Jesus-Approved Fanatics? You Bet.

What do you think of when you hear the word fanatic? 🤔

Maybe it’s someone decked out in face paint at a football game, screaming their lungs out. Or that friend who can’t stop talking about their favorite hobby. Usually, it’s not exactly a compliment—fanatics are seen as too much.

But… is that always a bad thing?

In Mark 9:42–50, Jesus talks like a fanatic—and I mean that in the best way. He’s intense. He’s bold. And He invites His followers to be radically committed in three big areas: protecting kids, avoiding hell, and keeping their spiritual saltiness. 🧂

Let’s dig into what this means—and why Jesus-style fanaticism might be exactly what our world needs.

🚸 1. Protecting Children Like It’s Life or Death

“And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me…” – Mark 9:42

Jesus starts with a serious warning. He says it would be better for someone to be tossed into the ocean with a giant millstone tied around their neck than to cause a believing child to stumble in their faith. 😳

Let that sink in.

This tells us two things loud and clear:

1. Kids can truly believe in Jesus. Their faith is real. Jesus doesn’t say “if” they believe—He says “that believe in me.”
2. Adults are responsible for how we influence those young hearts. Our actions, conversations, and attitudes leave a mark—whether we want them to or not.

If Jesus was concerned about the impact of a simple argument between His disciples on a nearby child’s faith, how much more is He grieved by deeper wounds—neglect, abuse, indifference?

Here’s the bottom line: Christians should be fanatics about protecting children—their safety, their faith, their future. That’s not extreme. That’s Christlike. ❤️

🔥 2. Taking Hell Seriously

“…if thy hand offend thee, cut it off… it is better… than having two hands to go into hell…” – Mark 9:43

This next section is intense.

Jesus says that if your hand, foot, or eye is leading you into sin, get rid of it. Better to enter heaven maimed than to end up in hell whole. 😬

No, He’s not talking about literal amputation—but He is calling us to a level of seriousness that sounds fanatical in a culture of comfort.

Let’s be honest: people reject the gospel all the time because they don’t want to let go of a sin they love. Like King Agrippa in Acts 26—“Almost thou persuadest me…” Almost.

How tragic would it be to end up in hell over something so small in light of eternity?

Jesus describes hell as:

• A place “where their worm dieth not…” 🐛 – unending decay and regret.
• A place “where the fire is not quenched…” 🔥 – constant pain, never-ending.

In light of that, it’s not fanaticism—it’s wisdom to say: “I’ll give up whatever it takes to be right with God.”

Let’s be honest: there’s nothing worth going to hell for.

🧂 3. Staying Salty in a Tasteless World

“Salt is good…” – Mark 9:50

Salt does more than flavor food—it preserves, it purifies, and in the Old Testament, it even symbolized that a sacrifice was acceptable to God.

Jesus says we should be like that kind of salt. Pure. Distinct. Purposeful.

Here’s the challenge: If we lose our spiritual saltiness—our passion, our integrity, our boldness—then what good are we to the world around us?

We are meant to make an impact 🌍.

Jesus ties this teaching to peace, too. The disciples had been arguing about who was the greatest, and He’s reminding them that saltiness without peace just tastes bitter. 🧂✌️

So how do we stay salty?

• We stay close to Jesus.
• We stay committed to truth.
• We stay united with each other.

And yes, we get a little fanatical about shining light in a dark world. 💡

✨ Bringing It All Home

Here at Collinsville Baptist Tabernacle, we’re not ashamed to be a little extra when it comes to the things Jesus prioritized:

✅ We take child safety seriously.

✅ We take the reality of hell seriously.

✅ We take our calling to be salt seriously.

That’s the kind of fanaticism we need—not the loud, arrogant kind, but the passionate, Christ-centered kind.

💬 Final Thoughts

People get fanatical about sports, politics, food, even TV shows. But let’s be the kind of people who get excited—really excited—about the things that matter most.

Let’s be the kind of Jesus-followers who go all in when it comes to:

• Protecting children 👶
• Avoiding hell 🔥
• Being salt in our community 🧂

After all, if Jesus endorsed this kind of intensity… we’re in good company.

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