 Amen. Keep your place in Luke chapter 16. We're going to be looking at a story in Luke chapter 16 this morning. But for now, let me just give you an introduction on what we're going to talk about. We're going to talk about a subject this morning that you don't hear about, especially in many churches today. You don't hear about this subject that is brought up in Luke chapter 16 in the story at the end of the chapter. And what we're going to talk about this morning is the topic of hell. We're going to talk about hell. What is hell? Where is hell? Who's going to hell? What is this all about? There's something that isn't talked about a lot today. So we're going to do a study on hell and look at some of the things that are taught today on hell and the reasons for it, whether people believe in it or not, and we'll just look at what the Bible has to say about this very important subject, especially as a soul winner, as somebody who's going to go out and be preaching the gospel to people. This is a super important topic to people that you may know that are not saved. This is a super important topic. So we need to know what the Bible actually says about hell. And since it's not talked about much, let's talk about it this morning. So first of all, turn to Matthew chapter 25. Keep a place in Luke chapter 16. We're going to go back there, but what is hell? What is the purpose of hell? The Bible talks a lot about this place. What is the purpose of it? It's a real place. The Bible talks about it. It's real. Turn to Matthew chapter 25. Let's look at what the purpose of hell is first. Why is there a place that the Bible calls hell? Look at Matthew chapter 25 and look at verse 46. And look what the Bible says. The Bible says in Matthew chapter 25 and verse number 26, the Bible says, And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal. Now turn to Mark chapter 9. The Bible teaches that there is an everlasting punishment. There's also eternal life or everlasting life, everlasting meaning it never ends. So the Bible is teaching that there is a place where people will go, certain people, to be punished forever. That's a scary thought. Look at Mark chapter 9. Look at verse number 43. Look at Mark chapter 9 and verse number 43. So first of all, it's not everlasting silence. It's not everlasting loneliness. It's everlasting punishment. The Bible says in Matthew chapter 25. Look at Mark chapter 9 and verse number 43. The Bible says, If I hand a fendi, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched, where there were dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Turn to 2 Peter chapter 2. So here again, the Bible is saying that there is this place called hell, where the fire never dies. The worm dieth not. The fire is not quenched, meaning it has an eternal nature to it. It is literally everlasting. The idea of hell. So hell is a place of punishment, and it's a place that is eternal, that is forever. Turn to 2 Peter chapter 2. Look at verse number 9. So we know that this place is hell. It's a place of punishment. Look at 2 Peter 2 and verse number 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust onto the day of judgment to be punished. So look, some people, so look, there is a place where people, or some people, are going to go to be punished. The Bible says. And it is any everlasting punishment, as we saw in Matthew chapter 25. So turn to Psalm chapter 9. Turn to Psalm chapter 9. Notice how in 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 9, it says that, you know, the unjust are reserved onto this. So they are reserved onto this punishment. So if you've ever wondered in your life, you know, why people seem to get away with things, and people, you know, bad people on this earth. Like there's been many cases of just wicked people on this earth who have done wicked things and then died. And some of them, maybe even, I mean, think about all the unsolved murders, or maybe serial killers that they never found, all this. But the Bible says that this judgment, this harsh, this final judgment on the unjust is reserved for them. It's reserved, meaning it's stored up. Meaning it's not something that is poured out on them in their life. Now as a saved person, you are going to be chastised by your Heavenly Father in this life. The Bible here is teaching that there is a judgment for the unjust, and we'll look at who the unjust is in a few minutes, but there is a judgment that is reserved for later. And the people that get this judgment, this judgment will never stop. This judgment will never end. I'll turn to Psalm chapter 9. So this is the purpose of hell. It is a punishment for the unjust, and it is eternal punishment. Look at Psalm chapter 9 and verse 15. Look at Psalm chapter 9 and verse number 15. The Bible says the heatheners sunk down in the pit that they made in the net which is hid in their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executed. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Hegeon, Salah, the wicked shall be turned into hell. Notice how the Bible says they were sunk down into the pit, and then the wicked shall be turned into hell. So we're talking about hell here. We're not talking about the grave, okay? There's a pit that could be looked at as the grave in the Old Testament. Then there's a pit that we're talking about which is hell in the Old Testament. That's what we're discussing here. Look at verse 18. For the needy shall not always be forgotten. The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail, let the heathen be judged in thy sight. So look, this is a judgment. Hell is a judgment on the unjust. And after this judgment, this hell is the punishment that some will receive. Look at Romans chapter 12 and verse number 9. Romans chapter 12 and verse number 9. So like I said, as a saved person, the Bible teaches that you are going to be punished by your heavenly Father. You've been adopted into God's family. You're going to be punished. How many saved people have I met? I can't even count that have ruined their life on this earth. A