Is There a Place Called Hell

Happy Sunday. Today we'll wrap up our series on what happens when we die. For the last several weeks we've looked at heaven, and today we will look at hell. I was amazed that in seminary that I met students there that simply did not believe in hell. I was confused.

According to a recent poll, 75% of Americans believe believe in heaven, and just 59% Believe In Hell. The Bible's pretty clear that hell is real, and we all have a choice to believe scripture or to reject it.

The story is told of a chaplain in the military that reported for Duty in a war zone. When he got to his unit, some men came to him and asked, "Is there literal hell? Do you believe in hell?" He said he did not believe in hell, and the men told him to move on and find another unit. And he asked them why, and they responded, "If there's no hell, then we don't need you, and if there is a hell, we don't want you to lead us astray."

It's my job to not lead you astray. More than 165,000 people die every day in this world. Each and every one has one of two destinations: heaven or hell. So what does the Bible say about hell?

Do you remember these words from Matthew 25: 41 to 40 to 46? Jesus is separating the sheep from the goats, and this is what we are told: "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you are who are cursed, into Eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger you did not invite me in, I needed clothes you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' They'll answered, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and didn't help you?' And he will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' And then they will go away to Eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

I've loved talking about eternal life of the righteous, but it's uncomfortable talking about hell. People don't talk about it very much, do they? But we need to.

In Mark 9ine we find these words, in verses 43 to 49: "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It's better for you to enter life MIM than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It's better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It's better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, with a worm that eats do not die, and the fire is never quenched. Everyone will be salted with fire."

Let me read to you this from Revelation 2015: "Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the Lake of Fire." These words are vivid. They're very Vivid, aren't they? Scripture presents a terrifyingly clear case for a literal hell.

And Jesus said an awful lot about it. The existence of hell wasn't something that he questioned or debated or doubted. In Luke chapter 16 he says a lot more about hell; you can read that for yourself. In Matthew 10:28 Jesus said, "Don't fear Those Who Kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear the one who can destroy both soul and Body in hell." Hell is very real.

You may ask this question; it's been asked forever: how can a loving God send people to hell? I would argue that hell is a choice for rejecting God. He doesn't send us there; we choose it. And you may say, why did God give us free will, so that we can reject him if we choose? Why not just make everyone believe without question?

I heard this about free will the other day, and I thought it was brilliant. Suppose I married a robot. Now, robots have made great progress in the past few years, so pretend I buy a robot, and when I take it home I program to obey my every word and do whatever I say. Is that love? It's creepy, isn't it?

God loved us so much that he gave us free will. Now, we should believe, but we aren't forced to. I'm not much of a worrier. I don't worry about hell. I won't be there, not because I'm a good man, because i', but because I've decided to follow Jesus. Today it's my prayer that all of us know him.

In second Peter chap 3:9 the question is answered that has been asked for a long time: why doesn't God just come back quickly and judge this world? The answer gives insight into the love of God, and I quote from verse n: "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promisees, some understand slowness. Instead, he's patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. I hope you want that too.

Pray with me. God, help us to be secure in our faith, and Father, help us to lead others away from hell and towards heaven. That's what you want; let that be what we want as well. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. God bless. Have a great week.