A few years ago I preached a message on hell. After the service I walked to the back of the church to shake hands with members of the congregation as they left the church. One lady said to me, “Reverend, I never knew what hell was really like until I heard you preach!” I wonder what she really meant by that?
This morning I am going to speak to you about one of those things we all believe in but none of us likes to talk about – not my preaching, but the reality of hell.
In a national poll conducted by USA Today, 67% of American adults said they do not believe in hell, and less than 25% believed they would go there. But frankly church, if hell is not real, and everyone is going to get to Heaven eventually, we might as well close the doors to the church and go home.
Some people may not believe in hell this morning, some may think it is just a state of mind, but let me tell you what the old revival preacher said to the skeptic that told him there was no such place as hell. The old preacher responded, “Your not believing in hell doesn’t lower the temperature there one degree!”
So many times in my Christian ministry I have heard people say, “I don’t believe that a good god would send anyone to hell!” The answer to that is simple – God doesn’t send anyone there, we send ourselves! We don’t like to think about the reality of hell because it’s very scary. None of us ever wants to think about our friends, co-workers, neighbors or loved ones, doomed to hell for all eternity.
In the 16th chapter of the Gospel according to Luke, our Lord Jesus draws back the veil, or curtain, that separates that which is earthly from that which is eternal. This parable that Jesus tells us in verses 19-26, gives us a powerful comparison of the lives of two people, a comparison before earthly death, and a comparison after death. These verses also correct any misconceptions that we might have about hell.
Jesus tells us in verse 19, “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.”
This man had the finest clothing that money could buy. Dressing in purple and fine linens were the first century equivalents of silk sheets and designer clothing. He had a splendid mansion in which he lived. He not only ate well, but he enjoyed the delicacies of life. He had all he ever wanted to eat or wear. He was certainly a very prominent and wealthy man. There is nothing about his life on earth that indicated the terrible future that awaited him after death.
Let’s read on now. In verses 20-21 our Lord tells us about another man:
20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
At the gate to the rich man’s mansion laid a beggar named Lazarus. He was a sickly man, covered with sores. He was, no doubt, thin and pale, and unable to walk, unable to work, unable to afford to see a physician. In order to eat he depended entirely on the discarded food, the garbage that was thrown out daily from the rich man’s house.
His body was so ravaged by sores that he lived in pain day and night. The Bible says that the dogs would come along and lick his sores. I remember when I had my dogs. Whenever I had skinned my hands or arms, they would come along and lick those sores, trying to make them well. Lazarus’ body was covered with sores and the dogs would come along and lick them. This was a disgrace to a Jew because dogs were considered unclean animals.
I suspect that the rich man often times came out his gate to go to town. Surely he saw Lazarus lying there day and night, sick and hungry, but he did nothing to help him. He offered him no table food, no clothing, no shelter, no medicine. I suppose he just went about his business as usual, thinking that Lazarus was a nuisance and wishing that he would come home one day and find Lazarus gone. The rich man could have easily assisted Lazarus, but he ignored him and went on enjoying his recognition and his riches. Life was comfortable for him and he no doubt felt secure.
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.
Now we can imagine that the rich man was given a glorious send off, the finest funeral that money could buy. Without a doubt, word of the rich man’s death spread throughout the land. People likely spoke of his many wonderful achievements in life and his many social, political and civic contributions. It is likely that many eulogized this rich man at his funeral and spoke of his great exploits and accomplishments.
The body of Lazarus, on the other hand, was likely raked up from the street keeper and taken to the edge of the city of Jerusalem, and cast down into the Valley of Gehenna where a perpetual, constant fire burned, consuming the bodies of the dead like Lazarus.
But death changed everything. Verse 22 that we read tells us that when the beggar died, he “was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.” When Lazarus died the angels of God came and carried him into the presence of God, but let’s look in verse 23 and see what happened to the rich man.
23. And in hell he lifts up his eyes, being in torment, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
No angels came to carry the rich man into the presence of God. Instead, he found himself in hell where he was in torment.
The revelation of where each man ended up after death would have astonished the Jews of that day. It would have shattered their long held assumptions about wealth being a sign of God’s favor and blessings.
Since there is such a misunderstanding today even among church people about what happens at death, let me give you a brief explanation of the nature of death in relation to eternity. James 2:28 says:
28. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Death takes place when the spirit leaves the body, but death is not the end; it is the beginning of a whole new existence in another world.
