Hell and Being a Disciple
Luke 16: 19-31
Dan Kimball writes, “I am passionate about hell. That sounds odd – but I am not passionate about hell itself, but passionate about studying what it is because of the seriousness of what it is. I am passionate about it as I don’t want anyone to experience it. Sort of like when you study cancer, you are doing so in order to learn how to have people relieved of it not just because you like studying it. So my passion for studying hell, is because of (my) care for people….I am consumed with hell….because I don’t want to see anyone experiencing hell. I know nothing rests on me, as it is all about Jesus, the cross, atonement, faith and salvation which saves from hell. But the way you do see things happen in the New Testament is that God uses people to teach and speak about Jesus, the gospel, salvation etc. so we do have our part in it.”
Hell. We’ve been talking about Heaven and Hell in this series. As we get to the end of it, we have to ask the $64,000 question: so what difference does it make? If Hell is real, what difference not only does it make in how you live your life today but what difference does it make in being a disciple of Jesus. A disciple makes disciples. Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19). He emphasized this priority in His last words as well, “Go and make disciples of all nations,...” (Matt. 28:19–20). From the start, God’s design has been for every single follower of Jesus to make disciples who make disciples until the gospel spreads to all peoples. This is the grand purpose for which we were created and you are now commanded. So if we are to be disciples who make disciples, what difference should Hell make in that?
In this series, we’ve learned in Scripture Hell is real. In fact, Jesus tells us more about Hell than anyone else. (He said) “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out….And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ Mark 9:43, 47-48 Jesus describes hell as a “fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:42 Sinners and those who reject God would be told to ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:41 And here’s the scary thing: if they go there… they’re not getting out! It’s eternal. Jesus uses the same word ‘eternal’ to describe both heaven and hell: “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:46 No one who goes to Hell will ever get out. Once you’re there… you’re there.
In our Scripture today, we have the story of a Rich Man and Lazarus. Upon death, Lazarus was sent to heaven and the Rich Man was sent to Hell. The Rich man asks Abraham to have pity on him and to send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue from his agony in the fires of Hell. Abraham reminds the Rich Man that he had already received his good things in life and is told no one can cross over from heaven to hell or vice versa. The Rich Man then asks to have Lazarus sent to his five living brothers to warn them so that they avoid Hell. But Abraham tells the Rich Man that the moment for sharing His faith and this warning of Hell has passed.
But it has not passed for us. When we talk about what role Hell plays in sharing your faith, I want to be very clear. I’m not talking about fire and brimstone preaching about sin and Hell. I’m not talking about asking people if they are saved or telling people they are condemned to hell if they don’t profess their faith in Jesus Christ. What I am asking is this: Does the reality of Hell and eternal damnation play any role as a catalyst in sharing your faith? Does it get you up out of your seats an into the world to share your faith? Does it move you beyond the fears which hold you back from sharing your faith? Are sharing your faith more often and more fervently?
Let’s remind ourselves for a moment of why should we share our faith in the first place? First, as we stated earlier, a disciple makes disciples. Second, we are commanded to make disciples of all nations.” The primary reason the church ought to go and make disciples is because Jesus told us. If He’s our Lord and our Savior, then we need to do what the Master says. We don’t have any other choice. We’re not just commanded to make disciples, we’re also given the power of the Holy Spirit and the “authority” of Jesus. If we love Jesus, then we want to do what he tells us to do. If that’s not motive enough, something is desperately wrong in our relationship with Jesus. We cannot “make disciples” unless people hear the good news and believe it. And they won’t hear it unless we share it.
