Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- Nadia Hussain from The Great British Bake Off - cannot help but think about death
- Jesus Christ often spoke of heaven
- Jesus spoke about it as He wanted people to be ready when they die
- Luke 16 - the most explicit teaching of Jesus about death
- If you spend time thinking about it - a cloud comes upon your soul
- Jesus was burdened for the religious people who thought they were going to heaven but were going to hell
- The Bible teaches about heaven and hell - more in the New Testament than the Old Testament
- The Bible speaks about two groups of people
- Example from Psalm 1 - the righteous and the wicked
- Psalm 145:20
- Daniel 12:2-3
- Psalm 73 - Sometimes people are troubled that the wicked seem to prosper, but there is an end for them
- Some explicit teaching about heaven and hell
- Not about the way of getting to heaven
- Not literal
- Jesus teaching weighty truth
- Overview:
- What takes you to hell?
- What is hell?
- What takes you to heaven?
What takes you to hell?
- The names of the rich are known on earth but the name of Lazarus is known in heaven
- Lazarus:
- Was put at the rich man's gate
- Was covered in sores
- Was a beggar
- Had no funeral
- The rich man
- Had more than enough
- Had the best of food
- Had the best of company
- Had purple and fine linen
- Living in luxury and opulence
- Lazarus went to heaven but the rich man went to hell
- Jesus spoke a lot about the danger of riches, pleasure, wealth and material things
- Jesus warned if a person only lived for the things of the world
- Paul warns timothy that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil
- The rich man - has no love
- Had no heart for the beggar Lazarus - no food or even crumbs
- The love of God was not in him - Matt 25:25-46
- It is not about doing good since the Bible teaches that all have sinned and all need forgiveness
- If this has happened - your heart will be changed
- Quote from CS Lewis
- To carry on your path
- Not repenting or turning to God
- Not a sin of 'commission' but of 'omission'
- We must be careful not to drift along to hell
- The rich man - a failure to believe and repent (v27-30)
- He is still trying to command Lazarus
- He has not repented (v30)
- He has not believed - the people did not believe also saw miracles or people raised from the dead (v31)
- They are not listening to God's word
- There is unbelief
What is hell?
- Gehenna/Sheol/Hades - the abode of the dead
- In the New Testament - refers to a place before the final state
- It is a temporary place
- When Jesus comes in the final judgment - people will be raised to everlasting destruction
- Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire
- v24
- God's judgment, anger and just punishment is in hell
- Different New Testament pictures - outer darkness, weeping & gnashing of teeth, torment
- Why would a loving God allow this?
- Perhaps we have not understood the magnitude of sin
- Luke 6:24
- Rev 21:8 - the unbelieving
- v28
- There is no second chance - as in Catholic teaching
- Jesus gave such stark teaching because He loved us dearly
What takes you to heaven?
- The tables are turned - Lazarus in heaven
- Lazarus was full of pain - the rich man had everything
- Lazarus was thrown outside the city - the rich man was buried
- Lazarus was taken to heaven by angels into Abraham's presence - a place of safety and security
- Not because he was poor
- But by repentance and faith
- Not what we have done, but what Christ has done for us
- Your past is wiped out and your future is secure
- You may not have had many friends on earth but you will have the best company in heaven
- Luke 13:24-30
- You must enter in through the narrow gate
- It is not of works
- The direction of your life must be changed
- Do not be thrust out
- The gospel has gone across the globe and many will be in heaven
- Jesus if the friend of sinners - but you must come to Him
- Come to Jesus today
- Have everlasting life