When people die, only their bodies go into the grave. At the funeral it is merely the physical shell we see lying in a casket. The real person, the soul/spirit, has already departed to either a place of torment or a place of comfort, depending on the person’s spiritual condition.
Verse 24 of our scripture says:
24. 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.
How sad is this? What a horrible fate it is that this rich man waited too long, waited too late, to get right with God. The rich man prayed earnestly but he prayed at the wrong time. He prayed the right prayer but he prayed at the wrong time. He waited until he was in hell before he truly understood his need for God. He waited until he was in hell before he recognized that life is not about money or material possessions. He waited until he was in hell before he got down on his knees and asked God to come into his heart and save him. He was not in hell because he hadn’t been generous enough with his money. He was in hell because he disregarded the word of God and rejected the Lord. If he had had the love of God in him, he could not have lived in luxury, comfort and ease when a fellow man was outside his front door, begging for a few crumbs of bread.
And now in hell, the rich man did not ask for fancy linen or many servants. He did not ask for a beautiful mansion or great wealth. He did not ask for the adoration of others. He did not ask for the finest of foods to eat. This rich man was in such great torment from the fires of hell that he asked only that Father Abraham might send Lazarus to him, and to do what – to dip the tip of his finger in water and then touch his tongue, that he might have just a moment of relief from the scorching heat of hell.
In verses 25 and 26 Abraham responds to the rich man:
25. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivest thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Abraham reminded the rich man of how good he had it on earth. He reminded him that he had been a man of great possessions and wealth, while Lazarus had been a beggar at his gate, covered with sores, without wealth or food to eat. He told the rich man that now things were different. Things were different because Lazarus was now comforted and the rich man was in torment. The reason why was simple – Lazarus was not saved because he was poor, he was saved because he had trusted the Lord for the salvation of his soul.
Abraham went on to tell the rich man that there was a great gulf fixed between heaven and hell – a separation, a gulf so mighty that no one can cross from one side to the other, regardless of which side they are on. Lazarus could not go to where the rich man was and bring relief. The rich man could not go to where Lazarus was and find relief. The choices of this life determine our eternal destiny, and once death has taken place, that destiny is fixed forever. It can never again be changed.
You know, you hear the word hell used a lot these days, and most people surely don’t appear to recognize how serious it is. But let me assure you, there is a hell and it is a very very real place. If there was no hell then there would be nothing from which people need to be saved.
The simple truth is that there are two possible places one can live when this life on earth is over, heaven or hell. We need to approach this subject very carefully and with soberness. Hell is nothing to joke with others about. It is a place of torment and eternal separation from God.
The great evangelist of the past century, Dwight L. Moody, was once seated in a conference room with the teachers of his institute. They were having fun as only Christians can have. They were telling their favorite stories and laughing. Then one of them told a humorous story about hell and they all laughed – that is all except D. L. Moody. Quickly, Moody jumped to his feet and said, “Gentlemen, when you speak about hell, speak with tears in your voice. Let us not take lightly God’s holy word.”
Some people have an image of hell that is not based on reality. For instance, Mark Twain said; “I’ll take Heaven for the climate and hell for the society.” Ted Turner once said, “I’m looking forward to dying and going to hell because I know that’s where I am headed.” People would not be so flippant about hell if they truly understood the reality of it. Through the experiences of two men, Jesus gave us a glimpse into hell.
The certainty of hell is scripturally irrefutable – it is undeniable, yet many deny it. Many deny it like they deny that there will be a second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. In wishful thinking they block it from their minds, hoping it is not true. They deny it mostly because they do not want to give up their ungodly and immoral way of living. They do not want to release the reins of their heart to the Lord. And in rebellion, they live in opposition to God.
Other people contend that when they die, they simply cease to exist. Obviously these people need to familiarize themselves with the 16th chapter of Luke and stop ignoring the truth that Jesus plainly declared. There are only two places of abode after earthly death – Heaven with our Lord or eternal hell apart from Him.
Then there are others that believe the devil-inspired theory that ultimately all people will be saved and no one will go to hell. We should feel a sense of deep sadness in our hearts and tears should flow from our eyes for those that are lost and destined to spend eternity in hell.
I know that I have loved ones tonight, and I’m sure you do too, that do not know Jesus, that have not been born again through the precious shed blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God. We need to minister to all those that don’t know our risen Savior. It is our great commission from God that we go into all the world and preach the gospel to every living creature.
