An Interview In Hell

AN INTERVIEW IN HELL Luke 16:19-31

Intro: The mention of the place called hell brings different responces.

Some people are concerned and are moved to share Jesus with the lost.

Others react with fear and come to Jesus for salvation.

Still others react with hatred and revolt and say it is not a proper topic.

Some would even seek to deny the existence of hell.

Yet God declares hell to be a very real place.

Out of 162 references to hell in just the New Testament, 70 of them come from Jesus Himself.

Many today preach that hell is a myth, but let God be true and every man a liar.

If the teachings of hell in the Bible were a myth, we wouldn’t need a Church, a Bible, or a Savior.

The rich man spoken of in this passage is still in hell and untold millions more have joined him there.

If it were possible for him to stand here today what kind of man would he be?

There are several traits that distinguish the rich man and these traits will help us to understand what hell is really like.

I. HE IS A CONSCIOUS MAN

A. conscious in SEEING v.23

B. conscious in HEARING v.27

C. conscious in FEELING

D. conscious in MEMORY v. 25

E. conscious in TASTE v. 24

II. HE IS A CONCERNED MAN

A. Concerned about Life After Death

B. Concerned about Repentance v.24

C. Concerned that Others Don’t Come v.27-28

III. HE IS A CONVINCED MAN

A. Hell is not a Parable

B. Hell is not the Grave v.22-23

C. Hell is not Annihilation v.24

D. Hell is not Purgatory v. 26-28

E. A loving God will allow men to go to Hell v.24

IV. HE IS A CONDEMNED MAN

A. Condemned without a chance of RELIEF

B. Condemned without a chance of RELEASE

C. Condemned without a chance of REBUTTAL

D. Condemned without a chance of RANSOM

Dr. Maurice Rawlings, is a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Chattanooga, and his colleagues are constantly treating emergency patients, many of whom have had near-death experiences. A study of these cases by Dr. Rawlings was reported in Omni magazine. It is no longer unusual to hear about people who have almost died who speak of seeing a bright light, lush green meadows, rows of smiling relatives and experiencing a deep sense of peace. However, Dr. Rawlings gives additional information from his patients by interviewing them immediately following resuscitation while they are very much in touch with their experience. Dr. Rawlings says that nearly fifty percent of the 300 people that he has interviewed have reported lakes of fire, devil-like figures and other sights reflecting the darkness of hell. Rawlings says that these people later change their story because they don’t want to admit where they’ve been, not even to their families. "Just listening to these patients has changed my whole life," claims Dr. Rawlings. "There is a life after death, and if I don’t know where I’m going, it’s not safe to die." Dr. Rawlings, a devout atheist, "considered all religion "hocus-pocus" and death nothing more than a painless extinction". But something happened in 1977 that brought a dramatic change in the life of Dr. Rawlings! He was resuscitating a man, terrified and screaming. "Each time he regained heartbeat and respiration, the patient screamed, "I am in hell!" He was terrified and pleaded with me to help him. I was scared to death. . . Then I noticed a genuinely alarmed look on his face. He had a terrified look worse than the expression seen in death! This patient had a grotesque grimace expressing sheer horror! His pupils were dilated, and he was perspiring and trembling — he looked as if his hair was "on end." Then still another strange thing happened. He said, "Don’t you understand? I am in hell. . . Don’t let me go back to hell!" . . .the man was serious, and it finally occurred to me that he was indeed in trouble. He was in a panic like I had never seen before." Dr. Rawlings said, no one, who could have heard his screams and saw the look of terror on his face could doubt for a single minute that he was actually in a place called hell!

Closing: What would the rich man tell us today ?

1. Hell is continual torment by fire. v.24

2. Comfort in life is no guarantee against eternal torment. v. 25

3. There is no escape or appeal from hell. v. 26

4. Hell’s horrors he wishes on no one. v. 27-28

5. God has given all a chance to choose. v. 29-31

What would Jesus tell us today ?

“for god so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son…” (Jn. 3:16