Hell Is A Real Place

HELL IS A REAL PLACE

Luke 16:19-31 2-23-08

Today I’m going to talk for a little while about “hell”, its not a subject we hear a lot about these days but never the less its as real a place as heaven. Today the word “hell” is used loosely by some people, today its one of the most used words in a lot of peoples vocabulary, you’d think that a sentence could not be made if the very first word that comes from some peoples mouth is not “hell”, have you ever noticed it?

I read that in a national poll conducted several years ago by “USA Today“ that 67% of American adults said they believe in a hell. But less than 25% believed that they would go there, while 25% believe that their friends will be there.

And then another poll was conducted by “US News and World Report” (2000) and it revealed that more Americans at that time believed in Hell than they did in the 1950’s or even a few years ago.

A great number of these people that were polled thought of “hell” as “a troubled state of existence” rather than a real place. But I can assure you that the Devil believes in a real Hell.

There may be some that are listening that are not sure whether they believe there’s a ‘HELL” OR NOT, there may be some listening that may think that it is just a state of mind, but as the old timey preacher said to the skeptic, “Your not believing in Hell don’t lower the temperature there one degree.”

So there are many people that don’t like to think about the reality of Hell and we hear remarks like, “I don’t believe that a good god will send anyone to Hell.” But yet these same people don’t ever say, “ How could a good judge sentence a mass murderer to death for his crimes?” people don’t say that because they realize that the judge is not responsible for the man being sentenced to death, his actions are.

Let me say that what we’re about to read here in our text in LK. 16: is not a parable, a parable don’t have proper names in it, but here we’re told about “a certain rich man, and a man named” Lazarus”. Also we read about “Abraham and Moses, we’re also told of 5 brethren.

As we read I want us to noticed that there are three divisions that we have here in our text verses, which are,

Ø The comparison before death (vv. 19-21), The comparison after death (vv. 22-23), and a Correction of Misconceptions About Hell (vv. 24-31).

Listen as I read today’s text found in Luke 16:19-31.

1. The comparison before death 19-21 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

2. The comparison after death 22-23 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seethe Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

3. Correction of Misconceptions About Hell 24-31 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receive thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead

I. THE COMPARISON OF THESE TWO MEN BEFORE DEATH (vv.19-)

Notice the Contrast between these two men in this account, 19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day :