Eternity
Being up in a down world
Februarie 19, 2017
n Vriend van sondaars
Julie 23, 2017
The bad news in the Gospel
(The gospels is the good news. Is there bad news in the gospel? What is the bad news?)
Mat 13:47-50 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, the men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
A very tough message this morning. I am going to preach about eternity, more specifically “Hell”.
- We never preach on this topic.
- Following the ministry of Jesus, Jesus spoke about hell numerous times – He knew exactly what hell was like and didn’t want anyone to go there.
167 Times does the Bible talk about hell – yet so many people deny the existence of hell (even amongst Christians).
- “The survey concluded that 35% of Baptists; 54% of Presbyterians, 58% of Methodists do not believe in hell! Worse yet is the fact that 71% of the students studying to be ministers in the 8 leading seminaries in the United States do not believe in a literal Heaven or Hell.”
- Like Atheists saying: “there is no God” – you have to possess all knowledge to be able to make this statement.
- Know everything about history, science, all cultures and languages – everything ever happened…
- Scientists tell us that smartest person probably has 2% of all knowledge.
- Is it possible that in the 98% that they do not know… That God exists.
- Is it possible that in the 98% we don’t know, that hell exists. The Bible says it does.
(people find it easy to believe in a good ending, but not the bad side of it)
Hoe kan n liefdevolle God toelaat dat iemand in die hel vergaan?
Mat 10:28 – Moenie bang wees vir die wat die liggaam doodmaak, maar die siel nie kan doodmaak nie. Nee, vrees Hom eerder wat sowel die liggaam as die siel in die hel kan laat vergaan.
Die Here ons God se liefde en genade ken geen perke nie.
- As Jesus se vergewe 70×7 keer is dit omdat God so is.
- Maar wanneer ons sterf, leer die Bybel ons dat ons voor n Regter gaan verskyn.
- n REGVERDIGE REGTER
- Psa 97:2 sê dat Sy troon gebou is op “reg en geregtigheid” (God is morally just in everything He does and will give everyone a just treatment).
- Nooit ooit sal hierdie regter onregverdig oordeel nie.
- Diegene wat wedergebore is en in gehoorsaamheid en volharding die wedloop tot die einde gehardloop het, het niks om oor bekommerd te wees nie.
- Ons het nou kans om so met God te wandel om sodoende genade te ontvang en liefdevolle vergifnis – maar as ons die geleentheid hier mis, gaan ons dit nie eendag daar ontvang nie.
- Mat 7:21 – Nie elkeen wat vir My sê “Here, Here” sal in die koninkryk van die hemel ingaan nie, maar net hy wat die wil doen van my Vader wat in die hemel is.
- Mat 7:22 – Baie sal daardie dag vir My sê: “Here, Here, het ons nie in U Naam gepreek nie, deur U Naam bose geeste uitgedryf nie, en deur U Naam baie wonders gedoen nie?
- Mat 7:23 – Dan sal ek openlik vir hulle sê: Ek het julle nooit geken nie. Julle wat ongeregtigheid bewerk.
- Mat 25:41 – lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels
- Isa 5:14 – hell enlarged because of the unrighteousness of man
- Do you know what God has prepared for man? :
- Joh 14:2-3 My Vader se huis het baie kamers. Ek gaan om vir julle plek te berei…
- Is dit n liedfevolle God wat mense vir ewig verdoem? Of is dit mense wat hulleself vir ewig verdoem?
Luke 16:19-31 – Read (this is where it gets tough)
- Actual story or parable?
- “There was a certain rich man”. There was a certain beggar named Lazarus.
- Actual name used (Lazarus and Abraham) – no names used in other parables.
- Jesus refers to a specific man… (where is this man?) in hell.
- This should forever in our understanding about eternity tell us that there is a hell. This should stop the debate on hell and if its a place of fire.
- Many times the NT refers to hell as a place of everlasting, unquenchable fire.
- There will be no party in hell as many jokingly say. The word torment occurs 4 times in Luk 16:
- meaning of torment:
- severe mental or physical suffering
- an instrument of torture invented (wrapping a body around instrument with spears)
- Fire hot enough to melt metal
- meaning of torment:
According to this explanation, we can discern 2 things that happen to a person that goes to hell:
- They desire comfort – Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I am in torment
- They express concern about their loved ones on earth – can someone warn my brothers
- Thinking “I hope my kids wont come here”. “I hope my wife wont come here”
- The answer – they have Moses and the Prophets – they have the Holy Scripture
This story is describing Hades (hell) before Jesus rose from the dead – a waiting place for the dead until Jesus took the saints to heaven. A place of torment (where the rich man was) separated by a deep chasm from paradise (the place where Lazarus and Abraham was).
This is different from the future hell after the second coming of Jesus and the white throne judgment (called the lake of fire). This is the place where humans, the devil and his fallen angels will spend eternity. What will eternal hell be like?
- Revelation 20:11 & 13-15
- Revelation 21:8
- Those who turned their back from following Him
- Those who were unfaithful to Him
- Those who never walked with Him at all
- Revelation 2:11
Physical & emotional properties on earth that help to keep us as humans stable:
- Light – Math 8:12 – Hell is a place of utter, complete darkness. No light in hell (the light & presence of God is not there). You will never see or talk to anyone in hell.
- Rest – Without rest we begin to lose it emotionally. Even if we just rest for a few moments.
- Rev 14:11 “And the smoke of their torments ascends forever and they have no rest day or night”.
- Hope – No hope in hell. On earth we have hope that things can get better. No hope…
- Faced with the thought at some point: “When I have been here 10,000 …. CENTURIES I will not have 1 less second to be in this place”.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, the men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Why am I preaching about this?
Stats of deaths (150,000 per day – 4,5 Million people per month – 54 Million people per year)
Firstly you
As people we live in the now, forgetting that the Bible teaches about everlasting life after death.
(while running the race, keep your eye on the finish line)
Are you sure that you are saved? Are you sure that you will spend your eternity in the glory of the light of Jesus in heaven and not the utter darkness of hell?
Phil 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
- “Work out” – actively pursuing obedience. Pressing on towards the goal of Christlikeness.
- “fear and trembling” – a healthy fear of offending God through disobedience and an awe and respect for His majesty and holiness.
Secondly people around you:
Our neighbor’s house on fire:
- What will you do? We will all do the same thing. Call fire brigade and go and help.
- OR Drive into your garage and think “someone else will tell him”
- OR even “I will pray for him”.
- Our neighbor’s house is not on fire, but our neighbor is…
- If our neighbor has no relationship with Jesus, this place is where our neighbor will spend eternity.
Equip yourself, get over your fear. People need to hear and they need to hear from you.
Friedel Coetsee
Entrepreneur and Director of Siteweb Online Marketing. Pastor and Non-Executive Director at Life Christian Foundation.
