A Peek Into Hell

A PEEK INTO HELL

Luke 16: 19 – 24

Intro:A. Let me begin this morning by saying unequivocally that there is a literal place called hell with literal

fire & torment for those who go there

1. If you believe the Bible is the inspired word of God then you must believe in hell

B. Hell is a real place just as Hawaii, Japan, & China are real places

1. It isn’t a mindset or a spiritual metaphor --- It is real

2. We aren’t living in hell now --- It is a place where people who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their

personal Savior will go to when they die

C. Hell is a place where many thousands of people have gone & many thousands of people will be going

but it will never be full

Pro 27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

D. Hell is described in many places in the Bible

1. It is a place of torment & suffering and a place with a literal burning fire

2. It is a place that should be avoided at all cost

Mar 9:43 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:

E. This morning I want to open a window to hell and look at some people that we can assume are there &

examine the reasons that these people went there.

I. First --- We See The Young Rich Ruler

A. As far as we are told in the bible he went away never to accept Christ as Savior

1. We are told in the story that this man was a good moral man

(a) Hell is full of good moral people who never give their all to Christ

(1) We sometimes get the impression that good people go to heaven & bad people go to hell

(b) You can never be good enough to get to heaven

Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

B. Jesus told this man that he lacked ONE THING

1. This one thing was that the things of the world were more important to him than eternal life

2. Many people are in hell & many more will go there because worldly goods are more important to them

than eternal life in heaven

Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

II. Next --- We See The Thief On The Cross

A. Here we see the opposite of what we said about the young rich ruler

1. This was a man who was guilty of crimes that he had been sentenced to death

2. Yet his crimes were not the cause of his going to hell

(a) The other thief was also guilty of crimes worthy of the death penalty but he went to heaven

3. The thing that sent this man to hell was his concern for the physical life rather that the spiritual and his

lack of faith in Jesus Christ

(a) His request to Jesus was to save Himself and us but the request was saving of the physical life

(b) And his statement was IF THOU BE CHRIST

B. Many people are in hell & many more will go there because they can only believe what they can see

1. They can’t rationalize Christianity so they don’t accept it

2. They can see & experience the physical but can’t or won’t accept by faith what they can’t see

C. Accepting Christ doesn’t take a blind faith

1. There is plenty of evidence & proof for those who choose to believe

(a) But there will never be enough proof to convince those who do not want to believe

III. Next --- We See Pilate

A. Again – as far as we are told in the bible Pilate refuse Christ and never came to know Him as Savior

B. Pilate had 2 failings that condemned him to eternal hell

1. First --- He allowed the world to sway him in his decision

(a) Although he could find no fault in Jesus he went along with the crowd and had Him crucified

2. Second --- He washed his hands of the matter

C. Many people are in hell today & many more will go there because the allow the world to sway them

1. If you choose the popular way --- The way of the world you will end up in hell