A Plea From Hell | Luke 16:19-31 (The Rich Man and Lazarus) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (1/26/25)

I remember preaching a message on a Saturday night at a conference many years ago, and that message was on the reality of heaven and hell. And at the end of that sermon, the gospel was preached, and I invited listeners to make the Lord Jesus Christ their savior, which some did. And though it was quite some time ago, I can recall different interactions I had that evening, including a conversation that I had with an individual who was not at that specific session, but was at the conference. And at some later point in the night, he approached me and we greeted each other and he asked, what did you speak on tonight? When I told him, he was not slow to hesitate to grant his opinion about the subject of hell.

And his argument was hell or any fear for that matter should never be a motivation to bring people to Christ. That warning about judgment isn't the best approach to win souls. He continued to say that if we are going to reach anybody with the gospel, then we should emphasize on a loving relationship with Christ, and that we should spend more time describing his beauty and allowing his beauty to compel us to him, which are proposals that I am not opposed to. Now I'm not going to continue to explain how that conversation continued, but I bring this to your attention because I believe that many Christians, like this brother, aren't sure how to handle the concept of hell. And though that word is casually thrown around in our culture, a genuine reflection upon its truth is able to provoke a variety of emotion, distress, fear, anxiety, confusion, and even anger.

Well, let me just tell you this. This morning, I learned that even iPhones don't know what to do with the word hell. Because as I was sending the message, the title for this sermon, it kept replacing the word hell, autocorrecting it to hill, h e apostrophe l l. And I thought, did I write that? And then I tried to write the word hell again, and it did it once more.

Besides iPhones and churchgoers, even ministers struggle with this topic and don't know what to do with the implications of this element of eternity. And so there are many, many pastors who have vowed to never even mention the word hell from the pulpit. Never mind evangelism. And there are some who have, because they're so disturbed by this, deleted this truth from their doctrine and encouraged others to do the same. While some feel greater liberty to speak about hell and they do so in a very unwise, unchrist like manner where they they believe that this will keep my listeners in line and so they threaten with hell leaving people distraught and feeling hopeless.

But no matter how this topic makes us feel, whether we rarely hear it in the circles we're in or it was the main message we grew up enduring. Whether we think it's wise to mention it in the presence of unbelievers, or believe that it should be reserved in conversation between mature Christians, you can't ignore hell in the bible. It's there. More specifically, the Lord Jesus Christ is easily identified as the one messenger who preached on hell more than any other prophet or apostle. In fact, Jesus warned unbelievers about hell.

Contrary to modern evangelical methodology, Jesus Christ of Nazareth mentioned hell on more than one occasion. And today, I wanna draw your attention to one of those warnings found in the gospel of Luke chapter 16 beginning in verse 19. As I mentioned earlier, there is a title to this message, and it is this, a plea from hell. A plea from hell. Let's read it together beginning in verse 19.

There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was a laid a poor man named Lazarus covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. Some translations say Abraham's bosom.

Let's continue. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame. But Abraham said, child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things. But now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.

And besides all this, between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able and none may cross from there to us. And he said, then I beg you, fathers, to send them to my father's house for I have five brothers so that he may warn them lest they also come into this place of torment. But Abraham said, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. And he said, no, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.

He said to them, if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. We ask, Lord, that you make these truths real to us. And even if one person here is on their way to hell, that would change after they hear this message. In Jesus' name, amen. The way that we are going to understand this teaching is by asking and answering three questions.

Question number one, how should we interpret this passage? Question number two, why is the Lord sharing it here? Question number three, what is the message that Christ is conveying? Let's deal with this one by one. How should we interpret this section of scripture?

That is an important question to ask because there is debate about it, and here is the debate. Is Jesus sharing a parable, or is this a real historical account? And you might be wondering if determining an answer is even necessary, and I'm here to tell you I believe it is. It is important to determine the nature of this teaching. Why?

Because if it is a parable, then it is open to metaphorical interpretations. Meaning, readers might feel free to allegorize or even overlook some of the details of this account. But if this is a factual portrayal, then we are forced to accept all that Jesus describes in this teaching. So why do many believe that this is a parable? There are many reasons, but I'm just going to present the main one.

The main one is that the story begins with a formulaic structure that is found in typical in other parables. So look back again how it opens in verse 19. There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. Nabe's text will showcase that there is a similar ring in other parables. So we're just gonna look at this briefly.

Look at Luke fourteen sixteen. We're just gonna be in Luke. And this is Jesus sharing the parable of the great banquet. But look at how it starts in Luke fourteen sixteen. But he said to him, a man once gave a great banquet and invited many.

Go to Luke 15 verse 11. This is the parable of the prodigal son. And notice how this part of the parable is introduced in Luke fifteen eleven. And he said, there was a man who had two sons. Go to Luke 16 verse one, the same chapter where we are learning from this teaching in verse one of Luke 16.

He also said to the disciples, there was a rich man who had a manager and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. Let's go even beyond Luke 16. Look at Luke 18 and look at verse one. And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, in a certain city, there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.

So again, the point that I'm trying to make is that when you look at surrounding text, specifically parables, and see how the Lord opens them up, we are almost now being conditioned to view the story of the rich man and Lazarus in the same way. Does that make sense? So then why do some see this as a real historical report? And I wanna be fair here. There are many answers, but I'm also just gonna present the main one as well.

Although there are similar components in this text to other parables, there is one distinct ingredient that is not found in any other parable. What is it? Jesus gives names to the individuals in this teaching. What are the names? Well, we read about Lazarus.

We read about Abraham, and this is the same Abraham who is the father of the Jewish people. That's clear in the context, and we have one more. His name is Moses. The Lord never gives names in parables. Some say he's making an exception here.

Well, can you consider this possibility? If you're willing to acknowledge that the Abraham mentioned here is the historical Abraham, that the Moses referenced here is the historical Moses, then why would you discount that the Lazarus that is mentioned here is a real person? And that the rich man, though unnamed, is equally a real person. And any other difficulty in accepting this being historical is greatly resolved by remembering that the Lord Jesus Christ is the omniscient one. He knows the thoughts, the hearts, and the whereabouts of every single individual both here in this realm and in the eternal realm.

So it's not so shocking for Christ to give us insight into individuals in the hereafter. That shouldn't be so surprising. This is God in the flesh teaching us here. And if we're gonna determine that this is likely historical than parabolic, This is a different weight that we're dealing within in this teaching. This is not merely symbolic.

This is real. And I am persuaded that this is historical. So now let's move on to the second question. Why is the Lord sharing this at this juncture? And as always, it helps to look at what was said before to understand this specific segment.

The context is clear. In Luke 16, the Lord Jesus Christ is taking his time teaching his disciples, and at this particular moment, he is instructing them about, ready, money. Money. Go back to verse one of Luke 16 again. He also said to the disciples, there was a rich man who had a manager and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.

And, oh, I would love to break down this parable. Many people find it difficult in interpreting. It's not that difficult. But because we're focusing on a different teaching, let's just go to the conclusion of Christ's instructions here with the opening verses of Luke 16. It's found in verse 13.

Here's the core message behind what Christ is conveying. No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. He's speaking to his own followers. And this saying is very common.

We can all repeat it by heart, but it's connected to a particular practical teaching. What is the Lord doing with his disciples? He's letting them know how to properly and appropriately use their wealth. And in that parable of Luke sixteen one down, he is telling them that money is a tool. Never allow it to become a master.

Money is a means to bring people into the kingdom as you contribute and as you give and as you set apart these resources for the sake of the gospel going out. Don't lose sight of that. Then he reminds him, listen, you you can't serve God and money. And as he's teaching them about how they ought to handle their possessions, the Pharisees are not too far away. And they listen to Jesus, and they hear what he has to say about possessions, and Christ struck a nerve with them.

And they were not ashamed to do what? To ridicule Jesus. Look at Luke sixteen fourteen. The Pharisees who were lovers of money heard all these things and they ridiculed him. So the Lord is focusing on his own, but in the presence of his teaching, you have these fair Pharisees who were possessed with greed and covetousness.

A common trait of false teachers both then and now. And Christ exposes their hearts and they collectively begin to scoff at Jesus and mock him. And the Holy Spirit tells us why, because they were lovers of money. And Christ hears their scoffing so he pauses his class with his disciples and now he turns his attention to these Pharisees. Look at the language carefully in verse 15, And he said to them Who are the them the Pharisees?

