That is, there are certain kinds of birds, fish, animals, and insects that die and become few in numbers because of hunting or natural disasters.
When this happens, they are placed on the “Endangered Species” list so that they will not become extinct.
Once they are placed on this list, everything that is imaginable is done to preserve them.
This is good, because if they were not placed on this list, soon these birds, fish, insects and animals would no longer exist.
Humor: But if there was only one “Fire Ant” living, I would love to wipe it from the face of the earth.
We all know the importance of the “Endangered Species” list.
There are also certain scriptures that should be placed on the “endangered” list. One of them is the teaching about Hell.
Illus: William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, had tremendous insight in this matter about Hell when he was alive. He said, “The day will come when they will preach heaven without preaching Hell.”
The teaching about Hell today is something that we very seldom hear preached on anymore in some churches. You can attend these churches for years and you will never hear a sermon on Hell. Never! Never!
The Bible is filled with many good things for a preacher to preach about. If he is truly a Bible preacher he will preach on these good things many times, such as…
• Heaven
• Love of God
• Eternal life
• Peace of God
• Joy of the Lord
Again, if he is a good Bible preacher he will preach on these topics many times.
If he is a bad preacher these things are the only things he will preach about.
THESE PREACHER WHO ONLY PREACH ON THESE GOOD TOPICS ARE CALLED COTTON CANDY PREACHERS!!!
The whole counsel of God’s Word needs to be preached. No preacher has the right to…
• Sugar Coat God’s word
• Water down God’s Word
But a lot of this kind of preaching is being preached today especially on television.
We call them COTTON CANDY preachers but the Word of God has something else to say about them.
Look at Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
These cotton candy preachers are not ministers of God.
WHAT DOES GOD WORD SAY ABOUT THEM?
God’s Word say if a preacher is a cotton candy preacher who only preach on the good things this Bible teaches, Paul said, “…I should not be the servant of Christ.”
God willing I shall continue to preach on:
• Heaven
• Love of God
• Eternal life
• Peace of God
• Joy of the Lord
But this same Bible also has some horrifying things that needs to be address sometimes from this pulpit.
Today I am going to preach on six horrifying things that this Bible teaches.
Let the lord speak to your heart today as we look together at these SIX HORRIBLE THINGS THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT HELL!!!
The most horrible thing the Bible teaches...
I. HELL IS A REAL PLACE
The word Hell today has become a word that many use wrong in their every day conversation. I have heard and you have heard people say…
• Hell Yes!
• Hell No!
• Get the Hell out of here!
These people who use the word hell like this do not seem to realize HELL IS A REAL PLACE!!!
To use the word hell the way they use it does not make sense BECAUSE hell is a real place. That would be like saying:
• Columbia Yes! (That does not make sense!)
• Columbia No! (That does not make sense!)
• Get the Columbia out of Here! (That does not make sense!)
Using the word hell and Columbia like this does not make sense!
Why? Because hell is a REAL PLACE just like Columbia, South Carolina is a real place.
It is a real place where the sinner will spend eternity!
All of the God haters there has to be a place for God to put these people and hell is that place.
The Word of God has some horrible things to say about this place call hell.
For example the Bible tells us it is a…
II. Place Of Torment
For example, the Bible tells us a rich man who died and went to this real place call hell and he was very conscious of his surroundings.
Hear the Word of God in Luke 16:22-24 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Lost person does this sound like a place you want to spend eternity.
Notice the rich man in hell And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
These verses of scripture tells us two things about this rich man in this horrible place call hell. He said…
(1)I AM TORMENTED IN THIS FLAME.
Some of the liberal preachers today say that the flames of fire can not be taken literally. It is no more than a figure of speech.
The Bible is filled with figures of speech but this is not a figure of speech.
Listen to what the Lord Jesus say about hell in Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
• The Lord is talking about a literal fire that is prepared for the devil and his angels.
It is not prepared for anyone here today! The bible clearly teaches hell is a place of everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
If you go there you will have to be an intruder (Tresspasser)!!!
• The rich man talks about a literal fire. He said I AM TORMENTED IN THIS FLAME
Yes, there will be flames of fire in hell.
You ever been severely burnt?
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger tells how that he and his wife came home from a Christmas party. Him and his family lived in a two story house and when they got home that night from the party and him and wife and two boys went to their bed room to go to bed.
