The Horrors of Hell
Luke 16:19-31
As beautiful as Heaven is! That is how Horrifying HELL is!
The Horror of HELL is NOT only for those who are the Mass murderers, or Hitler, or the really EVIL of this world!
But Hell is filled with people we love, and our neighbors and friends, who give to Charities, always there to lend a helping hand, people who we would say were GOOD people if they were judged by their works!
--C. S. Lewis
"The safest road to hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts."
The Bible’s description of hell
It is called a Lake of Fire -
A bottomless pit -
A horrible tempest -
A devouring fire -
A place of weeping and wailing -
A place of torments - everlasting destruction -
A place of outer darkness -
A place where men have no rest -
A place where men are tormented with fire and brimstone -
A place where the fire is not quenched.
Billy Sunday said:
Hell is the highest reward that the devil can offer you for being a servant of his.
The subject of Hell isn’t a very POPULAR subject, but it is, indeed, a very IMPORTANT subject.
1. Jesus preached often about this horrible place for one basic reason: HE DOES NOT WANT YOU TO GO THERE!
2. The Lord Jesus Christ thought it was very necessary to preach on Hell and WARN lost people of this horrible place.
A picture of hell:
Luke 16:19-31 NIV
19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ’Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 "But Abraham replied, ’Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 "He answered, ’Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 "Abraham replied, ’They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 "’No, father Abraham,’ he said, ’but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 "He said to him, ’If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’"
Many people laugh and joke about hell.
You see cartoons, commercials and sitcoms joking about hell as the place where all the "bad" people spend eternity drinking and having fun.
1. Hell is a place of separation from God.
2. Hell is a place of destruction
3. Hell is a place of sorrow
Second Samuel 22:6 says, “The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me.”
4. Hell is a place of pain
Psalm 116:3 says, “the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow.”
5. Hell is a place of unsatisfied desires.
6. Hell is a place of hopelessness.
7. Hell is a place of suffering.
8. Hell is a place of consciousness and feeling –
Luke 16:23 "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."
9. Hell is a place of constant regret (Those who knew that they should have made a change)
IT’S NO JOKE, HELL IS A PLACE OF HORROR
1. Because of those who will be there.
Hell is a place of vilest companionship.
a) THE WICKED?
{Revelation 21:8}
"But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murders, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burneth which fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
b) Satan.
{2 Peter 2:4}
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."
2. SECOND REASON HELL WILL BE A HORROR - It’s conditions
a) Fire and Brimstone that is never quenched.
Revelation 19:20
"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."
b) Filthiness
Mark 9:44
"Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
"Their worm dieth not ." implies that not only the worm but they also on whom it preys die not; the language is figurative, but it represents corresponding realities never yet experienced,
3. THIRD REASON HELL WILL BE A HORROR - ACTIVITIES
a) Gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:42
"And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
1) "Gnash" is used of grinding or striking together the teeth in rage, pain or misery of disappointment
2) That sense of utter hopelessness that characterized in terms as "languish," "wailing," "anguish," "terror," "desolation," "gloom," "dwelling in darkness," "cowering in ashes," "torn to pieces," "wormwood and gall," "teeth grinding on gravel," "depths of the pit," "soul in tumult," "gnashing of teeth," "heavy chains"
3) In hell no one cares when you scream
b) Thirst never is quenched.
Luke 16:24-25
"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. 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."
c) No rest.
Revelation 14:11
"And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."
4. FOURTH REASON HELL WILL BE A HORROR - IT IS FOREVER
a) No exit for escape.
Luke 16:26
"And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."
b) Hell is everlasting, never comes to an end.
Matthew 25:46
"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
c) Continual torment.
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."
Reasons for preaching on hell
1. We must preach on hell because it’s in the bible.
a) A great many Christians have no desire to hear about hell.
b) A great many church neglect hell because it is unsettling to those in their congregations
2. We must preach on hell to awaken Christians.
3. We must preach on hell to warn those who are lost
4. Their will be some in hell that might surprise us
a) Good people (by the world’s standard) will be in hell!
b) Moral people will be in hell
c) Religious people will be in hell
d) People with Good intentions
e) People who attend church
Summery
Hell’s no joke! Hell is a very real and very horrible place! No place could be worse than hell
1) With love, patience, compassion and urgency, we need to preach salvation from hell.
2) Satan has successfully reduced hell to a joke, a cartoon.
3) Many refuse to believe it it
4) We should warn people about hell, as sure as we warn them about anything that is life threatening
5) So today we have to preach on hell to warn men. Look all around you. People are dying every day.
