Sermon Text: Luke 16: 19-31

Notice here in Luke chapter 16 verse 19. Notice what the Bible says. How many of you believe the Bible to be the Word of God? Say amen. This is the Word of God. This is God's Word. I mean inspired by the Holy Spirit of God; incorruptible, infallible, inerrant. Amen. God's Holy Word right in here.

(Titus 1:2) In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

He can do a lot of things but He cannot lie, amen. Now notice what it says.

(19) There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
(20) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
(21) And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
(22) And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
(23) And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
(24) 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.

Now I do not have the dramatic flare to really depict the agony that this certain individual was experiencing. Many times we just read over that, you know, kind of casually and all of that. But this individual asked for Abraham to send Lazarus to dip his finger in some water to cool his tongue. He was in tremendous pain, tremendous agony. The Bible says he was in torment in this flame.

(25) 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.
(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.

Now that verse teaches us the security of the believer. Amen? Once saved, always saved. When you get born again, that's it. You don't lose your salvation. That's not what the Bible teaches. The Bible says in verse 27:

(27) Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

He became a soul winner a little too late, didn't he? He became concerned about souls a little too late.

(28) For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
(29) Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
(30) And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
(31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses (which is in reference to the Scriptures, the Word of God) and the prophets (in reference to the men of God who preached the Word of God under the influence of the Spirit of God), neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Now this morning I want to preach a message simply entitled "And In Hell." Now this is not a very popular subject to preach about but without a doubt it must be preached, because Jesus Christ preached more about hell than He did about heaven. You study the Scriptures and you read the Gospels and you'll find there that the Lord Jesus Christ was vigorous when it came to preaching on this subject of hell.

Now He preached about hell for three reasons. Number one, so that people would get saved. Amen. People ought to get saved, because of a place called hell. If you don't get saved, if you don't trust Jesus Christ as Saviour, you'll die and you'll split hell wide open, according to the Scriptures. Not according to the Baptists, but according to the Scriptures. Amen. And that's why He preached on hell so much; so the people would get saved.

Secondly, so that God's people would get a concern for souls. Amen. Listen to me, if you are not actively involved in keeping people out of hell, you don't really believe there's a hell. That's what the Bible says. That's what God says in His Word; so that God's people would get a greater zeal and vision and more energy trying to keep people out of this awful place called hell, as we read about it in the Bible and profess with our mouth that we believe there is a place called hell. Are you winning people to Jesus? That's why Christ preached on hell so much, so that His people would get a burden for the lost.

The third reason was so that you and I as children of God would have a greater appreciation for our salvation. If there's one thing that's lacking today in Christianity, it is an appreciation for our salvation. We take our salvation for granted. We take the Bible for granted. We take church for granted. Listen to me ladies and gentlemen, we take life for granted. I mean our lives could vanish. I mean that our lives are but a vapor which could vanish at any moment. We ought to be doing everything within our power to get people under the gospel so that they might be saved. Amen. And in hell. And in hell.

Do you really believe there is a hell? If we really believe there is a hell, it would literally revolutionize Christianity today. If we just get a vision of the agony, torment, wickedness, and ungodliness that goes on in hell this morning.

Now this chapter gives us a picture of two types of people; a saved man and a lost man. The rich man, he had everything; popularity, fame, fortune, so-called friends, and all of that; but the Bible says:

(Mark 8:36) For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

(Mark 8:37) Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Amen. Oh how today we have been just lulled to sleep as Christians through money, merchandise, materialism, and the modernistic attitude of society has lulled the child of God to sleep! We have lost our appreciation for salvation. We don't have that vision of hell that God would have us to have in our lives.

