Hell — Fire, Fiction, or Forever?

Notes
Transcript
Handout
This morning, we’re in Week 5 of our series on the end of the world.
Last week, we talked about heaven — and we challenged some of the clichés we’ve been handed.
We said: Heaven isn’t just life after death… it’s life after resurrection.
Not floating. Not escaping.
But God restoring all things — and raising us to live with Him forever.
If you’re new here today — first of all, welcome!
And if someone invited you… wow, they really set you up.
“Hey, come to church with me — we’re talking about hell!”
Nothing says “friendly invite” like fire and brimstone, right?
But seriously — don’t worry. I’m not here to scare you.
I’m not here to guilt you or manipulate you.
I’m here for one reason: to talk about Jesus and to tell you the truth.
Because if hell is real — then we can’t afford to be vague or casual about it.
We need to understand what it actually is… and just as importantly, what it isn’t.
Turn with me to the book of Luke
The passage I’m about to take you to might seem odd for a message on hell. but just stay with me for a moment.
In Luke 22 Jesus is in the garden of gethsemane. He is praying before he will be arrested. Let’s pick up in verse 41.
Luke 22:41–44 ESV
41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
I’ve tilted the message this morning:
Hell — Fire, Fiction, or Forever?
Pray
This morning is going to be a heavy message.
We’re talking about a heavy topic.
But make no mistake — this is a hope-filled message.
Not hellfire and brimstone.
Not scare-you-into-praying-a-prayer.
But a real conversation about what the Bible actually says and doesn’t say about hell.
But before we get into it…
I wanted to start with a little game.
I know that’s not the usual intro to a sermon on hell.
But stay with me.
Let’s call this:
“Bible or Dante?”
Here’s how it works.
I’m going to read you a description of hell or judgment.
And you have to guess Is it from the Bible? Or from Dante’s Inferno a 14th century Italian poem that shaped a lot of how our culture imagines hell.
Quick show of hands who’s at least heard of Dante’s Inferno?
Yeah it’s creepy, poetic, lots of weird punishments and flames and frozen lakes.
It’s basically the original Christian horror movie.
So, let’s see how much that imagery has stuck in our heads.
“Trapped in burning tombs, forever surrounded by flames of their own beliefs.” Dante (Inferno, Heretics — Circle 6)
“A bottomless pit is opened, and smoke rises like a great furnace, darkening the sun and sky.” Bible (Revelation 9:2)
“they are whipped by demons as they march in endless circles.” Dante (Inferno, Circle 8 — Fraud)
“The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night.” Bible (Revelation 14:11)
“People who tried to tell the future are forced to walk with their heads twisted backward.” Dante (Inferno, Circle 8 — Fortune Tellers)
“They will be cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Bible (Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30)
“The worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” Bible (Mark 9:48)
“Traitors are frozen in ice up to their necks, unable to move, with Satan weeping frozen tears.” Dante (Inferno, Circle 9 — Treachery)
“A red beast with seven heads devours people and then vomits them into rivers of boiling blood.” Dante — mostly. (Revelation Beast imagery + Dante’s details)
“The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them.” Bible (Revelation 20:13)
I understand most of these were obvious…and you probably got them all correct
Thats what makes what I’m about to say next so sad.
Because even though we know what’s not in the Bible,
a lot of us still carry those images in our heads.
We still think of hell as some underground torture chamber run by a red guy with horns and a pitchfork.
We picture people screaming, chained up, tormented by demons, surrounded by fire.
But most of that didn’t come from scripture it came from Dante.
And when you build your theology on fear and fiction, you end up with a distorted view of God, a twisted understanding of judgment, and a complete misunderstanding of what’s actually at stake.
The real punishment of hell is hopelessness.
Yes, hell is described as a place of fire, suffering, and torment.
But it’s not just about the pain. It’s about the separation.
Hell is the total and final absence of God’s presence.
And where God is absent, there is no joy, no peace, no light, and no hope.
That is what makes it hell.
Which brings me back to Luke 22.
You ever wonder why Jesus was so overwhelmed in the garden?
Why He was in such anguish that He sweat drops of blood?
At first glance, it might seem like it’s because He’s afraid of being crucified.
And yes, the cross was brutal. The suffering was real.
But here’s the thing — Jesus had been predicting His death from the beginning.
He talked about it openly. He prepared His disciples for it again and again.
He wasn’t caught off guard by the cross.
So why the anguish?
Because Jesus wasn’t just preparing to die. He was preparing to be forsaken.
On the cross, He would take on the full weight of our sin.
He would absorb the wrath of God.
He would experience abandonment — not because of anything He had done, but because of what we had done.
