ONE OF THE MOST HORRIBLE WORDS IN THE BIBLE-HELL

Luke 16:19-31

Introduction: The Bible says that a man is condemned already. (John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”) You don’t have to wait until you die to be condemned. You are living as condemned which means judged. The only two things that stops you from going to hell at this very second is your beating heart and the mercy of God.

Man is born lost. (Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” Psalm 58:3 “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.” Psalm 51:5 “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”) In fact you will die lost unless you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. (Romans 10:9-10, 13 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”)

At the nursing home, I have heard many times at the deathbeds of some of the residents this statement: “Well, they are better off.” If they died without Jesus Christ, they are ten thousand times ten thousand worse off for they have joined the abyss of the damned. Every moment in Hell will seem to be an eternity but it will be just a moment. Will they spend eternity in Hell? No, it is really just a holding place. One day Hell will be cast into the lake of fire and after they White Throne Judgment, the inhabitants of Hell will be cast there too. (Revelation 20:10-15 “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”)

Don’t let some religious leader or a religion try to tell you that there is no hell or try to air condition it. Jesus Christ preached twice as much on Hell than He ever did on Heaven. In fact, the Bible speaks more the subject of Hell than Heaven. Hell must be a terrible place if Jesus was willing to come and die on the cross so I would not have to go there.

This description of Hell and the Lake of Fire ought to scare some people in wanting to be saved. If you are lost today, this is the very best you will have it. And this is the closest to heaven you will ever get.

Death is frightening reality. (James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” 1^st Peter 1:24 “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away”)

The statistics of death are even more frightening: 3 people die every second; 180 people die every minute; 10,800 people die every hour and Almost 260,000 people will die today.

The funeral home is never closed for business. I have only known one funeral home that went out of business and it was from fraud and went bankrupt. It did not close for a lack of business. The Casket Company makes caskets in all different sizes. One person said “You may tie your shoes this morning but the undertaker may untie them tonight.”

The rich man had it all except salvation. His clothing showed he was rich. Purple was always a sign of a ruler. Fine linen was the soft material that the undergarments were made and felt soft and comfortable. He did not have one day of comfort but many days. Our passage said that he fared sumptuously every day. That means that he had anything his heart desired. If he wanted rib-eye steak for supper every night that is exactly what he got. But he did not go to hell because he was rich. Rich people go to heaven too. But they have baggage. It is their riches. Mark 10:23

“And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”

Lazarus did not go to heaven because he was poor either. He went to hell because his faith was in the Lord.

You can preach a lot of truths from this passage and I may do so in the time ahead. The rich man never asked any questions. Here is a sample of the questions he could have asked.

• "Why am I here?"
• "Why is Lazarus in heaven?"
• "When is this torment going to end?"
• "When do I get out?"
• The man in hell never asked for justice.
• He never asked for company.

If you would die in this service today or later today, there are seven shocking facts you know within the first sixty seconds after you die if you are lost. What did the rich man learn sixty seconds after he died?

I. HE REALIZED THAT DEATH DOES NOT END IT ALL. Hebrews 9:27

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”

1. Every person is born as an eternal being.

Revelation 20:10

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

B. Every person that is born goes to heaven or hell.

Vs. 19-23

“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 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.”

We are eternal souls that are destined to spend eternity somewhere. It comes down to a simple choice on our behalf of Accepting or Rejecting Christ as Saviour. What will not count on the day of our death? Religion will not count in that day. Reformation will not count in that day. I do not care how many twelve-step programs you took. It is only the step to the Saviour that counts. Relatives will not count in that day. Rituals will not count in that day. You can recite the Lord’s prayer and the Apostles’ creed or whatever every day of your life but it will not count.

Only a relationship with Jesus Christ will count in the day of your death.

John 14:6

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

II. HE REALIZED THAT GOD KEEPS GOOD RECORDS OF WHATSOEVER WE DO. Revelation 20:12

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

The only people judged here am lost people. The saved has been with the Lord for over one thousand and seven years.

