A Journey through Hell

A Journey Through Hell

Revelation 20:15 Text

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

INTRO: Preaching about hell will never make any preacher popular.

And neither is it pleasant to preach on this subject. Because your not going to Hear any Hallelujahs or Praise god, may not even get a Amen

Our world is crying out today just as it did in the days of the prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 30:10 (KJV 1900)

Which say to the seers, See not;

And to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things,

Speak unto us smooth things,

Prophesy deceits:

Not many people today know God’s definition of hell.

Hell is eternal punishment in solitary confinement.

Hell is the wine of wrath of Almighty God poured out without restraint.

Jesus, had more to say about hell than any other person.

There is no greater authority on hell than Christ.

He preferred the unpleasant truth to a pleasing lie, as the devil always use’s.

The word “hell” is derived from a Greek word gehenna meaning “perpetual or continual burnings.”

South of Jerusalem in the valley of Hinnom, All the remains of sacrifices offered at the temples were taken for burning. The sacrifices were offered so frequently that there was a continual burning.

It was at this lowest part of Jerusalem that all the refuse and garbage was collected.

Also it was this place that when the children of Israel turned away from god they set up the idol Baal and sacrificed their children to him by throwing them into the ever-burning flame’s of gehenna.

Hell is described as that kind of place; a place of continual burning HELL IS A REAL PLACE!

Matthew 5:22,29,30

22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca,(Aramaic word of contempt- foolish or worthless) shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool,(G)(Moros- Moron,stupid, Morally worthless) shall be in danger of hell fire.

29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

I. HELL IS A PLACE OF TOTAL DARKNESS

A. There is a long dark night coming in which there will be no expression of love … a night in which no one will ever lead a Godly chorus or sing a gospel song!

B. THE DARKNESS WILL BE TOTAL. It will be a night that will never end.

It will be eternal darkness when there will be a unending weeping, unending regret, unending hate and unending misery and suffering

II. HELL IS A PLACE OF TOTAL DESPAIR

A. In hell there is no hope, no optimism, no faith, no encouragement, no kindness, no singing, no love, no children, no smiling, no forgiveness,no party, and most of all no God!

B. In hell there is not even the hope of dying … Or the hope of being annihilated.

III. HELL IS A PLACE OF TOTAL ALIENATION

A. Hell was not prepared originally for people, but for the devil and his angel’s.

If you go to hell, it won’t be because God doesn’t love you.

He made provision for you to live with him in eternity but you must stop and surrender to him and his will.

Matthew 25:41 At the Great white throne judgment

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angel’s.

B. Blasphemer, your mouth is black with the sin’s of oaths.

You’ve taken God’s name in vain. If the God who holds your next breath in the palm of his Hand were to require your soul of you, you also would plunge headlong into hell.

But you don’t have to go to hell. God loves you too much for you to be lost.

C. Drunkard, your mind is clouded and your health is wrecked. You look back over your life and it is a shamble. You have little left in your life but regret.

But drunkard, God loves you!

There’s hope for you in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

D. You don’t belong in hell. If you go to hell you’ll be an outsider, an intruder.

Hell will not be a home. Hell is the furthest thing from home that can be imagined. A home is where love is. Hell is where hate is.

IV. HELL IS A PLACE OF TOTAL TIMELESSNESS

A. On every chain in hell’s prison there is written the word “forever.”

The fires of hell blaze out the word, “forever.”

A million screaming voices shout out the word, “forever.”

Their minds are galled and their hearts are pained with the thought that is “forever.”

As they think about all the opportunities they had to excepted Jesus and be in heaven and didn’t!

B. Would to God that you could be told the fires of hell would one day be burned out. But it cannot be. because It is “forever.”

Revelation 14:11

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

C. After 10 trillion years in hell, you will be no nearer being out than the first day. What a dreadful thing it would be to suffer separation from Christ for a single,moment; but you will suffer throughout an endless eternity.

D. Measuring time in hell will be impossible. Life with Jesus is our endless hope.

But Without Him, it is a hopeless end.

V. HELL IS A PLACE OF TOTAL TORMENT

A. Hell has many torments, but none can be worse than the absence of the presence of God. That would be hell enough for me! But there is more.

B. Their is the Eternal separation from loved ones who died in the Lord.

C. A good memory will provide torment that will last thru eternity.

Luke 16:19–31 tells the story of the One thing the rich man took with him,as he found himself in hell. It was his memory.

VI. HELL IS A PLACE OF TOTAL FAILURE

A. If it was possible to stand on the banks of the lake of fire, we would see many people who can only be classified as total failures.

B. Judas saw blinded eyes opened, crooked limbs straightened, the dead raised. He heard dumb tongues sing and praise the lord.

He traveled with Jesus, ate with Jesus, held the position of treasurer of the Lord’s ministry. Christ gave Judas every opportunity … Judas tried to handle his guilt himself, but he failed miserably.

C. Look at King Agrippa. He was Sincere. He was hungry for spiritual things , He was a king.

And He heard one of the most powerful sermons ever delivered

by one of the most powerful preachers in history.

As Paul gave the invitation that day,

King Agrippa leaped to his feet, with His eyes wide with excitement, and his voice quivering with emotion said: Acts 26:2 “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian”

Just a little more and King Agrippa would have escaped hell.

But “almost” wasn’t good enough. And it’s still not good enough.

King Agrippa almost succeeded, but he failed.

D. You may have failed in the past, but you don’t have to fail now.

You are not in hell yet. You still have an opportunity for salvation, so don’t put it off one moment longer!

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation

CONCLUSION:

As surely as there is a hell there is a heaven;

As surely as there is vengeance there is virtue;

As surely as there is law of God there is the grace of God;

As surely as there is death there is life;

As surely as there is retribution there is restoration;

As surely as there is a devil there is God;

As surely as there are demons there are angels;

As surely as there is punishment there is pardon;

As surely as there is sorrow there is joy;

As surely as there are screams of torment there are also shouts of joy;

As surely as there is no escape in hell there is an escape from hell … right now!

Why don’t you surrender to god and let him change you from the old man into a new creation!

2 Corinthians 5: 17-18

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;