And he said to them, you are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. What a powerful statement this is. Yes. Generally, the Pharisees were those who proudly justified themselves before men but it's connected to a context. They are justifying their love of money before people.

Why? Because they use their teaching and their affluence and their authority to manipulate and trick and and even ravage widows. And so they would cleverly, cunningly convince people, we don't know exactly how but one thing is probable that even their accumulation of wealth was a sign of God blessing them and showing favor to them. And Jesus says, you justify yourselves. You justify your passion and your dedication to wealth before men but God knows the greed in your hearts.

God knows that you ultimately love money. Yeah. You have the gowns and you do the services, but you really love that dollar sign. Then he says this, for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. What is exalted among men?

The pursuit of riches. Very little people in our culture today would condemn a person who is devoted to money, Who is devoted to greater experiences, greater luxury, greater whatever. That's what people live for. And here's what the Lord says, you know what's so highly honored and praised and appreciated among men is actually an abomination in the sight of God. God's value system is very different than ours and our carnality, and it makes you wonder what else he considers an abomination that many people tolerate and justify.

But he goes on in verse sixteen and seventeen to highlight that though these religious leaders boast in their adherence of the law, they are actually rejecting it. Notice, let's just read it. The law and the prophets were until John. Since then, the good news of the kingdom of God is preached and everyone forces his way into it, but it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the law to become void. Why is he speaking like this?

I thought he was rebuking them for their love of money. Because again, they justified themselves in the sight of man and Jesus says, you think you're all about the law? If you were really about the law, then you would perceive that John was the last Old Testament prophet and that the era of the gospel has arrived, but you don't see it. Obviously, you don't. Why?

Because you're ridiculing the one that the law and the prophets predicted. That the law and the prophets foretold. And one major reason why these Pharisees who claimed to love the law actually rejected it was because they were blinded, guess what, by their love of money. Now, the Lord could have stopped here and returned to his disciples and continued to instruct them, but he wants to drive home the point in these hearts that are stubborn and stony that the consequences of their callousness caused by their tolerated covetousness does not only have ramifications in this life, it also has eternal consequences. And so he is going to, in his love, warn these Pharisees by telling them a real story about a rich man who justified his love for money and how that love and that idolatry and that worship led him to something that no person, at least in this context, would anticipate.

And so we come to the last question, which will be the main focus of our time. We answered how are we to interpret this passage. We answered why the Lord is sharing it here. What is Here's the final question. What is the message that Christ is conveying?

And I'll tell you this, it's deeper than simply describing the fate of a wealthy man who was an unbeliever. And that's why I wanna look at all that this thing has to offer us, though I know that I'm leaving things out. So I want us to understand this teaching by dissecting it, framing it in three scenes. Three stages, scenes, whatever you prefer. Scene number one, very simple.

Life. Scene number two, death. Scene number three, eternity. Scene number one, the reality of life. Scene number two, the reality of death.

Scene number three, the reality of eternity. The reality of life in verse 19 to verse 21. Did you notice that there is a clear contrast between these two men at the introduction of this account? One was extremely rich, the other extremely poor. One was totally satiated, the other was suffering terribly.

The one had need of nothing, the other had absolutely nothing. But the more we look carefully, the more we'll uncover important details. Notice how the poor man here desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table, implying that Lazarus, though at the gate this man was very rich. He had his own gate. We're not talking about the city gate, we're talking about his private estate.

He was parked there. This is part of the cultural norm. They didn't have resources and government aid then like we do now. They were dependent upon others who could help them if they were merciful. So he's left there unable to fend for himself.

And while he is there, all he requested was the crumbs, not not a plate of extra food. And we read here that this man was clothed in purple, that speaks of royalty, fine linen, even his undergarments were expensive. And who feasted sumptuously every day. It wasn't no ordinary meal. Every day was amazing.

Was a celebration. And at no point was this Lazarus offered an extra plate. No no leftovers, nothing of the sort. All he wanted was crumbs. And what we learned here is that the rich man, though we are given an external depiction of him, we're also granted a glimpse of his internal condition.