It was a little chilly in the upstairs and Dr. Belger told his wife he was going to light a BOSS CAROSINE HEATER to knock the chill off. About two or three in the night he heard his wife wake up beside him and she said. “Oh, my Lord”! Dr. Belger woke up and as he set up in his bed there was a smoke line across their bed room. That is, as he set up his head was sticking up across that smoke line. Him and his wife immediately were concern about their boys in their bedroom. They open their door and the hallway was ingulfed in flames. His wife threw her night gown on and literally ran through the fire and God miraculous did not let her house coat catch on fire and she ran down the stairs to get an outside hose pipe to try and put out the fire.
Dr. Belger was trying to get to one of the boys who bedroom door across from there. He took a running start and ran across his bedroom trying to jump over the fire and knock the door down. Instead of knocking the door down he fell back into the fire and the carpet had melted like hot wax and stuck to the bottom of feet.
The pain was so painful he literally dove down the stairs knowing that would be painful but hot melted carpet was worst.
After they got the fire out his wife in the cold winter time filled up bath tub. The pain of his burn was so painful the ice cold water felt good. They were going to take him to the emergency room but he tried to get out of ice cold water and the pain was so bad he felt like he was about to faint.
Sinner can you imagine the pain of the rich man in hell in torment and he will be there for eternity.
Lost person does this sound like a place that you want to spend eternity.
The Bible tells us HE WAS TORMENTED IN THE FIERY FLAMES HELL!!!
But notice something else the rich man was conscious of…
(2)No water there!
We are told that a person can go without water approximately 3 days. After a period of time our tongue will literally began to stick to the roof of our mouths.
Can you imagine going without water for eternity.
Notice, he was not asking for a glass of water, he knew he was in a place where there was no water and he was begging for one drop of water to be placed on his tongue.
This rich man would have given every dollar he had for a glass of water.
Can you imagine spending eternity in a place where there is not one drop of water.
• Lost person are you sure you want to spend eternity in such a horrible place.
• Is what the devil offering you worth spending eternity in such a place.
Hell is a REAL PLACE OF CONSCIOUNESS!!!
The rich man was conscious of the flames of fire and no water!!!
Let me show you something about this horrible place the Bible teaches.
Hell is also a…
III. Place Of Darkness
Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Illus: Perhaps you remember it was a hot night in the middle of summer in 1977.
• The Big Apple (New York City) was buzzing with excitement and life of a mega city.
• Bars were filled.
• Movies and theaters were in the middle of the story.
Life went on like usual. But then it happened... or should I say, then it didn’t happen.
• BLACKOUT !!!
• Total darkness!!!
Total darkness engulfed the city. Lights went out; elevators stopped between floors, Televisions went black. Everything went black and silent.
For 24 hours..., the city of New York was in the grips of a massive BLACK-OUT!!!!
Phone lines were jammed... emergency medical services were crippled… people were in a panic.
During that time crime was rampant.... stores and banks were robbed and many people were mugged, robbed, raped, and killed.
The next day, in a delayed edition, the front page of the New York Times ran this headline in large print... WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT?
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
This verse of scripture refers to the fact that Jesus is the light of the world, but mankind rejects him because their THEIR DEEDS ARE EVIL.
Do you realize how much evil is done in darkness. The Word of God tells us again in Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Lost person do you really want to spend eternity in OUTER DARKNESS IN WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.
Hell is a:
• Real place
• Torment
• No water
• Place of outer darkness
• Place of gnashing of teeth
But this does not get any better, it is also a-
IV. Place Of Eternal Separation
Here is the worst thing about hell.
2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
This verse of scripture teaches us several things, let me snatch out several words in this verse of scripture.
(1) Look at the word “Punished”
“Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord
Some people will say I do not believe in PUNISHMENT I BELIEVE IN CORRECTION.
The only thing I have to say to you is that you have a problem with God’s Word.
God use the word PUNISHED AND THAT THE WICKED SHALL BE PUNISHED IN THIS HORRIBLE PLACE CALL HELL!
Also, look at the word…
(2) DESTRUCTION
“Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord
It is important that I take time to expound on this word DESTRUCTION.
The liberals use this word to teach that once a person goes to hell at some point they cease to exist.
They use that word DESTRUCTION to teach that at one point in hell the sinner will be destroyed and cease to exist.
They also, use the word perish in John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
They pull the word “Perish” out of this verse and teach a person in hell at some point will perish.
God offers every sinner EVERLASTING LIFE but when mankind will set in a church and reject EVERLASTING LIFE in hell he will receive EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION!!!
