Sermon Tone Analysis

Psalm 44:13–16 (ESV)

13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbours, the derision and scorn of those around us. 14 You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.

15 All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face 16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

Introduction

Come now to consider the most terrifying doctrine taught in the Scriptures, the doctrine of eternal condemnation - Hell.

Everyone likes to think of heaven but very few think of Hell but it is vital for us to understand what Hell means.

I want to ask a question - it is rhetorical, no verbal answer but think seriously about the answer.

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Who do you think most deserves to go Hell?

Could be people you know, know of, have heard of, alive or dead.

Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Positive Assertions of Scripture

Endless Torment

Hopelessness

Contemporary Challenges

Hell is real

"Satan promises the best, but pays with the worst; he promises honour, and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure, and pays with pain....he promises life, and pays with death.

But God pays as He promises; all His payments are made in pure gold."

-- Thomas Brooks

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1. Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

a. Eternal Destiny

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i. Heaven

ii.

Hell

b.

Eternal Torment

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Luke 16:24 (ESV)

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.’

c.

Eternal Separation

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The Language that refers to the eternal blessedness of the righteous is strictly parallel to that which refers to the eternal torment of the wicked.

Samuel E Waldron 'The End Times Made Simple' Calvary Press Publishing

The condition of the dead and the communication between them is represented here in very literal, earthly terms, so that a vivid impression is created.

It should be clear, nevertheless, that much of what is here conveyed cannot be interpreted literally.

For example, we read about the lifting up of the eyes, of seeing people afar off, of a finger and of a tongue, even though we have been told that the rich man had been buried.

This does not take away the fact, however, that certain definite truths concerning the life hereafter are conveyed here, one of them being that the departed ones are not asleep but fully awake; another, that some are saved, others are suffering.

Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001).

Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke (Vol.

11, p. 785).

Baker Book House.

There are five things about hell which are mentioned in this passage.

1. Hell is far off from the abode of the righteous; Lazarus was seen far away (16:23).

2. It is a place of torment; four times the word ‘agony’ or ‘torment’ is used (see 16:23, 24, 25, 28).

3.

There is a great gulf fixed between heaven and hell (16:26).

4. The sufferings of hell are great (16:24).

The fire of hell is unquenchable; it devours for ever.

Yet hell is elsewhere called the place where darkness dwells (see Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30; Jude 6).

5.

But perhaps the most awful thing about hell is that there will be no escape from it (16:26).

No one can cross over from it.

Albert Barnes says of hell, ‘It is a dark, obscure, and miserable place, far from heaven, where the wicked shall be punished for ever.’

Bentley, M. (1992).

Saving a Fallen World: Luke Simply Explained (p.

231).

Evangelical Press.

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2. Positive Assertions of Scripture

Jesus speaking of the danger of falling to temptation

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Jesus speaking of the final judgement

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Matthew 25:45–46 (ESV)

45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

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Paul on judgement

2 Thessalonians 1:6–9 (ESV)

6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

The beast and all his followers

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Revelation 14:9–11 (ESV)

9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshippers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

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3. Endless Torment

Luke 3:16–17 (ESV)

16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptise you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.

He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Mark 9:45–48 (ESV)

45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.

It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.

47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out.

It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’

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4. Hopelessness

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Matthew 13:41–42 (ESV)

41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace.

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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Matthew 25:30 (ESV)

30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

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Matthew 12:31–32 (ESV)

31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.