The Roman Catholics used to believe in a place called purgatory. This was a place between heaven and hell where a man goes after death – a place where a person can work off their sins and then go to Heaven. Church – there is no in-between place. The decision we make during our earthly life, to accept or not to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, determines our eternal destiny.
Others believe that after they spend a certain amount of time in hell that they can get out and move on to Heaven, but they cannot. The gulf that could have been bridged while alive is uncrossable after death.
There is no purgatory. There is no reincarnation. There is no way out of hell once there. There is no end to hell once there. In hell it is too late to pray. It is too late to change your life and it is too late to repent. Hell is a place without hope.
Some people say that hell won’t be so bad because “I’ll be there with all my buddies.” They may well be there with some of their buddies but it won’t be fun and games. Hell is a place of sorrow – a place of torment day and night. Hell is a place of separation from all that is good, and a place of total separation from God. It is the place of the hypocrite. It is the place of the filth of this world. It is the bottomless pit where man forever and ever descends deeper and deeper into moral and spiritual decay. Hell is the garbage dump of eternity.
If one could go there for a thousand, a million, a billion years, with the hope one day that they could repent, leave there and move on to heaven, it would be better than it really is. The most awful thing about hell is its hopelessness.
So who is going to hell? Although none of us have the knowledge or capability to answer that question, the Bible is very explicit about it.
There will be religious people in hell. Many who have been strongly involved in religion are not saved. They are religious – but lost! The self-righteous are there. The too proud are there. Those with hardened hearts are there.
How very sad are the words of Jesus found in Matthew 7:21 when our He says, “Not everyone that says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of Heaven. But those who do the will of my Father which is in heaven. There will be many in that day who will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not do many wonderful deeds in your name? Did we not cast out devils in your name? But I will say to you, depart from me you that work iniquity, I never knew you.”
I never knew you! I never knew you! How horribly sad. Does He know you today? Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Have you received Him as Savior and Lord – or have you just joined a church, been baptized, gone through the church rituals, and done many good works? Jesus declared that unless one is born again, “he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
In the Book of Revelation, chapter 21 is a list of some of the membership of hell. “But the fearful and the unbelieving, the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death.”
The abominable are those that turned their hearts from God and followed the ways of the world. Murderers will be there, those that have taken the lives of others. Only God has the right to take a life, and life begins at conception.
Whoremongers, meaning those that are sexually impure, will be there. Adulterers, fornicators, homosexuals will be there too. Those who reject the ways of God morally and sexually.
Sorcerers, those dealing in witchcraft, astrology, and soothsaying will be there. It’s interesting to note that the Greek word for sorcery is Pharmakia. This is where we get the English word pharmacy from. It means, “drug users.” The Lord cannot govern a life controlled by drugs. They will send a person to hell.
Idolaters will be in hell too. These are the ones who give their lives to something other than God. Nothing should come before God; not sports, not hobbies, not girl friends, not boy friends, not mothers, not fathers, not children, not animals, not anything! God demands first place in your life. All liars will have their place in the lake of fire as well.
In conclusion, look at the head of the list. The fearful and unbelieving. Those who say, if I give my life to God, what are others going to say? What will my friends say? What will my co-workers say? These are the ones who were afraid to take a stand publicly for Christ and to walk with Him. They are fearful. And, of course, the unbeliever is the person that never accepts Jesus as Lord – they don’t believe in Him as God’s own son and their way of salvation.
An old man was once confronted by three teenage boys on his way to church. One shouted, “Where are you going old man?” “I am going to church,” said the old man calmly. “What is that under your arm?” The old man answered, “It is my Bible, God’s Holy Word,” holding up his Bible. “Where is hell?” laughed one of the boys. The old man paused, looked him in the eye, and said, “Young man, hell is at the end of a Christless life.” If you live your life without Christ, one moment after your earthly death you will find yourself in hell.
Young lady, young man, mom, dad, older person – hell is very very real. As Dora and Roger come to lead us in a song of invitation, where do you stand tonight? The Bible says that you will be known by your fruits. If you’ve truly been saved, old things were passed away and all things became new. If you are truly saved your life should be different now. Is it?
Do you look forward to coming to church and being with God’s people? Have you laid aside those old bad habits? Have you given yourself completely to God, holding nothing back? Today is your day of decision. Come today and accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Come today and rededicate your life to the man from Galilee. Come today and become a member of this church. Come as we sing.