Then there was Lazarus. As far as the standard of the world, he had nothing; no friends, no family, no fortune, or anything of that nature. But he also didn't have a funeral, amen, because he had a heavenly Father. One was carried, who was Lazarus; the other was buried, the rich man. And in hell! And in hell, he lifted up his eyes being in torment. Hell's a real place today, just like there's a Minneapolis, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, just like there's a Rosemount, Minnesota. There is a literal place that exists today where people are crying out for relief and crying out for satisfaction, but because they reject the gospel message that Jesus Christ saves today, they are in hell. People are in hell.

Now there are several things I want you to notice about hell. Take your Bibles and turn to Isaiah chapter 14. Notice what the Bible says there. I want you to see the origin of hell. Why is there a hell? Where is hell? Who created hell? Who was hell created for? Notice in the book of Isaiah chapter 14 and verses number l2-15, the Bible says:

(12) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
(13) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
(14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
(15) Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

The book of Matthew chapter 25 verse 41 says that hell was created for the devil and his angels.

(Matthew 25:41) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

At the height of God's anger He created this place called hell. And the element that motivated Him to create hell, was the element of pride. Are you with me this morning? Pride! Because of the proud haughty spirit that Lucifer manifested, God created this place called hell, prepared for the devil and his angels. The origin of hell! We have hell this morning because of pride.

Listen, many people end up in hell because of a proud spirit. They're too proud! They're too proud to humble themselves and bow their knees to a Holy God who died on the cross of Calvary for their sins. Too proud to admit they are sinners. Too proud to admit they deserve to die and burn in hell. Every person deserves to die and burn in hell. Say amen even if it kills you. Our hearts are wicked, ungodly, foul, and wretched. The Bible says our hearts are full of envy, malice, bitterness, fornication, adultery, lying, and thievery. Our hearts are wicked and we deserve to die and burn in hell. Unless a person recognizes that fact, there's no hope! God created this place called hell for the devil and his angels.

(Romans 5:12) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Because you came into the world as a sinner, if you die without the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us you will spend eternity in hell. Focusing on this subject of the origin of hell, we find hell's definition in II Thessalonians chapter 1 verses 7-9.

(7) And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
(8) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
(9) Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

The definition of hell! Banished from the presence of God forever! What a condition and state to be in. Banished from the presence of God. Someone once said that hell is God's one last act of love to a people who will accept nothing else at His hand. He leaves one corner of the universe for which they can call their own, where they can continue to live in pain, agony, and suffering for all eternity as though God had never existed. The definition of hell; banished from the presence of God forever. Forever.

We find in the Word of God the description of hell. How does the Bible, not Hollywood, describe hell? We've allowed Hollywood to regulate our thinking. Amen. We spend so much time in front of the television now that we've got a Hollywood philosophy when it comes to this thing of living for God, a Hollywood philosophy when it comes to heaven, a Hollywood philosophy when it comes to hell. Listen, we better find out what the Bible says about hell, amen? In Luke chapter 16 verse 24, it's a flame of fire. I'm talking about a literal flame of fire.

In Matthew 13 verse 42, it's a furnace of fire.

(Matthew 13:42) And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

In Revelation 20 verse 15, it is a lake of fire.

(Revelation 20:15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

It is a place of darkness. In Matthew 8:12 it is a place of torment.

(Matthew 8:12) But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In Luke chapter 16, we find it is a place of filth; in Revelation 21:8, a place of sorrow.

(Revelation 21:8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

In Psalms chapter 18 verse 5, it is a place where the worm dieth not, where the fire is not quenched, where you burn forever and ever and ever. This is a description of hell according to the Bible.

(Psalm 18:5) The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

What will people discover in hell? They are going to find out. Number one, they will find out that hell is a reality. Then it's too late. Isn't that right? It's a reality. Consider Hitler, Voltare, Capone, John Lennon. I mean, he's not singing this song now, "Imagine There's No Hell." He's crying out for one drop of water to cool his tongue, for he's tormented in that place of torment.