lot of them. That is their punishment. I've met drug addicts who are saved. But they're saved. Once you're saved, it's a done deal. You're sealed. It's done. God will punish you on this earth. You can ruin your life on this earth. But there is a punishment for the unjust that is reserved. That is reserved. Look at Romans 12 and verse number 19. And why is that? Why is that? So we don't have to worry about some person that we think got away with something terrible or some wicked. You know, many people think I've had people ask me out soul winning. How can there be a God? How can there be a God when he allows somebody like Jeffrey Dahmer or some child molester or something? Maybe even somebody they... I've talked to some people out soul winning where you know I know that they had a personal experience either themselves or someone they love that was harmed by some wicked person. And they say, how could there be a God? How could there be a God that would allow someone like this to live? That would allow something like that to happen? Well, I have some comfort for you this evening. Hell and the idea of hell is actually a comfort to the saved as well. Look, it should be fearful to people who are not saved. They should be terrified of it. You have to believe you deserve to go to hell in order to be driven to a Savior. Otherwise, what was the point of the Savior? But it is also a comfort to people knowing Romans 12 and 19. Look what the Bible says. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place under wrath. Give the proper place under wrath. That's what God is saying here. He says, for it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, saith the Lord. God here is giving us some comfort. God here is saying, look, don't live a wrathful life. Don't you, and we'll talk more about that this evening, but don't you get wrapped up in wrath? He's like, I've got this. He's like, I've got this. That's why Jesus said, when he was talking about someone who would harm a child, he said, it would be better if they had a millstone hung around their neck and they were drowned. He said, it would be better because I'm going to throw them in hell. He says, I'm going to put them in hell and the punishment is eternal. What are you going to do to somebody, folks? What are you going to do to somebody that would compare to that? Somebody could have rage and somebody harmed somebody in their family or murdered somebody in their family and they could have rage and they could go out and they could kill that person. They could end up ruining their life on this earth and being of no profit to anyone on this earth. But what point is that? Because Jesus said, and look, the government should go out and punish evil doers. That's the job of the government in Romans 13. That's the job of the government is to punish evil. Basically, the government today is doing everything that they shouldn't be doing and not doing what they're supposed to be doing, which is punishing evil. But all that being said, if the government fails, everything fails, we don't follow the law of the Bible. God says, I got it. Vengeance is mine. I will repay. And that is the purpose of hell. It is to provide, and look, you couldn't even think of something that is more just and that is more complete than this punishment. There's nothing we could think of that could be like that. So we know what it is. It's punishment for the unjust and it lasts forever. It's eternal punishment. I could read you dozens of verses just talking about how eternal and everlasting hell is. Where is it? Where is this place? Turn to Job chapter 33. The Bible tells us where it is too. So you'll know the location of hell. I can't really drop a GPS pin for you, but I can tell you where it is this morning according to the Bible. Look at Job chapter 33. We know what it is. Where is it? Where is this place called hell? Look, folks, it is a real place and it has a real physical location. Look at Job chapter 33. This is a problem today. People don't think it's real. It is real. Look at Job 33. It is not an idea. It is not a myth. It is not a spiritual aberration. It is a real physical place. Look at Job 33 and verse 23. Job 33 and verse 23. If there be a messenger with him and interpreter one among a thousand to show a man his uprightness, then his graciousness unto him and say, deliver him from going down to the pit. I have found a ransom. The Old Testament talks a lot about going down when it talks about the pit or hell. Turn to Isaiah chapter 14. Turn to Isaiah chapter 14. But is that talking about hell? Yes it is. Turn to Isaiah chapter 14 and look at verse 15. Look at Isaiah chapter 14 and verse number 15. Look what the Bible says. Make sure you get there because I want you to see this. The Bible says in Isaiah 14-15 the Bible says, yet thou shalt be brought down to hell. The Bible says down to hell. And then something really interesting comes up in the last part of the verse. It says what? It says, so the pit and hell are equated many times in the Old Testament. Not every time, but most times in the Old Testament when they're talking about going down to the pit is talking about hell. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell. So if I'm brought to hell right now I have to go down. The Bible says the location of hell from everybody on earth is down. So I mean we could find the location right there just by drawing a line from every single person on earth down and we could find out where that line intersects and that's where hell is. If you want to get technical about it but then look what it says. Super interesting. It says to the sides of the pit. What does that mean? Why does it say you'll be brought down to the sides of the pit? Turn to Revelation chapter 19. Everything in the Bible has a purpose. Every reason, every statement. This is why the words of the Bible are so important. This is why you can't just go buy any Bible. You can't just go out and buy any Bible that has, oh they're just words. No, super important that you have a King James Bible that the exact words are exactly as they are here. The Bible says that you'll be brought down to hell so hell is located below us and it says to the sides of the pit. Shouldn't it say bottom? There must be a translation error there. Look at Revelation chapter 9 but here's something interesting about this pit. Why doesn't it say bottom of the pit? Look at Revelation 9 in verse number 1. The Bible says this, it says and the fish, fifth in the fish. I haven't been fishing for a few months so give me a break, all right? All right, so the Bible says and the fifth angel sounded and a star, and a star fall from heaven unto the earth and to him was given the key of the what? The bottomless pit. Look, this pit has no bottom. Look at verse number 2. And he opened the bottomless pit and there arose a smoke out of the pit as a smoke of the great furnace and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. Do you know how this is? First of all, there's real smoke coming out of this. This is real. This is not a spiritual, you know, location. This is a real location that when it's opened real smoke comes out. And the Bible says that this pit it has no bottom which is why Isaiah 14 says you'll be brought to the sides of the pit. You'll be brought to the sides because there is no bottom of this pit. We say what kind of pit could have no bottom? And there came out of the smoke the locus upon the earth. Revelation chapter 9 again. And unto them was given power and the scorpions of the earth have power. So number 1, this pit has no bottom. Number 2, real smoke comes out of this pit. This is a real place. And real locus are going to come out of this pit if you read Revelation chapter 9. It's a literal place and it's bottomless. Now, let me ask you this. What is the lowest part of a coffee cup? The lowest part of a coffee cup is the bottom of the coffee cup. Now, what is the lowest part of a circle or a sphere? There is no lowest part. There is no lowest part of a circle. The circle only has sides. There is no bottom. That's why the Bible says that this is a bottomless pit is because it is located in the center of the earth and it has no bottom. It has no bottom. It just has sides. So first of all, you know, this is also proof that the earth is round. Not to get into that whole thing, but you know, I mean, it's, you know, hello. But look, it is, hell is located at the center of the earth. That is what the Bible is saying. You know, so what is in the earth? Doesn't science know what is in the center of the earth? But look, here's what, let me read you what science actually knows is in the center of the earth because the Bible is clearly saying that hell is located in the center of the earth. That's what the Bible is saying. So what does science know? Certainly they must know everything, right? Here's what they know. You know, they've tried to drill. You know, if you've ever remember, you remember the model from grade school, you know, we have the crust of the earth and then we have the, which is really thin. They say if the earth, they say if the earth was an apple, that the crust is so thin, it's like the skin of the apple. Then the mantle, the mantle of the earth is the thick part, the white part of the apple. And then of course you have the core of the apple or of the earth. So that kind of gives you an idea of how thick the crust is. We've never even been able to drill all the way through the crust of the earth. As a matter of fact, we've tried though, we've tried the deepest hole within the United States, within the United States drilled. Look, I've toured, I've toured oil rigs. Look, they can do amazing things with drilling technology. Like oil rigs in North Dakota, they drill two miles into the ground and then they drill two miles horizontally across. And the guy on the oil rig that I was telling, that I was touring, he said, he's drilling literally four miles out. And he's got his drill bit on a computer screen and he says I can hit a coffee can with this drill bit. In the earth, four miles away, amazing technology, right? It's an amazing technology. But here's the thing, we've tried to drill through the crust of the earth. In the United States we got to 32,000 feet and the well was halted because it struck molten sulfur. Isn't that amazing? Look, here's, sulfur is brimstone by the way, just for the record. So first of all, you know, we hit brimstone and we couldn't keep going. It was too hot, turn to Revelation chapter 21. Turn to Revelation. I've hiked a volcano one time and the volcano actually blew up a year later. But we're hiking up this volcano and there's vents in the ground that are open that are just spewing. These vents are just yellow with sulfur and the smell was so bad you couldn't like put your head over it because it just like, it burned your eyes and it just stunk of sulfur. So, I mean, look, this is, these are, this volcano, look, this heat is coming from somewhere. Look at Revelation chapter 21 in verse number 8. The Bible says, But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and hormographers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake with burneth with fire and brimstone. Now this is the lake of fire. We'll talk about that in a minute, which is the second death. But I just want to show you that this eternal punishment, that the lake of fire, you know, brimstone's involved. And look, we can see this coming out of the center of the earth with our own eyes. Alright, so we had to stop drilling in the United States at 32,000 feet. That's like six miles because it was just too hot. The Russians also tried to drill through the crust of the earth. They made it to like 40,000 feet. Again, it was too hot. It was melting the drill bit. They were drilling into like liquid rock. It was so hot down there. So we can't drill into it. So we still think we know what's in the center of it, though. From Popular Mechanics, I pulled an article out. I pulled an article out talking about what is inside the core of the earth. So we've never been there. We can just use