The Reality of Two Destinations

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Hebrews 9:27 ESV

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Revelation 20:11–21:5 NKJV

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

When we get ready for preaching in a church setting, we pray and ask God to give us something that is from Him and for His Church.

Sometimes, it ends up being something that is very enjoyable to preach. But that doesn’t always happen. However, if it’s from God, and for us, then His Church will be blessed!

I’m going to preach from a subject that I have only preached on one other time. I’m not fond of preaching on it, because it’s negative. And I believe that the positive, spirit-filled delivering of the Gospel works. And people respond less to negativity today than ever before. But the fact is, there are some truths from the Word of God that are not positive. I’m talking about Hell today. And that is, admittedly, a negative topic. But I believe that the Lord is still yet going to perform a positive, uplifting work in us over the next few minutes.

Our title this morning is The Reality of Two Destinations.

Fantasyland vs. Reality

Heritage

There are not words that I could use today and say that could express how thankful I am for my heritage...

God has blessed me so very abundantly to be a fourth generation Apostolic Pentecostal, Jesus-name-baptized, Spirit-filled child of God. And a fourth generation Apostolic preacher, at that!

You may not have that exact same story, and that’s completely okay. But you still have a heritage. Family, or not.

There are those who have placed into your hands what it is you hold today. They did not do it lightly. They knew what they had. They knew its value. And then they handed it to you. And when they did, they knew what value there was to what they were passing on!

Is there anybody out there that is thankful for Apostolic heritage?!

But I can tell you something else...

Those who handed this over to us and went on to their reward, part of the reason that they are receiving that reward, part of the reason that they lived out truth to their dying day, is because they had an understanding of what was going to take place once they let up their last breath.

The fact is, they heard preaching about Judgment Day. They heard preaching about Hell. They heard preaching about Heaven. And there was a man of God who made it clear and known - didn’t hold it back from them - that the fate of their souls rested upon the decisions made here on earth.

What I’m preaching to you is not something that is scare tactics or fear-mongering. It’s not me getting a kick out of throwing the more graphic scriptures of the Bible at you.

But what I am preaching to you is APOSTOLIC HERITAGE. And it is BIBLICAL TRUTH.

Erasing Hell

There is a great part of our world today, even in Christianity, that would like to sort of erase this idea of Judgment Day, erase the idea of Hell, and just leave Heaven for our knowledge of the endtimes. It’s almost a Fantasyland sort of belief.

We have this new movement in the world that, if it is offensive or triggering to anyone, then don’t say it! If is makes anyone uncomfortable, then don’t speak it!

And so, you know, if it’s in the word of God, and it offends you, just get the trusty eraser out and remove it from troubling you. Just erase it!

But no one will be able to erase the judgment of God.

And by the way, I thank God that the Gospel made me uncomfortable! If the Bible hadn’t made me uncomfortable, I never would have changed! And there are sometimes when preaching from the word of God will make us uncomfortable! Hopefully, sometimes it does!

And we have to remove this “offended” spirit out of our lives. Our response to preaching that speaks toward our own personal issues will either become us being offended or us being convicted. But if the preaching or teaching is based in the word of God, and it confirms what is in the word of God, and I feel the prick in my heart because of what I am hearing, let me respond with repentance that comes from conviction!

Give Me Truth!

I’ve come today to combat with the word of God that Fantasyland belief that seems to be spreading in our world, and hopefully keep somebody from some flames at the same time.

If you were to take a whole bunch of money today and were to go to an investor to try and advance your life savings into something more… you would want that investor to be honest with you. You would want him to tell you the facts of this particular stock, or what could happen if you aren’t careful.

If you were to go and buy a house, you might hire an inspector to check things out and not sugar-coat everything and make it sound super-good, but tell you the honest truth about what you are walking into.

And MY GOD, if we are going to take these physical things that are going to pass away SO SERIOUSLY, then I say, “Bless God, when it comes to eternal things, GIVE ME PREACHING THAT IS NOT GOING TO HOLD BACK THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS IN THE WORD OF GOD!”

Don’t just only talk to me about the grace and mercy of God - but, if it’s TRUTH - tell me about the judgment and the wrath of God!

