## Three Things in Hell

## Luke 16:19-31

If you were to ask the average person on the street to describe hell, the responses would be as varied as the people asked. Fortunately for us we do not have to rely on what people think that Hell may be like. (Or for that matter whether Hell even exists!) The Word of God makes it very clear to us that there is a Hell, and it goes on to describe it for us in a number of ways. In our text there are two characters. The one wakes to everlasting comfort and the other opens his eyes in eternal torment. From this passage we find a number of truths about the place called Hell. I want you to note that today's text is not just another story. It is not a parable either. This account is the real account of man going to hell. From this account I want us to consider three things found there that we ought to find here at Grace Baptist Temple.

I. Tears

A. There will be tears and weeping in Hell!

Mt. 8:12, "But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

B. There ought to be tears in this church!

1. Tears of passion.

a. How long has it been since we have been so burdened over someone that we wept for them?

b. For some, perhaps never!

c. The lost might say to us as the disciples mistakenly said to Jesus, "Carest thou not that we perish?"

d. The rich man in hell cried out to God in his torment.

Acts 20:31, "Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears."

2. Tears of sacrifice.

a. Doing the right thing in love even in times of conflict and trouble.

b. It would be easier to disregard the commandments of God and let people go on in their sin, but it wouldn't be right!

c. Paul wrote the problem-plagued church at Corinth.

2 Cor 2:4, "For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you."

C. Tears of joy.

1. Do you know the tears of joy?

2. Being so happy and filled with God's joy over what He has done in our life or the life of others.

3. Paul instructed the believers in Rome that they should share not only in one another's burdens, but also in their joy!

a. “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” (Rom 12:15)

b. There will be tears in hell, and there should be tears in this church. Tears of passion, tears of sacrifice, and tears of joy!

II. Prayer.

A. Luke 16:27, "Then he said, I pray ... "

1. What a shame that he waited until he was in Hell before he prayed.

2. Prayer is the way that we communicate our hearts desires and concerns to God.

3. If people in Hell pray...then certainly we ought to!

B. Personal Prayer offered up by each Christian in the church is vital.

Acts 2:42, "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

1. Jesus said, "...men ought always to pray and not faint..." cf Luke 18:1

2. Paul admonished us to pray without ceasing! cf 1 Thess. 5:17

3. He is our Father...do we talk with Him?

C. Corporate Prayer in our Church is vital to our existence for it brings upon us:

1. The power of God.

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

2. The presence and blessing of God.

Acts 12:12, "And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying."

III. Concern for the Lost.

Luke 16:28, "For I have five brethren..."

A. We need a renewed understanding of the reality of Hell.

1. No one had to convince this man that Hell was real!

2. There was no room for philosophical debates concerning the topic.

3. There was no theological discussions about whether God would truly send someone to a place of torment.

4. He knew that Hell was a place that he didn't want his brothers to have to come to.

5. We need to gain that kind of understanding today...Hell is real!

B. We need to realize that our life is not ours to live but God's to control.

1. One day we will all stand before Christ and give an account of our lives to Him.

2. Those who have never accepted His loving and gracious offer of salvation will stand before the Great White Throne and then be cast into the lake of fire because they failed to accept Christ as their Savior!

3. Christians will stand before Christ at the Judgment Seat to account for how they have lived their lives.

4. Only one life and soon 'twill be past, only what's done for Christ will last.

C. We need to realize that God has established the local church to fulfill the Great Commission.

1. We must places our heart within the framework of the local Church that Jesus loved died for.

2. Where do we fit in?

When was the last time we wept? Do we make prayer a priority in our lives? What about our concern for the lost? All of these are questions which we must answer. Friend, if you are without Christ, please do not wait until you are in hell before you realize you needed to prepare for eternity!

Christian, people in Hell today are crying and praying for you to go to their lost loved ones and tell them. Where are our tears Where is our prayers? Where is our heart?

Today, you know the decision that God would have you to make today. Maybe you have never been baptized, obey God today and be baptized. Maybe you need a church home, a family of believer you can call your own, a pastor you trust, if you are not a member of a church you don't have any of those. You may need to rededicate your life to Christ, be involved, do something for God. Won't you come today and let us pray.