A Hellfire and Brimstone Message

Notes: A Hellfire and Brimstone Message
Luke 16
Pastor Greg Laurie
Series: God Came Near
Sunday, May 17, 2015 — 8:00 a.m.

Greg says he plans on giving us a message about hell today.

We have to talk about hell because the Bible talks about it.

Jesus spoke more about hell then any other preacher in the Bible.

When a believer dies, they go directly to Heaven.

When the nonbeliever dies, the Bible says, they go straight to hell.

We need to let people know that in a loving way so that they understand.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NKJV
[1] To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: [2] A time to be born, And a time to die;A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

We all will die someday, but none of us can know when. 

3 people die every second. They are all going to Heaven or Hell.

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] Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

God doesn't want any person to go to hell. It is a persons decisions that get them to hell.

Hell is a joke to many people, but it is no joke. It is a miserable place of torment that will last all of eternity.

Many say they think that it is a contradiction, that a God of love would not send a person to hell.

It is said that in our times that divine judgement is one of the most offensive doctrines.

You can't pick an endless Heaven and reject an endless hell.

Atheists say that the doctrine of hell is a cruel teaching of the Bible and has brought cruelty into our world.

Yet, do you think if the horrible people in this world knew that they would be actually sent there that they would do the horrible things that they are doing. 

Matthew 5:22 NKJV
[22] But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 5:29 NKJV
[29] If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

This is not a parable:
Luke 16:19-22 NKJV
[19] "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and 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 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.

A story of two men, one has everything and one has nothing.

Heaven is a place of paradise and Hell is a place of torment.

Luke 16:22-31 NKJV
[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.'"

The rich man's sin was not of being rich, it was of loving his stuff. He not just had wealth but he flaunted his wealth.

Lazarus was cripple and begged for his food.

Luke 16:22 NKJV
[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.

The Angels help carry us to Heaven too. 

As fathers we want to protect and make sure our children are ok.

1. People in Hell suffer.

Luke 16:23 NKJV
[23] And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

People don't go to purgatory, or eternal sleep, there is no reincarnation.

How can a God of love send people to Hell?

Hell was not invented for people it is for the devil and his angels.

1. God is giving to people in the afterlife, what they wanted in this life. 

If you don't want God's direction in this life, then He will make sure you don't have to in the afterlife.

2. Once you are in Hell then you can not cross over to Heaven.

3. You are conscious and fully aware that you are in Hell.

Luke 16:28 NKJV
[28] for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'

He was blaming that he did not know that hell existed.

Luke 16:29 NKJV
[29] Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'

We have the only reliable source in, scriptures, about Heaven.

To promise Heaven and not warn about Hell, is a false message and false doctrine. 

This is not bad news as a believer, because you know you are going to Heaven.

You put your faith in Jesus Christ and you get to choose your eternal address in Heaven.

Jesus was forsaken so I can be forgiven.

Jesus doesn't want anyone to go to hell.

He came so that we can go to Heaven with Him!

Put your faith in Jesus and you can know for certainty that you will go to Heaven!

The road to hell is paved with excuses.

If you don't want to go to hell, then make the choice to go to Heaven.