Future Tense – Week Three

Fear seems to surround us at every turn: the pandemic, the election, education, physical security and financial stability. With all the chaos surrounding us, our spiritual questions and fears can grow and distort. This week, we’ll address the fear of the future by examining:

1. The statistics about hell.
2. What Jesus has to say about hell.
3. Four common misunderstandings about hell.
4. Two lessons to remember.

• There are interesting statistics about the topic of hell.

The Bible talks about hell 167 times.

Many Christians do not believe in a literal hell and have been distancing themselves from it in recent years.

Jesus addresses the topic of hell 33 times in three years of ministry.

• Jesus teaches about some aspects of hell.

Luke 16:19-21 – Jesus begins with two main characters: an unbelieving, rich man and a believing, poor man. 

Luke 16:22-23, Luke 16:24-31

• There are four common misunderstandings about hell.

1st – “Hell is just something that ministers use to scare people; when we die, we will feel and know nothing.”

Luke 16:23 – The rich man is able to see in his conscience state. 

Luke  16:25, 27-28 – He remembers his life.

2nd – “If I go to hell, I’ll be there with all my buddies.”

Ephesians 4:8-9 – Jesus descended to the place where the Old Testament saints stayed 

until His resurrection so that He could ascend with them.

3rd – “Hell will be a relief compared to the suffering I’ve endured on earth.”

The Greek word for torment appears four different times. (Luke 16:23, 24, 25, 28)

Torment has three meaning in Greek.

1. “acute pain from debilitating disease”

2. “an implement designed to torture”

3. “fire that’s hot enough to melt metals”

4th – “After I’ve served my time in hell, somebody will pray me out.”

Luke 16:26

Revelation 14:11

Luke 16:27, 29, 30, 31

• There are two lessons we can learn and remember from this weekend.        

1st – The Bible is the most important evidence a person can examine.

Sense and Nonsense about Heaven and Hell

2nd – We need to tell people about the reality of hell.

Romans 10:13-15