Familiar Faces In The Flame

LUKE 16:19-31 "FAMILIAR FACES IN THE FLAME"

* If I understand what my responsibility is, is to first to do what God wants me to do!

* I also have a responsibility of doing the work of an evangelist!

A) I hope that I can say something that will change your life & make our church become more

equipped for God! * Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost ......."

* God didn’t give the Holy Spirit just to make you shout and feel good! * These are by products!

B) God is saying, "I’ve given you the Holy Ghost so that you can get people saved & keep them

out of hell!" * Then & only then do we have the right to hoop & holler & shout & feel good!

* If you are not fulfilling the great commission, then you are not doing what the Holy Ghost was

given to you to start with, that is to witness for Jesus and win souls!

C) What you do with this message today determines what kind of Christian you will be!

* If you get this message, it will change your life and it will change our church!

D) Until we get a glimpse of familiar faces, until we see them in the flames of hell, we’re gonna sit

here having our little hoot-n-nannies & shout & cry while our moms & dads, brothers & sisters,

* kids & grand-kids, people we work with, neighbors & friends are getting closer to hell.

* And one day when you go by their casket, you’re gonna remember this sermon!

E) There’s familiar faces in the flame! * It’s the guy who cuts your hair, bags your groceries,

* It’s the guy down at the gas station, it’s people that are dear to you, familiar faces in the flame!

* Until we get this as individuals & church as a whole, we’ll never be what we should be for God!

F) Our text says, "There was a certain rich man." (parable?) * Notice that he doesn’t have a name!

* Just a certain guy who lived & died! * No, a certain rich man who lived & died & went to hell!

G) Most of the people in hell are just nameless people, aren’t they?

* Have you ever noticed at funerals that no one’s going to hell anymore?

* But I want to submit to you that there are going to be some familiar faces in the flame!

(1) BURN PICTURE! * This rich man had a mom, dad, he was a mother’s son,

* He was somebody’s uncle, he had children, brothers, he lived on this earth, somebody knew him!

* Tell of someone personal I know who went to hell (Ernest Belue).

* Looking up from hell, cursing saying, "Why didn’t you make me mad, why didn’t you pester me,

* Why didn’t you take the cursings, why didn’t you come back & talk to me? I’m in hell!"

A) People near you are going to hell because you are not trying to stop them!

* God’s already put someone on your heart, I know how God works!

B) Remember, the Holy Ghost was given to you, not just to make you feel good, but to get

people saved! * There’s familiar faces in the flame!

* I want you to think of somebody right now - how this story ends is up to you!

(2) LET’S LOOK AT THE DEATH OF THE UNSAVED AND WHAT FOLLOWS!

* Heb.9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"

* 1 Pet.4:17-18 "For the time is come that judgment must ... and if it first begin at us, what shall

the end be ...? And if the righteous scarcely ... where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

* Mark 9:43-48 "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter ......."

A) Not just an unnamed person! * Our problem is, we’re not putting names on them!

* I’m talking about our kids, neighbors, husband, wife, friend, the guy you work with,

* I’m talking familiar faces in the flame! * Today, somebody’s gonna die!

B) When you read the obituary ... "John Smith died ..." * No, John Smith died & went to heaven

or hell! * When Jesus went away, He said to, "Go get people saved!"

* My question is, "Are we doing all we can?" * What are you doing to keep souls out of hell?

* You already have them on your heart! * "Preacher, it’s not my fault he went to hell!"

* Is it? * Are you getting this? * We have forgotten what the church is all about!