank you for that cup of love that Diana and Connie got to experience thank you for making passages like what we talked about today very real and personal we love you we submit ourselves to you as we go from here may you be blessed by what has been preached here pray for anyone that maybe needs to receive you we pray that you would continue to work in their hearts and keep them safe Lord don't let them perish without having that settled in Jesus name amen hey church can you still hear me am I still coming through I'm still coming don't forget the benevolence offering at each one of these entrances don't forget the benevolence offering at each one of the entrances e PR