But I want to ask you another question, how did the Lord Jesus preach His sermons when He was here on earth?
We do not have to do any surmising, to find the answer to that question, all we have to do is turn to the scriptures.
How?
It depended on who He was preaching too…
(1)HE PREACHED SOFT SERMONS.
As you read through the New Testament you see many examples of the Lord preaching with SOFTNESS when He preached to some people.
Matthew 19:13-14 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
HE PREACHED SOFT SERMONS.
But, also...
(2) HE PREACHED HARD SERMONS
In fact, I have never heard any preacher in my life time preach any HARDER sermon than He preached.
The liberal preachers of this land would have you believe that all the sermons the Lord preached were SOFT sermons about LOVE and KINDNESS and etc.
Yes, He did preach those kinds of sermons, but He also preached some BLISTERING sermons.
One of the sternest sermons we can ever read was preached by Christ to the Pharisees in Matthew 23:14-33.
Look at some of the very strong language the Lord used in describing these Pharisees.
• Verse 14, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”
• Verse 15, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
• Verse 16, “Woe unto you, ye blind guides...”
• Verse 17, “Ye fools...”
• Verse 19, “Ye fools...”
• Verse 23, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”
• Verse 24, “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.”
• Verse 25, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.”
• Verse 26, “Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.”
• Verse 27, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”
• Verse 28, “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”
• Verse 29, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.”
But, as strong as these words are, the most devastating blow was yet to come.
Look at verse 33. We read, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, HOW CAN YE ESCAPE THE DAMNATION OF HELL?”
The reason He preached this stern sermon to these Pharisees was BECAUSE EVERYTHING HE SAID ABOUT THEM WAS TRUE and THEY NEEDED TO HEAR IT.
They were hypocrites!!!
Jesus was using tough love to open their eyes to the truth.
• You see, hypocrites are not saved. They just pretend they are.
• The danger of hypocrisy is that not only does the hypocrite fool others, they also fools themselves.
The Lord asked these hypocrites, “...HOW CAN YE ESCAPE THE DAMNATION OF HELL?”
• Hell is not a curse word.
• Hell is not the product of someone’s imagination.
• Hell is a real place!
WHAT KIND OF PLACE IS IT?
It is a place prepared for the devil and his angels.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT?
Look at Matthew 25:41. We read, “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.”
God has prepared heaven for us. He said, “I go to prepare a place for you.”
Illus: He was not talking about going to Lowe’s and getting some lumber, He was talking about going to the cross AND DYING FOR OUR SINS so that we can have a home in heaven.
The hyper-Calvinists teach that God created some people for heaven and some for hell.
Not so!
The Bible says hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. It never was created for you and I, or any other person.
If you insist on going there, you go as a trespasser.
Many today are on the road that leads to hell at break-neck speed.
• Did you know that the Bible has more to say about HELL than it does about HEAVEN?
• Have you ever wondered why God had more to say about HELL than HEAVEN?
I think I know why?
You see Heaven is such a wonderful place, beautiful place it would be hard for us to comprehend heaven because we do not have anything to compare it to here on earth.
The only thing that gives us some idea about the greatness of heaven is the Bible talks about STREETS OF GOLD.
Gold is so valuable to us humans that if you have only one little small ounce it is worth over three thousand dollars,
And so when we think about this wonderful place call heaven if the streets are paved with gold it has to be a marvelous place!!!
If the Word of God told us about heaven we could not comprehend it.
Just suppose:
• Before cars were built and the only transportation we had was a mule and buggy.
But suppose someone told you one day we would drive around in cars at the speed of 70 or 80 miles per hour!!! You would look at them and say, NO WAY!!!
We would think they are crazy because at that time we had nothing to compare cars too.
• Before airplanes were built someone told you one day there would be this long tube that 3 or 4 hundred people could get into and we will fly like the birds in the air.
We would think they are crazy for sure because at that time we had nothing to compare airplanes too.
• Before we had computers and we would not need the post office, we will be able to set down and send a letter across the world by pushing a button in a matter of seconds.
• Before telephones were invented we would have this thing in our hands and talk to people personally on our telephones anywhere in the world.
• Before we had televisions we would have people on the other side of the world in our living room about 2 or 3 inches tall.
If anyone told us these things I just mention we would have a hard time believing it, because we did not have anything to compare it to here on earth.
But why does God tell us more about HELL than HEAVEN
Because it is not hard to imagine what hell is going to be like:
• We know what it like to be thirsty
• We know the pain that comes from Fire
• We know what it is like to be around evil people
In this life here on earth we can relate to some of the things the Bible talks about what is going to be like in hell.
BUT DID YOU KNOW…Some are going there and they do not know they are going there.
In Matthew 7:22-23 we read, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
God says that many will be going there not even knowing that the road they travelling is leading them to this horrific place called hell.
If they knew the horrors of hell, listen, they would put the brakes on and come to a screeching halt.
The road to hell…where does it lead?
When the lost person reach the end of the road to hell, WHAT WILL THEY FIND?
They will find that...
I. THE REDEEMED WILL BE MISSING.
The ungodly make it sound as if one of the worst things on earth is these Christians who like to impose their lifestyle on others.
We are referred to as the “religious right” or the “Extreme Right’’.
Illus: Christians are accused of imposing their beliefs on others, but those who are making their accusations never think about the fact that they are doing the same thing as they are accusing Christians of doing.
Let me illustrate…
Illus: These make us think of many of the cigarette smokers who want to continue the right to smoke in public places.
