WYO - 4 "A Story of Hell"

Charles Alexander Sands / General

Who's Your One / Luke 16:19–31

19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

A description of Hell:

1. Hell is a place of  pain  and  agony . 

2. Hell is a place of  separation .

3. Hell is  eternal . 

God doesn’t want anyone to go to Hell. People  choose  Hell when they reject the  revelation  He’s given them.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Hell is proof that:

1. God is  loving . 

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

2. God is  respectful . 

3. God is  just . 

Like the rich man, souls in hell:

1. Have full  memory  and  awareness .

2. Have good  theology .

3. Have the right  priorities  and  intentions .

 From LifeWay Research (2012):

• 61% have not shared how to become a Christian with anyone in the past six months.

• 48% have not invited anyone to church in the past six months.

•  20% rarely or never pray for people who are not professing Christians.

An uncomfortable conclusion: there is more  compassion  for the  lost  in  hell  than in most  churches .