Revelation 22:18–19 NKJV

18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Most often, when we read this scripture, we begin to think of people who create their own version of the Bible. We think of Thomas Jefferson, who took a pair of scissors to the Bible and only left the parts that he thought were good or most important.

What I am telling you today is, if I (or anyone else) knowingly refuse to preach the truths that are in this book to you… If I misrepresent what this book says to you… I am just as guilty.

And one of those truths I can’t leave behind is judgment day...

Judgment Day

A Fork in the Road

I believe that pretty well everyone here is familiar with the fork in the road known as the “Corning Y”. If you are driving from here toward Corning, eventually you’re going to come to this spot in the road. And if you take the left part of the fork, you’ll end up in Corning. If you take the right, you’ll end up in McDougal. That “Y” is also known for having had many wrecks made right there.

There’s another “fork in the road” where many wrecks have also taken place. And the two destinations are not Corning and McDougal, but they are just as real.

Hebrews 9:27 ESV

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

This decisive fork in the road is in scripture called The Great White Throne Judgment, known to many as “Judgment Day”.

Revelation 20:12 NKJV

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

It’s a moment in which that one saying from scripture, “You reap what you sow,” will be fully realized for everyone. The Righteous Judge will judge righteously. And humanity, one by one, will be guided to their destination. Really, the choice in this fork in the road was made before that moment. Because that scripture says that “the dead were judged according to their works.”

Truthfully, we are currently, right now, at this moment, driving down that fork. We are heading in the direction that will determine what the verdict is that day. Verdicts are carried out based on evidence. And in this case, the verdict will be according to the evidence found in the life that we lived.

Hell

Jesus Taught on Hell

Jesus, himself, preached and taught on the place called Hell. He made sure that people knew that it was a real place we should be aware of.

Matthew 10:28 NKJV

28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

He spoke of some, who thought they had been living a fairly right life, but there was no real relationship with Him, and what the result would be...

Luke 13:24–28 NKJV

24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ 28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.

Oh, my! How horrible that would be!

Can I tell you today that it is not enough to appear right to everyone else in how you are living! It’s not enough to be following the Ten Commandments! It’s not enough to be faithful to the Church and give in the offering! But somewhere in the middle of all of that - we had better KNOW HIM! We had better have a RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!

“According to biblical teaching, hell is the state where those who do not have faith in Christ are consigned to suffer eternally.”

Lexham Survey of Theology

And this place was never designed for humanity. God had one in mind...

Revelation 20:1–2 NKJV

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;

Revelation 20:10 NKJV

10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

But that same serpent of old wishes to drag humanity down with him, in service to him instead of God.

Revelation 20:15 NKJV

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Physical Torment

The Bible makes it clear that this will be a place of physical torment, unmatched.

We just read Jesus speak of “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Revelation 14:11 NKJV

11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

While this scripture is directed at the people who take on the mark of the beast, it is speaking of their fate, which will be the fate of any person who is not a faithful child of God.

It’s a smoke that ascends. And there is no rest there - EVER. Perhaps you have had a week in which it seems every night you have not rested. It’s miserable. It’s aggravating. But if you could imagine being in torment without rest… that’s something far worse!

Jesus spoke of a fire that is unlike any other there:

Mark 9:43–48 NKJV

43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—44 where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’ 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—46 where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’ 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—48 where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’

Three times Jesus informs us that the fire won’t be quenched or put out. And three times He also tells us that whatever struggle in sin that we may be experiencing on earth is not worth keeping - we need to do whatever is necessary to move away from sin, because the results of it are not experienced to a later date… and that date may not be as late as we think!

And the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is also very compelling:

Luke 16:19–29 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.’

Imagine the heat that would cause for someone to wish that another person would dip their finger in water and cool their tongue!

Spiritual Torment

But here’s the thing about it: it’s not only a place of physical torment. It’s a place of spiritual torment. Whatever physical pain is felt here on earth can measure up to it… this is physical and spiritual.

What we just read of the Rich Man in hell shows that there will be a great despair upon those who are there. And a realization of how great an error they have made. And how they wish they could be able to go and inform the living.

Revelation 6:15–17 NKJV

15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

I would ask you today: How bad of spiritual pain would someone have to be going through in order to prefer the physical pain of mountains and rocks falling down on them?