You'll find out it's not soul sleep, like some people would have you to think. You'll find out that death doesn't end it all. It's just another event that transpires in your life. You're born; that's an event. You go off to school; that's an event. You get your driver's license; that's an event. You go to college; what another tremendous event that is. You get married; what an event. You die; that's another event, too. It continues on. You have to spend somewhere forever; heaven or hell. It doesn't end at all. There's no mercy in hell. Praise God for His mercy. There's no mercy in hell. You don't have any timeouts. There are no exit doors. Are you with me this morning? There's no way out. The discovery of hell.

How big is hell? Isaiah chapter 5 verse 14.

(Isaiah 5:14) Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

Looks like the worldly crowd is having a good time right now, but one day they'll be in hell if they don't trust Jesus.

(Proverbs 27:20) Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

There is a real hell. Pray to God for a renewed vision of hell. Amen.

Then we find the occupants of hell. Turn to Revelation 21:8. I want you to see the occupants of hell; not only the origin of hell but the occupants. Keep in mind it was the element of pride that caused God to create hell. You have a proud heart this morning? So many of God's people miss out on the blessings of God because they are too proud. Too proud! Notice what the Bible says there in Revelation 21:8 about the occupants of hell. You know Satan has a counterfeit for everything.

(Revelation 21:8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The once born individual has to die twice; physical birth. The twice born individual only dies once. Praise God, if you have been born again spiritually into the family of God. You do not have to experience this second death. You do not have to go to hell, amen? Have you experienced that second birth?

Here we find the role call for hell; those occupants and individuals who are in hell this very moment. Notice the Bible says the fearful or those that are faithless. The fearful are those who believe the Bible. The fearful are those who may even come to church from time to time. Listen, the Bible tells us the fearful believe that Jesus Christ is coming again, but they are too afraid to put their faith and trust in Christ. They are afraid of what people will think. There are people right here whose testimony is that "I was saved when I was four. At least that's what my mom and dad say." You doubt your salvation, but you are too afraid to come and trust Jesus Christ as Saviour because of fear. Fear keeps people from getting their heart right with God. Fear keeps people from making full confession of sin. Fear! Fear!

(II Timothy 1:7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Praise God for that; to serve God. But, oh listen to me, you're here this morning and you're afraid right now, that if you walked down this aisle, people wouldn't think pleasant thoughts about you. Listen, that's a trick of the devil. That's a trick of the devil. He's fooled you this morning. Don't be afraid! Don't be fearful! Oh listen, the devil believes and trembles. Just because you believe the Bible doesn't mean you are going to heaven. Just because you believe you ought to be in church doesn't mean you are going to heaven. Amen! Fearful! Fearful!

I was down preaching in Henrietta, Oklahoma and there was a man coming to church there and he heard the Gospel on Sunday and he didn't come forward. He was afraid. He was kind of fearful of what people would think and fearful of what the people on the job would think. He was just kind of afraid. Then Monday night, he came down the aisle and trusted Christ as Saviour. He overcame the fear. Wednesday night he was baptized and that's the testimony that he gives. He was afraid but he was glad he overcame the fear. Amen. Fearful, faithless. "But without faith it is impossible to please him ... (Hebrews 11:6)" Fearful; they are proud and presumptuous, profane, and procrastinators. Fearful! Fearful!

Then we see the unbelieving. The Bible says in the book of Psalms chapter 14 verse 1, you're a fool if you don't believe in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Psalms 14:1) The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

There are people out there who claim to be atheists and all of that. Listen, the Bible calls them a fool. Fool!

(Luke 12:20) ... Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee ...

You're a fool, if you don't believe and put your faith and trust in Christ.

Then we have the unbelieving, the abominable. Listen, that word literally means deceiver or pretender. They profess that they know God.

(Titus 1:16) They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Abominable! Pretender! Deceiver! You profess that you know God but you won't come back Sunday night. Are you with me? You won't come Wednesday night. You don't make any attempt to get people saved. That's an abomination in the eyes of God! It's abominable. Amen. Detestable! They profess to know God. Those are the types of people who will be in hell. Those are the types of people who are in hell today. Abominable.

