Summer Road Trip #7: Highway to Hell

Highway To Hell Summer Road Trip

Matt 7:13-14

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

NIV

Matt 5:29-30

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

NIV

Theme: According to Church growth experts there are three subjects you are not supposed to talk about in Church now day:

Politics
Money
Hell

So in honor of all the experts today we are going to discuss the Subject of Hell…or more importantly, as it pertains to our series: “Highway to Hell”

I remember when I was in rebellion against God…People would ask…Hey, Donald where are you going my answer was…”Hell, wanna ride.”

The problem was…my attempt to be funny was exposing my heart’s condition.

It is interesting to me that the most loving person in all of Scripture spoke about hell more than anyone else in Scripture…Jesus!

Introduction: Statistics from Barna reveals that: 76% of Americans Believe in Heaven and only 4% of those same Americans Believe in Hell.

See our Reasoning toward the subject must be submitted to God’s revelation on the Subject.

Too many avoid the subject
Other’s simply would rather say it doesn’t exist
Other’s have created Theology that fits their ideas instead of the Biblical Standard’s of God
- Annihilation
- Universalistic Salvation…teaches because God is love, He’s going to save everyone….
- Others teach hell is only temporary…then you get a “Get Out of Hell” free card….
- Problem is…if Hell is Temporary is Heaven also Temporary….

Transition: Now if we read where Jesus speaks about Hell, He doesn’t use it as a motivator to get people saved. It is not a detour for lost people to stay away from this horrible place….

Jesus, didn’t use hell as a fear tactic to pursue people who didn’t know God…He used it to Motivate People who Claimed to Know God but were not Living for God nor His Kingdom…

So, here me…The Message of Hell is for Church People, not Lost People…

“WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT ETERNITY, WILL DETERMINE HOW YOU LIVE TODAY”

Taken Seriously
1. When I think of “hell” or even the Word…we toss it around with carelessness…
  1. We’ll use the word as a curse word…
  2. We’ll type it on our social media platforms in the lettering WTH…
  3. But we use to do it with a calculator…4377…then turn it over…
  4. Because we live in the south…you’ll here people say, “Hell to the No”
2. But Jesus tells us how serious this Subject and Place truly is:
  1. Matt 5:29-30

NIV

1. 1. Listen to the seriousness by which Jesus addresses this subject….
  2. Who is Jesus addressing? He is teaching those who have decided to Follow Jesus…
Gehenna
1. When we think of Prophecy…we typically think of the type of Prophecy that is spoken….
  1. But there is a biblical Prophecy that is typology…
  2. Typology is a non-verbal foreshadowing Prophecy
2. Hell in verse 30 of Matthew 5 is the Greek word – Gehenna…
  1. This place is mentioned to us in Jeremiah 7:31 where King Ahaz would sacrifice children to the god Moloch….
  2. This place became the Garbage dump
    1. A place where the fire never went out…
    2. So Jesus is speaking to these people and using Prophetic Typological Language that they understood completely…
3. It was also called: The Land of No-More
  1. No more love
  2. No more Joy
  3. No more Grace
  4. No more Peace
  5. No more hope
  6. The place cut off from anything Good or God…the very place that is completely void and absent from the Presence of God…
  7. vii.Even to this day…there are no homes or businesses built there…by Jewish People
  8. viii.It was also the Place evil men, who died, were burned because they were not given a proper burial…
Why Hell
1. Why Hell…So God can Righteously punish Satan.
2. Satan is the epitome of evil….
  1. He is Deceptor
  2. He is the Father of Lies…
  3. Rev 20:10

10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

NIV

1. 1. See it is IMPOSSIBLE to be Holy and then no be Just…
2. Hell is also so Sin can be Punished

2 Thess 1:9-10

9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power

NIV

1. Rich Man and Lazarus
  1. 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 hell, 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 fixed, 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 father’s house, 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.'”

