A Message From Hell
Luke 16:19-31
Joke: A husband and wife were traveling down the road in a car. They were in a heated argument when without warning they were in a horrendous auto accident. They both died. The wife arrived in heaven, and was met at the gates of heaven by St. Peter........your name is in the book of life, but you must first pass a simple test before you can come in. You must spell the word "love". The woman spelled the word love. St Peter told her that she could come in, but needed for her to fill in for a few min. at the gate. Wouldn’t you know it..........the next person who came up to the gate was her husband. He couldn’t remember what happened or how they died........but at least we’re both here. Not so fast the wife said, you must first pass a test.........spell Czechoslovakia"
Newspapers in the former Soviet Union, and other countries started running an article in the early 90’s about a group of scientists who were conducting deep drilling experiments in Siberia. According to these scientists, they believe that they drilled into the core of the earth. The temperature exceeded 2,000 degrees. Furthermore the scientists claimed to have recorded screams coming from the center of the earth on a microphone mounted on the drill. They concluded they were screams from those in hell. That story has since been proved to be a hoax.
Yet hell is no myth or hoax !
In our text this morning. Jesus does allow us to hear a message or conversation from hell !Jesus tells a story of two literal people. These were not characters that he invented to make a point or interesting story. He, furthermore, tells us a story of two literal places. Now we would get little argument concerning the place which is here referred to Abraham’s bosom, but which we call heaven. 3-4 Americans believe in the existence of such a place. However, when it comes to hell, only a little over 50 % of Americans believe in a literal place of torment called hell. The devil believes in hell, but he doesn’t want us to believe ! He would love for all of us to believe the doctrine of the Unitarians which teach that hell is here on earth, and that everyone will go to heaven.
I must admit to you this morning that I enjoy preaching on heaven far more than I do on the subject of hell. The thoughts of that place of perfect peace........where there is no more sickness, nor suffering. That place where we have the opportunity to be reunited with is a much prettier picture than the place called hell. Yet, I must preach on hell.........we must warn people of hell. Jesus preached on heaven. He told his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them.........yet, study the teaching, and preaching of Christ, and you will find that he preached, and taught far more about hell than he did about heaven !
Though it is an unpopular suject, I am reminded of "the story that is told of a chaplain who reported to a new duty station. Upon arrival some of the men came to see him and asked him this question; Do you believe in a literal hell? When he replied that he did not. The men asked him to resign and he asked them why. Their response to him was; ‘ If there is no Hell then we don’t need you and if there is a Hell we don’t want you to lead us astray."
The title of the message this morning is "A Message From Hell"
The Rich man had everything going for him or so he thought. Financially he was extremely well off. He lived in a nice home surrounded by walls with a gate. He wore the best in name brand clothes. There was nothing that he desired that he couldn’t have.
Lazarus on the other hand lived at the gate of the Rich Man. He lived there because he had no other place to dwell. He lay at that gate hoping to be fed the scraps from the rich man’s table. His body was covered with sores, and the sole relief that he experienced from their pain, and their itching was win the dogs licked his sores. The dogs may have been more compassionate to Lazarus than the Rich Man.
Jesus goes on to tell us about their death......both men lived, both men died. However, the real message of this story is that death does not end it all. Life goes on in another place, in another setting.
It is also immensely important that we get it right in this life.
The Rich man did not end up in hell because he was rich. Jesus talked about the difficulty of a Rich Man going to hell. It is not difficult for the Lord to save the rich. It’s difficult for the rich to come to Christ because of all the distractions that their wealth gives to them.
It is also important that we understand that the beggar, Lazarus did not go to heaven because he was a beggar, and had it rough in this life.
Both of these men ended up in their final destination because of decisions they made in their life relating to God.
The Rich man died because he had never trusted the Lord for forgiveness of sin. He was lost.
Lazarus at some point in his life had believed upon the Lord for his salvation. He was saved as a result. The truth of why he went to heaven is found in his name "Lazarus means God is my helper !"
This morning.........we need to warn people of hell.
Heaven is much more fun to preach on, to think about, to shout about.........but Hell is just as real a place. It is real, and people go there !
From our text this morning........I want us to look at the words of The Rich Man in hell, and listen to 3 important truths from his message.
I. The Rich Man Would Have Us Know That There Are No Prayers Answered From Hell.
Illust. Man I visited at Newnan Hosp who didn’t want me praying.
Story: Daro Payne
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
a. Prayers For Comfort Will Go Unanswered !
What a contrast in this story. While on earth, he had all that he wanted, and would have never settled for less than the best, but in hell the torment is so severe that he prays for a single drop of water. Can you imagine a place so hot........so sweltering that a single drop of water would be a welcome relief ?
Yet, there will be no relief. No prayers for comfort will be answered !
b. Prayers For Conversion Will Go Unanswered !
Knowing that comfort is not possible for himself, he turns his attention to his brethren, and he thinks of their spiritual condition. I wonder how many times in his life had a ever thought of his own spiritual condition, let alone that of his brethren.
Yet all the prayers in hell with go unanswered......no matter how sincere they may be. It will be too late to pray then.
If there is a prayer you need to pray, if there are those you need to pray for, then don’t wait til you’re in hell to do it because it will then be too late !
II. The Rich Man Would Have Us To Know That There Is No Pain Alleviated In Hell.
Several years ago a book was published, entitled Beyond Death’s Door by Dr. Maurice Rawlings. Dr. Rawlings, a specialist in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, resuscitated many people who had been clinically dead. Dr. Rawlings, a devout atheist, "considered all religion "hocus-pocus" and death nothing more than a painless extinction". But something happened in 1977 that brought a dramatic change in the life of Dr. Rawlings! He was resuscitating a man, terrified and screaming — descending down into the flames of hell:
"Each time he regained heartbeat and respiration, the patient screamed, "I am in hell!" He was terrified and pleaded with me to help him. I was scared to death. . . Then I noticed a genuinely alarmed look on his face. He had a terrified look worse than the expression seen in death! This patient had a grotesque grimace expressing sheer horror! His pupils were dilated, and he was perspiring and trembling — he looked as if his hair was "on end."
Then still another strange thing happened. He said,"Don’t you understand? I am in hell. . . Don’t let me go back to hell!" . . .the man was serious, and it finally occurred to me that he was indeed in trouble. He was in a panic like I had never seen before."
(Maurice Rawlings, Beyond Death’s Door, (Thomas Nelson Inc., 1979) p. 3).
Dr. Rawlings said, no one, who could have heard his screams and saw the look of terror on his face could doubt for a single minute that he was actually in a place called hell!
If we could catch a glimpse of hell today, what would we see. If we could receive another message from hell today, what would we hear ? We would see that the Rich Man and all that dwell in hell are still suffering. The flames have not been quenced. The flames will not be quenced though 10,000 eternities pass by.......the pain of hell will never be alleviated in hell.
a. The Pain Of The Senses.
One of the greatest pains of hell will be the ability to remember. Every opportunity to be saved will be remembered ! Every sermon preached, every prayer heard will be remembered ! That will be one of the greatest horrors of hell !
b. The Pain Of The Suffering
1. Unquenchable Fire – Mark 9:43; Luke 16:24
2. Memory and remorse – Ill. Rich man – "Son remember" 25, 27-28
3. Intense, unsatisfied thirst – Luke 16:24-25
4. Misery and pain – Luke 16:24-26; Rev. 14:10-11
5. Frustration and anger – Luke. 13:28; Matt. 24:51
6. Eternal separation – Rev. 21:8 – Ill. From what? Everything beautiful!
7. Undiluted wrath – Ill. Rainbow, Hab. 3:2! In Hell, God’s fury will be unleashed!
c. The Pain Of The Separation.
Perhaps the greatest suffering of all will be eternal separation from God. Jesus spoke of those who died lost as being cast into outer darkness. That is a grim picture of the lost person who is eternally separated from the Lord who did all he could to keep him from going to hell.
III. The Rich Man Would Have Us To Know That There Is No Passage Allowed From Hell. V26
Oh what torment........the Rich man could see the comforts of paradise.......he could see Lazarus and the peace that the poor beggar now enjoyed, yet he could not experience it for himself.
Hell is the eternal dwelling of the damned. All those who reject Christ, and die in their sins will be eternity there. There will no pardons, no paroles, no passage !
Not another moment of comfort or freedom. Not another opportunity to make things right or to do things different. Hell will be a place of eternal punishment according to the Lord.
Story: In the late 70’s I was working up close to Atlanta. I was driving early one morning on I 285 West near I 20 when I saw an accident involving a 18 wheeler. The truck veered off the road trying to avoid a car, and hit an embankment. The cab of the truck burst into flames. On my way back a couple of hours later, law enforcement were still investigating, and DOT crews were still trying to clean up the scene. The truck was still there, and was totally destroyed by fire. I watched the news that night to find out about the driver. They interviewed several people who stopped to render assistance. The driver of the truck was thrown from the cab, and his legs pinned underneath it. Other truckers tried to keep the flames at bay with fire extinguishers until assistance arrived. As the flames grew nearer, the man screamed out in agony asking those who were on the scene to cut off his legs so he could escape the flames. The man eventually perished in the flames.
Now as sad as that story is.........hell is far worse. There is absolutely no escaping of hell. There is no passage allowed from hell !
This morning........if your time here on earth were to end right now, and you stood before God.....where would be your eternal home ?
The horrors of eternal punishment in hell are escapable, but only if you act now. To delay is to literally play with fire !
How can you escape eternal punishment ?
Admit to God that you are a sinner, and that you are hopeless, and helpless without him.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, his death, burial, and resurrection for you forgiveness.
Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ !
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all come to repentance !
