INTRODUCTION
1. Heaven is an Awesome Place! Our study last week was Inspiring and Motivating… I was hoping that thought of Heaven would stay in our hearts… HOPE!
• My desire in this study is to deepen our Hope for Heaven… that we’d understand that Heaven is far better than anything we’ve known, experienced, could imagine, or even loved in this life. This life is good – but Heaven is far better.
• Heaven is an Awesome Place!
• Heaven is a Prepared Place! – Jesus said – I am going to prepare a place for you… Heaven is immense and infinite… Jesus wants us there!
• Heaven is a Promised Place! – that promise is our HOPE – Heaven – Our Promised Eternity…
• Heaven is a Perfect Place! – Perfect in it’s Beauty! Splendor! Glory! In everyway! Heaven is far better than anything we’ve ever experienced in this life – far better than anything you’ve known, understood, loved or could even imagine… Everything bad here will be absent there. Everything good here will be perfect there. NO MORE!!!
• Heaven is a His-Presence Place! – Heaven is Perfect because God is there! We will be with Him and He will be with us!
• Heaven is a Permanent Place! Forever and ever and ever!
2. Heaven is an Awesome Place! Hell is an Awful Place! Hell is far worse than anything we’ve known, or experienced or could even imagine in this life. Some things in this life are Terrible, Tragic, Horrific and Horrible… but Hell is far worse…
• Here’s the bottom-line -- Today, what I want you to know and to feel and to understand -- more than anything… – Hell is an Awful Place!
3. Hell is an Awful Place… No pun, no joke intended but – If I could scare the Hell right out of us – Today would be a good day…
• ????? I didn’t wake up today saying – Woo-Hoo, I get to preach on Hell today… I’ve already spent over 100 hours in the last few weeks – studying, thinking, researching, meditating and praying on What’s Next? after we die… Hell is one of answers to that question… It’s heavy and it’s hard…
• ????? But you know – there is a part of me that wants to! There’s a part of me that has to… Because if I can stop another person from choosing hell, if I can snatch another person from an eternity described as we will see it described today – Woo-Hoo! That’s what I live for! Hell is an Awful Place!
4. Jesus tells about 2 men who lived very different lives, died and who experienced 2 very different places...
• When it comes to What’s Next? I want to listen to Jesus…
• Jesus is the only one who walked this earth who was an eyewitness to the things of Heaven and Hell.
• In Luke 16 - Every single word is significant. Every single word is sobering…
5. Luke 16:19-31 – 19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell,* where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
• Let’s hit Pause and ramp up to this discussion…
• What’s Hell like? Interestingly, the things I shared last week about Heaven, with one exception, I can say the same things about Hell… Heaven is an Awesome Place… Hell is an Awful Place!
Hell is a Prepared Place.
1. But let’s ask the question -- Why does Hell exist? Why would God ever create a place like this? If this is a Prepared Place - Prepared for what? Prepared for whom? The answer may be surprising…
2. Jesus says in Matthew 25:41 -- "Then He will say to those on his left, ’Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
3. Hell is the place originally prepared for the Devil and his angels. Hell was never really intended for any person…
• Hell exists as God’s way to deal Righteously with the Rebellion of Devil…
• The Devil rebelled against God and has been seeking destroy all that God loves since that time…
• All that God created; all that God loves - the Devil hates and seeks to destroy…
4. Last week, we spoke of the Present Heaven and the future New Heaven and new Earth… The Place being prepared for those who love and live for Jesus. This Present Heaven is referred to as Heaven and as Paradise and as it is here – Abraham’s side…
• This present Heaven is the prepared place where the spirit goes when those who are faithful, who are saved, who have accepted Christ have died… As Paul said – to be away from the body is to be at home with the Lord, That’s Heaven…
5. And in the same way, there is a Present Hell, which the Bible calls Hades…
• Hades is that prepared place where the spirit goes when an unbelieving, unrighteous, unfaithful, unsaved, unredeemed, unrepentant person dies…
6. Last week we mentioned – that when Christ Comes again, there will be a resurrection of the dead… Jesus says --
• John 5:28-29 – 28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out — those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
• So Christ comes again. There is a resurrection of the dead. The devil is thrown into the lake of burning sulpher. There is the great white throne judgment of the dead… and
• Revelation 20:14-15 – 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
• That is HELL… the final Hell… the future Hell… the forever Hell…
7. 2 literal places – Hades and Hell. Hades is before the Coming of Christ and the Resurrection of the dead – Hell is after…
• The word for Hell in the New Testament is some times the transliterated word Gehenna… For the people hearing Jesus, they understood Gehenna… The place of everlasting punishment…
• Gehenna was the garbage dump outside the city of Jerusalem.
