Message
Today we are going to talk about a topic that is not very popular.
It is the topic of hell.
Why isn’t hell a popular topic?
Hugh Mackay, the Australian social researcher collected some interesting information about Australian attitudes toward religious subject matter.
In 1999, 74% of Australians indicated a belief in God of some sort.
When questioned further 43% believed in the divinity and resurrection of Jesus, while only 33% said they believed there was a Devil.
On the question of heaven and hell - 53% believe in heaven ... only 32% believe in a hell.
In other works lots of people like to think about the nice aspects of the afterlife – but heaps less people want to think about the terrible aspects of the afterlife.
Even for people who believe strongly in Jesus hell is a confronting topic.
Now we may not like to think about hell … and there are plenty of people who do not believe in hell … and there are a lot of misunderstandings about hell … but this is an issue we should discuss because of something that happens to Jesus while He is on the cross.
Let’s read two passages from Scripture:-
Isaiah 53:1-9
Matthew 27:38-50
What is Hell?
In light of the words of Jesus that He cries from the cross … My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? … this becomes a significant question. As we think about this question it is no secret that
There are many who treat the whole concept of hell with contempt and ridicule by denying its existence and fighting against the fear which a concept of hell can bring.
We live in a world were the whole idea of hell is a source of entertainment.
Stand-up comedians regularly use jokes about hell and the devil to entertain their audience – often having a subtle dig at Christianity in the process.
Cartoonists use hell as a source of entertainment – it’s the place where the devil lives. He’s the guy in the red suit with a tail and a three pronged pitch-fork in his hand.
Hell is something to be laughed about.
Not only is it a source of entertainment … the concept of hell is seen as a serious threat to the well-being of humanity.
Secular clinical psychologists will tell you that hell is a myth which Christianity has made-up to keep people in line. As such it is a myth which should be disregarded because the fear of hell and judgement to stopping people reach their fulfilled self.
Unfortunately the secular world has support from some who stand under the banner of Christianity. There are those in the Christian world who deny the existence of hell.
Some parts of the Christian world believe that our souls are not eternal and, if they are not in heaven, then our souls are destroyed and we cease to exist.
Some, along with the secular world, believe that the teaching of hell is a myth … it was a teaching introduced into the Bible by the early church who were having trouble keeping the new converts in order.
Something to be entertained by … or a myth to be fought against. That is how many people deal with the issue of hell. But hell is real … and it is no laughing matter.
Hell is a real place and it comes with real consequences which are to be feared.
Hell is a place where people will want to forget about God.
The reason they want to forget is because, all too late, they realise that God was right all along.
In hell there is no praise … no worship …and no honour given to God.
Instead there are pangs of conscience, anguish, despair, weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Hell is not a place of celebration but a place where people eternally say, “What if”.
“What if I had listened to my mother when she told me about Jesus?”
“What would have happened if I didn’t trust science more than Christianity?”
“How different it would have been if only I had respected the fact that my child became a believer instead of constantly mocking her”.
There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Your will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Your will is being done.’
You see hell is the destination for those who say in this life they want to forget about God and have nothing to do with Him.
And when people get to hell they realize they have gotten exactly what they wanted ...
but they will regret it from the moment they are there.
Hell is a place where people are imprisoned.
Several passages in scripture described hell as a prison.
A prison for those who have rejected God.
A prison from which we cannot escape.
And that would be bad enough, except it is also a prison where people are placed together with the devil and his angels. Revelation 20:10 says,
… the devil (who deceived the nations) was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.
In hell … in this place of torment … you are an inmate with Satan and all of his followers. That would have to be the most gruesome togetherness imaginable.
The one who thought he was going to pull the wool over God’s eyes.
The ones who followed Satan on the promise that they would have victory.
These are going to be hell’s inmates … there is no love in hell.
Hell is a place where God’s grace is not shown.
Scripture describes hell as a destination – a destination which takes you away from the Lord and away from His grace. God is everywhere, but He is silent to those who are in hell.
Hell is not a correctional school or a reforming facility. Those in hell don’t hear from God nor are there endless sermons. These people have been spending there life telling God to keep silent … and that is what happens. There is
… no compassion.
… no patience.
… no grace.
… no more second chances.
Just condemnation.
And the individuals who are there will be on their worst behaviour. No wonder hell is aptly described as the land of darkness. An eternity of hopelessness and regret.
That’s hell … now listen to the words of Jesus once again.
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama, sabachtani” — which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
What is happening here?
