Hell
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· 21 viewsOur world today runs counter of God's Word regarding both the nature and existence of Hell. This sermon addresses both of these issues.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Alright, Good Evening and Welcome back!
Tonight we are going to do things just a little different than what you are probably used to.
Our sermon tonight is going to be on the subject of Hell.
And I will warn you up front that there is a lot of Scripture we are going to be looking at and it will probably be more of a teaching lesson than a preaching message.
And I say probably because honestly, I never know what is really going to happen when I get up here until it actually happens.
But the overall feeling and tone I get from the type of message this is, God wants us to learn something.
And God wants us to take what we learn here tonight and share that with other people.
But, like I said we are going to be taking about Hell and the nature of Hell.
First we are going to be answering the question, “Is Hell real?”
Then we will look at who actually goes to Hell.
Then we will take a stab at what those in Hell will spend their eternity doing.
And it is all going to be against the backdrop of the words of Jesus found in Matthew 7:13-14.
In those two verses Jesus tells us . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Is Hell Real?
Is Hell Real?
Now, this is a very familiar passage of scripture and most often you will hear preachers focusing on keeping the straight and narrow and avoid talking about the path that is broad and wide, as much as we are to avoid going down this path.
However, today this is what I want to focus on that "wide gate" that's "way is broad" and "leads to destruction."
When you look at the word destruction, the original Greek work is "apoleia" (a-pole-ea) and means "damnation, destruction, to die, perdition, perish, and waste."
The New Living Translation of verse 13 says . . .
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.
It refers to the way to Hell as highway—I can imagine it as an 8 lane highway, with only a very small narrow one lane dirt road leading to heaven.
Now in this passage as a whole, Jesus is particularly addressing the false teachings of the Pharisee's and how they were teaching the people false doctrine and false ideas.
In His sermon, Jesus points out that the one true way to heaven is narrow and straight, but there are many paths and wide gates that lead to hell.
And even though Jesus is addressing the Jewish leaders here, the same is not only true for the Jews in Jesus' day but also for us today.
There are many religions and forms of religions that lead to hell but only one true way to heaven.
In fact, we know it well, Jesus tells us that:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The world however, doesn't see it this way and doesn't think along these lines.
The flesh, or the world if you prefer, would have you believe that there is no such thing as hell and that hell is not real.
And there are very specific ways in how the world has convinced people of this lie.
The world has done things like . . .
1. Hell is the most use curse word in the human language.
Why? Because the more you say it the less significance it really has.
It becomes part of everyday language and the fear of hell is lost.
2. It is glamorized by the world today.
We have movies like "Hell boy" where the storyline is a demon that becomes a superhero and goes around and is seen as the "good guy."
There’s another movie called "I hope they serve beer in hell," which according to the movie review is about, "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell–based on the shocking, ridiculous and hilarious real life adventures of Tucker Max–is the story of an impromptu bachelor party gone horribly awry thanks to and listen how they describe the people, a midget, a fat girl, a gaggle of strippers, an overly destructive public intoxication ordinance, and the consequence of Tucker’s unflinching narcissism."
And the list goes on and on and on.
Folks, the world wants to dilute, discount, and discredit the message about hell.
If the world can get you to dismiss hell, then the world can trap you, but Here's the truth about hell....
It is real—It is very real.
The wicked return to the grave, all the nations that forget God.
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But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
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So, why was this horrible place created?
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
It was never meant for humanity, but our soul like the soul of the angels, demons, Satan himself, never dies and cannot be destroyed.
So there has to be a place for them to spend all eternity.
And since no sin can be in the presence of God—no unclean flesh (it would be destroyed), a place where God has removed His presence had to be created for these souls to go.
Thus, we have hell.
And it is not a pleasant place.
Look at some of the descriptions in the Bible . . .
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Three times it mentions worms—or maggots—and a fire that cannot be quenched.
Also . . .
For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Weeping, gnashing of teeth, complete darkness.
They will be herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon; they will be shut up in prison and be punished after many days.
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Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.
A prison, a holding area for the wicked dead.
On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.
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When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.
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And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Again, a place of fire and brimstone, a place of enormous heat, smoke, and torment.
then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place in the land of the living.
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Though they dig down to the depths of the grave, from there my hand will take them. Though they climb up to the heavens, from there I will bring them down.
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For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
A desolate place in the “low parts of the earth” or the center of the earth, a “pit.”
Who is Going to Hell?
Who is Going to Hell?
Not a very nice place at all.
Not what the movies describes either.
I didn’t see anything about any parties in Hell did you all?
So, the next question is, who goes to Hell?
Who will be found there?
Well, that all depends on the Judgment.
Hebrews 9:27 tell us . . .
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
We will be judged according to whether we followed Jesus or not.
But the truth of the matter is, without Jesus we are all deserving of Hell because we have all sinned.
Our only saving grace is that of Jesus Christ because if we accept Him and follow Him, then we are promised Eternal Life.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
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For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
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“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
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And we don’t have to worry about Hell running out of room either . . .
Therefore the grave enlarges its appetite and opens its mouth without limit; into it will descend their nobles and masses with all their brawlers and revelers.
And I know some of you may have been looking for some specific descriptors or labels that you could apply to someone and say—they are going to Hell, but it doesn’t work that way.
Again—and you won’t hear this at many churches—if you do not repent of your sins, accept Jesus Christ, and follow Him, you will go to Hell.
No loopholes, no wiggle room.
You are either in or out.
With Jesus you make it in, without Jesus you are cast out.
Period, end of discussion.
What will those in Hell spend eternity doing?
What will those in Hell spend eternity doing?
So, since we have established who will be there, what will they being doing?
Playing music, drinking beer, and just having a good old time, right!
Nope.
A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.”
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But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;
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and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
Sound like a party to you?
In addition to this torment, punishment, everlasting destruction, Hell will be hopeless, a place of no peace, no rest.
For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness.
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But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
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Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
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So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
Altar/Challenge
Altar/Challenge
And speaking of Luke 16:24, what about the rich man and Lazarus.
Remember their story?
It was not just a parable or a make-believe story as the world would want you to believe.
It was the real deal.
Listen to it again . . .
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
Does this sound like someone who is having a good time to you?
Who do you know that is in hell today, praying that God send someone to warn you or one of your loved ones?
The rich man had the teachings of Moses and the prophets, so do we.
It is time to make a decision to speak up and speak out.
Do you want your loved ones to spend eternity in this place we've been talking about or in heaven with God?
Eternity is a long time.
Let’s pray . . .