• It was originally the place where children were sacrificed by fire to the pagan god, Molech. It became the place where dead bodies were left to be burned, and garbage brought to be incinerated, the bodies of dead animals were left to be destroyed
• And the fires of this garbage dump – never seemed to burn out. It was gross and disgusting… Hell, this Gehenna – was the picture burned in the minds of the people. They understood -- Hell is a Fire. Hell is Filthy. Hell is Final…
8. God prepared Hades and Hell but desires no one to go there!
Hell is an Awful Place! Hell is a Promised Place!
1. The question is often asked – How could a loving God send people to Hell?
• That’s a big question… a question I get asked a lot…
2. But know this - God doesn’t SEND people to Hell… God simply honors their choice.
• God has never forced anyone AND God will never force anyone to choose Him…
• God will never force us to embrace His love for us. God will never force us to Love Him, to Serve Him, to Obey Him or to Live for Him!
• God chooses to let us choose. He will never violate His gift of your free-will…
3. (eg) As I’ve heard it said – “There are only 2 kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done” and those to whom God says, “thy will be done” (Max Lucado quoting CS Lewis, When Christ Comes, 123)
• Anyone in Hades is there because Hell is what they Chose…
4. And another thing – God doesn’t SEND people to hell nor does He send “people” to hell…
• The word – people is neutral, implying innocence. Nowhere does the Bible teach that innocent people are condemned…
• People do not go to hell – Sinners do. The rebellious do. The disobedient. The self-centered do.
• The reason some of this doesn’t makes sense to us is because we don’t understand fully the Holiness of God and the Horror of our Sin…
• God cannot and God must not overlook our Sin… God is a Holy God. God is a God of Justice… We want that -- Sin must be righteously and justly punished…
5. God isn’t on His Throne just dying to send All of us to Hell – No!!! Jesus died trying to keep ALL of us out of hell…
• John 3:16-18 – 16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. 18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because He has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
• ???? -- 2 Peter 3:9-10 – 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
6. Hell is a Promised place but God finds no Pleasure in anyone choosing to go to Hell…
• Hell is NOT a declaration that God doesn’t love us… Hell is a declaration that we don’t love God… If anyone goes to Hell – it is by their choice not God’s choice…
• God’s choice would be for you to Love and to Live for Jesus… His choice would be for you to receive His Grace and His Gift… His Choice would be for you to Believe in Him and Be-Living for Him…
• God’s choice is to let you choose… He will never make you Love Him, or Serve Him, or Obey Him, or Live for Him… NEVER!
• God loves you so much – He will let you choose… Even if that means you choose to never accept, to never receive the Love He has for you… That’s His Promise!
Last week, the 3rd description, I said, “ Heaven is an Awesome Place because Heaven is a Perfect Place… I can’t say that of Hell because…
Hell is a Place of Punishment! (Circle the words of punishment)
1. Let’s come back to the words of Jesus -- Luke 16:22-31 – 22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ’Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 "But Abraham replied, ’Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 "He answered, ’Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 "Abraham replied, ’They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 "’No, father Abraham,’ he said, ’but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 "He said to him, ’If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’"
2. ???? (eg) Max Lucado writes – The beggar, who had nothing but God, now has everything. The wealthy man, who had everything but God, now has nothing. (When Christ Comes – 120)
• The pain of Lazarus had ended… the real pain of the rich man had just begun…
3. Hell is a place of unspeakable suffering. This man was Fully aware. Fully awake. Fully conscious. Full of His Memories. Fully Regretting. Fully Unfulfilled.
• He FULLY understood what he had done and he FULLY understood where He was and he FULLY understood what he was now experiencing…
• He was in torment; pain; suffering. In anguish he cries out - I am in agony in this fire!
