End Game-1-Hell Is No Joke

Today we start a new series that Pastor Brad calls End Game. We start the series with a sermon titled Hell Is No Joke.

Pastor's Notes:

Luke 16:19-31NKJV

19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and [a]fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with [b]the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 “Then 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.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

INTRODUCTION

Good morning, everybody!

I’m so glad you have joined us this morning. My prayer this week is that everyone has gotten rested up and healed up from all of the nasty stuff that has been going around. Last week, I preached a stand alone message entitled “America’s Only Hope”, in which I let out a challenge for us to seek the Lord for our nation. Today, I’m launching a brand new series I’ve entitled “Endgame”, and I’m going to be looking at what happens to a man after this life is over. Perhaps it will be comforting to some. To others, it will be shaking. Regardless of how it makes you feel today, it doesn’t change the fact that we are all going to face eternity. Today, I want to talk to you about the eternal place for the lost called Hell, in a message I’ve entitled “Hell Is No Joke”.

TRANSITION

Let’s face it: We live in a world where people do not like to talk about this. It seems like every single person who has died has “gone up to be with the Lord” or “I’ll see them again in Heaven.”. The Woodward News will even say “So and So has gone one to be with the Lord......”

No one ever seems to talk about the fact that there is a place called Hell, and people are going there by the droves.

“Why preacher, why be so negative?”, you might would say. It’s by lack of faith that I say such things, but I’m echoing the words of Christ here: We looked at the the Woodward News, but let’s look at the GOOD NEWS!

JESUS SAID

Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 [a]Because narrow is the gate and [b]difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Many means MOST
Few means JUST A COUPLE

Revelation 21:15-16 NKJV tells us the exact size of the New Jerusalem, where we will live for eternity, but Isaiah 5:14 NKJV says that Hell has enlarged itself, and is wide beyond measure!

2

It seems to me that since there is a “Highway to Hell” and a “Stairway to Heaven”, it speaks to its anticipated flow of traffic. 



ILLUSTRATION

I’ve often witnessed to people through the years and led many people to Christ. I’d love to tell you every single one of them accepted Jesus. Some of them scoffed. I’ve even heard people joke and laugh and say “I’m ok with going to Hell. I’ll just party with the Devil for all eternity.” You may think that sounds cute and all, but Hell is no laughing matter!

When I was pastoring in the state of Louisiana, a lady in my church had a son who was a professing atheist. He mocked Christians publicly. He called them weak, stating that “All Christianity is can be likened unto a crutch for the weak.” That man, being 400 lbs and the manager of a pizza restaurant, suddenly grabbed his chest, fell over, and he died. At the request of his wife, he was buried in his favorite shirt: A black t shirt with a large snake on the front.

As I stood in front of that casket, trying to console a family who has lost a loved one, what can you say?

“He has gone on to meet his Maker and receive his eternal reward. He can’t come back, but you must go. What will YOU do with Jesus, who is called the Christ?”

Hell is no laughing matter!

Let’s look at this story so that we can see what Jesus told us about this terrible place.

BACKGROUND

In our passage, Jesus was telling a particular story. Some have said it is a parable, but Jesus said there was a “certain” rich man, and then He calls Lazurus by name. This is something He didn’t do in other parables. He is being specific. He tells about one man who is wealthy and has need of nothing, and another man who is broken by life and is a beggar. Both men came to the end of their lives.

That shows us that no matter how much money you have or don’t have, it can’t stop you from entering eternity. It shows the differences. One man is comforted, and the other has lifted his eyes up in Hell. Great torment surrounds his eternal soul. He begs for water, yet he gets none. He cries out but he gets no help. He begs and pleads for Abraham to go tell his brothers about this place, yet he is told that is not possible. Jesus uses this story to talk to use about the suffering of a place called Hell.

It’s true—It doesn’t sell big books. Preachers aren’t talking about it much. Preaching about Hell may have cooled off, but my dear friend, it’s actually as hot today as it’s ever been.

APPLICATION
1. WHY WE TALK ABOUT IT

- It’s in the Word

- It’s a challenging day to be a pastor in this offended generation. If you’re listening to me by podcast or the internet today, hear me: If your pastor doesn’t preach all the truth from the Bible. you better get out now!

- The Old Covenant talks about Hell. Daniel 12:2 NKJV And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,Some to everlasting life,Some to shame and everlasting [a]contempt.

- Jesus talked about it often.

Matthew 10:28 NKJV 8 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in [a]hell.

Matthew 25:30 NKJV And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

- Paul believed in it.

2 Thessalonians 1:9 NKJV 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

- John the Revelation writer did.

Revelation 14:11NKJV And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Revelation 20:15 NKJV And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

- To wake up Christians

We have become spiritually lazy when it comes to soul winning. Many have even said “That’s not my ministry.” Jesus and Paul both commissioned us to preach the Gospel of reconciliation.

- Many don’t want to disturb men. If you warned a family that they were headed toward the end of a road and on the edge there was a cliff that would cause them to plummet to their death, you’d be a hero. If you warn people of the judgement to come, you are a bigot, small minded, and a fanatic.

- To warn the lost

- Many don’t believe in Hell. It’s still there, and they are still going if they don’t know Christ!

- To share with them the love of the one who died for them!

2. THE DEBATE ABOUT IT

- “A loving God wouldn’t send anyone to Hell!” The choices we make determine where we do.

- “What parent would punish his children by burning them in eternal fire?” God has no children in Hell!

- “All of the Hell I’m going through here on Earth is all the Hell there is.”

The hell you experience here is the one you created. The one you’ll experience down there is the one God created.

The fact is, God has given you many opportunities to get right with Him. In fact, if you die today without accepting Jesus, my voice will ring in your ears throughout eternity.

3. THE DETAILS ABOUT IT

- It’s instant upon death. You wait there until the final judgement, - There’s torment. He cried for mercy
- You can still feel. He wanted his tongue to be cooled.
- It’s permanent.

- You have memory and conscience. Your concern for the lost grows. Yet, it’s too late.

- All the wicked will be there.

- It will burn with unquenchable fire.

We can summarize it like this: Hell is the place of conscious, eternal torment where people experience God's punishment for their sin. Yes, Hell is "the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt 25:41), but also for those who join them in their rebellion against God (Matt 11:20–24). The horror of hell is such that Jesus says, "if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire" (Mark 9:43). For those who do not enter the narrow door of faith and repentance in Jesus (Luke 13:24) a place of weeping and gnashing teeth awaits them (Luke 13:28).

4. HOW WE AVOID IT

- Not by good works
- Not by religious association
- We avoid it by calling on the name of Jesus. Romans 10:13 NKJV

CONCLUSION

So when we say we are saved, what are we saved from?