SERMONS

What in hell do you want?

It seems that the ministry has shied away from sermons on hell today. But hell is a reality. It is just as real as heaven itself. As you cannot have daylight without the night or sorrow without joy, there is no heaven without hell. Hell is the opposite of heaven as Satan is the opposite of God. Two eternal destinations and two opposite forces vying for our soul.

It is hard to imagine that a God of such love, mercy, and grace would have such a harsh penalty for not serving Him. But, nonetheless, His word warns us that eternity in Hell is His punishment pronounced upon those who do not serve Him in this life. God created the soul, and it belongs to Him, so in fairness when the soul returns to Him; He can do with it as He pleases. We focus so much on the loving, caring, and gentle nature of God, we tend to forget He is also a God capable of terrible wrath. The evoking of His wrath results when one rejects, refuses, and abuses His love, mercy and grace. It is easier to accept that we can live any way we want to in this life with no consequences in the end. However we would only be fooling ourselves. The law of physics dictates that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. The reaction to sinful actions is hell. The reaction for actions of righteousness and holiness is Heaven. It is more wise to live as there is a Heaven to gain and a hell to shun and be found wrong than to live as there is none and find there is.

In Luke 16, Jesus relates to us a event He witnessed concerning a certain rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. Jesus' opening statement in verse 19 of this story has profound implications. “There was” implies that Jesus had first hand knowledge of this event, meaning Jesus was a eye witness. At this point if one was to continue to say there is no hell, they would be calling Jesus a liar, because He said there was a certain rich man who died and went to hell (v. 22, 23). But notice here Jesus saw the lives of both men on earth and in death their eternal reward. Jesus saw this event prior to His coming to earth by the way of the immaculate conception of Mary. Jesus is giving us a glimpse into eternity. Where He was He could view earth, Heaven, and hell. Nothing escapes His sight. He knew that while the rich man was on earth that he wore the expensive clothing of purple and fine linen. He knew how he lived lavishly. And how Lazarus laid at the rich man's door being vexed with sores which the dogs would lick. He saw within the home where Lazarus would beg for the few crumbs that fell from the table. In life the rich man seemingly at it all, while Lazarus had nothing. But there was something Lazarus had that the rich man did not and could not purchase: a faith that would lead to eternity in heaven.

While Jesus does not name the location where Lazarus went to after death, He leaves enough information that we are able to determine where Lazarus ended up. The righteous angels carried Lazarus into the waiting arms of Abraham. Abraham is considered the father of the faith, as such Lazarus must have been a devout Jew having the faith needed to inherit a eternity free of pain and sorrow (metaphorically “Abraham's bosom”) in which we know as Heaven. It should be noted that the rich man was not in hell because of his riches, but because of his obvious love for them. “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Tim. 6:10) The rich man could see that Lazarus was hurting. Could see he was begging. Could see that he was hungry, but instead of helping Lazarus, he shut up his bowels of compassion toward him. This according to 1 John 3:17, “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” means he had not the love of God in him. We through the rightly divided word of truth are able to see the rich man's offense. He coveted (a transgression of the 10^th commandment, thou shalt not covet... covetousness is sin, see Rom. 7:7) after his riches causing him to err from the faith, and lacked the love of God within his heart, is what caused him to be eternally pierced through with many sorrows: “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Luke 16:23

How he was able to recognize Abraham is unclear. We can only speculate, but we do know he knew Lazarus and was able to recognize him. This means even after death we retain certain faculties that are more than human. To be able to look and see a person whom you viewed as nothing in life become everything in death while you become nothing is awful enough. But the torment of his mind was nothing compared to the suffering of his spiritual body being “tormented in this flame.” (Luke 16:24) He cried unto “Father Abraham” (implying he too was a Jew) to have mercy on him. But even though he was suffering a horrible fate for the wrongs he did, he was not at all remorseful. He thought he still had the authority to demand service. He wanted Lazarus to fetch some water to cool his tongue. The rich man was in no position to ask Lazarus or Abraham anything. He had become the beggar begging for a few crumbs of mercy only to find none.