Third, it offers new life and forgiveness. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest.” John 10:10 If we keep this gospel message to ourselves then we fail to share the most powerful life-giving message that not only brings meaning and purpose to life here and now it also offers forgiveness for our sins and the possibility of a new beginning. Fourth, it is the most loving thing you can ever do. Jeff Strite tells of gathering with several preachers to work on sermons. As he was working on a sermon about hell and reaching the lost, one of the pastors suggested the title: “How much do you have to hate someone to NOT tell them about Jesus?” The answer is: A LOT! Because if you didn’t tell them about Jesus, they might end up in hell. There are many things that we can and should do so that we truly love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39) but you cannot really love your neighbor unless you seek to make an eternal difference in their life. You might be the only person to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with them. You can do all types of good things for people without really loving them. But you cannot truly love someone without sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Fifth, you can save them from hell. Jesus warned about judgment and hell because He wanted us to know that there’s an eternity hanging in the balance. And he calls us to share the Good News and invite people into a relationship with Him because that’s what a disciple does. There is only one path to Heaven and that’s through Jesus. For Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.” John 14:6 The Apostle Peter proclaimed: “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 The only way that an individual can receive forgiveness of sins, have the sure hope of life with God in eternity and avoid Hell is through the Jesus. And so when we share the Good News, we are literally saving people from Hell.
The real tragedy of hell isn’t that it’s real, or that it’s a bad place. The real tragedy is no one has to go there. We have a choice. God doesn’t want us to go to Hell. He has done everything possible to show us the path to Life, and to warn us of Hell. John 3:16 tells us that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever would believe in Him might not perish but have everlasting life.” But John 3 ends with these fateful words: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him." John 3:36 And God hasn’t left us just with a dusty old book 2000 years old and hoping people would read it. He has sent His witnesses and His messengers to share the Good News!
Here’s the reality: we’re a sinful people. Rom. 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Rom. 6:23 tells us "...the wages of sin is death..." What do you get wages for? Because you’ve worked for something. You’ve earned it! When you sin and go to Hell, you’re getting what you deserve for the things you’ve done. But that doesn’t have to be your fate because “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved….Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame….Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-13 And the only way that can happen is if you share your faith. We’re not talking about just getting people to join the church or to become a part of God’s family. We’re giving them the opportunity to have their life mean something, to receive forgiveness and to receive eternal life and avoid Hell.
Several years back a group called "Evangelism Explosion" focused on asking people one question: "If you died today... would you be SURE you’d get into heaven?" You know how most people replied? I think I might. But I’m Not Sure!" Why? Some people believe that their "works" will get them into heaven. They believe that what they have DONE will EARN them a place with God. And they’re wrong! Nothing can make up for the grievous sin against a Holy, Loving and Perfect God. What they have done will earn them a place in Hell... not heaven. And frankly they won’t want what they’ve "earned." And somebody has to tell them there’s another way, one that is a free gift of love and forgiveness and comes with the assurance of eternal life.
So - here’s the deal. Hell is real. And everyone who doesn’t profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and live their life for Him will go to Hell. The reason in part is because nobody warned them: Nobody explained to them how critical/important this was. God has given you the gift of salvation, commanded you to share it and empowered you and given you authority to proclaim the Good News. There’s an eternity hanging in the balance.
So do you share the Good News? Just tell people about the difference Jesus has made in your life. Tell them how Jesus has changed your life and what He has done for you. It may be your only opportunity to share the Good News with them. And if not you then who? Jenn Hopkins writes of attending a funeral several years ago. “There he lay, dead. He was gone and unsaved. Lived a life and then, in the flash of an eye, he was in Hell. Someone I loved and respected was gone and so was my opportunity to share the Gospel with him. His funeral was in a church, one that he never graced the doors of other than a few occasions. People spoke of him in living memory and talked about heaven. Yet I sat there and knew this was not true… he was in Hell.…. I remember that awful feeling knowing I never shared the Gospel and it was too late. The field I plowed was jagged, broken and barren. A plot of land wasted and a life ended without a Savior. I wasn’t kingdom minded. I was selfish and didn’t want to be uncomfortable. Now I stood in a funeral uncomfortable to the umpteenth degree! Yes, evangelism is hard but that moment was harder….. (And then she writes) So when you say evangelism is too hard, please remember that standing before a dead person you didn’t share the Gospel with is even harder…. So who have you been using this excuse with? Who is “too hard”? No more excuses. Go share your faith with them today. Amen.
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