1. Warnings About Hell
Mark 9:43-48

2. Introduction Hell is many things to many people Reality
Terrible circumstances in life
Something to joke about
Place invented by “hard nosed” preachers
Reality
A real place
Worse than we can imagine
A place to be feared and avoided

3. What Did Jesus Say About Hell?
Used the word “gehenna” eleven times
A part of His teaching
Used only one other time (James 3:6)
Comes from Hebrew “valley of Hinnom (2Kings 23:10)
Had become a garbage dump in Jesus’ day
Means a loss of well being, not of loss of being

4. What Did Jesus Say About Hell?
Place of punishment
Danger of hell fire (Matthew 5:22, 29, 30)
Leave off anything necessary to avoid it (Matthew 5:29; Mark 9:43-48)
Soul and body (Matthew 10:28)
Valley of Hinnom claimed only material things

5. What Did Jesus Say About Hell?
Place of eternal fire and darkness
Depicts awful suffering (Matthew 8:12; 18:8; 25:41; Mark 9:43)
Where their “worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:44, 46, 48)
A place where most will be going (Matthew 7:13, 14)

6. What Did Jesus Say About Hell?
Reality is denied by many
Universalism
Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Adventists
Some Christians such as Ed Fudge, author of The Fire That Consumes, and Homer Hailey, the author of God’s Judgments and Punishments

7. How Can I Avoid Hell? Have faith in Christ
Leads to repentance, baptism, and a faithful life (John 8:24; Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38)
Obedience puts us in the kingdom (Colossians 1:13)

8. How Can I Avoid Hell? Be sensitive to the needs of others
Consider the tragic story of the rich man (Luke 16:19-31)
He became concerned too late
How we deal with others is part of the standard of judgment (Matthew 25:31-46)

9. How Can I Avoid Hell? Avoid the easy way Don’t give up
The way to life is narrow (Matthew 7:13, 14)
The broad way appeals to those who do not like to be hedged in by authority (Matthew 7:21-23)
Don’t give up
Finish the race (Luke 9:62; 14:28-33)
Worth it (Hebrews 10:35-39; 12:1, 15-17)
Worse off if we go back (2 Peter 2:20-22)

10. How Can I Avoid Hell? Appreciate the sacrifice of Christ
He gave His life so we could have the abundant life (John 10:10)
The advantage is ours (1 Timothy 4:8)

11. Conclusion
Hell is a real place
Where are you headed?