It can be clearly seen that our humanity and spirituality are not that much different. The rich man was experiencing things we try to limit to our humanity. Such as pain, thirst, memory, thought, reasoning, and emotion. We also can see the soul retains human characteristics such as speech, hands (Lazarus's finger), arms, and tongue. This means that the soul appears human without natural substance. This is beyond scientific explanation, and becomes a matter of faith. We are most human in two moments of time: birth and death. The transcendence of those things associated with our humanity over in the spiritual should cause an overwhelming sense of fear. Our temporal physicality is changed into eternal spirituality with true humanity intact. Death does not do away with the human form or the feelings and emotions of being human but are rather heightened eternally. Only the flesh and blood (mortality) is done away with in physical death. The soul retains a human form, memories, emotions, feeling, and cogitation.

Verses 25 and 26 of Luke 16 takes us to a depth of horror that surpasses the very flames of hell. Remember....in thy lifetime. To be engulfed in a unquenchable flame while wrestling with the memories of a past life that can never be made right is why hell is hell. Hell is more than just a punishment upon an unclean soul; it is punishment of the mind that overruled the heart. The heart of man yearns for God as much as the soul, but the carnal mind is able to reason the yearning away till it becomes doubt and unbelief. This is why few men of science ever become men of faith.

Imagine being tormented in a eternal flame with an unceasing mind that brings to your remembrance of what you once were and now are. A remembrance of failed opportunities to change your eternal destination. A remembrance of loved ones you left behind that may meet the same fate. Imagine the guilt and shame. Hell is more than pain caused from the fires, but the anguish of a restless, guilty, and riddled mind. Now imagine being able to see the joys of heaven but never able to apprehend them. Forever out of your reach. A great gulf fixed that you can never cross, nor can those on the other side come to you. Eternally separated from loved ones who made it. Eternally separated from what could have been yours if only you would have lived a life that pleased God instead of self. Eternally separated from the God that created you, and His Son that died for you so you would not have to be there in that awful place. The sounds of the singing, praises, and merriment of those on the other side of the gulf. While on your side there is crying, begging, and screams of pain and horror. Imagine the sights, sounds, and even the smells of that place called hell. Imagine the anger for the foolish mistakes made in your past life. Imagine the frustration of never being able to escape. Just imagine.

Verse 27 and 28 of Luke 16, we see the rich man's plea. Though he made it for his own family, his plea needs to be extended to all: Tell them of this awful place lest they also come into this place of torment. The rich man's plea needs to be heard. All the inhabitants of hell would plead with us today not to go there if only their voices could be heard. One has been heard and relayed to us by Jesus Christ Himself. The rich man's plea is sounding out to the world having been delivered by Jesus Christ to us today through His word. As there is a great gulf fixed between heaven and hell, there too is a gulf between us and them. But one day we will cross that gulf from mortal to immortal and where shall we be then? Will we find the waiting arms of loved ones and our Savior? Or we be met with the fires of hell? That choice is ours to make, and ours alone. Which will you choose? Heaven or hell?

Luke 29-31 tells us that sadly most will not hear and will not believe. Most refuses to hear because it is unpleasant to think about, but we all will one day have to face eternity. This life is about making preparations for eternity. Though we would live a thousand years in this life, it isn't even a drop in a bucket compared to eternity. We have the Divinely inspired books wrote by the prophets and apostles. We have the testimony of the One who was raised from the dead, but yet few are persuaded to believe. We have the plea from hell, but few will believe. Will you heed the warning? Will you be a resident of hell or heaven when this life ends?

So, what in hell do you want? Do you want the eternal suffering? Do you want the fires? Do you want the anguish? What is in hell worth going there for? The rich man and all those there with him would plead to us today not to go to that place. It is too late for them, but not for us. Why settle for hell when there is a Heaven? Dear ones, it is not too late for us. Christ provided the way to escape that place. Will you accept His gift of salvation? Being “saved” is more than just being saved from sin; it is being saved from it's consequences.

...if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation...For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Rom. 10:9, 10, 13

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6:23

Please confess and forsake all sin before it's too late. Jesus is waiting on you. It is not a matter of what you lose, it is a matter of what you gain. Give him your sin and He'll give you His salvation. Give Him your doubts and fears and He'll give you joy and peace. Trade your place in hell for the mansions of Heaven. Friend, now is the day of salvation. Hell is full of those who put of making their peace with God too long. Don't let one more moment pass you by without making things right with God. For in the next blink of an eye you may too lift up your eyes being in torment. Eternity is just one breath away.

Amen.