He's not just well off, he is self absorbed. Devilishly self absorbed. And we might expect this kind of selfishness from a gentile ruler, but you ready for this? This is not a gentile. This is an Israelite.

How do we know that this rich man is an Israelite? Because we read it earlier that when he does end up going to Hades, he sees Abraham and he says, not just Abraham but what? Father Abraham. Nobody would call Abraham father unless they are a descendant of Abraham. This is a Jew.

Why is it important to acknowledge that the rich man is of this heritage? Because God's law had provided this people group instructions of how they should relate to the poor. Listen to these words from the book of Deuteronomy, the book of the law chapter 15 verse seven. You can write that down if you want to look at it later unless you want to turn there with me. But Deuteronomy fifteen seven says, if among you one of your brothers should become poor in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God has given you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother.

But you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need whatever it may be. This is codified. This is divine revelation. This is a mandate from heaven. And yet, we read that this rich man who was a Jew would not even give crumbs to poor Lazarus.

So what does that say about this rich man's relationship to God? Obviously, his heart in no way reflects God's as revealed in the word, which means that he had little to no regard for the scriptures, which means that he had little to no regard for God. This is not a unique pattern in life. This is not so outlandish. It's the story of millions of people today who are exposed to God's word.

Listen, the rich man was not some heathen who worship pagans. He was aware of the truth. And there are some let me rephrase that. There are many who are aware of the truth, but they ignore the message because they are driven by prosperity. They are driven by maintaining and increasing in selfish comfort.

They are driven by knowing greater heights of personal satisfaction at the expense of doing what God asked them to do. And this man's attitude will reveal that this level of unbelief has eternal consequences. It's also sad to know that in contrast to the rich man's spiritual destitution, we actually are confronted with the compassion of animals. Go back again here and look at verse 21, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. Now some would interpret this as further aggravation and another layer to Lazarus' suffering, but you can also see this as a poignant reminder that the man who is suffering here is being comforted by wild dogs.

The word dogs there is not speaking about your little cute puppy at home waiting for you to come back from service. We're talking about ravenous, ugly street animals that will eat anything to survive. And yet, we see here that man in his selfishness, man in his sin is capable of being worse than animals and how he treats his fellow man. Have you ever seen it in reading history? Have you ever seen it watching the news?

What man is able to do to another creed in the image of God? You've probably even said it, even animals don't act like that. Well, here's another example. And listen to this now. This is how brilliant the word of God is.

You have here the mention of crumbs and dogs. Does that ring a bell of another encounter that Jesus had? It should. The Syrophoenician woman who had a daughter who is possessed by an evil spirit. So she comes to Jesus though a gentile and ask for deliverance.

And the Lord said, it is not right to take the children's bread and give it to dogs. Now dogs in that is a different word. He's not speaking about the ugly animals on the street. It's a completely different Greek word. But the woman responds to Jesus in what way?

Yes, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall off their master's table. Why do I bring that up? Because if you take that and then bring it to this story, then you realize that Lazarus is really asking for dog food, and the rich man wouldn't even give him that. In contrast to the rich man, we see something interesting. Lazarus is named, and this wealthy fellow isn't.

Did you notice that? On more than one occasion, we know the identity. Right at the introduction, actually, we know the name of this poor homeless fellow. His name is Lazarus. And we never learn the name of the prestigious owner of this estate and that is by design.

Why is that by design? Because the name Lazarus means something, the one whom God helps. And it's not always the case that a name that denotes relationship with God is reflected in the life of the one who bears it. Right? There are many examples in the old testament where somebody has this awesome name of relation to God, but their life contradicts it.

In this case though, I believe that Lazarus was a believer. You're saying, how can you speculate? I'm not. He goes to heaven. So he lived up to this name.

The fact that Jesus communicates and reveals his identity shows that he had faith. He relied on God. He trusted in God. He knew God. God was wrapped in his identity and purpose regardless of how his life played out.

In the same way we learn something from the rich man concerning life today, we can also say something about Lazarus. That even those who love and serve God will not always experience the relief that they hope for in this life. Relief is coming and it's gonna be eternal, but it's not always promised on this side of eternity. The rich man is nameless. And this suddenly speaks to his lack of any meaningful connection to the Lord.

