A Strong Anchor I

 

A Strong Anchor I

 

Lamentations 3:22-23, It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, Because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: Great is thy faithfulness.

Theme: God’s loving mercies never run out, and He offers us a fresh start and renewed strength daily. 

Relevance: A ‘leaving of the old situations behind’ is reason to hope again, even in the middle of our seriously painful experiences God’s compassions reach out to us still (Lam. 3:21–23). We all have been tempted to ‘bottle up’ our experiences… ‘bottle up’ our emotions…suppress or hide our true feelings instead of expressing or processing them with God’s eternal truth.

Introduction:

Jeremiah, while mourning the incredible devastation of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army, describes his pain and misery. This season is marked by intense physical and emotional aching in his soul. However, right in the middle of total despair, Jeremiah pauses to remember God’s character is good! This never-changing dynamic provides an anchor of hope the prophet desperately needs.

Child of God, God’s steadfast love and mercy have no end, thus providing us fresh hope and a clean slate every single morning even during occasions when we are getting what we really deserve! Even while facing the devastation of divine chastening, and in times of deep misery, God provides us with undiminishing hope. This ‘anchor’ certainly does not remove the outcomes of our broken choices or those of our love ones, but we do have divine help to deal with the internal turmoil before us and the heavy accompanying emotions.

Lessons:

Accept These Concepts with All Your Heart!

God gives us several ideas to take in thoughtfully….

     1.    God’s Compassion Prevents Complete Annihilation! "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed..."

o   We know people fail and deserve punishment. God’s grace stops total destruction; He could have been even more severe, but He chose not to. People survive only because God holds back His judgment.

• God’s love prevents complete destruction. The phrase "we are not consumed" shows that despite our faults or heavy trials, God’s enduring love shields and preserves us. 

     2.   God’s Tender Care Remains for Ever! "...because his compassions fail not."

• With a prayer to God to remember his bitter plight, yet with lingering depression over his misery (vv. 19, 20), the prophet gets his eyes off himself and onto the Lord. Hope is revived when he remembers that the Lord’s mercies and compassions … are new every morning, and that His faithfulness is great (vv. 21–24).^[1]
• God’s tender care does not quit or run dry. His pity and love stay strong, unchanged, and undiminished forever. 
• Mercies are renewed daily. God’s compassion does not run out or grow tired; His grace is freshly waiting for you when you wake up each day. 

3. God Is Able to Provide Comfort Even When We Have Made Serious Mistakes. "They are new every morning..."

• However, one thought (this I call to mind) crowded out the hopelessness that threatened to overwhelm him: Because of the Lord‘s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. Judah was down, but not out. God was punishing Judah for her sin, but did not reject her as His covenant people. ^[2]
• God gives fresh grace for each new day regardless. Yesterday’s mistakes or heavy burdens do not use up today’s supply of mercy. He comforts us with the guarantee of a new start!
• We have Hope within sorrows. This passage proves that hope can survive the darkest tragedies because God’s character never changes—He is constantly good. 

4. God’s Faithfulness Affords Us Continual Comfort! "...great is thy faithfulness."

• “Faithfulness” points to God’s firmness, steadiness, steadfastness, and fidelity!
• Was Judah’s deliverance from such a fate due to something in them? No, it was all due to the faithfulness of God. He had promised Abraham that He would make a nation come from him—and this was the nation. He had promised Moses that He would put them into the land. He had promised Joshua that He would establish them there. He promised David that there would come One in his line to reign on the throne forever. The prophets all said that God would not utterly destroy this people but that He would judge them for their sin. God is faithful. He has judged them, but He will not utterly destroy them. A faithful remnant has always remained, and ultimately they will become a great nation again.^[3]
• God always keeps His promises. People can trust Him completely because His character never changes. 
• Truly faithfulness lays in God. Our security relies on God’s great faithfulness to His character and promises rather than our own strength or weakness.

We desperately need to embrace this view of God and never dismiss it ever again. God is faithfully compassionate and merciful! Life is hard, circumstances can be unforgiving, but He is our stability in any storm of life. The fault is never with God, but it is always enmeshed in our sinfulness and the hardness of the conditions we have allowed. Take this revelation of God to heart and allow it to be the way you evaluate life and not how you scrutinize God!

---

^[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1032.

^[2] Charles H. Dyer, “Lamentations,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1217.