This is why He cries out, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me…”
The “cup” wasn’t just pain.
It was the judgment of God.
It was the cup of wrath the prophets spoke about.
And in drinking it, Jesus would face what we were meant to face — separation, isolation, and the crushing hopelessness of sin.
That’s what hell is.
And that’s what Jesus took on… so we wouldn’t have to.
Hell is not just fire — it’s forsakenness. And that’s what filled the cup that Jesus drank from…..
And He drank the cup so we wouldn’t have to.
In order for us to understand hell biblically, there are some greek and Hebrew words we need to learn.
The bible uses 5 different words/phrases to talk about hell.
Gehenna:
Jesus’ most-used term. A real valley outside Jerusalem associated with child sacrifice and later, garbage burning.
Symbol of destruction and divine judgment.
Sheol:
OT term for the grave, the shadowy realm of the dead.
Not fiery — more like a waiting place of the dead.
Hades:
Greek parallel to Sheol. Used in Luke 16 and Revelation. Temporary holding place before final judgment.
Lake of Fire:
Revelation’s symbol of ultimate judgment.
Final destination for Satan, death, and all who reject Christ.
Outer Darkness:
Jesus’ parables: sorrow, isolation, and exclusion from God’s kingdom.
Before we move on, there’s something else you need to understand about hell…
One of the most popular ideas people have about hell is that Satan rules over it.
Like he’s sitting on some twisted throne, laughing while people suffer as if hell is his kingdom and he’s the king.
But that’s not true.
Satan has a throne but it’s not in hell.
Let me show you:
Revelation 2:13 ESV
13 “ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
Jesus is speaking to the church in Pergamum
a real city, known for its temples, idols, and emperor worship.
So when Jesus says, “That’s where Satan’s throne is…”
He’s not pointing to hell —He’s pointing to a culture of rebellion.
A place where people exalt sin and reject truth.
In other words:
Satan’s throne is wherever rebellion reigns.
Wherever evil is enthroned.
Wherever people trade the truth of God for a lie.
And that brings us to something sobering:
Satan’s throne isn’t always “out there” in some evil world system.
Sometimes, it’s right here — in the human heart.
I know some of you think,
“I mean well.”
“I try to do the right thing.”
“I’ve got a good heart.”
But look at what the Bible says:
Jeremiah 17:9 ESV
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
The human heart is not good.
It’s not trustworthy.
It bends toward pride, self, sin.
God is good.
And the only way your heart becomes new…is by letting Him rule it.
So understand this:
Hell isn’t Satan’s domain.
It’s not his kingdom.
It’s not where he reigns.
It’s not the place where he reigns.
It’s the place where he will be ruined.
It’s the place of his judgment, not his throne.
It’s not where he conquers.
It’s where he’s condemned.
Revelation 20:10 ESV
10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Hell is his ending not his throne.
And along with him Revelation says two other powers are thrown in:
Death and Hades.
We think of death has a moment, The moment where life ends…
The Bible doesn’t see it that way.
In the bible Death isn’t just a moment.
It’s not just the last breath in your lungs.
It’s a power. A presence.
Since the fall of man in the garden of eden death has been hunting creation.
In Revelation 6, Death rides a pale horse.
Look at wall Paul writes to the church in Corinth.
1 Corinthians 15:26 ESV
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
And in Revelation 20:14, it finally is:
Revelation 20:14 ESV
14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Listen to me:
Jesus didn’t just save you from hell.
He defeated the powers that made hell necessary in the first place.
That brings me to the next point…
Hell was not created for Humanity.
There is a passage in scripture that is terrifying but it also reveals something encouraging.
Matthew 25:31–41 ESV
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
I know this is a heavy passage. It’s one of the clearest images of final judgment in all of Scripture.
Jesus is describing a future moment where every person stands before Him.
And in this moment, there’s separation — sheep and goats — blessing and judgment.
Now listen — I know we love to throw around the phrase,
“Only God can judge me.”
But let’s be real…
That didn’t come from the Bible — that came from Tupac.
And yeah, God will judge you.
That’s not a flex — that’s a fact.
But look again at verse 41:
what I need you to see… is what Jesus said hell was actually prepared for:
Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Did you catch that?
Prepared for who?
Not people.
Not you.
Not me.
“Prepared for the devil and his angels.”
Hell was not created for Humanity.
It was created for evil.
It was created for rebellion.
It was created to judge the powers that have been at war with God from the beginning.
Hell was not God’s plan for you.
It is not His desire for you.
God doesn’t delight in judgment — He desires mercy.
2 Peter 3:9 ESV
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
God is patient.
God is kind.
and God is Loving.