It also says something about the Lord not knowing the rich man. Well, isn't he omniscient? He is. But do you remember in Matthew seven, the many who will come before the Lord and say, hey Lord, didn't we do this and didn't we do that? And Jesus will say, what?

Depart from me. I never knew you. What do you mean? He didn't know them? He didn't know what the works they did?

No, he did. But he didn't have this intimate relationship, this connection with them. And here you have subtly the Lord saying, God knew Lazarus, but he had no relationship with the rich man. Who's really rich in this story? Jesus.

I also believe here that Jesus mentioning Lazarus's name is meant to elevate him and show that he is recognized and valued while the rich man wasn't. On what basis? True faith. One is known and loved and cherished by God, the other, as we're about to find out, is gonna be abandoned by God. Scene number one comes to a close.

Now the curtains open to scene number two, the reality of death. Verse 22. Let's read it to refresh our memories. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.

No matter how differently these two men lived, they shared the same end, death. Someone once said, death is the great equalizer of all men. And it doesn't matter what kind of money you have, what kind of organic food it can get you, what kind of doctors you have access to. Now, no matter what kind of environment and clean air you can live in because of your money, you're gonna die. And I'm gonna die.

We're all gonna die. We can't escape it. You can't do anything about it. And the Lord reminds us of that here. However, we're beginning to see a shift in this story.

A role reversal, if you will. It's as though we get a final glimpse of the stark contrast between the privileges that these two men shared while on earth before we cross a threshold where both their worlds are about to be turned upside down. So what do we see? Read carefully that when the rich man died at the end of verse 22, he didn't just die, he was buried. And you can believe that this man's funeral was just as elaborate and extravagant as one of his fancy lunches while he was alive.

Sure, there might have been a procession. There might even have been a wonderful ceremony. We're gonna see what happens on the other side of this. But when you look at the beginning of verse 22, what do you read about Lazarus? Look again.

The poor man died and that's it. No mention of a funeral. No mention of honor, respect. No mention of loved ones gathering around him to celebrate his life. How heartbreaking.

This man's dishonor and disgrace followed him up to his death. And we don't know what happened to his body. He He could have been just picked up and thrown in some average place. He could have even been discarded in the outskirts of the city where criminals who were executed were dropped off. We have no clue.

So even in this final moment of life where their bodies now are being handled in clearly contrasting ways, there is something now that's about to take place. His humiliation, Lazarus that is, ended the moment he offered his last breath. Why? Because we read, the moment he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight and sound of angels. Angels have been dispatched to come and meet with Lazarus and to, as we read, carry his soul to Abraham's bosom.

There's a lot of debate about what Abraham's bosom is. I think it's very simple. It's an imagery to describe a heavenly banquet. We remember when John, in the gospel of John, tells us that he laid his head on the bosom of Jesus. This is body language that is reflected in settings of intimate gatherings.

So we have Lazarus here who is granted a place of honor next to the one of the greatest saints of all time. In a place of perfect bliss, in a place where the righteous are kept. This is glorious vindication. The same Lazarus who was denied crumbs while on earth is now promoted and clothed in incredible dignity. Feasting intimately with a patriarch in an environment where other saints surely were there and rejoiced that their eternal fate has been sealed in the goodness of God.

Angels came. Nobody showed up for this man's funeral, but God sent these beautiful heavenly creatures to make sure that he had a wonderful entrance into his presence. What about the rich man? Look at verse 22 again and let's continue to verse 23. You would think that the sight and sound of angels greeting Lazarus would mean that this rich privileged man would have something even greater at his death.

Brace yourselves. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried and in Hades. Being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. Lazarus died without honor.

He was greeted with a celestial host. And this rich man died with an elaborate celebration, but there is no sight of angels coming for him, coming on his behalf. He is abandoned. And all we're told is that the next time he opened his eyes, he realized that he was in hell. His last sight was being surrounded by friends and family who are mourning him, and the next thing that he sees is that he is in a place of torment.

