Living On The Edge…Of Hell
Lakewood Christian Church
Pastor Rex E. Faile, Sr.
Scripture:
1 John 2:15-17
Introduction: We are living in a strange time in history. With web-cams, reality television,
Internet, it is so easy to get into other peoples business. Who hasn’t seen “Fear Factor” with such antics it’s sometimes beyond disgusting. Then there are others not even worth mentioning where fools show that they’re fools by their behavior. I was watching a new reality series called “Stunt Junkies” the other day and these guys are diving off cliffs, jumping over canyons, you name it! And just last night I was watching this guy, a survivalist get dropped off on some remote glacier in Alaska and has to find his way back to civilization!
I understand some of this because I’m feeling some of that mid-life “crisis” where we begin to ask ourselves what we might have missed or might have done that caused us to live a less than “full” life. There’s a danger here though. Just as in these reality shows there is a danger of physical death, there is in the spiritual world the danger of eternal death!. My prayer is that we may honestly ask ourselves where are we living, close to God, or close to the world.
Let’s be honest. These folks are “risk takers” and we derive pleasure from putting ourselves on the edge. From early on, “looking both ways” before doing what mom or dad told us not to do! Our para-sympathetic system helps us in these times of risk by releasing endorphines and adrenaline for “fight or flight” into our system. Both of these hormones give a rush beyond the normal!. Let no one deceive you! There is PLEASURE in taking certain risks. And unfortunately some are willing to sacrifice the risk of bodily or eternal harm for the pleasures of today!
I. The Sin of Worldliness (Selfishness contrasted to Love)
I Jn 2:15-17
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
(KJV)
A. About me, For me, Me, My, Mine
B. About pleasure…lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes
C. Moses denied himself the pleasure of today’s sin for the joy of eternal life.
He chose affliction….over pleasure! How does that concept sell today for most church goers!
Heb 11:25
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; (KJV)
1. How many of us have been tempted towards the old life?
Luke 11:23-26
23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
(KJV)
C. About control
1. Wealth is a tool for power (over others and over my destiny)
A. Some of our biggest concerns are finance related
Mark 10:21
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. (KJV)
D. How much money do you give to God’s kingdom?
*Are you rich towards God? Or yourself?
Matt 6:19-24
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
(KJV)
E. About HERE!
1. The danger is living so close to the world that its influences are keeping us away from God and the things that matter to Him
2. How much satisfaction do you gain from thinking about Heaven?
F. About TIME (I have many years to enjoy)
1. Think of the time we give to other things.
1. How much time do we give to God daily?
A. In prayer, devotion, fellowship with others
*The young man mentioned above left Jesus sad. How sad, that he might have had
eternal treasure but sacrificed the eternal joy for the “joy for a season,” which isn’t true joy at all!
II. The Fool
Luke 12:16-21
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (KJV)
Ps 14:1
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (KJV)
A. The fool is one who lives as though there is no heaven to gain but lives only for this life
B. A wise man sees the end from the beginning
Prov 13:20
20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. (KJV)
Illustration: Two carriage drivers applied for the job of one wealthy man who had to take treacherous trips through the mountains. One said he was the best. He could hold the horses within inches of the edge and had never had an accident. The other said, “Sir, although I could come close to the edge, I find it safest to stay as far away as possible.” to which the man replied. You…have the job!
Conclusion: I know God’s grace is wide….but the way is “narrow”
We must stay to the narrow way! I want to live as far away from Hell as possible…don’t you?
Matt 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
(KJV)