Then notice the Bible says murderers. We as Baptist, independent, fundamental, believing in the Bible, believe that abortion is murder. Now I don't need the Bible to tell me that abortion is murder. Just look it up in the dictionary, amen? It means to terminate a pregnancy prematurely. Look up the word terminate and it means put to an end. The word murder means put to an end. Amen! The Bible tells us in I John chapter 3 verse 14:

(I John 3:14) ... He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer! You criticize and gossip and backbite one another. The Bible says you are a murderer. Amen. That's Bible preaching, that's not psychology. We don't need psychology, we need preaching. Amen? That's preaching the Word of God. The murderers will be in hell.

Now notice the whoremongers. Those are fornicators; continual illicit sex acts. Fornication implies excessive indulgence in reference to the homosexual and pornography crowd.

(Jude 1:7) Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Amen! Praise God if a homosexual gets saved. But listen, I tell you what, hell is not going to be hot enough for homosexuality; along with the pornography crowd and Hugh Hefner and that crowd, amen? Pray for them to be saved. Whoremongers! Oh we shudder at pornography, but we allow it to come into our homes. Whoremongers! Whoremongers!

Sorcerers. This is related to witchcraft; someone who has magical powers, healers, palm readers, Quiji boards, connected with the occult, drugs, and rock-n-roll music. Do you remember in Acts chapter 8 there was a man named Simon who literally bewitched the people with his sorceries? You watch those TV evangelists and all those people who claim to have magical powers breathe on you and you fall down. I mean I've had people breathe on me and they had such bad breath that I felt like falling down. But that's ridiculous. You know the Bible refers to those type of people as sorcerers. They're involved in witchcraft. That's the power of the devil going on in those places. Are you with me this morning? I'm preaching the Bible. And in hell! Sorcerers; rock-n-roll music! You listen to that rock-n-roll music? That's sorcery. All sorts of demonic influence involved in that.

Idolaters. That's what the Bible says right there. Someone who blindly or excessively adores a person or a thing. You know, there will be multitudes of Christians who will stay home and watch the Super Bowl and not come to church. I've preached in churches that have altered their services so they can go watch the Super Bowl. I don't preach in those churches any more. Now I'd get up and say, "If you alter your services to watch the Super Bowl, you're an idolater." They don't like that. Here's your offering, goodbye. Amen! Hey listen, I'm bound by the precepts of God's Word and I'm called to preach the whole council of God. I'm not trying to be belligerent or anything of that nature. Listen, the Bible says, "And in hell!" Occupants of hell; idolaters. What do you have before Jesus? What do you put before the Lord? Your job, your family, money? What are you putting before God? What hinders you from selling out totally before God? What is there before God? Alcohol? Tobacco? What is there? Come forward, confess it, get right with God! Don't be involved in this thing called idolatry! Are you with me?

And then the Bible says there, all liars. All liars. What is a liar? According to the Bible, in I John chapter 2 verse 22, a liar is he who denies that Jesus is the Christ.

(I John 2:22) Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? ...

The Jehovah Witnesses, they are liars. The Mormons are liars. The Catholics are liars. I know some Baptists are liars, too, amen? I want to include them too. Why? Because they don't believe that Jesus is God. Jesus was not only the Son of God, but he is God.

(Matthew 1:23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

If you don't believe that Jesus was God, you're a liar. You're an antichrist. You'll spend eternity in hell. And all liars! The occupants of hell. The origin of hell.

Let me give you a third thing; the opportunity to miss hell. Amen? Oh listen, God doesn't want you to spend eternity in hell. He doesn't want anybody to go to hell. God's purpose and plan for mankind is so that they might come to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and spend eternity in heaven.

(II Peter 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God's will in this hour for you is that you come to trust Christ as Saviour, if you don't know Christ as Saviour this morning. That's His desire; God's passion.

(Romans 5:8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Amen? In that while we were yet sinners, in our idolatry, in our fornication, in our adultery, in our sin and degradation and filth, despite it all He died on the cross and commendeth His love towards us. He proved and showed His love for us. God's promise is whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Are you awake? Are you with us? Amen. That's the promise of God. The opportunity to miss hell. God's given you one last opportunity. This may be your last call. One day there will be a last call. If you haven't trusted Christ as Saviour, you'll die and spend eternity in hell. God's plea according to II Corinthians chapter 6 is:

(II Corinthians 6:2) ... behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Don't put it off, don't procrastinate, don't be presumptuous and figure that you may have another chance. You could leave this place and die instantly. You could die out in the parking lot. You could die on your way home in a car wreck.

(Hebrews 9:27) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Jesus Christ could come. What if you rejected Jesus this morning and He came back?

(Luke 17:36) Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

(Matthew 24:41) Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Are you ready? Are you going to be left behind? You say, "Well, I'll get saved during the tribulation." You can't get saved during the tribulation if you heard the gospel, because the Bible says that God will send such strong delusions that you'll believe a lie. No hope of being saved after the rapture of the church. No hope. It's gone. It's over. Or this may be the last time God convicts your heart. You've said "no" too many times.

The coming of Christ shall be as the days of Noah. The days in which we live today are very similar to the days of Noah. I mean every imagination of the heart was continually evil. The Bible says the Spirit of God no longer strove with man. The Spirit of God no longer convicted men of the need of a Saviour. That's a terrible condition to be in; never be convicted again for a need of the Saviour. You're heart is so calloused. You're so hard. You're so rebellious; not even convicted about sin. Oh, that's a terrible place to be. And in hell! And in hell! Oh, the Lord Jesus Christ wants you to get saved this morning.

A story was relayed to me about a boy who came forward in church and fell on the altar and cried out and asked God to forgive him for not having the fear of God in his life that he should have had. He related a story of how he worked in the hospital. He was an orderly.

One day there was a boy rushed into the hospital, burned over 90% of his body. He had worked in the chemical plant and he had stole a chemical such that when it came into contact with water it would ignite immediately. He spilled some into a sink and in the explosion the particles of that chemical literally penetrated his skin and imbedded into his forehead and into his chest. Any time that chemical came into contact with sweat or any type of moisture, it ignited on his body. He couldn't find any relief.

They brought this boy into the hospital. A nurse put a rag on his forehead to try to wipe up the sweat and when that moisture hit his forehead and those particles of that chemical, there was a flame that burst two feet into the air. She asked these orderlies to come over and hold the boy down. He was in convulsions and shaking. This one orderly who had come forward in church was holding him down. He looked and the boy sat up and looked straight into that orderly's eyes and said, "I'm in hell! I'm in hell! I'm in hell!" They injected him with some type of medication and after they got him calmed down, the surgeon had to filet the skin of that individual to get the chemical out of his body and relieve him of his pain.

As those two orderlies leaned up against the door, the doctor came by who was a Christian man and said to them, "Fellows, I know you heard him say he was in hell, but mark it down that the pain that that boy experienced there pales in comparison to the pain people will experience in hell." That boy got so under conviction that he came to church and before they even gave the invitation, he rushed to the altar and said, "Oh God, forgive me for my lax attitude and my lethargic spirit. Help me to be a Christian who helps to win the lost at any cost."

If you are here this morning and you are not reaching people, you don't really believe there is a hell. You ought to be at this altar this morning crying out to God for mercy. People die and go to hell because you refuse to give them the gospel. We'll stand at the Judgement Seat of Christ with bloody hands. Bloody hands! You come in contact with people and you don't give them the gospel. Isn't that what the Bible teaches? Bloody hands. You have bloody hands?

You're here this morning and you're not saved. Oh listen to me. You had better trust Christ. You come and trust Christ as Saviour.

Follow this link for a presentation of the Plan of Salvation.