This is Message # 217 in the Restoration Series.
Introduction: This world is full of sin,
terrible evil and behavior. Everywhere
is temptation after temptation, pull after pull to touch, look and go
experience the “good life”. This is one
of physical gratification and earthly comfort and personal fulfillment. We are tempted, seduced, and influenced at
every turn. There is no escape.
I.
Jesus stresses how terrible sin is.
A.
In this passage Jesus warns the sinner.
1.
Every man is responsible for his sin.
2.
Each individual is his own master
3.
Of his own free will, one knows good and evil
4.
Man of his own free will can overcome his weakness
5.
Man has God to help overcome all stumbling blocks
6.
Last, man is not to place stumbling blocks before others
II.
Sin, the stumbling block. Vs 42
A.
Christ mentioned the terrible sin of offending others
1.
Causing others to stumble, to lead into sin
B.
Note several things:
1.
Offend, means to cause a person to stumble, to lead a person to sin.
2.
Little ones, those that believe in Christ.
a.
Jesus called believers “little ones” or a ‘little child’.
b.
A new Christian, ‘babes’ a ‘new beginner in Christ’
c.
One who has ‘Child like faith and spirit in Christ’
3.
Jesus said, “The worst, most terrible sin is to lead another person to
sin.”
a.
Leading one into sin and teaching them to sin, no one will know
b.
By our example we lead. A child
says, ‘He does it, so can I’.
c.
Soft soaping sin, it is no big sin
d.
Poking fun at or ridiculing a person trying to do right
e.
Touching, tasting, looking at harmful things
f.
To threaten or persecute, to Passover because of ones commitment to
Christ.
4.
Note this, the terribleness of sin
Vs 42
a.
Jesus says: “Hang a big
millstone around your neck and jump in before you lead a child astray.” [trans.
By Little] Romans 14:13, 15, 21
b.
Millstone: There were two kinds, one small hand grinder, and one that
was turned by a large animal.
1.
The Greek indicates that Jesus referred to the large one.
2.
Jesus was indicating how great the sin was.
c.
Death by drowning; a form of criminal punishment.
1.
The Jews saw it as a symbol of utter destruction and annihilation.
2.
Millstone hanged around ones neck and cast into the sea, never to be
recovered and buried.
III.
Jesus mentioned the terrible sins of the hand. Vs 43-44
A.
He made five significant points about the sins of the hand.
1.
The hand can offend and be a stumbling block.
a.
If something is forbidden or unwise, or given or let go, the hand can
sin:
b.
By touching, clutching, holding, grabbing, pointing, stroking, striking
2.
The alternative to sinning with one’s hand, cut it off.
a.
Strong, descriptive and radical language
b.
Horrible to one’s hand and leading a ‘little one’ to sin
c.
Becoming a stumbling block to one’s salvation
d.
Dooming one to what Jesus calls “Hell fire”
e.
This is dooming one’s self to ‘hell fire’
f.
The reality of this should wake up a person’s need for salvation.
3.
Sinning with one’s hand condemns one to hell
4.
Hell is punishment and is forever.
Vs 44
a.
This verse is both punishment and duration
b.
The worm and fire is forever
c.
Note this: By WORM Christ meant
one of two things.
1.
There is a “worm” in hell that affects man; it is called their
“worm”. Something in hell that preys on
him, wounds, inflicts a biting, a gnawing, and consuming pain and dies not,
never ends.
2.
There is a “worm” within a man in hell, it is a worm created by his own
sinful hands. A “worm” that bites,
gnaws, and consumes him. That “worm” is
memory and conscience that never leaves the man alone.
3.
Luke 16:19-31
4.
Life can be lived abundantly even with one hand.
a.
Abundance does not depend on physical wholeness.
b.
Abundance depends on wholeness, righteousness, and living for
Jesus. 2Corinthians 6:17-18
IV.
Christ mentioned the terrible sins of the foot. Vs 45-46
A.
He made five significant points about the sins of the foot.
1.
The foot can offend and become a stumbling block if something forbidden
or unwise or should be avoided or attended, the foot can sin.
a.
By standing, running, jumping, walking, dancing, turning, kicking
2.
A better alternative than sinning with the foot, cut it off.
3.
Sinning with the foot condemns to hell
4.
Hell is punishment forever
5.
Life can be lived abundantly without a foot.
6.
Ephesians 5:15, Colosians 2:6,
1John 2:6
V.
Christ mentioned the terrible sins of the eye. Vs 47-48
A.
He made five significant points about the sins of the eye.
1.
A stumbling block, forbidden or unwise, or should be avoided or
observed.
2.
By looking, staring, focusing, glancing, winking, opening, blinking,
scanning, closing
3.
If it sins, pluck it out.
a.
The alternative, the Kingdom of God instead of life
b.
The eye, one of the doors to the mind and heart of man
c.
What one looks at and focuses on is very important
d.
Sight can create lust quicker than any other single thing
e.
Sight can create lust for:
1.
For the world and excitement
2.
Material goods and possessions
1John 2:16
3.
Illicit affairs and relationships
Matthew 5:28
4.
Recognition and fame
5.
Money and wealth Ecclesiastes
4:8
f.
Better to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye, than allow the eye to
sin and doom one to hell.
4. Hell is punishment and
is forever.
VI.
Judgment, the terrible surety of judgment. Vs 49
A.
Every person shall be judged, every sacrifice and every work shall be
judged.
1.
Salted with fire, all will be tried by fire. 1Corinthians 3:12-13
2.
Wood, hay, stubble will not stand fire.
3.
Gold, silver, precious stones will stand the fire because they are
incorruptible.
4.
Because they are pure and can be used, and are pleasing.
5.
Matthew 16:27, 1Corinthians
3:13, Revelations 20:12, 22:12
VII.
Salt yourself within to deliver from sin. Vs 50
A.
Salt is good, beneficial, and useful
1.
Search oneself and labor.
Evaluate one’s ‘saltiness’, one’s purity and usefulness.
2.
Be sure to be salted, to have salt.
One must be pure and useful.
3.
Live in peace with one with another.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Conclusion. Restoration. Note what brought this
great lesson from Christ: the arguing among the disciples, and the intolerance
shown toward a man’s ministering in the Lord’s name. Think on this, if it was wrong for the disciples, how about us
today?
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