Hades. We can't confuse this with our common understanding of hell. It's a different Greek word. And Hades consistently speaks of a temporary intermediate state of the dead where souls go after death, listen, until the final judgment. And though this place of the dead is temporary, it is promised that those who go there will endure ongoing suffering.

And they will endure this kind of misery until each unredeemed person is summoned by God before the great white throne judgment and are officially condemned to hell. You're saying, is there any more evidence that can help me make that distinction? Yes. Go to Revelation chapter 20 and look at verse 13 with me. Revelation 20 verse 13.

This is after the one thousand millennial reign of Christ. Revelation can be easily understood if you honor the fact that it is chronological mostly. Here's Revelation 20 verse 13, and the sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and what? Hades.

Hell in some translations but the Greek word is different. Death and Hades gave up the death who were who the dead who were in them and they were judged, each one of them according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. Do you see it?

So you have Hades that is holding those who have died and who await God's final judgment when God is ready to judge all the unbelievers whose names were not found in the lamb's book of life. Hades coughs up all the dead. God cast them into the lake of fire and he throws death and Hades in the lake of fire as well. This is where the rich man finds himself. He's not in the permanent state of God's wrath.

He is in a temporary holding place. However, it's safe to say that the experience of Hades is indeed a preview of what hell will be like, which brings us now the curtains close on scene number two. Scene number three, the reality of eternity. Jesus, in the last verses of this teaching, spends much more time describing the experience of the unredeemed than he does for those who are saved by grace. Why?

Because he's warning. He's warning people who are headed there. And the first thing that I want you to see about hell is that it is a place of everlasting, unrelenting conscience torment. Look again at the language in verse 24. And he called out, father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.

There is pain in hell. There is misery in hell. There is suffering in hell. There is sorrow in hell. And it's not just temporary.

It is everlasting. And I wanna tell you because I must be true to the word of God, the source of this torment. Many Christians who are good hearted in trying to explain God's judgment, specifically with hell, communicate that the reason hell is hell is because we are separated from the presence of God. Yes and no. Because I wanna show you what the Bible says about hell and the reason why there will be so much affliction there.

You were there at Revelation 20, but go to Revelation 14 verse 10 where John tells us the fate of those who take the mark of the beast. And in Revelation fourteen ten and eleven, we have a description not just of those who do take the mark, but those who also deny Jesus Christ as Lord. Revelation 14 verse 10, He also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb. So wait, wait, wait. Hold on.

I grew up hearing that hell is hell because God is not there. God's loving presence is not there. But his wrath is there in full strength. Who's in charge of hell? Don't get your theology from cartoons.

Satan is not managing hell. Satan will suffer in hell. God is in charge of hell. And we see clearly here. And this is the aspect of hell that is probably the most disturbing for people to digest.

How is it just that a few decades of sinning on earth warrants eternal misery? How? This is the God that you sing to? This is the God that you believe and claim is one of love? And this has led many who can't find a way to reconcile this, to embrace things like annihilationism.

Annihilationism is the belief that immortality is only granted to the just, but the punishment of the wicked is that they cease to exist forever. It's becoming increasingly popular in our day. But you cannot find a solution with an anti biblical answer to grasp something that might be difficult in the bible. Whenever there's something challenging in the word of God, it's not because there's a problem with God, there's a problem with us. You're saying, what do you mean?

Here's what I'm saying. Their main problem is that we fail to understand that the severity of sin is not in the act itself, but the one that we sin against. That is why it is so severe. You know what most people think about God? He's just a little better than us.

And we even dare to feel like we can sit on the judgment seat and criticize God's ways. God is infinitely holy. God is far beyond what you can even think. He is lofty. He is superior.

He's incredible. He's beyond description. And if this is still challenging for you, do you not realize that this concept of proportional justice is even known in our human law? That the severity of one's punishment is measured by the severity of the crime. And in the case of sin, what is accounted for is not so much the amount of sin, how dark the sin is, but the one that we violate.

My offense before a court and before a jury and the determination of my punishment will be far different if I assault the president of The United States in comparison to a house pet. And we all are ready to accept that. But what we fail to wrap our minds around is just how lofty God is. How other worldly his holiness is just it will consume you if it's unleashed in your presence. His sensitivity to sin because of his purity is so intense.

