If People in Hell Could Be Heard!

As an old farmer was driving down the freeway, his cell phone rang. Answering, he heard his wife’s voice urgently warning him,” Bill, I just heard on the news that there’s a car going the wrong way on Highway 59. Please be careful!” “Darling” Bill replied, “It’s not just one car. It’s hundreds of them!”

Warnings…we receive them from time to time…but do we heed them? Unfortunately, most of us don’t! In Luke 16:19-31 we find a great warning passage in God’s Word…read…

Luke 16:19–31 NASB95

“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ “And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

If people in hell could be heard…there are 3 things you’d hear for sure and this passage shouts them out! The 1st thing you’d hear…

1. HELL IS A PLACE OF TORMENT! (agony)

- We learn in this passage the story of 2 very different men: 1) A rich man who had it all – lived a life of splendor and plenty but evidently had no heart 2) A very poor man named Lazarus who had nothing and who laid at the gate of this very wealthy man in clear poverty but apparently didn’t receive any help from the wealthy man.

- Clearly the rich man was lost (a non-Christian) and Lazarus was a Christian – because we learn here that both men eventually died (experienced this thing called death) and the rich man found himself in hell (the meaning of the Greek word Hades used here) and Lazarus found himself in Heaven.

- Very quickly we are told that “And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.”

- Is hell a real place? Is hell a place of agony and torment?

- This passage sure makes it clear! It is a real place! And it’s a place of physical torment (wanted water) and emotional torment (could see Lazarus being taken care of on the otherside!)

- And it’s a place of continual existence = not totally annihilated – an existence in a place of agony and torment.

- Understand today that hell is no FUN place…contrary to some popular songs over the past few years that have tried to make it into a great party place!

- If you could hear the people in hell right now…they’d be screaming, “This is a place of torment!”

TS – The 2nd thing you’d hear…

2. HELL IS A PLACE YOU DON’T WANT TO BE!

- The rich man had it all in life…but he didn’t take seriously the thoughts and preparation for his eternity = as to where he would spend it!

- He’s like the man Jesus spoke of in Matthew 16:26 : "For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

- This man found himself in an eternal prison and there was no way out!

- Notice what Father Abraham said to him…”And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that one may cross over from there to us!”

- It’s very clear that if you could hear people in hell right now…you’d here them screaming “This is a place you don’t want to be! There’s no escape; no way out!”

TS – And finally a 3rd thing you’d hear them say…

3. HELL IS A PLACE YOU WANT YOUR LOVED ONES TO MISS!

- Here we learn that the rich man begged Father Abraham to send Lazarus to his relatives (his 5 brothers) to WARN THEM so they could do what was necessary to miss hell and make Heaven!

- Amazing…he wanted Lazarus to be able to go back from the dead and warn his relatives!

- That would get there attention…right?

- Notice: Father Abraham pointed out = they have Moses and the Prophets = God’s Word – let them hear them – let them hear God’s Word!

- Interestingly: the rich man insisted that God’s Word wasn’t enough = someone rising from the dead…that would get there attention! They would repent then!

- Father Abraham then noted: If they won’t listen to God’s Word…then someone rising from the dead wouldn’t persuade them!

- Jesus rose from the dead now didn’t He…and yet there are still millions who don’t believe!

Conclusion

Well if people in hell could be heard today…they would deliver a very sobering message…an urgent message…a message that needs to be heeded…and acted upon!

Hell is real!

You don’t want to go there!

You don’t want your family or friends to go there!

What needs to be heeded?If you haven’t already done what you need to do to make sure you miss hell and make Heaven…you’d better do it right now!

1) Open your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ

2) Ask Jesus to forgive you for your sins and to come into your heart and life.

3) Place your faith and trust in Him.

4) Start living for Him!

And do everything you can to help your family and friends miss hell and make Heaven!