20 May 2024

WORDS OF TERROR FROM HELL

Speaker: Fred Sigle

SUNDAY LESSON, 5/19/24
 
WORDS OF TERROR FROM HELL
Luke 16:19-31
 
This Sunday I will be preaching from the familiar parable, “The Rich Man and Lazarus.”  
Although Jesus directed this parable to Pharisees who loved money over people (Luke 16:14), my focus will not be on the rich man’s life while on earth and his mistreatment of the poor man Lazarus, as much as it will be on his life after death in the place of torment that the NIV describes as “hell” (Luke 16:23).  More specifically, I will be focusing on the rich man’s words of terror from hell.
Hell is a real place, and the Bible teaches that the majority of people will go there (Matthew 7:13-14).  However, that is not what God wants.  In fact, hell was never meant for God’s greatest creation made in His image,  but for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  Scripture teaches that God wants all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4) and turn to Him in repentance (2 Peter 3:9).   He sent His Son to the cross to die for our sins so that we can live with Him in heaven for all eternity.   It is the choices that we make that will determine where we spend eternity, either in heaven or hell.
LUKE 16:19-31

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”