Now here comes THE question…
The question that everyone in this room has asked and wretled with at some point…
“How can a good, patient, kind, and loving God send someone to hell?”
Because that doesn’t sound good.
That doesn't sound kind.
It definetly doesn’t sound loving.
So how can God send someone to hell?
Easy answer…He Doesn’t.
Listen to me…
God doesn’t send people to hell. Satan doesn’t drag people to hell. People choose it.
Hell is the result of rejecting the only One who can save you.
And listen — I know this is hard.
But we don’t end up in hell by accident.
We end up there by decision.
By choosing sin over grace.
By choosing self over surrender.
By choosing rebellion over repentance.
Hell is not where God wants you.
It’s just what happens when you keep telling Him you don’t want Him.
And this is where people start saying things that sound deep but are actually just… stupid.
“What kind of God would send someone to hell just because they didn’t love Him back? That sounds cruel. That sounds evil.”
No — that’s not cruel. That’s just reality.
Let me paint the picture:
Someone is drowning in the ocean.
A rescue boat pulls up.
The person on board throws out a life preserver again and again.
“Grab it! Let me pull you in! I can save you!”
But the person in the water keeps shouting:
“No thanks. I don’t want your help. I’m fine. Leave me alone.”
Eventually… they drown.
Now — who’s to blame?
Do we look at the rescuer and say:
“Wow. What a monster. How evil of them to let that person drown…”
No. That would be stupid.
Because they did everything they could… short of forcing the person to be saved.
And it’s the same with God.
He’s thrown the lifeline over and over:
Through the cross.
Through His Word.
Through the Spirit.
Through the people He’s sent into your life.
Maybe even through this message right now.
And if you say “no” enough times — God doesn’t stop loving you…
But He will let you have your choice.
Hell is not God’s cruelty.
You get to call whether you go or not through choices.
He’s not sending people to hell.
They’re choosing it — by refusing the only One who can save them from it.
While hell wasn’t made for us, we can still choose it.
Not by accident.
Not because God forced us.
But by rejecting the only One who can save us.
Hell is not God’s default. It’s our decision.
God does not throw people into hell against their will.
He simply honors the will of those who refuse Him.
You were not created for judgment.
You were created for life.
But here’s what you have to understand next…
Long before anyone ends up separated from God…
They start living separated from Him.
They choose counterfeit kingdoms.
They follow false saviors.
They give their loyalty — their hearts, minds, and lives — to something other than Jesus.
And Scripture has a name for that kind of deception:
The Antichrist. The Beast. The Mark.
Let’s talk about it.
Because just like hell — these aren’t what we’ve often been told.
Let’s talk about the Antichrist first.
And I just need to say this up front:
The Antichrist is not Nicolae Carpathia.
(Pause for effect — then throw up the Left Behind movie photo of Gordon Currie)
You know, that guy from Left Behind who smooth-talks his way into world domination and somehow convinces the U.N. to give him the nuclear codes?
Yeah… not him.
Sorry, Kirk Cameron.
But I need you to understand something…
The Antichrist is not just some future movie villain.
He’s not the final boss at the end of a video game.
He’s not lurking in the shadows of the United Nations waiting to sign a peace treaty with Israel.
No according to Scripture, the spirit of the Antichrist has already been at work.
He’s not just coming someday…he’s been popping up for a long time.
1 John 2:18 ESV
18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
The Antichrist isn’t just a person.
It’s a pattern.
A spirit.
A counterfeit kingdom that exalts self and demands worship in place of Christ.
So what about Revelation?
Pastor he’s the one that is going to bring the mark of the beast…..
I want you too look me in the eyes for a moment….
There will be a final antichrist figure.
But he is not someone you need to fear
Because fear has never been the way of the Kingdom.
Faith is.
Let’s talk about the Mark of the Beast — because this one’s been through every conspiracy theory you can imagine.
Some of you were told it was:
a barcode.
a credit card.
a microchip.
a COVID vaccine.
your iPhone.
Let me help you:
The Mark of the Beast isn’t about what’s on your hand It’s about who’s on the throne of your heart.
Revelation 13 says people will receive a mark on their hands and foreheads
But listen — that’s not a new idea.
Look at what God commanded His people back in Deuteronomy 6:8
Deuteronomy 6:8 ESV
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
And in Revelation 14:1
Revelation 14:1 ESV
1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
In other words:
This is about worship.
This is about allegiance.
The mark is a symbol of loyalty — not a scanning device at checkout.
The enemy doesn’t need to implant something in your body…if he already owns your heart.
But what about buying and selling food Pastor….
Let’s look at it:
Revelation 13:17–18 ESV
17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.