^[3] J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary, electronic ed., vol. 3 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), 431.

 

“The Foundation of Our Prayers”

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim 2:5-7

 

THEME: churches are to conduct their services with order with prayer to God in Jesus Names as the first Priority.

INTRODUCTION:

Church prayers like private prayers are rooted in Christ and the privileges He affords each believer. Yes, our prayers have a glorious foundation in Jesus Christ. 

MESSAGE:

The Basis For Prayer (1 Tim.2:5–7).

            1.  The Perfect Mediator.

Many believers do not realize that prayer is based on the work of Jesus Christ as Savior and Mediator. 

a. There is one God.

1) God is one; therefore, He is the God of all men, and prayer should be addressed to Him in behalf of all men.

·       As the one God, He desires the salvation of all men. If He were one of many gods, He might be concerned only about His own worshipers.

2) There is no other way of salvation (Acts 4:12).

Acts 4:12, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

3) Hence there is the need to pray for the lost to come to know the one true God (Deut. 4:35,39; 6:4; Is. 43:10; 44:6; 45:5,6,21,22; 46:9; 1 Cor. 8:4,6). 

b. As The God-Man, Jesus Christ Is The Perfect Mediator Between The Holy God And His Failing Children.

1) Mediator refers to someone who intervenes between two parties to resolve a conflict or ratify a covenant.

·       One Mediator between God and men. This being so, no man can come to God in any other way.

o   A mediator is a go-between, a middleman who can stand between two and communicate with both.

o   Through Christ, Himself Man, God is enabled to approach men with forgiveness of sins. Consequently any poor sinner can approach Him, and will by no means be rejected. 

·       Jesus Christ is the only “Mediator” who can restore peace between God and sinners. (see Heb. 9:11–15).

o   Hebrews 8:6, But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

o   Hebrews 9:15, And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

o   Hebrews 12:24, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

·       “Mediator is a concept derived from the ceremonial worship prescribed in the Old Testament. In the tabernacle and later in the temple, the priests meditated between God and the Israelites by offering animal sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people and by interceding to God for the nation. In their position as mediators, the priests were the only ones eligible to enter the Holy Place, the place where God had made His presence known.” ---(Nelson Study Bible)   

2) One of Job’s complaints had to do with the absence of a mediator who could take his message to the throne of God. “Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.” (Job 9:33).

3) Since there is only one God, there is need for only one Mediator; and that Mediator is Jesus Christ. No other person can qualify. (1Tim. 2:5)

·       Christ Jesus is both God and man, and, therefore, can be the “umpire” between God and man. There is one God from whom salvation is available. There is only one way to Him, through the Mediator, Christ Jesus, who has the full nature of God and the full nature of man. Christ has identified with us; He understands us perfectly and represents us at the right hand of God the Father (see Rom. 8:34).

·       Paul identifies the Mediator as the Man, Christ Jesus. This does not deny the deity of the Lord Jesus. In order to be the Mediator between God and men, He must be both God and Man. The Lord Jesus is God from all eternity, but He became Man in Bethlehem’s manger. He represents the whole race of humanity. The fact that He is both God and Man is indicated in the name Christ Jesus. Christ describes Him as God’s anointed One, the Messiah. Jesus is the name given to Him in Incarnation.

4) “The verse effectively answers the teaching so common today that the blessed Virgin Mary or angels or saints are mediators between God and man. There is only one Mediator, and His name is Christ Jesus.

Verse 5 summarizes the messages of the OT and NT. One God was the message of the OT entrusted to Israel; one Mediator—the message of the NT entrusted to the church. As Israel failed in her responsibility by worshiping idols, so the professing church has failed in her responsibility by introducing other mediators—Mary, saints, clergy, etc.”     --- MacDonald, W.

c. In His Perfect Life And Substitutionary Death, He Met The Just Demands Of God’s Holy Law. (1Tim. 2:6)

1) He was the “ransom for all.” This is the work of the Mediator (v. 5) giving Himself a ransom for all.    (1Tim. 2:6)

·       The word ransom means “a price paid to free a slave.”

·       The ransom is a payment given instead of a slave or prisoner—that is, in substitution for him or her. The person holding the slave accepts the payment as a substitute.

·       According to Gal. 3:13, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. The law held us captive in its condemnation, and no one but Christ could pay the price to release us from this bondage.

o   Galatians 3:13, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

·       Christ substituted His life for ours. Our sins had separated us from God and held us in condemnation. Christ paid the penalty for our sins so that we could be reconciled to our Father and freed us from the prison of the Law.

2) His death was “for all” or “on behalf of all people.”

·       Though the death of Christ is efficient only for those who trust Him, it is sufficient for the sins of the whole world.

·       Jesus said that He came “to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). (see Mark 10:45)

·       This verse is one of many which teach that the death of Christ was substitutionary. He died in behalf of all. Whether all will accept it is another question, but the fact remains that the redemptive work of Christ was sufficient in value for all.

            2.  The Perfect Method.

Christ died for “all men,” and God is willing for “all men to be saved.” How does this Good News get out to a sinful world? (1Tim. 2:6)

a. God Calls And Ordains Messengers Who Take The Gospel To Lost Sinners.

1) To Be Testified In Due Time Means That The Testimony Concerning Christ’s Substitutionary Work Was To Be Borne In Its Own Time. (1Tim. 2:6)

·       The same God who desires the salvation of all men and provided the way of salvation for all men, has decreed that the gospel message should go out in this age in which we live.

·       All of this is designed to demonstrate the overwhelming longing on the part of God to save and bless mankind.

2) Paul Was One Of These Messenger! (1Tim. 2:6-7)

·       He Was A Preacher (The Herald Of The King).

o   As a final evidence of God’s desire for the salvation of all men, Paul states that he was “ordained” or appointed a preacher and an apostle to the Gentiles.

·       Then, as now, Gentiles constituted the greater portion of the population of the world.

·       It was not to one small segment of mankind, such as the Jews, that the apostle was sent, but rather to the Gentile nations.

o   Paul had been appointed a preacher (herald or messenger; see 2 Tim. 1:11).

·       A preacher is literally a proclaimer of the gospel.

·       He was to declare the gospel to the majority of the human race, not only to the Jews.

·       A herald was one who brought important news, much like our announcers at important events or like political ambassadors.

·       Thus, as Paul reminded the Ephesians, it can be seen that God desires everyone to be saved.

·       He was An Apostle (One Sent With A Special Commission). (1Tim. 2:7)

o   He speaks of himself as an apostle also.

·       The duties of an apostle may be somewhat broader—he not only preaches the gospel but plants churches, guides local churches in matters of order and discipline, and speaks with authority as one sent by the Lord Jesus Christ.

·       He operated with a sense of divine commission (1 Cor 15:7-11).

·       He was sent by God on a mission to establish Gospel ministries abroad.

o   Those who felt that the gospel was only for Jews in the Ephesian Church  were evidently being corrected.

·       This was a common problem, remember the case of Peter (Acts 10:9-43; Gal. 2:11-13).

·       Thus Paul cited his own commission as apostle . . . to the Gentiles as a clincher.

·       He was A Teacher. He was one who expounds the word of God in such a manner that it will be understood by the people. (1Tim. 2:7)

o   To give added emphasis to what he is saying, Paul confirms his claim to be a teacher of the Gentiles by the words “I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not.”

o   Teacher of the Gentiles describes the ministry to which Paul had been commissioned (see Acts 9:15; Rom. 11:13).

·       Faith refers to one’s initial salvation (justification);

·       Verity (truth) relates to the believer’s growth in salvation (sanctification).

·       Paul was called not only to preach the gospel to the Gentiles but also to guide their growth in the truth.

·       This is why he left Timothy at Ephesus. Timothy was to charge the Ephesians not to teach other doctrines, fables, or endless genealogies (1:4).

o   The words “in faith and verity” may describe the faithful and honest way in which the apostle carried out his teaching ministry, but more probably they describe the contents of his teaching. In other words, he taught the Gentiles in matters pertaining to faith and verity. (1Tim. 2:6)

o   Paul’s assurances of his truthfulness were stylistic devices designed to stress the importance of his point (Rom. 9:1; 2 Cor. 11:31; Gal. 1:20).

b. The same God who ordains the end (the salvation of the lost) also ordains the means to the end: prayer and preaching of the Word. This Good News ministry should still define us today. 

c. If the basis for prayer is the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ on the cross, then prayer is a most important activity in a church.

·       Not to pray is to slight the cross! To pray only for ourselves is to deny the worldwide outreach of the cross. To ignore lost souls is to ignore the cross.

·       “All men” [people] is the key to this paragraph: We pray for “all” because Christ died for “all” and it is God’s will that “all” be saved. We must give ourselves to God to be a part of His worldwide program to reach people before it is too late.

 

Secularizing Your Home?

 

Secularizing Your Home?

Colossians 2:8-10

 

Clearly, we must stay alert against false ideas, guard against clever notions that are traps, mere human rules, and worldly systems so they do not take our minds hostage or steal our faith in the Lord Jesus. Genuine faith remains anchored in Christ, who holds all the fullness of God and complete authority.

The supposed “new morality” has led to a serious breakdown in traditional Judeo-Christian morality affecting the American family.  In fact, this moral shift has resulted in a tremendous increase in sexually transmitted diseases (STD), illegitimate births, and abortions.  No-fault divorces create millions of single-parent families that have inherent difficulties.  Mothers entered the workforce by the millions, and latchkey kids became a national concern. Homosexual behavior, palimony, family violence, date rape, pornography, sexual harassment, drug and alcohol addiction, alternative family lifestyles are some of the additional problems resulting from the disintegration of traditional morality. The ‘new morality’ has ushered in a age of deterioration throughout society.

The average person should be concerned about changes in the family because the family does not exist in a vacuum. It is interrelated with four other basic institutions of society: religious, economic, governmental, and educational institutions. Changes in the family will dramatically affect others in our society.

Many changes take place in the family when the wife enters the workplace.  The two-worker family is the most profound change in family life in the twentieth century.  This change is driven by materialism and industrialization. The result is pressure for changes in marital roles, the division of labor in the family, and child care, and it is creating new perceptions of self in both men and women. After the Industrial Age, our society shifted into the Information Age (or Digital Age) in the mid-to-late 20th century. This negatively impacts families by reducing meaningful face-to-face communication, blurring the boundaries between work and home life, and contributing to behavioral or sleep issues in children.

Geographical mobility has also affected the American family.  Immigration from northern and southern Europe not only populated the industrialized cities of America, but they also brought their own customs, traditions, values of family life in their homeland and tried to preserve these as much as possible.  The same could be said for the people groups immigration from Asia and Latin America, thus shaping the landscape of the ‘American family’ across the country. There has also been a significant amount of internal migration in America during times like the Great Depression, and post WWII which accelerated the urbanization of America.  But this also left children without the knowledge of relatives, lasting friendships with neighbors and peers.  Thus, producing a “generation without roots;” many young people have very little sense of belonging to a close knit kin group with whom they can identify.

What is secular humanism?  How does it differ from humanitarianism?  From the humanities? A good working definition of secular humanism by quoting Webster, “a system of doctrines and practices that reject any form of religious faith and worship.”  The term secular humanists have been used to identify those who would remove religious influence from the institutions of American society.   In addition, others describe humanists thusly, “In their self-definition God does not exist, and it is a destructive illusion to believe in him.  They promote a way of life that systematically excludes God and all religion in the traditional sense.”

It is also interesting to note that humanist masquerade as humanitarians, but their belief is actually anti-human and they are the number one enemy of the traditional family. A true humanitarian will promote human welfare and social reform, but secular humanism inspires destructive relativistic value systems, divorce, remarriage, serial polygamy, rejection of biblical authority, situation ethics, hedonism, and extremes forms of women’s liberation, legalizing abortion, and the elimination of marriage.  There are four basic convictions that distinguish secular humanism from Christian humanism, “confidence in God in Christ; supernatural worldview; the power of Christ acting through the church; and incarnational humanitarianism.”  Francis Schaeffer insisted that the conflict is between the Judeo-Christian view of God with absolute values of right and wrong and a humanistic system “with only personal, arbitrary, relative values.”  The current conflict between Christianity and humanism is the age-old struggle between God and Satan, right and wrong, darkness verses light, sin against righteousness.

We may wonder about the impact of television viewing on the American family, and how it contributes to the violence in American culture…. The impact of television on the American family is a net negative.  Since television programming is largely influenced by secular humanism, it is a moral descent from filth, smut, and innuendo into serious depravity. It is their aim to destroy the country’s moral fiber and with it the traditional family. They manipulate this communication tool to control the way people think and over exposure to secular input is “dangerous.”  Many parents use the television as a babysitting method, but this exposes the children to sex, profanity, and violence.  This is one of the leading causes of aggressive behavior in preschool children according to the National Institute of Mental Health.  In addition, the violence viewed on television is being carried out in the homes, schools, and streets of the nation.  Generally, young people are desensitized to violence; this is presently a cultural reality in America.

There are several noteworthy advantages of the home computer in changing the way the American family operate.  They can be used in record keeping, storing recipes, and keeping weekly schedules.  They are also used in home-based businesses and home entertainment in the form of video games.  Word processing is a common usage also; an individual can work at home and transmit his finished product via phone line to another state or even around the world. This development allows women to be with their young children as they earn a living while staying home. Computers are also being used in modern education to prepare young people for their place in the information age.

There are some disadvantages to using the home computer we must be aware of.  It may permit one to come home from the office at a decent hour, but only to spend several hours working projects from work. With regards to entertainment, personal computers can be a source of anything available on the worldwide web.  This further exacerbate the problems with television viewing: exposure to sex, violence, pornography, and profanity.  Children can become vulnerable to sexual predators on the internet posing as young people on youth connection sights.  Any tool or technology that can be used for good could potentially be manipulated for dark purposes also. 

Christians should be concerned about governmental family policies because such social policies affect the home.  These policies help set the rules of the game—the stakes, the risks, the payoffs, the tradeoffs, and the strategies for making a living, and raising a family.  Laws, regulations, and restrictions will affect the family from birth to death; therefore, social policy must be of great interest to the Christian. 

Governmental family policies do affect my family as with other Americans.  Proposition 8 in the state of California was passed to define marriage in a traditional manner; that is as between a man and a woman. On Election Day, the voters spoke with great clarity and rejected the notion of same sex marriage in the state. This affects my family because it signified that Americans generally still regard marriage in a traditional manner.  Even in the very liberal state of California this is true; the people do not want to redefine marriage in radical secular progressive terms. These developments basically reinforce what I have expressed time and again in the context of my family and church.  It was encouraging to see the general populous in California still hold heterosexual marriage as the natural, legal, and legitimate union and nucleus of the family and society by extension.  Historically, we understand that California’s policies can eventually influence the rest of the nation.  In the past this has been more negative than positive, but this time it’s clearly good.

The government’s policies regarding Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security have been greatly beneficial to my family also.  Both my wife’s and my parents are retired and dependent on these services. There have been instances when we have assisted them financially because of special needs, but they retain their independence largely because of these programs.  Our financial gifts to them for the most part are for birthdays and anniversaries; they are acts of love and generosity and not necessity.  In addition, we have peace of mind that our parents’ medical needs were/are being adequately addressed. 

Is there a contrast between the secular home and the Christian home?  Which term describes your home? The secular home can be defined as the one which leaves God out of their lives.  Their values are humanistic and materialistic and there is never a need for God in any facet of their life. The same can be said for the nominal Christian family. They may attend church and use some Christian terms, but essentially, they too exclude God from every other facet of their existence.  A Christian home, however, is an entirely different creature because it gladly welcomes God and the Bible into every aspect of their lives. They cherish a relationship and warm fellowship with the Lord and they freely interact with each other in a manner that is pleasing to God and chose the Bible as the source of their values.  A truly Christian family does have distinguishing features.  It is where the Lord Jesus Christ is loved by all members and is overtly demonstrated to each other.  This bond of love manifests itself in various ways: harmonious relationships, family worship, regular church attendance, active witnessing to friends and neighbors, service to the Lord in the local church and in the community.

Lastly, we want to honestly say that our homes are Christian homes because we do embrace Judeo-Christian values and cherish a relationship with God through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.  We do have private and family devotions and regularly attend church when the doors are open.  We sustain an active witness to unsaved family members, colleagues, friends, and strangers. The Bible is not only respected but followed with good application in many facets of our family life.  While there certainly are numerous areas where we need to improve, we can recognize good progress over the years.  

God presents the home as a spiritual foundation centered on Him, contrasting a faithful household with secular or ungodly residences.

