Hockey, Hell And Heaven

HOCKEY, HELL AND HEAVEN

“We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

2 Corinthians 4:18-5:1

Wednesday February 16, 2005 the National Hockey League announced that the 2004-05 season has been cancelled due to failure to resolve a management-player dispute over a team’s salary cap. IT’S ALL ABOUT MONEY.

What Scriptural connection, if any, does this have? The answer is found in 2 Timothy 3:1-4. “But know this, that in the last days perilous times (times of stress) will come. For men shall be lovers of themselves, LOVERS OF MONEY, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, un loving, unforgiving (irreconcilable), slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”

If these are indeed the last days, we had better face the reality that eternity is nearer than we might like to think. And that means that either hell or heaven in our near future. Let’s look at these two (and there are only two) eternal destinations.

WHAT THE BIBLE TELLS US ABOUT HELL AND WHY WE SHOULD WANT TO AVOID IT.

1. It is real. It is a “place”:

“Then he said, I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him [Lazarus] to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify unto them, lest they also come to this place of torment.” Luke 16:27-28

2. It is eternal:

“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:46. Also: ”And if your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into Hell [Gehenna], (where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.)” Mark 9:43-44 NASB

3. It is indescribably horrible:

“He [the unbeliever] also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night.” Revelation 14:10-11 NASB.

WHAT THE BIBLE TELLS US ABOUT HEAVEN (and why we should want to gain it).

“But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” I Corinthians 2:9 (Also Isaiah 64:4).

1. Heaven is real. Jesus called heaven “a “place”:

“In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2-3

2. It is a place of absolute holiness:

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:2

3. It is a place of indescribable beauty:

“And the material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.” Revelation 21:18 NASB

4. It is a place of great joy and happiness:

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:4

5. It is a place of great light and glory:

“And the city had no need of the sun or the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” Revelation 21:23

6. It is a place of worship:

“The four and twenty elders (representative of the Old and New Testament saints) fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power.” Revelation 4:10-11.

7. It is a place of service:

“... and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple...” Revelation 7:14b-15a NASB.