They do not seem to understand that no one is trying to take their rights from them.
The problem is, when they smoke around others and blow their smoke in their faces, that forces those around them to be breathing in that smoke. They do not mind violating the non-smoker’s rights.
One day the REDEEMED WILL NOT BE HERE!
That is, when God raptures the saints, the devil will have no restraints and people will see more raping, stealing, cursing, cheating, etc., than they have ever seen before.
Then they will wish there were some godly people back on the face of the earth doing everything they can to restrain the devil!
Hell will be a place of no restraints whatsoever.
All the evil Satan has conjured up will be there and no one will escape the evils of hell.
When the lost come to the end of the road to hell, they are going to enter a place where THE REDEEMED WILL BE MISSING.
Also, the road to hell leads to a place where…
II. THE REDEEMER WILL BE MISSING.
• As bad as it may be that lost children will never see their Christian parents again...
• As bad as it may be that lost parents will never see their Christian children again...
• The worst will be when sinners will see the Lord Jesus, in all His splendor, and hear Him tell them to depart from Him and they will never see Him again!!!
There will be no church services when the invitation is given for them to ACCEPT CHRIST AGAIN! NEVER!!!
The lost Pharisees that our Lord was addressing in our text will spend eternity in a place where the devil dwells.
In Matthew 25:41, we read, “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.”
When the lost person reach the end of the road to hell and step into hell they are going to a place where they will spend eternity and the REDEEMER, THAT THEY CAN TURN TO FOR SALVATION TODAY, WILL NEVER BE AVAILABLE AGAIN.
Hell is a place where…
I.THE REDEEMED
II.THE REDEEMER WILL BE MISSING.
Also, the road to hell leads to a place…
III. THAT RELIEF WILL BE MISSING.
Illus: In this life we can find ourselves in situations where the sun is draining our physical bodies. Our mouths start to become dry and we immediately find some place to get some water to refresh ourselves.
But, when the wicked come to the end of the road to hell, there will be no place of refreshment.
NO PLACE! Absolutely NO PLACE!
Look at Luke 16:22-24. We read, “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.”
Notice, the rich man was suffering so bad he would have given everything he had owned on earth for a ONE drop of water - EVERYTHING!
But, in hell there is no RELIEF!!!
In this life we come into contact with things that bring us pain and we can head for an emergency room or to a doctor’s office for some relief.
Some can tolerate pain better than others. We all have some tolerance for pain, but when it goes beyond that tolerance level; we have to have some RELIEF.
It got that way with the rich man in hell; he was in so much torment he could not stand it.
Look at Luke 16:22-24. We read, “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...”
When the lost man comes to the end of this life, which leads to hell, he will find he is in a place where RELIEF IS MISSING.
• He will not be able to head for a medicine cabinet to grab a bottle of pills.
• He will not be able to head for a liquor store for some liquor to “drown his misery” in.
• There will be no DRUG DEALERS to get a fix.
Also, the road to hell leads to a place…
IV. THAT RICHES WILL BE MISSING.
The rich in our society are able to purchase favors and comfort. The rich man of our text had all the luxuries he wanted. He enjoyed many advantages that the wealthy of that day enjoyed.
But, notice in verse 22, “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.”
One thing death does in the financial realm: It makes all men equal.
When the rich man came to the end of his sinful life he discovered what all rich men discover; he was no better off than the poorest man in hell.
Look at verse 25. The rich man called upon Abraham for a favor, but Abraham said, “...Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things...”
The rich man could remember how it had been on earth. He could buy favors and advantages, but after death, in hell, he had no riches to buy anything with.
He had no more wealth than any other man, and if he could have had it in hell it would not have done him any good.
THE RICHES WILL BE MISSING.
Also, the road to hell leads to place that…
V. THE RESCUE WILL BE MISSING.
Look at Luke 16:24. We read, “And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me...”
Notice, he cried for mercy, but he cried too late.
Illus: Every lost person here will plead with God one day to have mercy on him, but then it will be too late.
In hell there will be no RESCUE!
Illus: We all have seen some amazing rescues on some television programs, such as some being rescued out of...
• A fire.
• A car wreck.
• A flood.
• A tornado.
• A sunken ship.
We have watched these rescues and been amazed at how they were accomplished.
But, in hell, for eternity there not be any RESCUSES…NOT ONE!
If you die without Christ you will never leave that dreadful place called hell. It is THE PLACE WHERE THERE ARE NO RESCUES!
Conclusion:
As a lost person here today you have one chance to be rescued from this horrible place. ONLY THE LORD JESUS CAN SAVE YOU!!!
But if you do not come to him today, you are on the road to hell that leads to all these horrible things that I have mention in this sermon.
If you end up in hell, you have nobody but yourself to blame.
Jesus said in John 5:40 and ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
You see, people want die and go to hell because of sin, they will die and go to hell because the Bible tells us Jesus said And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
God’s Word makes it PLAIN, hell is real and it is prepared for the devil and his angels.
• The worst decision of your life is to leave here without Christ who will save you from this horrible place.
• The best decision of your life is to come to Christ today for salvation.
I firmly believe the reason you are here today is because God wanted you to hear this message. But hearing is not enough, you need ask the Lord to save you today!
Hell is a place where...
I. THE REDEEMED WILL BE MISSING.
II. THE REDEEMER WILL BE MISSING.
II. THE RELIEF WILL BE MISSING.
VI. THE RICHES WILL BE MISSING.
V. THE RESCUES WILL BE MISSING.