There it is. It’s a physical mark, Pastor… and that scary number.
Let’s talk about it.
First of all, this passage literally says: “This calls for wisdom.”
Can we just pause right there for a second?
It doesn’t say, “This calls for 21 books by Pastor John Hagee.”
It doesn’t say, “This calls for prophecy charts.”
It doesn’t say, “This calls for a four-hour YouTube documentary with creepy music.”
It says, “This calls for wisdom.”
Not panic.
Not paranoia.
Wisdom.
And listen… I’m not mad at Pastor John Hagee.
But let’s be honest — my man has written more books about the end times than the Bible itself contains.
The Apostle John gave us one Revelation.
Hagee gave us… like, fourteen sequels and a movie trailer.
Again — not mad. Just saying: maybe let’s look at what Scripture says before we panic about chips and credit cards.
If you don’t know who John Hagee is….just let that joke go. That joke was only for like four people in this room…
Revelation is apocalyptic literature — which means it’s filled with symbols and images designed to reveal truth to believers and conceal it from the spiritually blind.
So what’s the truth being revealed here?
The mark of the beast isn’t about ink or chips — it’s about allegiance.
It says, “No one can buy or sell unless he has the mark…”
Now pause.
Who is Revelation written to?
First-century Christians in Rome under an emperor who demanded worship as god — and who punished those who refused.
If you didn’t bow, you couldn’t belong.
If you didn’t conform, you couldn’t participate.
Sound familiar?
This mark — this number — it isn’t a credit card code.
It’s a symbol of a world system that says:
“Bow to us… or be cut off.”
666 isn’t a magic number — it’s a broken imitation.
In Scripture, seven symbolizes God’s perfection and completeness
His finished work.
Now can I get deep and theological with you for a moment?
Six is symbolic in the Bible as the number of man.
Man was created on the sixth day incomplete without God, always one short of divine perfection.
But have you ever wondered why it’s “666” and not just 6?
In Scripture, repetition emphasizes meaning.
When something is repeated, it’s magnified.
I’m not a big numerology guy, but there is meaning behind certain numbers in Scripture
Take the number three for example — it represents divine completeness.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The angels around the throne cry out day and night, “Holy, Holy, Holy” —not once, not twice, but three times.
That repetition isn’t random — it declares the fullness of God’s holiness — the perfect unity of the Triune God.
But here’s where it gets deep…
If “Holy, Holy, Holy” is Heaven’s cry is the anthem of divine perfection then “666” is Hell’s counterfeit is the anthem of human rebellion.
Remember, 6 is the number of man.
So 666 is man multiplied by himself.
It’s man’s nature, man’s system, and man’s power raised up against the true and living God.
It’s man’s own unholy trinity.
Just like Heaven has “Holy, Holy, Holy,”
the world has “Me, Me, Me.”
It’s the spirit of antichrist humanity trying to be divine without God.
But here’s the thing…man’s attempt will always fall short.
No matter how strong, how advanced, or how powerful man becomes,
he can never reach the perfection of God — 777.
Man can line up all three sixes, but he’ll still never touch seven.
Because 666 is not the power of the devil, it’s the weakness of man trying to be God.
So 666 is the number of man: man’s pride, man’s rebellion, man’s counterfeit kingdom.
Heaven cries, “Holy, Holy, Holy — Lord God Almighty.
But the world cries, “Me, Me, Me — look what I’ve done.
One song glorifies the Creator.
The other glorifies the created.
One leads to worship.
The other leads to destruction.
Because in the end, 666 will bow before 777.
Every counterfeit crown will fall at the feet of the true King the One who bridges 6 to 7 — Jesus Christ, the perfection of God revealed to man.
I know at least three people right now want to make a 6-7 joke…go ahead….I’ll wait.
So why did i go on this seemingly theological detour?
To prove a point.
The mark is not something new, its an imitation.
The mark is symbolic of who you belong to and who you worship.
The mark of the beast is not something as a christian you need to fear.
Look at me in the eyes again….
You will not accidentally get the mark of the beast…
If you are a follower of Jesus you’ve already been marked.
You have nothing to fear.
So reject the fear.
Reject the hype.
Reject any preacher, teacher, author, TikTok creator, YouTuber, street preacher, blog, podcast, prophecy chart, or fortune cookie…
ANYTHING that says the Antichrist and the mark are something you need to be paranoid about.
If it’s driven by fear and not faith — it’s not from God.
2 Timothy 1:7 ESV
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
That’s the Spirit you’ve received.
Not fear. Not panic. Not obsession over conspiracy theories and end-times speculation.
So let’s stop giving fear a microphone.