NIV

1. 1. First of all if we understand the study of Proper exegesis of scripture…you know this isn’t a parable but an actual event…because Proper Nouns are being used…so this isn’t some story, fable, or parable that Jesus is using to get a point across…He is actually using a True Account to get His Point Across
  2. Now this man is massively rich…
    1. Purple was worn by both Royalty or super wealthy…
    2. Even more so…the scripture says, “it was linen” if you’ll study this…you’ll find this linen garment cost a years’ worth of Food…that is important.
    3. He would use His bread to wash his hands…like I taught two weeks ago…
    4. Based on Who Jesus is speaking too…The Pharisees…this Rich man was more than likely a Pharisee and possibly a Pharisee they knew…
2. Now this man is in Torment….
  1. In Fire…
  2. Sulfur…
  3. A dry place with no water…
  4. Keenly aware of what he has lost…
  5. So aware of His separation.
  6. Filled with Worry, Darkness and Dread over the idea that His family might end up there…
Sheep and Goats
1. Matt 25:31-41

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

ESV

1. A Shepherd Separated Their Sheep and Goats at two times:
  1. Grazing Time and Rest Time
  2. When the Shepherd would tend to His sheep…even to this day…you will sheep and goats together…until it is time to graze and water…
    1. Grazing time the shepherd will separate the sheep and goats…
    2. Watering…
      1. Goats will drink from any old water source…
      2. Sheep drink from quiet waters…
  3. Rest
    1. Goats – are not given to rest
    2. Sheep need their rest…they actually look forward to the “Time of Rest”

Transition: Now if I were Satan, (The Father of Lies) I would convince us that Hell either doesn’t exist or that it’s not that bad….And He has been successful in this generation…if only 4% of American believe in Hell…much less if anyone is going there.

Good People
1. Now let’s address the overarching Question: Why would a Good God, send People To Hell…
2. First of all, we need to Let Revelation of God’s word Direct our Understanding…not our Preconceived Understanding determine what God’s word says…
3. For Example:
  1. Jesus said…”No man is good except God.”
  2. So Jesus has just set the standard to what goodness is…
4. Rom 3:23

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

NIV

1. 1. ALL
  2. Sin…missed the Mark is the literal definition…but the better understanding of the definition…Sin is us missing the Mark of God’s standard of Goodness and Holiness.
  3. So let’s do a test…
    1. Who here has ever taken something that wasn’t yours?
    2. Who here has ever told a lie
    3. Who has ever lusted for another person….
    4. Then according to God’s standard: “We are liars, thieves and adulterers at heart.”
  4. So, If God is Just…He must Punish Sin…
  5. But here is some good news…God isn’t just Just…He is Also Love…
    1. Rom 5:8-9

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (NLT)

1. 1. 1. 2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

NIV

1. 1. 1. Both of these verses tell us God is pursuing us…but our Free Will Keeps Rejecting Him…
    2. Let me illustrate it this way: Let’s say this guy is pursuing this young lady…sends her notes, sends her flowers, gifts, yet he is so in love with her so he continues to pursue, pursue and pursue…until finally she just keep rejecting Him…how right, just, holy would it be for someone to force that young lady to marry that man…NO…she will have to live with her choice…no matter in the future…she sees this man for who he really was…when He is legally married to His Bride…who didn’t reject him but Loved Him all along.
    3. Verse 10 says, “but the day of the Lord will come like a thief…”
Choose Your Road
1. Matt 7:13-14

NIV

1. These two verses taught by Jesus himself tell us: We have a Choice of Two Road…
  1. The Stairway to Heaven
  2. Or the Highway to Hell…
2. How do I know what Road I’m Truly On…
  1. The broad way is the easy way; it is the popular way. The majority is not always right. The fact that “everybody does it” is not proof that what ‘they are doing is right.

1. 1. God’s people have always been a remnant, a small minority in this world. The reason is not difficult to discover. The way of life is narrow, lonely, and costly. We can walk on the broad way and keep our “baggage” of sin and worldliness. But if we enter the narrow way, we must give up those things.
  2. Test Number 1 That you are on the Right Road:
    1. Did your profession of Christ as Savior Cost you Something…?
      1. Listen, there are people who have professed Christ, but they never left the wide road…not sure you are saved?
  3. Test number 2
    1. Did my decision for Christ Change My Life?
Altar Call
1. Listen to me…if you are on the Highway to Hell…it’s time to choose another Road.

“WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT ETERNITY, WILL DETERMINE HOW YOU LIVE TODAY”

Summer Road Trip #7: Highway to Hell

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