We live in a day today where there's barely any outrage against sin. And as we advance as a culture and as a civilization, more and more sins are being accepted. So you see that, you're surrounded by that. And now you come to Sunday church and you hear the young guy up there on the pulpit preaching about hell and how God will condemn sinners. Now, who does he think he is?

You don't know who he is. And even for us who do know him, we don't fully know who he is. Because he is infinitely worthy, because he is infinitely glorious, any violation of him is of infinite magnitude. Don't you find it strange that when the rich man arrives in hell and we even hear what he has to say, there is no sign of contrition. There is no indication of repentance.

What is he actually doing when he gets to hell? He's just as self absorbed in hell as he was on earth. And he even look at this. He's bossing Lazarus around. He still sees Lazarus though in a redeemed place as inferior to him.

Abraham, tell him to dip the end of his finger and touch my mouth. Abraham says that can't happen. There's a great chasm between us. Okay. Okay.

Can you at least tell him to go to my brothers and warn them? What would be the appropriate response for somebody who woke up and realize that they're damned? There's no He sees Lazarus. He doesn't ask for forgiveness. He doesn't even cry out to God.

He's concerned about himself. You know, people believe that once people go to hell, then they will suddenly realize the Bible is true. I was wrong, and now I wanna love and obey God. That's not true. And this is a story to prove it.

That there will be many in hell who when they endure God's wrath will continue with their evil hearts. Who for an eternity will blaspheme him, curse him, and despise him. You're you're saying, but yeah. But doesn't he cry out for mercy? He does cry out for mercy.

But if you really look carefully, it's not from a place of brokenness for sin. I could say more about this, but let me move on to the second reality of hell. Thing that we must acknowledge about hell is that once someone wakes up there, their position is permanent, Very similar to the first point. But I want you to notice how this rich man doesn't ask to be set free from where he is. And I think partly it's because there was this devastating realization, I can't leave here.

There is no exit sign in hell. There is no hole that you can dig. There is no wall that you can break through. There is no crack in any part where you can spend a thousand or a million years trying to break through. Once somebody arrives at hell, they're there for eternity.

And that horrible awareness is confirmed by the words of father Abraham in verse 26. Notice what he says. And besides all this, between us and you, our great chasm has been fixed in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able and none may cross from here to us. So if I can't escape here, then can you at least send a drop of water? But here's the thing, that chasm that reflects even the chasm that was created by Adam and Eve between us and God, a bridge can be built while we're here, but once you're there, there is no bridge that can be built.

Mercy is cut off forever. And what you'll find interesting is that when you continue to read through Luke, the theme of people crying out for mercy appears over and over, but with a different outcome. I wanna show it to you. Look at Luke 17 verse 11. This is when Jesus heals these 10 lepers.

But look at verse 11. On the way to Jerusalem, he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee and as he entered a village, he was met by 10 lepers who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices saying, Jesus, master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said to them, go and show yourself to the priest. And as they went, they were cleansed. Look at Luke eighteen thirteen where Jesus shares a story about a tax collector and the Pharisee who prayed in the temple.

Luke eighteen thirteen, Jesus says, but the tax collector standing far off would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast saying, God, be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. Look at Luke eighteen thirty five when Jesus travels through Jericho. Luke eighteen thirty five. As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant.

They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by and he cried out, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. And you know the rest of the story, he's healed. What do you have here? It's amazing. Clearly a different outcome for these individuals who cried out for mercy.

The sinner, the broken who cried out to the Lord Jesus received it. Because Jesus is rich in mercy, and he will not turn one person away, but it can only be accessed on this side of eternity. No matter how intense, no matter how long, any cry for mercy in hell is too late. Let me pause and say this, just in case we don't make it to the end of the sermon. I remember I preached a sermon when when I was younger in the ministry, and I was making an appeal for people to be saved.

And before I finished, a young girl dropped down and had a seizure, and the meeting ended. Doctors came in, and people went back to their rooms. So it's even possible that before the end of the message, something can happen, God forbid. So let me pause and say this. Your only hope for what I am saying is that you cry out to Jesus for mercy now.