Jesus has been forsaken by His Father.
God has abandoned Him and is not listening to Him.
The Saviour has no access to the grace of God.
What is happening here?
Jesus at this very moment is going through hell.
This is not a light moment – it is perhaps one of the most significant moments in history … God the Son is being forsaken by God the Father.
You can just picture the moment. The three hours of darkness have just passed … and then Jesus let’s out this almighty cry.
It’s the cry of One who is expressing a sense of desolation and abandonment.
The cry of an innocent member of the kingdom who is seeking justice.
It’s the same cry which has been used by widows and the poor who have been exploited.
The type of cry which is being made here is a cry which God has never ignored – except for now. Even when Jesus uses words which tear at the Father-heart of God heaven is silent. Jesus is being forsaken … Jesus is going through hell. Something really significant is happening here.
Little Jason was not a good student and after trying everything they could his parents enrolled him into the local Catholic school.
On the first day after school Jason came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn’t even kiss his mother hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread out all over the room and little Jason was hard at work. When it was time for dinner Jason came to the table, ate quickly, and then went back to studying. This happened for two weeks straight.
His mother couldn’t believe the transformation, so she sat and talked with little Jason. Why have you been studying so hard? Little Jason looked at his mum and said, “Well, on the first day of school when I saw that guy nailed to the plus sign, I knew they were not fooling around.”
When we see God’s Son nailed to the cross … and then that Son being forsaken … we know that God is not fooling around. Something significant is happening here. Something that is going to have huge consequences for each one of us.
God the Son being forsaken by God the Father … for us.
Jesus went through hell so that we wouldn’t need to. More to the point, Jesus went through hell because He didn’t want us to.
Do you know what is happening here?
God is wrapping caution tape on the gates of hell and he has put up a million warning signs on the road to the entrance. A walk down the road to hell requires you to cover your ears, blindfold your eyes, and most of all, ignore this most epic cry, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
The God who sees all and knows all and understands all is the same God who pouring out His wrath on His Son so that you don’t need to enter this terrible place.
The God who knows-all, sees-all and understands all asks each on of us the same question He asked Adam when Adam sinned. Remember what happened?
Adam was told not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of God and evil.
Adam stood by and watched as Eve talked with the serpent and ate of the fruit.
He happily took the fruit which she offered and ate it.
Suddenly everything changes.
They know they are naked.
They have shame and guilt.
Soon God is going to come and walk in the garden as He always did in the cool of the evening.
Now God knows exactly what has happened but God comes and asks a question.
It is not an accusatory question.
It is a question designed to bring reconciliation.
Where are you?
It was time for a fresh start. Indeed it was the first of many, many times when God would need to take the initiative to bring His people back to Himself. Where are you?
Well congregation, Where are you?
I guess in a setting like this we can have the tendency to presume that everyone is OK … and that we all have some sort of relationship with God. But when the only options are heaven or hell you don’t want to be too hasty in making assumptions. As we have already seen, Jesus went through hell so that we wouldn’t need to. More to the point, Jesus went through hell because He didn’t want us to.
God is not going to get to the end of the journey and then turn around and say, “Look, it really doesn’t matter what you have done, I was just playing games”.
We know that is the case because all that Jesus is going through. He is crying out to God, Why have You forsaken Me?
Why? Because we need help … a lot of help … when it comes to being an assured member of God’s family. And Jesus is willing to give us that help.
Let me read some words from Revelation 1:17-18, they are on the screen for you.
Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Can you see what Jesus is saying? He saying, “Think about hell. Think about what happens there … and then put your trust in me because “I can get you out”.
And that is our comfort today isn’t it. Hell is …
… the epitome of desperation.
… a place of hopelessness.
… the ultimate in abandonment.
… being forsaken by God.
Hell is where we wanted to make our home, but Jesus would have nothing to do with such ridiculous plans. So He stepped in and put a bit of a twist into the whole process.
Once death was the last stop – a trapdoor into the pit of hell.
But not anymore.
When we put our trust into the hands of the Saviour we will discover that the last power we will meet not death. Instead the last power we will meet is the power which resides in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus.
Jesus went through hell so you wouldn’t need to. Do you believe that?
Just listen to the cry of Jesus on the cross My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me?
Just listen to that cry in faith and you will know that Jesus will never let you experience that horror. Listen and have comfort.
And the next time God says, Where are you? You can say, “Here I am, your servant who has been snatched from the jaws of hell.
Prayer