Let me explain what the word DESTRUCTION mean here.
Illus: Remember during the Persian Gulf War our airplanes would fly over the enemy territory and the pilot of those jets would spot one of the enemy tanks. He would zero in on that tank and push a button and that missle was targeted on that tank and when it made contact it completely blew that tank into smitherings. IT NO LONGER EXISTED!!!
The word DESTRUCTION means the sinners opportunity will CEASE TO EXIST. It does not mean the sinner will cease to exist.
God’s Word says TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!!!
But I want to show you something else that is horrifying in this verse…
(3) Look at these words, “From the glory of his power”
The consequence of rejecting Christ in hell is being separated from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
Notice that word POWER in this portion of this verse, no matter how steep a person may be in sin THE POWER OF GOD CAN SAVED THEM FROM THEIR SINS.
But in hell they will be separated from God and the POWER OF GOD TO SAVE THEM IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
• Mark 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
• Amplified Bible state it this way, WHERE THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT PUT OUT.
But how can a worm chew away on someone's "soul", if there is nothing to eat at?
Hell is ever lasting. Look at 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
But let’s look at another horrible thing about this place call hell…It will be…
V. A Place Of Memory
Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Look at that word REMEMBER.
• Did you know lost person if you should go to hell and I pray that you do not, but if you do you will REMEMBER that I preach________________about this horrible place call hell and you set there and heard the Word of God and rejected it.
• You will REMEMBER that you had christians to invite you to accept the Lord and you walk away from them without receiving Christ.
• You will REMEMBER that you had Christian parents that carried you to Sunday school and you heard the Word of God and you said I am going to follow the lost world.
One of the horrible things about hell will be a person will REMEMBER all the many times they had a chance to be saved but they chose not to accept the Lord.
They will REMEMBER they chose to accept what the devil had for them and now they realize that all the whole world is not worth the price they are paying for in this horrible place.
But let us look at one more horrible thing the Bible teaches about hell.
VI. A PLACE OF REGRET
Luke 16:27-28 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Notice, the rich man in hell knew he was doomed for eternity. But now he thought about his brothers who were lost and headed for this horrible place. He begged for the opportunity to go back and warned them.
He was told Luke 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Illus: Listen, there will be Mothers and dads who never carried their children to Sunday School or church and in hell they will be doing the same thing this rich man begging for an opportunity to come back and warned their children of this horrible place.
But they will be denied of that opportunity just like the rich man was denied.
Conclusion:
Illus: One day while walking down the street, a highly successful woman executive was tragically hit by a bus and died.
St. Peter himself. "Welcome to Heaven," said St. Peter. "Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem. You see, strangely enough, we've never once had an executive make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you.""No problem, just let me in." said the woman."Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders. What we're going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and then you can choose which ever one you want to spend an eternity in."
"Actually, I think I've made up my mind...I prefer to stay in Heaven", said the woman.
"Sorry, but we have rules..." And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to Hell. The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends - fellow executives that she had worked with and they were all dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner.
She met the Devil who seemed to be a really nice guy, and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved good-bye as she got on the elevator. The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her.
"Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had a great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her.
"So, you've spent a day in Hell and you've spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity," he said. The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell."
So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down, back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks.
The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her."I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable."
The Devil looked at her and smiled. "Yesterday we were recruiting you; today, you have been recruited!"
Illus: A drunk staggered up to a New York policeman, asking for directions to a tavern called “Hell’s Gate.”
The officer said, “See the cross on that steeple over there? That’s the steeple of Calvary Church. Just keep going past Calvary and you come to ‘Hell’s Gate.’”
Yes, that’s right. Just keep going the way you are going – walk past Calvary and you’ll also arrive at “Hell’s Gate!”( -Al Hughes)
I do not enjoy preaching on this horrible place call hell but to be a servant of God I must.
But after preaching this difficult sermon I want to close with some good news.
If you are a lost person you do not have to go there.The Lord Jesus came from heaven and died on the cross to save you from this horrible place.
If you do go there, it will not be because God sent you, it will be because you chose to live a life of sin.
DO YOU KNOW HOW CLOSE YOU ARE FROM GOING TO HELL TODAY? You are only one heart beat away!
Hell is real, hell is hot and hell is forever!
I. HELL IS A REAL PLACE
II. PLACE OF TORMENT
III. PLACE OF DARKNESS
IV. PLACE OF ETERNAL SEPARATION
V. PLACE OF MEMORY
VI. PLACE OF REGRET
