Hallelujah Or Hell-A-Lujah?

Is someone else more sinful than you? Yes, maybe. But you are still sinful … condemned. As Pastor Joe said last week, “Some may be thirstier than others but we are all dying of thirst.”

God’s flesh says, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment."

Do you remember Jesus’ sermon on “The Prodigal son”? It was not only the prodigal who needed grace. THE OLDER BROTHER NEEDED GRACE TOO.

May I suggest to you that Rev. 21 is a warning for the “older brother?” Listen closely to verses 6 – 8.

To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

The “vice list” of hell’s residents that makes its way into this description about heaven is VERY interesting. You can draw a straight line from almost all (maybe all) of those vices and the warnings that John gives the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3.

John is not talking to the unrepentant and the rebellious. John is not talking to thoe who openly align themselves with the beast – he is talking to those who claim to follow the lamb. He is talking to Christ’s church. This is a warning to us!

Another writer, a contemporary of John, wrote to another church in Rome (that was about to see persecution break loose against it too) and in that letter he says, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.” (Hebrews 3:12, ESV) and “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” (Hebrews 4:1, ESV).

Question #1: Do you think God is happy when the damned go to hell?

Question #2: Is Jesus’ tone regarding hell your tone?

Question #3: Does Jesus’ eagerness to help “whosoever will” escape damnation reflect your eagerness?

WRAP-UP

A few years back there was a very well known Bible college that had a tee-shirt in their bookstore that showed humans on a BBQ grill and God with a skewer giving them what they deserved. I assure you God is not pleased with such glib vile rejoicing over even one sinner who receives judgment. God is doing everything in His divine power to spare man from wrath!

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HELL WE THINK ABOUT RETRIBUTION; WHEN GOD THINKS ABOUT HELL GOD THINKS ABOUT REDEMPTION.

God has no joy in judgment. There are no “HELL-a-lujahs” in heaven; only hallelujahs that His reign has come and He now dwells among men (see Rev. 21:3-4).

At the risk of being too controversial (that’s not my objective this morning) let me just say: