Lessons From A Fire

By: Mark T. Tonkery

Laings, Ohio Church of Christ

Lessons From A Fire

Text: Luke 16:19-31

Introduction

A. Almost every week we here about the destruction and damage done by a fire. Whether it is a forest fire or a home, fires can be devastating but we can learn from these fires. People are often sent to study why and how a fire was started so we can learn better ways of prevention and protecting people from the pain of a fire.

B. It is true that tragedies often occur when least expected and catch many unprepared, the Bible warns about a fire we can avoid and be protected from. This fire is the fire of Hell. The Bible teaches us many lessons about this place, is provide for our protection and to help us to avoid this place.

C. One such passages is found in Luke 16:19-31. “Now for the sake of the careful students of the Bible, let me say that in this message I will make no distinction between Hades (the temporary place where the unrighteous people go after their physical death) and Hell (the "Lake of Fire," the final resting place of the unbelieving dead.) I do understand the difference, but I see little need to distinguish between them in this message. Suffice it now to say that both places are places of fire and torment, and there is no escape from either. In the end, after the judgment according to Revelation 20:14 death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire”( from Keith Smith, www.biblecenter.com).

D. In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus talks about the fate the rich man and Lazarus, in we can learn three lessons from the fire that Jesus mentions here.

Body

Fire will be used for punishment of the wicked v. 25

A. God describes Hell in the Bible so we can understand it and avoid it. Out of the 5 senses we have 2 that rely on each other taste and smell. They are also the only senses we can have that we are not called handicap. God uses all our senses to get us to understand Hell is a real place of punishment. We may not understand ever aspect of help but we can understand the following:

1. Sight- I can understand darkness.

a. Blackness of darkness 2 Peter 2:17

b. Chains of darkness Jude 6

c. Outer darkness Matthew 8:12

2. Hearing- We can understand and what pain sounds like.

a. weeping and gnashing of teeth Mt. 8:11

b. “ ” Mt. 13:42

c. “ ” Mt. 13:49

d. “ ” Mt. 22:13

e. “ ” Mt. 25:30

f. I told of people being in so much pain that they shadier their teeth.

3. Feeling- I am told that the worse injury one can receive is having your body burned. We have all touched a hot pan, or hot part on a car. I know what pain feels like. Imagine you whole body day in and day out full of the feeling of burning.

a. unquenchable fire Mt. 3:12.

b. eternal fire Mt. 25:41; 46.

c. agony Lk. 16:23.

d. Tormented day and night forever and ever Rev. 20:10.

4. Smell- I know what foul air smells like.

a.Rev 21:8, “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."

5. Thirst- I know what is to be thirsty.

a.Zec. 9:11 waterless pit.

b.Lk. 16:24

6. Worms- I know what worms eating decayed flesh looks like.

a.Mark 9:44-48, “Where the worms does not die.”

B. People will be punished not because lack of evidence but because of hard hearts.

Fire will be everlasting. V. 26

A. How do you describe eternity? I don’t really know. It’s longer than a lifetime. It’s longer than a millennium. It’s longer than the entire history of man. It is forever!

1.In Mark 9:46, THE BIBLE SAYS that hell is "where the fire is not quenched,"

2.Revelation 20:10 says that those in hell "will be tormented day and night FOREVER AND EVER."

3.And, II Thessalonians 1:9 calls it "EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION..." So, hell is an ETERNAL place of punishment for those who are lost.

B. Those who deny the teaching of the Bible regarding hell and the fact that hell is a place of everlasting conscious punishment make a play on the word "destroy."

1. Jesus said, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10: 28).

a. Some say the word "destroy" means to extinguish or annihilate.

b. "Destroy" is from the Greek apollumi and is found 92 times in the Greek New Testament.