4. And of all the horrors of hell – the worst may be the knowing that this suffering will never cease. Will never stop… will never be relieved…
• 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 – 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power…
5. The Punishment is so painful – listen to the extreme of what Jesus says – Matthew 18:8-9 – 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
• This pain would be nothing compared to that pain… Hell is far worse than any pain suffered in this life… Weeping. Wailing. Gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:42
• The longer you cry out the more you know – no one is going to come and bring you any relief. Not even a drop of water…
6. Notice this – the rich man obviously complained about his pain but he never complained about his punishment, his judgment… in Hades and in Hell, you will know that God deals righteously and justly with sin… He never cried out – This is unfair! No… God is just and this man knew it… God is fair and this man knew it… He received what He deserved…
Awful - Hell is a Place where His Presence is absent
1. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 – They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power…
• We can’t fathom this at all… In this world - God’s Presence and Power are revealed! God’s Goodness and Grace flow in this world. God’s Beauty and Blessing are easily witness in this world…
• We cannot even imagine a place where God’s presence would no longer be known or felt or tasted or experienced… this world is filled with His Glory and Grace…
2. Hell is a Place where His Presence is absent… No wonder hell is also described as the -- Outer darkness – because God is Light and now the Light would never be there. Total darkness. Separation. Total Isolation…
3. ??? (eg) Haven’t you heard people say – “Hell won’t be so bad… I’ll be there with all my friends… We’ll kick back, drink some beer, play cards… One big bad party…”
• No! Hell is Complete and Total darkness. Total Isolation. Total Separation. Total Abandonment. Total Emptiness. Total Loneliness. Total Seclusion.
Hell is an Awful Place! Hell is a Permanent Place!
1. At the end -- Revelation 20:14-15 – 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. THE FINAL SEPARATION --- 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
• Matthew 25:46 -- "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
2. Heaven is Forever and Heaven is Final! Hell is forever and Hell is final.
• In Hades -- There is no second chance. No do-over. No purgatory, no reincarnation, no chance for any relief, no way out, no end, no kidding
• In Hades – it’s too late to pray. It’s too late to change your mind. It’s too late to change your life. It’s too late to believe. It’s too late to repent. It’s too late to confess your sin and your need for Jesus. It’s too late to confess – Jesus is Lord! It’s too late to be baptized! It’s too late…
3. This rich man knew this. He knew it was too late for himself – but he knew it wasn’t too late for his family!
• Luke 16: 27–31 -- 27 "He answered, ’Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 "Abraham replied, ’They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 "’No, father Abraham,’ he said, ’but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 "He said to him, ’If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’"
4. One moment in Hades and you and I would never ever want to go back and you and I would never ever want anyone else to choose it.
• There is no one in hell wishing you or anyone else would join them…
5. (eg) Listen to me carefully… I want to say this as tenderly and as compassionately as I can… If you have a loved one, who has died and they never accepted Christ or was obedient to Christ – they would be the first and most urgent to tell you – Believe in Jesus!
• No matter how much you miss them and no matter how much you would long to be with them again – they would NEVER want you in Hell with them
• I get the impression – you wouldn’t get to be with them anyway… Hell is a place of darkness of separation and of isolation…
• If they could stop you – They would do everything they could do to stop you. They would never let you come to hell.
• If they could tell you, stand before, could in some way come back from the dead for just a moment -- They would never want you to experience what they are experiencing. NEVER!
• Even if it meant they would never see you again – they would never want you to suffer this awful place. They would never want you to experience this suffering…
• They love you too much. They now know too much. They now know the choices they made here in this life – determined their destiny…
• They would want you to Believe in Christ and Live for Christ. They would want you to do all you could do and should do to secure you
To never see them again – what a waste… but I know that’s the way they would want it!
• That hurts and that aches!!!!
• But I’m holding on to the words of the Lord – He will wipe away every tear… that all the Pain will be consumed in His Perfection, in His Perfect Love!
The most loving thing you could do in your loved one’s memory – is accept Christ and be fully obedient to Him.
CONCLUSION –
What’s Next is determined by What’s Now!
• Right Now - You choose. Right Now – You Decide
The life to come is determined by the life you live – right here and right now!
• The Decision God makes then – is determined by the Decision you make now, in this life…
• The Choice is yours and the choice is made here…
• The only time you have to start again is right here and right now…
Live for Jesus now and you will live with Jesus then… You would not live in Fear – Live in Faith and in Hope!
