I write this message to tell you that even though people live their lives as if the grave is their final resting place, the grave is not the final resting place. For humanity there is only two places that one can go. They are Heaven and Hell. In this message I am going to talk about the latter, the place of the wicked, the place called Hell. Many people believe Hell does not exist. In fact Charles Darwin said that the idea that there is a literal Hell is a damnable doctrine, and that he hated anyone who preached the doctrine of Hell. I guess he would hate me because I do believe in a literal Hell and I believe many people in this world are heading there. It is not a place that anyone would want to go, yet people every day live life in such a way that they do not think anything bad will happen to them. After all, God is a loving God and surely He would not send anyone to Hell. That is a misconception that I wish to address, and I will use the Word of God in addressing that misconception.
We will begin in Luke Chapter 16. Luke 16:19-31 describes two men. One of them went to heaven and the other went to hell. The first man I want to discuss is the rich man. The Bible describes this rich man as a man who was clothed in purple and fine linen. He was also described as a man who fared sumptuously every day. He had everything he ever wanted while he was on this earth. He had money, he had prosperity, and he was well known in the streets. It is quite possible that he was a leader within the community in which he lived. He probably was married and probably had several kids. He probably had many friends while on this earth. This man lived as if his best life was now. He did not give any thought about eternity. The Bible says in verse 22 of Luke 16 that the rich man died, and he was buried. The next verse tells the reader that there is most definitely a hell. Verse 23 says that in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments. The first thing I want you to notice is that the Bible says he was tormented. Some people think that they are going to hell and it is going to be one big party. My friends, how ignorant can a man be to think that! Torment is defined as a state of extreme pain or anguish of body or mind. In fact the rich man who went to hell was so tormented that he asked for just one drop of water. Imagine how hot it is on a hot summer day. I know how refreshing it is after cutting the grass in that heat to have some ice cold water.
My friends, in hell there will be no water. In fact in verse 24, the rich man says that he was tormented in the flame. Ever burned yourself on a oven before while you were cooking. It hurts does it not. In hell there will be a never ending flame. It will roast your body for all eternity and there will be no relief. The flame will never flicker, and it will never go out. People that are there are screaming in anguish for all eternity and there is nothing that they can do to stop it. There is no such thing as annihilation as some teach. If you reject Christ while on this earth, and you die in your sins then you will go to this horrible place called hell and there will be no relief. It will be the worst pain you ever felt in your life. The mind can not begin to comprehend how horrible it will be.
The next thing I want to share is that not only will the pain be awful, but the most horrible thing of all is that a person there will be separated from God forever. I can not imagine how horrible that will be. There will be memory as well in hell. People will remember that person who witnessed to them and they will wish that they could go back and accept Christ but it will be too late. My friend today is the day of salvation. Do not wait another day. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. If you were to leave your house and then a car was to hit you, are you sure that you would go to heaven. Do not be as the rich man was. He was wealthy, he was prosperous, he had it all while on this earth. But that does not mean anything in the great scheme of things. The Bible says what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but to lose his soul in hell. I do not know why anyone would want to reject God’s gift of salvation, especially those who have heard it time and time again. My friend, I believe that judgment for someone who has went to church for all their life and heard the truth time and time again will be greater than the person who has not heard the gospel. I beg you, do not reject Christ today. Softly and Tenderly Jesus is calling, He is calling for you to be born again into the family of God. Do not continue to reject Him.
There is one other man I want to tell you about and that is the poor man Lazarus. Lazarus did not have anything while on this earth. The only visible friend he had on this earth were the dogs who licked his sores. I mean he went through many trials and tribulations while he was on this earth. When people walked by him they would say get away from me beggar. The fact of the matter is that he probably was dirty, he probably had rags for clothes and he probably stunk because he probably did not take a bath very often. Lazarus only ate the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Many people would say that he lived a horrible life. Oh but my friend that is only part of the story. When he died he went to Abraham’s bosom which is Paradise. You might be like Lazarus. Perhaps you do not have much in this life. Perhaps, you do not have many visible friends. But you do have Jesus living in your life, and when you have Jesus you have everything. The choice is yours. You can choose Jesus or you can choose the Devil. Do not think that just living a good life or by doing good things can get you to Heaven. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse you from all your sins.
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