And let’s definitely stop calling it faith.
Because if fear is what’s driving you, you’re going to miss the bigger reality.
You’re going to miss what’s actually at stake.
As a believer you don’t have to fear anything….
Not even hell.
For a believer hell isn’t anything to worry about…
but for the unbeliever…
People may say:
“I’d rather go to hell where my friends are.”
It sounds edgy. It sounds rebellious.
But it’s not just wrong — it’s tragic.
Listen to me…
Hell isn’t a party.
Hell isn’t a reunion.
Hell is isolation. Despair.
It’s not where relationships are rekindled.
Hell is a place of complete and total hopelessness.
Not just because of what’s in it…but because of what’s missing from it.
No grace.
No joy.
No presence.
No second chances.
The Bible doesn’t shy away from hell — it references it over 60 times.
Not to sensationalize it.
But to warn us about it.
Because this isn’t a theological side note.
It’s a central part of the story — the final consequence of rejecting God.
And every time hell is mentioned, the message is consistent:
Hell is real. Hell is eternal. Hell is separation.
Jesus describes it as “unquenchable fire.”
John calls it a “lake of fire,” where the smoke of torment rises forever.
There is no comfort. No relief. No rest.
But it’s not just fire that’s terrifying — it’s darkness.
Jesus talks about “outer darkness,” a place outside the joy of God’s kingdom.
Not just the absence of light — the absence of life, love, and hope.
And hell isn’t unconscious either.
In Luke 16, the rich man in Hades is fully aware.
He remembers. He speaks. He begs.
He’s awake to his regret — but it’s too late.
The worst part?
There’s no way out.
Jesus says there’s a great chasm — fixed and uncrossable.
Matthew 25 puts it like this:
“They will go away into eternal punishment…”
Not temporary.
Not symbolic.
Eternal.
Hell is not just painful — it’s permanent.
And I know that’s heavy.
But don’t miss what it means.
Hell is not a metaphor.
It’s not a scare tactic.
It’s the final destination for those who refuse the grace of God.
And Jesus — the most loving man to ever live —talked about it more than anyone else.
Why?
Because the real horror of hell isn’t just the fire…
The real horror is not fire — it’s finality.
Pastor, I thought you said this was a message of hope…
It is.
But before we can talk about the hope we have to understand why we need it.
If there’s no judgment…then there’s nothing to be saved from.
If hell isn’t real…then the cross wasn’t necessary.
Hope means nothing if you’re not in danger.
But once you realize the danger you begin to see how beautiful the hope truly is.
And that hope…has a name.
Jesus.
A few weeks ago, when we started this series, I preached on the idea of the “secret rapture” — and how that view doesn’t hold up when you actually read Scripture closely.
Remember what Jesus said?
He didn’t compare His return to a secret escape.
He compared it to the days of Noah.
And in that story — it wasn’t the righteous who were taken.
It was the wicked.
Noah was left behind — and that was a good thing.
He was left to inherit a renewed earth.
Why does that matter?
Because for believers, the goal has never been escape — it’s always been resurrection.
Not being snatched away from the world…
But being raised to new life when Jesus returns.
And in that message, we looked at 1 Thessalonians 4 and said it’s not a “rapture” verse the way we’ve often been told.
But I didn’t have time then to show you something important — so let’s go back to it:
1 Thessalonians 4:17 ESV
17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Now — in ancient thought, to be “caught up” usually meant something dark.
It meant being claimed by death — swallowed by the underworld.
But Paul flips the meaning.
We’re not caught up by death we’re caught up with Christ.
Not taken into darkness but brought into glory.
And so we will always be with the Lord.
That… is hope.
But listen — hope doesn’t mean apathy.
Hope doesn’t mean we live careless.
Hope means we live with urgency.
Because too many Christians… let’s be hones
Are trying to see how close they can get to hell without getting burned.
Flirting with compromise.
Treating sin like it’s a toy, not a trap.
Living on the edge, instead of rooted in truth.
But if hell is real — and it is — then we don’t live on the line.
We live like people who’ve been rescued.
We are people who choose joy, peace, surrender, holiness, purpose.
Listen to me — I didn’t preach this message today to scare anybody into following Jesus.
This wasn’t about fear. This was about hope.
Because the Gospel doesn’t manipulate — it rescues.
Jesus didn’t die to terrify you into obedience — He died to invite you into freedom.
He didn’t drink the cup of wrath so you could live in panic…
He drank it so you could drink from the cup of life.
And maybe today…
It’s time to stop running.
Stop resisting.
Stop flirting with the edge of the fire, hoping you don’t fall in.
Maybe today… it’s your turn to say yes
Altar moment.
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