• Psalm 127:1, says that “except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it,” meaning a home lacking a spiritual foundation with God fails to endure in a true sense.
• Matthew 7:24-27, contrasts a wise man who builds his house upon a rock (hearing and doing Christ’s sayings) with a foolish man who builds his house upon the sand, representing secular or unstable foundations that collapse under pressure.
• Joshua 24:15, famously declares, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” establishing the intentional choice required by believers to reject secular alignment in their domestic lives.
• Romans 12:2 instructs us believers not to be conformed to this world, which extends to maintaining a household culture distinct from secular ideas.
• Colossians 2:8, reminds us, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

We are warned to avoid being captured or cheated by false teachings, human traditions, and worldly ways of thinking that pull us away from the complete sufficiency of Jesus Christ. Child of God, we must test every cultural trend, worldview, and spiritual idea against the truth of the gospel. We are warned that in Christ “dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” reminding us that we already have everything we need in Jesus and do not need worldly ideas. Therefore,

·                 Remain Rooted in Christ: we grow strong by staying close to Jesus anchored in loving obedience to Him every day.

·                 Trust Him for All Fullness: Christ gives us everything we need to live a complete life for His honor and glory.

·                 Regard Jesus Who Has All Authority: Jesus Christ holds supreme power and absolute rule over everything—complete right to rule and absolute jurisdiction over all domains. His supreme rule extends both to spiritual and physical realms, as affirmed in Matthew 28:18! Beloved, intentionally submit to Jesus!

This supreme status was formally affirmed and given after Christ’s victory over death and the grave. God the Father granted such honor because Jesus lived a sinless life and atoned for our sin. Beloved, knowing his power and authority removes doubt and provides God’s constant presence throughout each day. Beloved, genuine faith remains anchored in Christ, who holds all the fullness of God and complete authority. It is clearly alright to trust Him with your home and future!

The Motivation of Hell

“The Motivation of Hell”

Rev. 20:11-15 

SUBJECT: HELL/EVANGELISM

THEME: Effective evangelism is hard work and many grow weary in this area of ministry. Even though we have a command to reach the lost with the gospel, we sometimes require additional insight to motivate us to the work. Perhaps a better understanding of Hell will stir us to become more consistent evangelists for our Lord.

RELEVANCE: Our compassion for the perishing multitudes must be stirred by the reality of Hell, to encourage us to become involved or remain with the task of Evangelism. Sometimes we become cold towards this area of ministry, sometimes we treasure our relationship with a lost person more than we cherish their soul’s salvation. Multitudes are dying and going to Hell, who will give themselves to consistently get in their way and point them to Christ.

INTRODUCTION:

This scene in Revelation 20 portrays the grand event of the Great White Throne judgment! This event occurs just prior to the establishment of the new heaven and new earth (Re. 20:11-15). Only the unsaved are resurrected to this judgment. The saved will already have been resurrected and would have reigned and served with Christ for a thousand years on the earth (Re. 20:1-5).

This judgment is for the evil works of the unsaved (Re. 20:12-13). Since everyone’s works are sinful before God, and since these unregenerated individuals did not receive Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin during their earthly lives, they will be judged and suffer eternal punishment for their evil deeds and rejection of God.

Notice the final destiny of the unsaved person is unmistakenly spelled out for everyone to see! Rev. 20:14-15, And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. [15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

This is why we need to be motivated to share the Gospel and send out missionaries! The world and our neighbors are destined for a Devil’s Hell forever! We must be stirred to reach them with the gospel of Christ. Does not God deserve the worship, obedience, honor, and service of these people also? Are not the gravity and weight of sin more incredibly significant than we could ever imagine or quantify? Does not a love for our fellow man compel us to engage them with the hope of the gospel? Isn’t it right for the Supreme Judge of the entire world to hold everyone accountable for their deeds?

MESSAGE:

I.  What Is Meant by “Hell”?

Hell is the place of imprisonment and punishment for those who revolt against God.

A. HELL WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED FOR SATAN AND THE REBELLIOUS ANGELS. Matthew 25:41, Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

1.    This fire was prepared for the devil and his angels, not originally for people. God’s initial intention was not for people to suffer this fate, but rather that those fallen creatures who choose a lifestyle of rebellion and indifference effectively align themselves with the devil and evil share this ultimate destination.

2.    We must emphasize that people are not passively ‘sent’ to Hell; rather, by continually rejecting God, people ultimately choose to distance themselves from God’s presence, which results in eternal separation. God respects and accepts their choices!

B. UNSAVED PEOPLE WILL BE COMMITTED TO HELL ALSO (Mt. 25:41-46). Luke 16:22-24, And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; [23] And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. [24] And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

1.    The Lord Jesus authoritatively describes the stark reversal of consequences after death for a poor beggar named Lazarus and an unnamed rich man. We witness the concepts of the afterlife, conscious torment, and the finality of earthly choices.

