Sermon Tone Analysis

Today’s subject is a solemn one, the most solemn that you will ever hear from me but for us to have revival we need to wake up out of our slumber and focus our energies upon the most important things of life.

The reason Christians today are without backbones and lopsided is because these truths are no longer heard nor believed.

Revival comes when old Scriptural truths are regained and the topic for today is one that needs to come back.

Perhaps we should not be so much praying for revival but that God will send labourers into His harvest field.

I will say again – unless there is a return to the truths of Scripture we will not see revival.

So today’s topic is the Bible truth about hell and everlasting punishment.

There will be, though hope for us who are in Christ, so take comfort in this but be spurred by the great task at hand.

Let us first hear the words of Jesus:

What needs to be set forth is the awfulness of it, the hopelessness of it, the unendurableness of it, the endlessness of it.

To keep quiet about it or to ignore it is just about as irresponsible as one can be.

It is our duty to warn people to flee from the wrath that is to come.

There are many arguments today made against this doctrine believing that God’s character could not possibly send people to hell.

There are people who actively go round today espousing the opposite – a guy called Rob Bell who was a so-called evangelical but now an ex-Pastor goes around universities undoing this doctrine.

I had tutors at Uni who also believed that there was no such thing, even saying Jesus didn’t even preach it.

And many taught by them follow this line of thought.

I’m not sure how this is justified: For Jesus says in

God has sent punishment regularly throughout history as we read in

It is no wonder that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.

It is just inescapable that God will judge and bring people to punishment.

God is love but it is not the sentimental kind but is holy and hates evil.

It is not a love that simply lets people of the hook.

How often we find that God is angry and full of wrath.

He did not create humankind for them to do their own thing though he has given them freedom to choose – but people in their rebellion have shook the fist at God but there will be a day of recompense.

God in His mercy has made a way of escape, if we would have it.

Mercy is always shown before judgment.

But if it is spurned, as it often is, then judgment will come.

Some say that God is unjust to sentence people to an eternity in hell.

But who are we to judge?

The awfulness of sin is glossed over not realising that God cannot bear it nor look at it and will not put up with it.

Those of us who have been saved realize just how much we deserve eternal punishment.

Some say that the punishment won’t go on forever for God will destroy people in the lake of fire, that is, make them cease to exist.

But the word for destroy in Scripture never means to annihilate for the Greek word for destroy is elsewhere translated lost – as for instance the lost sheep of Israel – but Israel still exists!

If death is annihilation, or should be translated as such, how then are we resurrected again to come before the Judgement Seat?

Scripture speaks only of punishment and torment – and it does not have an end.

Scripture speaks in

It says here people will live with the fire forever.

Time and again in 13 places Scripture records Jesus as saying there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

When I see the party goers on Fridays and Saturdays, yes, they have permission to go and enjoy – but, be warned, judgment will be passed whether it was good or bad.

And this day is described in

I cannot read this without being afraid for the people of this world.

For so broad is the way to destruction that almost all 7.5 billion are on their way to judgment day without Jesus being their Saviour.

There is no escape when we die.

Once they died in their sins, it was impossible for them to go to heaven and be with Jesus.

The solemn force of this verse comes out even more clearly if we contrast with it

Peter will go to Heaven – His enemies will not.

In the passage we read at the beginning about Lazarus and the rich man we gain many insights into what happens to the unbelievers.

The rich man found himself in Hades, which in Hebrew is Sheol – the holding place of the dead.

That can be found by comparing the New Testament quote of Old Testament in

translating

This holding place of the dead has two compartments; one for the wicked and one for the righteous.

Scripture plainly declares that the only ones that are righteous are the ones who have been justified by faith (Rom 5.1).

Between them there is no going from one compartment to the other.

The rich man is being tormented in a flame.

As confirmation of this:

There they remain until the judgment, when they shall be resurrected will be brought before the Great White Throne to receive their final sentence that we have also already read in Revelation 20 where if their name is not written in the book of life the lake of fire is the last destination, forever, in a conscious torment, remembering as did the Rich Man in our original passage the life he led and regretting it and even desiring that others are saved from it.

For believers who have died and for those who will let us be clear:

We were those who at one time had no hope too:

Now we,

There are many, many other Scriptures I can mention in relation to this subject but even though this is not an exhaustive study I still think that the point has been made.

1) The first response to all this is surely to make sure that we are Christians.

2) Second we have to be eternally grateful that Jesus has made a way of escape because He paid the price for our sins on the cross through His body and blood and now we are a people of hope.

3) Third, we have to use all our means, all our prayers, all our efforts to make known the Good News that there is a great Salvation to be had.

We need to be aware of the plight of the 7.5 billion souls on this planet.

A day should not go by that when we look upon our friends, our family, our neighbours, the people whom we meet, our colleagues, those we see on TV, our politicians and so on we will remember that one day before God they will stand.

Prayer

Lord, wake us up to the plight of the billions on this planet – and just the few who live in Manselton – and make every effort to bring them into your Kingdom.

Move us with the same compassion that you had for you came to seek and save the lost.

Fill us with you Holy Spirit and empower us.

Send workers into your harvest field, Lord, and bring in the sheaves to honour and glorify you.

Thank you that the invitation is still open.

Thank you for your patience.

Have patience with us too as we seek to do your will and disciple the nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Communion

We heard in the message the hopeless of the nations but it does not have to be this way for a way of escape has been made.

It is by repenting and trusting in Jesus that we are saved.

Today we are remembering all that He has done to make this happen.

It cost Jesus everything

Benediction

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