seismic waves to try to get an estimate on what it's made of. Let me read you an article from Popular Mechanics on the center of the earth, on the core of the earth. It's a common refrain that the ocean depths are the last great frontier on earth. Yet there's a place that's even more inhospitable to humans than the crushing depths of the sea, our planet's interior. It's made of iron. In some place, it's 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit and plenty of scientists devote their lives work to understanding it. But how exactly do you conduct research on an impenetrable hostile environment like the Earth's core? Of course, Jules Verne wrote a book on how there's a bunch of animals and dinosaurs down there. I don't know if you ever read that. It was pretty good. But anyway, you know, journey to the center of the earth. But look, it's hot, molten, something. And probably a lot of it, at least on the outside, is iron. Let me continue reading. Instead of using CAT scans and X-rays, still from Popular Mechanics, to see the center of the earth, researchers use waves emitted by earthquakes to get a sense of the planet's insides. Just like an X-ray, seismic waves bounce around, changing in direction and speed based on the material that they pass through. If researchers can gauge how quickly a wave moves from one tracking station to another, they can get a pretty good sense of what the ground that the wave is traveling through looks like. The fact that mercury has a magnetic field tells us that its iron and part of it is molten, the scientist says. Without at least partially liquid core, the convection wouldn't occur, making it impossible for a planet to form a magnetic field. These same processes happen inside the earth, too. The energy released by the swirling liquid within our planet's outer core allows the earth to create a self-sustaining solar wind blocking shield. Without it, life on this planet wouldn't exist. So what he's saying here is that we know on the outer core that there's probably a swirling pool of iron ore, melted iron ore. And it has to be moving because that's what creates the magnetic field of the earth that protects us from the sun. Who still thinks this is an accident? Anybody? I mean, that's a pretty good explanation as far as the outer core goes. But as far as the inner core, you can go and read about it all you want, but they really have no idea. They really have no idea what's inside there. Another article that I read a couple of years ago talked about how they recently just found out that, yes, they have this swirling lake of iron ore around the outer core, but they finally found out that the inner core is much less dense than they originally thought. Meaning it's more open, it's more, you know, it's less dense, it's less compacted than they originally thought. So, but the bottom line is they really just have no idea. These are all just educated guesses. You know, more proof of the heat of the earth, by the way, is that it is common to use the earth to heat just for ourselves. In North Dakota, when it's a freezing climate up there, we use ground source heat pumps. We put coils in the ground and the ground is a constant 55 degrees. You say, that's cold. Well, if it's negative 20 outside, that's warm. So we're gaining that heat from the ground. We're using it, we use it when I would put in water pipes for livestock. You use the ground, you insulate around the ground to use the ground to keep the water from freezing. Because the earth has an inherent heat to it and it's coming from the core. It's coming from the core. So look, hell's in the center of the earth. That's what the Bible is teaching and it matches exactly what science is seeing. Just the heat, I mean, we can't even drill into the crust. It's so hot. So hell is in the center of the earth. That's what the Bible is saying. The Bible is scientific. The Bible is telling us the specific location of the earth. That's what it means when it says the bottomless pit. There is no bottom to a spherical place. Okay? Who goes there? Who goes to hell? So we know what hell is. We know where hell is. Who goes to hell? Go to Matthew chapter 25. Matthew chapter 25. I mean, this is a place. We know what it's for. We know it's for God's punishment on the unjust. You know, look, it's not a place we want to go. It's not a place we want anyone that we would love to go. But go to Matthew chapter 25. Matthew chapter 25. Look what the Bible says in verse number 41. Look what the Bible says, Then he shall say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire. There's that everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. So we see that the devil and his angels are going to go there. That, you know, it's mainly modeled. It's mainly designed. It's mainly prepared for the devil and his angels. Well, let me ask you this. Turn to 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1. What would send a man to hell? What would send a human being to hell? The Bible tells us. Look at 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1. 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1. Let's look at what the Bible says would send a man to hell. And then we'll spend a few minutes talking about what people on this earth think will send a man to hell. Look at 2nd Thessalonians verse number. 2nd Thessalonians 1 verse number 6. The Bible says this. Seeing it a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that what? That obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. So these are the people that God is going to take vengeance on is people that obey not the gospel. Look at verse 9. And then you say well maybe he's just going to punish him right there. But no look at verse 9. He says who shall be punished with what? With everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. Look at Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10 in verse number 28. So the Bible says that these people whoever these people are and we'll look at this in a few minutes that do not obey the gospel or who Jesus is going to punish. He's going to punish them with everlasting destruction. You see how consistent the Bible is when it talks about this punishment of hell. It's talking about that it never ends. You know there's a lot of people out there that you know the Jehovah's Witnesses teach you know that you just burn up and then that's it. No it is everlasting destruction folks. You say well how could you go there? How could my body go to the center of the earth and just be everlasting? Wouldn't it just burn up my body? Well here's the thing. Does someone's body go there? Look at Matthew chapter 10 in verse number 28. Look what Jesus says in Matthew 10 verse 28. The Bible says and fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul. Look folks but rather fear him that is able to destroy both body both soul and body and hell. Look if someone kills you if someone comes up to you and shoots you on the street they've killed your body but have they killed your soul? No they have not killed your soul yet if you die and we know people that die and they go in the ground and their body stays in the ground and their body stays there you know for whatever but their soul is killed in hell is what the Bible is saying here. So look folks if your body dies and your soul goes to hell which is what Jesus is saying here it's like that is the death of your soul. That's what Jesus is saying. That's killing your soul okay. It is the soul that goes to hell. It is the soul that goes to hell. I mean turn to Revelation chapter 20. So where does your body go? So where does the body so somebody dies and their soul goes to hell. Look when you go to a funeral and we'll talk about this in a few minutes as well when you go to a funeral their soul is already somewhere. Their soul has already left their body. You are looking at the body. You are looking at the body. Look at Revelation chapter 20. Here is what happens to the body in the end of someone who has died and their soul has gone to hell to the center of the earth the place called hell located at the center of the earth. Here is what happens when their body and soul their body and soul will reunite one day. Look at Revelation chapter 20. Look at verse number 11. And the Bible says this and it says And I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead. These are the people who have died and their soul has been killed in hell. I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened. And these people are considered dead because their soul is dead meaning their soul is in hell. It doesn't mean their soul is not conscious. It means the definition of the soul being killed as Jesus said in Matthew 10 28 is the soul going to hell and the soul being punished in hell. So these people now now the dead both small and great they stand before God and the books were opened and another book was open which is the book of life and the dead were the dead judged out of the book of life. The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. The books were the law. The books were the Bible. There's the book of life and then there was the other books the books of the law and if people were in hell they're going to be judged by their works at this point right here. They're going to be judged by their works so their body is going to be reunited with their soul and the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them death hell meaning death meaning you know the bodies were coming out of the sea and hell had the dead souls in it they were all delivered up and put together for this moment right here. And they were judged every man according to their to their works they were reunited with their resurrected body at this point and death and hell meaning everybody that was in hell and all the dead bodies that were now reunited were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. God kind of gives us that overall you know completed view in verse number 15 there. But look at this great white throne judgment the soul and the body is reunited together and they are judged according to their works. And look these people wanted to be judged by their works they're going to get exactly what they wanted. And then both are cast into a different place which is the lake of fire. So as we speak right now hell and the lake of fire are two different places that will one day be put together. They will one day be put hell will be put inside the lake of fire. So look it is the souls that are in the center of the earth that are reunited with their resurrected bodies at the great white throne judgment that are thrown into the lake of fire. You say well where is the lake of fire? This is getting confusing turn to Revelation 14 turn to Revelation 14. The Bible isn't super specific on where the lake of fire is it's much more specific on where hell is because look that's more relevant to us but it's much more specific on where hell is than where the lake of fire is. But look at Revelation chapter 14 all we can really say for sure is this look at Revelation 14 in verse number 10. The Bible says the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone. There's that brimstone again in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb and the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever and they have no rest day or night who worship the beast in his image and whosoever receive it the mark of his name. Now the Bible here says that they're going to be tormented in the presence of the lamb. So turn to 1 Peter chapter 3. So if we want to get an idea of where the lake of fire is you know let's find out where the lamb is. I mean where's the lamb? I mean this is talking about Jesus here. Where is Jesus? Where is Jesus? Look at 1 Peter chapter 3 and look at verse 22. 1 Peter chapter 3 look at verse 22. Talking about Jesus it says who has gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. So look the lake of fire the lake of fire and it's the same it's the same as in Luke 16 if you want to go back there but it's look it's somewhere in the heavenly realm. It's somewhere in the heavenly realm. Hell and death and the souls that are in it are cast into this lake of fire and look they're in the presence they're visible they're visible from you know by Jesus and by the people in that heavenly realm. So hell hell itself is kind of like a storage unit for souls think of it that way. It's kind of a storage unit for souls that will one day be put in this lake of fire after the great white throne judgment. So everything is put into the lake of fire which makes sense because as you know God and the people in heaven can apparently see this. That's another scary thought. I mean it's a little bit of a terrible thought actually. If you think about the fact that you're going to be in heaven one day and you are going to be able to see the people that are in the lake of fire. You're going to be able to see the people that are not saved that are in hell. Look at Luke chapter 16. Luke chapter 16 look at verse 22. 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 and in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeing Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. Look he could see them too. He could see them too. I believe this is talking about his final state but he's in hell and it's kind of equating the two. But basically it's kind of saying like people in hell can see heaven as well. And he cried and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip his finger in water and cool my tongue for I'm tormented in this flame. So his souls in hell his souls in hell and he's being tormented. So we see a firsthand account here of someone that is in this everlasting punishment. And by the way, you go there right away. He died and he lifted up his eyes and he was there. You go there right away. There's no soul sleep. You die and you will wake up either in heaven or in hell and you can see heaven and they can see you. Abraham could see him. But look there's no going back. There's no going back and forth. That's what Abraham said. He's like there's a great golf fixed. There's no getting out and no one can come to you and you can't come to us. So look it's a terrible thing. Look it's a real place that God has reserved for judgment of the unjust and it's just as everlasting and just as eternal as heaven is. We'll talk about heaven next week. But here's the real problem folks. Here's the real problem. We see what the Bible teaches about hell but here's the real problem. 74% of Americans believe in heaven and 50 some percent of Americans believe in hell. So you have all these people that believe in heaven but they don't believe in hell. You say that doesn't make any sense. But look if you've been out so many you've met these people. If you've been out so many you've met these people you've met these people they don't believe that there's a God that would create a hell. They're living in a cartoon world. And like look what and here's what really people believe today. You say well that's just you know 10, 15% of people that believe in heaven and not hell. But here's the thing. The vast majority of people there's two problems. There's two problems with people. What people believe today is that there's no God that would put people in hell. That there's not a God that would put people in hell. And look some people believe there's no hell in the first place but the people that most people that believe in hell believe that nobody's really going there. So there's two problems. There's two problems. Yeah okay you say the majority of people do believe in hell. But those people the majority of them believe that nobody's really going there. Or the vast majority of people are not going there. But what does the Bible say? You know the Bible actually says that you know it tells us like where the majority of people are going. You know and here's the thing even the people that believe in hell the reason that they don't believe that anyone's really going there is because everyone believes this. Everyone believes the bad people are going to hell and the good people are going to heaven. That's what everyone believes. And everyone if you ask everyone are you a bad person? No one thinks they're a bad person. I'm pretty sure Hitler probably thought he was a good person. I'm sure Stalin thought I'm a pretty good person. You know I'm doing what's right. I'm doing what's necessary. So look people really have two problems. Some don't believe hell exists and they may believe that it exists but they don't believe anyone or that you know really anybody except the worst you know serial killer in their own mind is going to go there. But here's the issue. Look at Matthew 7. Here's the issue. Look at Matthew 7. Here's the problem. The problem is the Bible. The problem is what the Bible actually says. Look at Matthew 7 in verse number 13. The disciples had asked Jesus. They said they asked them this question. Are there few that be saved? They asked that they were basically asking Jesus do most people go to heaven Jesus? They knew how to get to heaven. They knew they were going to heaven and they're saying Jesus are most people going to go to heaven? That's a pretty good question. How's this whole thing going to work out Jesus? Are most people going to end up with us? Look what he says in verse 13. Matthew 7 verse 13. Enter ye in at the straight gate. Straight S-T-R-A-I-T like the straights of Hermuse. Like a narrow passageway is what this means. It doesn't mean straight like an arrow. He says straight for why does the gate? He said enter ye in at the straight gate the narrow gate. For why does the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction? This is the everlasting destruction that he's talking about. And many there be which go in there at. Because straight is the gate narrow is the way which leadeth unto life. And few be there there be that find it. He's saying look he's like no actually actually guys most people are not going to go to heaven. Most people are going to hell. Well I'm not happy to report this to you this morning. But most people in this world are going to hell. And if you've been out soul winning it's most people like the high 90s percentage are going to go to hell. Look this is a major problem. This is a major problem. Most people are going to hell and they either don't believe that it exists or they think that few are going there. They have it exactly backwards. You see folks turn to Romans 3. Turn to Romans 3. We're going to look at verse number 12. We're going to look at verse number 12 which is the verse right before you should always read you know you get out soul winning and you read certain verses. You should always every now and then just go read the few verses before and after your soul winning verses because they're just a lot of context in those verses. But here's the problem. You see folks you know everybody thinks the good people are going to heaven and the bad people are going to hell. Here's the problem with that. Look at Romans 3 and verse number 12 they are all gone out of the way. They're together become unprofitable. There's none that doeth good. No not one. There's three times he says in that statement. They're all gone out of the way. All of you. They've all together become unprofitable. There's none that doeth good. Four times he says it. No just in case you didn't get it. Just in case you didn't get it. No not even one. There are no good people folks. If we have to be good to get to heaven none of us are going there. If the good people go to heaven and the bad people go into hell Jesus is going to be up there by himself being like man could someone come up here I'm playing solitaire by myself for like the last you know millennium. Nobody's going to heaven if you have to be good to get there. This is the problem today. Thankfully but look thankfully this is not how a man goes to hell. A man does not go to hell by being bad because we're all bad. Turn to John chapter 3. John chapter 3. This is my favorite soul ending verse right here. John chapter 3 look at verse 36. A man goes to hell not because he is good or not because he is bad or not because he is not good enough. A man goes to hell because the wrath of God is on him. Look at John 3 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but don't miss this. But the wrath of God abideth on him. That's why a man goes to hell because he hath not believed on the Son. He hath not trusted on Jesus Christ. It has nothing to do with how good he is or isn't because he's not good. He's not good. It is much look folks it is much simpler than good versus bad. How a man gets himself to hell is much simpler than good because look guess what? Good has become and it always has been subjective in the mind of man. This idea of good and bad. Think about that next time you get in an argument with somebody. Think about that next time you get in a fight with one of your brothers and sisters in Christ or you get in a disagreement with somebody. Hey you're not good and they're not good. So who's right? You're probably both wrong. That's why you're just commanded to just forgive because God knows that you're not good. He's not good. What are the odds that this whole thing is going to work out if you don't just forgive and you don't just forgive no matter what? You're both bad. That's harsh. We'll talk about that more this evening. But look that's why good is subjective in the mind of man. It always has been and it always will be. That's why there must be an absolute truth. There must be an absolute truth. I mean otherwise it's just like you know Brother Phil I think I'm better new. You think you're better than me. Well you're wrong. You know I mean what in the world? It's just it would just be this endless cycle of bad people being bad because that's what God sees. He looks down and he sees that we all come short. And look we're all going to hell if that's the rules. Turn to Romans chapter 4. This is a great little couple verses here that I use all the time to explain to people how it has nothing to do nothing to do with how good you are. Look people have been brainwashed by this today folks. It's bad. It's hard to get people. It's hard to get some people off of this idea that you know you can just be a bad person and end up in heaven. But look because of this fact look because of this fact that going to hell does not have to do with being good or being bad because of this. You know what? It is possible. Think about this. It is possible for someone that you think is a worse person than somebody else to go to heaven. Think about the logic of that. It must be true. I mean if it literally has no bearing on whether or not how good you are how you act in your life if it literally has no bearing on whether or not you go to heaven or hell that means that people that don't act right must end up in heaven and people that do act right a lot of the time must end up in hell if it has nothing to do with it. But look to us in our eyes there may be a good person in our eyes that may go to hell. Look you need to wrap your head around that you better realize that. You know think about this we go to a funeral this is always confused me when I was younger this not always now but always I'm not confused about this now okay but when I was younger I always thought about this I always went to funerals and I was Lutheran and I always went to funerals and you go to the funeral and it's just all about how great the person was this is a great person and all this and they just did so many great things great great dad great grandpa great all this stuff and they were just great and I'm just like man doesn't anyone ever go to hell? I mean you go to funeral after funeral after funeral you get to be 20 years old and you've been to a lot of funerals you're like man everybody's going to heaven do you understand why most people think that are raised like this why most people are going to heaven because that's what's being taught today I mean maybe this person has a family children maybe they worked hard and they were pretty good at being a father and a mother and you know maybe they have a bunch of grandkids and a bunch of great grandkids and everyone just loved them you know there's nothing to do with whether or not they're in heaven or not you know what the irony of that is if that person died without having put their trust in Jesus Christ and they were just a great person and they had they had thousands of people at their funeral you know what's ironic is that when they sit there and that body is in that casket and these people are standing up at the pulpit in the church service talking about how great they are that person is screaming in hell that person is in hell saying stop saying all these things it's not about your life that person is in hell begging God let me go back and tell my relatives let me go back and tell my children and my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren who they're seeing there let me go back and warn them remember they're going to end up in this place too because they love all those people but this person went to hell their soul is already there when those grand speeches are being given think about the reality of it look I hate to smack you in the face with reality this morning it does not weigh in how good they were look at Romans 4 verse 4 now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace this is that great guy with all those great grandkids with all those loving people at his funeral thousands of people hundreds of people at his funeral talking about how great he was because he did good works in his life because he raised his kids and he worked hard and he did the things that this world would look at and say you know what that's a good man that's verse 4 but the Bible says all he has is debt meaning he's going to have to pay now look at verse 5 but to him that worketh not but look this guy's a jerk he worketh not he's living a selfish life he worketh not he's not doing good works maybe he left his wife maybe he doesn't have a good marriage maybe he never got married maybe he cared about nothing but money in his life and he just chased money he just chased pleasure for himself throughout his life but look what he did what he trusted on Jesus but he trusted on Jesus he believed on him that justified the ungodly because we can't justify ourselves he trusted on him that justified the ungodly and his faith is counted for righteousness the jerk went to heaven and the good man went to hell why do you think God puts that in the Bible? why do you think that that's in the Bible? that is in the Bible to just wake us up to all this garbage that is being taught today folks, turn to Romans 10 we avoid hell only by the righteousness of Jesus Christ not our own righteousness by trusting on Jesus Christ and we gain that righteousness and then in the eyes of God through the righteousness of Jesus Christ we are not the unjust that we talked about that deserve to go to that eternal punishment for Christ is the end of the law Romans chapter 10 in verse number 4 Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth not to everyone that does good Philippians 3 9 says and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the law look, Christ is the end of the law for us meaning that the law does not apply to me as far as my destination of heaven and hell goes look, God's going to punish me if I don't follow his commandments and follow the law but Christ was the end of the law for me not having my own righteousness which is of the law if I sit here and think look, if I sit here and think that I follow the law and I follow the commandments I'm going to be judged by that law at the great white throne that's what's going to happen to these people they kept the law they did not trust on Jesus they trusted on the law and their ability to follow it and they're going to be judged by that book at the great white throne which is of the law but that which is of which is through faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith that's our righteousness and that's how a man gets himself into hell and you wonder, you know, you think about this idea of the great white throne and this idea of hell and you know, it's the explanation folks it's the explanation of Romans 14 and Philippians 2 when the Bible says every knee shall bow you say every knee shall bow because Jesus says every knee shall bow the Bible says that every knee shall bow to Christ you say what? I know people that hate God I know people like we meet people all the time that hate the Lord you show up at some people's door with the Bible and they hate you before you say a word you don't believe us go out soul winning with us you will find these specific people look it's a minority of people thank God but there's people that hate the Lord there's people that will never believe in Jesus there's people that will never believe in God but their knee will bow to Christ and you say how is that? because they've been in hell for hundreds of years their soul's been in hell for hundreds of years and then they're reunited with their body don't you think they're going to drop to their knees in front of that throne? it's too late but they will be on their knees they will be on their knees begging Jesus Christ to not throw them in the lake of fire but it's too late they're going to be judged by the book they're going to be judged by the law that they believed in look hell is real folks hell is real we need to remember that as we motivate ourselves to go out there and preach and get people to obey this gospel how do you obey the gospel? you believe on you trust on Jesus Christ that's the gospel obey the good news obey the Bible when it says it's not about your words it's only about trusting in Jesus this should motivate us this should motivate you because yes we can look at certain people and say yes you know I'm glad there's a hell I'm glad there's a hell for people that hurt children and people that are these psychopaths and all this I'm glad there's a hell for these people but most people we got to get out there and we got to tell them the truth let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer