Hell

Hell

In one of the fastest growing churches in my area, I hear “Come to Jesus” preached. That pastor’s sermons always include Old Testament and New Testament scriptures, but the sermons ultimately ask, “Are you saved.” There is always an alter call with people publicly confessing. Further, this pastor not only preaches heaven; he preaches hell. A line from one his sermons, “At death, you slip like from a greasy river rock down, down into the flames of hell, but the fire does not consume you. The demons torture you day and night for there is no sleep, no rest. All hope is gone. You cannot escape it. It is eternal.” These words of this pastor’s sermon brought a number of people to the alter rail where they fell to their knees, weeped and prayed. Immediately, people from the congregation surrounded them and hugged them. Not all people ever get to realize the magnificence of such an event for only 62% of Americans believe in hell and 26% of Americans do not believe in heaven or hell.**

We all know that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Scriptures like Mark 6:4 and John 8:28 tell us that he was also a prophet. A prophet is the Father’s messenger, explainer and proclaimer of the will of God. Jesus did proclaim the Good News; He also told the Pharisees, Sadducees, Samaritans and Zealots of their wrong beliefs. Some of those wrong beliefs concerned heaven and hell. Today, I am going to talk about what Jesus said of hell, the wrong beliefs that some have about it.

Luke 16:19-31: “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house for I have five brothers, that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

First, I will go into some of the interesting details of this story.

1. The purple and fine linen this man wore indicate that he was unusually wealthy. The purple that the ancient used to dye their clothes with came from the little spot of purple you see in corner of some seashells. The fine linen undergarment he wore was the best one could have. Together, they stand for the ultimate in luxury, and the flaunting his wealth.

2. On the other hand, Lazarus was physically miserable. Not only did Jesus say he was hungry, He describes the sores on the man; they had to be painful, humiliating and embarrassing. Note to that Jesus said that the things such as poverty and sickness that had hold of Lazarus were evil.

3. The rich man had more than enough, and the other had noting. The least the rich man could have done was give alms and maybe some food and clothing.

4. This passage tells us nothing of the religious state of the wealthy man while Lazarus was evidently a faithful servant to of God for angels took him to Abraham's bosom.

5. Further, for the rich man, even though in hell, to ask God to send Lazarus to do a servant job shows unconscious arrogance.

6. Next, God fixed a great chasm between heaven and hell. No one could cross that chasm. The rich man could see Lazarus, but could Lazarus see him; probably not, for what would have been heavenly about watching the suffering in hell.