A. The Lord records every sin. 1^st John 3:4

“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

Revelation 21:8

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

It is such as adultery, anger, atheism, blasphemy, covetousness, devil worship, drunkenness, false doctrine, fear, gluttony, gossip, idolatry, immorality, murmuring, nudity, pride, sodomy, self-righteousness, strife, and unbelief.

B. The Lord recalls all sins. Hebrews 4:12-13

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

How do we know recalls all? In that passage in Revelation chapter twenty-two, we were told that the books were open. Books of all sins of the lost will be revealed. Nothing will be hidden. All is opened before everyone.

C. The Lord rewards all sins. Numbers 32:23

“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”

There will be Payday some day. God always pays greater than was given.

Galatians 6:7-8

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

III. HE REALIZED THAT SATAN HAS LIED TO HIS HEART. John 8:44

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

A. He tells lies about salvation

1. He wants to replace salvation with rituals and religion such as prayers, spiritual sounding advice, taking communion. But none of these will save your soul.

Acts 4:12

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

2. He wants to replace salvation with reformation.

Titus 3:5

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost”

Ephesians 2:8-9

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

No twelve-step program can ever prepare you for heaven. You still carry the guilt and pain and Only Jesus can cleanse all that.

B. He tells lies about our Saviour 2^nd Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Jesus still changes people's lives, loves and longings. The devil wants unsaved to think that Jesus can not save or change a life. The devil is a liar and the father of them.

C. He tells lies about the Saints. The devil wants people to believe that Christians just want to brainwash you. Or they just want your money.

IV. HE REALIZED THAT THERE IS A LITERAL FIRE IN HELL. Matthew 25:41,46

“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” “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

Mark 9:43-48

“And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”

A. The fire in hell is for torments. Vs. 23-24

“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.”

There will not be any water in hell. There will not be any comforts in hell.

B. The fire in hell is for terror. Matthew 8:12

“But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

The fire in hell will terrorize the mind and torment the body.

V. HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD MISSED THE GREATEST GIFT OF LIFE. Matthew 16:26

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

A. He could have had eternal life. 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.”

John 5:24

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

1^st John 5:13

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

B. He could have had an enjoyable life. Being saved is not boring but enjoyable because it is real living for the Lord.

C. He could have had an enriched life. Who would have thought a young Pharisee by the name of Saul would get saved and then turn the Roman world upside down with his preaching, teaching and his writings.

6. HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD STILL RETAINED HIS MEMORY. Vs. 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.’

A. He'll recall all those prayers of the saints on his behalf especially the ones with tears.

B. He'll recall all those preaching services especially the ones in which he was being called to Christ.

C. He'll recall all those passing of scriptures to him. (Gospel tracts- the missionary that never sleeps)

D. He'll recall all the pleasures of sin.

Hebrews 11:25

“Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season”

E. He'll recall all the times he put off salvation.

Acts 26:28

“Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”

2^nd Corinthians 6:2b

“behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

History tells us that sooner after Agrippa and his wife Bernice heard Paul give his testimony they were killed. Did they have another opportunity to be saved? Probably not is a safe answer. The moment they died if they were lost, they woke up in hell.

VII. HE REALIZED THAT HE KNOWS THAT ALL OPPORTUNITIES TO BE SAVED ARE GONE FOREVER. Vs. 27-31

“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. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

Isaiah 55:6

“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near”

Psalm 145:18

“The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.”

Only on this side of eternity will you be able to be saved. It is very important to remember that Heaven or Hell is only one heartbeat away. Also the Lord will never and has never forced salvation on any man.

Conclusion: Today as a Christian, you should be aware that you know lost people and hell is their fate if you cannot win them to Christ. We may not prevent this generation from going to hell but we must make it hard for them.

If you are not saved, I have given your future. But you can choose real life and that is life in Jesus Christ.