The Message on Hell

Introduction:

We are gonna take some time in the next few weeks to talk about messages that are missing in the modern church and why.

Now, I can only imagine that some would say why would you want to preach messages that are missing, because they are obviously missing for a reason. I’m sure there are more reasons than I give you but I want to mention some important reasons:

One, I want your faith to be founded on truth. We can’t skip the hard stuff or the uncomfortable stuff if we are honestly seeking truth. We should seek the whole counsel of God’s Word.

Second, I want you to see that God is faithful trustworthy. Hard issues do not change God’s nature. God doesn’t need us to defend His reputation.

Third, God’s word is timeless truth. It doesn’t go out of date, it is transcultural. It does not alter for cultures, societies or personal beliefs.

Now, the first missing message I want to cover is the message on Hell. Let me preface the message with this; I don’t preach on hell with a glimmer in my eye about people going there, but I do preach with the satisfaction and security of knowing God is just and every wrong will be avenged and every right vindicated.

All offenses against God will either be forgiven or avenged—we can take our choice.

A. W. Tozer

So, let’s begin by looking at the most vivid description of hell in scripture then asking and answering some questions. Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19–31 NKJV

19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ 27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

Jesus teaches that there is a distinction between the righteous and unrighteous at death. One of comfort and torment. This story is the only story that Jesus uses a name and most believe everyone knew who Jesus was speaking of. Now for most of us this settles the debate. I mean how many passages do you need in scripture for something to be verified? Who better to verify than the author and subject of scripture? But the topic is rarely brought up in church. Here’s some questions that come up.

Does the Bible Really Speak about Hell?

What were asking is if the Bible really presents God as One who punishes wrongdoers.

In the Old Testament scripture we find an interesting phrase that carries over into the New Testament. It is called “The Day of the Lord.” It is a day of reckoning. A final day when there remains no room from repentance. A day when the bill comes due and there is no more extensions. Listen to this day in Zephaniah 1:7-18

Zephaniah 1:7–18 NKJV

7 Be silent in the presence of the Lord God; For the day of the Lord is at hand, For the Lord has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests. 8 “And it shall be, In the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, That I will punish the princes and the king’s children, And all such as are clothed with foreign apparel. 9 In the same day I will punish All those who leap over the threshold, Who fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit. 10 “And there shall be on that day,” says the Lord, “The sound of a mournful cry from the Fish Gate, A wailing from the Second Quarter, And a loud crashing from the hills. 11 Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh! For all the merchant people are cut down; All those who handle money are cut off. 12 “And it shall come to pass at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And punish the men Who are settled in complacency, Who say in their heart, ‘The Lord will not do good, Nor will He do evil.’ 13 Therefore their goods shall become booty, And their houses a desolation; They shall build houses, but not inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards, but not drink their wine.” 14 The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. 15 That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities And against the high towers. 17 “I will bring distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the Lord; Their blood shall be poured out like dust, And their flesh like refuse.” 18 Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the Lord’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land.

God’s wrath was stored up for a day when He would break out against those who oppose Him, deny Him by their actions, and reject His deliverance.

This is a day of wrath.

A day of fire.

A day when God searches out wrongdoers.

A day of ridding the land of evildoers.

The New Testament picks up this same theme in Luke 17:30-36

Luke 17:30–36 NKJV

30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31 “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. 36 Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”

Now, we debate about whether this is talking about the rapture, but regardless listen one is taken and one is left. One escapes judgment and the other doesn’t. The point of the text is that judgment will come so swiftly that preparation must be made in advance.

Jesus, the author of scripture and the subject of scripture describes this judgment in more details in Matthew 13:41-43

Matthew 13:41–43 NKJV

41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

John Piper interestingly states that even if we try to make the lake of fire in Revelation 20:15 and the fiery furnace of Matt 13:41-43 a symbol. We are confronted with the terrifying thought that symbols are not overstatements but understatements of reality. Jesus did not choose these pictures to tell us that hell is easier than burning.

Those who were not of God’s seed, but rather tare of the world are gathered and cast into the furnace of fire. Matthew 25 gives a similar description, but contrast eternal life and eternal punishment.

Matthew 25:45–46 NKJV

45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The conclusion is this, the Word of God from beginning to end reveals a day of the Lord that will avenge the injustices of this life and punish the evil and ungodly. Eternal joy is the reward of those right with God and eternal punishment and separation is the reward those who are not.

Disbelieve hell, and you unscrew, unsettle, and unpin everything in Scripture.

John Charles Ryle (Bishop of Liverpool)

Why this Message is Missing in Most Churches?

Let me address this while you’re pondering what I just said.

Hell is not good for business! In a world that revolves around nickels and noses this is not a popular to hear that God will judge and avenge. When churches are measuring their success solely on numbers why would you preach a message that offends those in attendance. Lord help us get our focus right!

It wasn’t popular in John the Baptist’s day. Matthew 3:7-12

Matthew 3:7–12 NKJV

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Tim Keller states that the spirit of modernity, in other words the spirit of our western culture, gives us the right to determine what is right and wrong. We have redefined everything. Our overconfidence that we can control the physical world has spilled over so we now think that we can control the spiritual world. Therefore, eternal judgment is offensive to us.

He says sarcastically, for the sake of argument, lets imagine that Christianity is not the product of any one culture but is actually transcultural truth of God. If that were the case we would expect that it would contradict and offend every human culture at some point, because human cultures are ever-changing and imperfect.

As people of the book we must realize that the Bible wasn’t written by us, nor about us, but rather for us. That we may be warned, corrected, encouraged, and directed.

As the pillar and ground of the truth, the church should be more concerned with exposing the truth than sparing offenses.

Why is it Important That the Message Not be Missing?

A proper understanding of hell curbs our desire for personal vengeance.

A proper understanding of hell helps us live as people who are accountable.

A proper understanding of hell enables us to look at others with mercy. We are reminded that we are deserving of hell.

A proper understanding of hell helps us glory in the work of Christ.