A Dream

There was a point in my life in which I was running from the call that the Lord had given me. I was trying to escape it. And God allowed me to run for awhile. And then, one night, I awoke from sleep with severe chills and sweating. God had given me a life-shaking dream of Hell that allowed me to turn my life toward Him.

You Cannot Escape God

I read a story once of a man who was on the verge of death, many years ago. And he got ahold of a funeral home and gravestone maker. He had the gravestone make come to see him. He told the man he wanted to be buried as close to the walkway in the cemetery as he could possibly get. He wanted people to see what was written on that gravestone. He told the man the letters that he wanted on the gravestone, and the craftsman was puzzled by it.

You see, years ago, he began feeling God working on his heart. His family was trying to push him toward living for God. And something happened, something took place that caused him to have bitterness and anger toward God. And right then and there he made the decision that he was going to dedicate his life to not answering God’s call and moving away from anything to do with God at all. It was a commitment he was making in himself. And he told his family too, unashamed.

But as the years went by, and he had come to this final point, he realized on his deathbed now what had always been true, and it was carved on his gravestone for all to see: “YOU CANNOT ESCAPE GOD.”

And please hear this preacher when I say this to you today: Because you cannot escape God - no one can - the best thing you could ever, ever do, is to EMBRACE God!!!

And He’s done too much for me - Jesus sacrificed so much - for me to let my portion of His grace to go to waste! I can’t go to Hell!

Let me plead with you today: You can’t go to Hell!

You need to make sure - for absolute certain, today - that this life you’re living is dependent on Jesus and filled with His Spirit!

A Way Out

Salvation

John 3:16 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Acts 2:37–42 NKJV

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Matthew 24:13 NKJV

But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

We’ve got to have the Spirit renewed in us often!

1 Corinthians 14:18 NKJV

I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;

That speaks of a refilling that Paul was making sure of in his life!

We don’t just need the filling of the Holy Ghost - we need the REfilling of the Holy Ghost!

Heaven

Another Place

But let’s not forget about that other part of the fork in the road.

1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

John 14:2 NKJV

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Hebrews 11:16 NKJV

But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

I’m thankful that God has prepared for us a BETTER PLACE!

Revelation 21:1–5 NKJV

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Revelation 21:21–25 NKJV

The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).

Revelation 22:1–5 NKJV

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

I’m talking about a place that is more beautiful than you could ever imagined.

God spent special time here on earth, creating beautiful things.

The Grand Canyon

The Rocky Mountains

Niagara Falls

Caves under the earth - even here in our state!

But whatever beauty and craftsmanship you see here cannot compare to what He is still preparing even now!

There will no longer be any:

Violence

Pain

Sickness

Bad attitudes

Evil

And if you could imagine that point in you life so far when you were most happy and most content… you’ll forget all about that time! Because the contentment and happiness in Heaven is far and above what we can comprehend right now! Because instead of speaking with Jesus at different times throughout out day here on earth, and instead of feeling and not seeing Him here, WE WILL SEE HIM! WE WILL BE PRESENT WITH HIM! WE WILL EAT WITH HIM! HE’LL REVEAL TO US MANY THINGS! WE’LL BE TOGETHER WITH THE ONE WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR US!

STAND

There is Coming a Day!

Perhaps one of the best ways I know how to describe what Heaven is going to be like is with the words from a song:

“There is coming a day, When no heart aches shall come, No more clouds in the sky, No more tears to dim the eye, All is peace forever more, On that happy golden shore, What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be, When my Jesus I shall see, And I look upon His face, The One who saved me by His grace; When He takes me by the hand, And leads me through the Promised Land, What a day, glorious day that will be.

There’ll be no sorrow there, No more burdens to bear, No more sickness, no pain, No more parting over there; And forever I will be, With the One who died for me, What a day, glorious day that will be.”

What A Day That Will Be

Conclusion

Decide on a Destination

I’ve done my best today to not just feed you what I believe about Heaven and Hell, but what the the Word says specifically about it.

It ought to motivate to things in us:

I don’t want to be lost.

I don’t want people to be lost.

We need to find a place to pray today.