2.    Abraham’s bosom is a symbolic expression to denote the place of bliss. To any Jew, the thought of enjoying fellowship with Abraham would suggest inexpressible bliss. We take it that Abraham’s bosom is the same as heaven.  

It must have come as a shock to the disciples when Jesus said that this rich Jew went to Hades. They had always been taught from the OT that riches were a sign of God’s blessing and favor. An Israelite who obeyed the Lord was promised material prosperity. How then could a wealthy Jew go to Hades? …They are a test of a man’s faithfulness in stewardship. To whom much is given, of him will much be required.^[1]

3.    The idea that non-believers go to Hell is one of the most heavily debated concepts and beliefs varying widely; perspectives on this topic differ significantly. We emphasize that salvation requires definite faith in Jesus Christ. So, we reject any notion that God still accepts people even if they did not hear the gospel. We believe even these individuals will face eternal separation from God because of our inherent sin, the sheer gravity and seriousness of offenses, and the just nature of God. One additional note is significant, there is NO Bible evidence to contradict or even modify these conclusions.

C. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TAUGHT AND WARNED PEOPLE MUCH OF AN ENDLESS HELL.

Yes, Jesus taught a place of final judgment and punishment for the unrepentant, using imagery like Gehenna, eternal fire, and outer darkness. The Lord Jesus was not passive or inactive about this important matter! See Matt. 5:22; 12:23; 13:42, 50; 18:8-9; 23:33; 25:41, 46; Mk. 9:43-48; Lk. 16:19-31. 

1.    “Outer Darkness”: A place of final judgment, crying, and a definitive split with God. Jesus describes Hell as a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” away from God’s company…a total departure from God’s light and joy. Cast out into dark night is another revealing portrayal of Hell outside where a rejected guest is thrown accompanied by deep sorrow in the heart and sharp pains or regret. See Matt. 8:12; 22:13, and 25:30.

2.    “Everlasting Punishment” (Matt. 25:46): Jesus during the Olivet Discourse, describes a judgment separating the nations into two groups. Also in Matthew 25:41, Jesus speaks of “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels”. See Mark 3:29.

Jesus most often referred to the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem when speaking of Hell. Historically, this valley was a trash dump where fires burned constantly, serving 1st-century Jews as a stark symbol for God's judgment and destruction.

3.    So, the Lord Jesus was completely bold enough to Teach on Hell and Judgment!

·        Yes, Jesus did speak about hell using vivid imagery to warn listeners about spiritual danger and final judgment as direct warnings.

·        When emphasizing these same warnings today we must note that Jesus spoke of judgment directly to urge immediate repentance and to recover people from spiritual ruin, rather than out of an obsession with punishment.

4.    Bible students estimate that Jesus spoke about heaven or the Kingdom of God about 3 to 4 times more often than Hell. He mentioned heaven, eternal life, or the Kingdom over 160 times in the Gospels, while His direct references to hell (or Gehenna) range from roughly 12 to 30 times.

Jesus described a real place of endless, conscious torment for those who reject God. He like John the Baptist warned about an “unquenchable fire” (Matt. 3:12; Mark 9:43) and a “fiery furnace” (Matt. 13:42) where people would experience unimaginable anguish—God’s severe punishment of the unrepentant!

D. IN THE O.T. THE WORD HELL (SHEOL) HAS TWO MEANINGS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND. Hell in common usage designates the place of future punishment for the unsaved unbelieving. The word has other meanings we must differentiate to prevent mistakes and confusion.

    1. The Grave Itself—Sometimes it Refers the Place Where the Bodies of the Dead Are Laid—the Grave. Psalm 6:5, For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? (Ec. 9:10; Is. 38:18,19). 

In some cases, it refers to the grave, in others to the place of disembodied spirits without any necessary implication as to their happiness or unhappiness. 

     2. The Realm of Departed Spirits—Usually, Though, it Means the Place Where Departed Spirits go to Reside. This is commonly called the afterlife, the underworld, or Sheol/Hades. This neutral, shadowy resting place or the grave where all the dead go…the subterranean realm of the dead. (See Ge. 37:35; De. 32:22; Ps. 9:17; 16:10; 55:15; 30:3; Pr. 9:18; 15:24; 23:14; Is. 5:14; 14:15; Eze. 31:16; 32:21,27).

 

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^[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1433.