Now. There's so many other things that we can draw from this text about characteristics about hell. Let me give you just one brief example. Look at verse 25. But Abraham said, child, remember that in remember that you in your life time received your good things and Lazarus in like manner bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.

If we were to continue about different traits about hell, I would say this, that hell is a place of remembrance. What does Abraham say? Child, remember. So those in hell will be able to recall their life. They'll be able to revisit the memories where it all went wrong, the missed opportunities, the arrogance of ignoring the evangelist, parents who try to teach them about saving knowledge in Jesus Christ.

Hell is a place of remembrance and that remembrance will not bring relief. It will only add to the anguish. Child, remember. We can talk about hell being a place of loneliness, hell being a place of darkness, but we won't go there. Instead, I want us to land the sermon.

The curtains are not closing on scene three. Someone are accurately said rather that the words of the rich man are the only testimony of any person from hell in all of the scripture. And it is in his final because he was rich, and the poor man didn't go to heaven because he was poor. And the poor man didn't go to heaven because he was poor. Can I tell you why that's the case?

Because the rich man from hell was talking to Abraham, and Genesis thirteen two tells us that Abraham was very rich, not just rich. But he was a man of faith, and he loved God more than money. Neither is the story about ethics, that if the rich man had just given something to Lazarus, if he had just used some of his wealth to help people and perform justice or social acts, then he would have a better chance to make it to heaven. We don't believe in a gospel of good works. Then how did he get here?

If it's not about his affluence and the arrogance of his affluence, if it's not about how he failed to serve Lazarus and impress God with his own righteousness, give me some kind of an answer. I'm here to give it because I want you to see something quite amazing. The reason why this man was condemned was not because of his riches, but because of how his riches blinded him and rejected through his blindness what he truly needed. The truth of God's saving work. And that is reflected in how in these last verses, the rich man exposes his attitude toward the scriptures.

When he begs Abraham, please let someone from the dead rise and visit my brothers so that they would see that somebody came back from the afterlife and said, turn from your ways. It's all real. And look at how Abraham responds to, again, the rich man in verse 29 of chapter 16. But Abraham said, they have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them.

Pause. Look at what the rich man is about to say now. Verse 30. And he said, no. No, father Abraham.

But if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. Do you see it? This rich man demonstrated throughout his life that he was unbelieving and he failed to act upon written revelation, the scriptures, God's book. And that kind of hardness of heart and that contempt continues to show itself here as he willingly confesses this book is not sufficient for somebody to be saved. No.

What is he saying no to? The word of God. That's what he's saying no to. And why will people go to hell? For the same reason.

Because they deny the central message of God's word. And that's where this man went wrong. Because even in the Moses Moses and the prophets, which is just a saying that encapsulates all of the scriptures at this time, this man failed to humble himself and to realize that the wrath of God abides on him. He failed to believe that he required a substitute for his sin. He failed to see that the payment for that sin would be realized in the promised Messiah.

And he also failed to believe that that message was enough to draw his brothers to embrace grace. Besides, we read in John 11 that Jesus does raise a man from the dead. You remember that. Right? And what was his name?

Isn't that interesting? It's not the same Lazarus, but I just find it humorous. And Lazarus raises from the dead, it impresses some people, but other people, what? It just gave him more reason to kill Jesus. And not just these Jesus, but to make sure that Lazarus gets back into that grave as soon as possible because through his testimony, people were coming to Christ.

The very leaders that Jesus is preaching to here about this story, experience somebody who raised from the dead named Lazarus and they still harden their hearts. God has provided humanity a witness in his word. Is his primary means, and it is this word and how we relate to it that will determine our eternal faith. In fact, if we had more time, I would I would explain to you how in the same way in heaven, there will be different degrees of reward. Hell will also have different degrees of punishment.

That's in Luke chapter 12. And you know what determines the variety of degrees of punishment? The amount of light you receive and what you did with that light. So So people ask me all the time, you know, when you debate people with oral tradition and human tradition and church tradition, and I and I at some point I get to this point. Look, based on the testimony of the Bible, I am told that what I will be held accountable for is this book, primarily and solely.

So I'm preoccupied with God has revealed here and that alone. Don't forget that this story was targeting the Pharisees. Do you know what would have been more shocking to the Pharisees than realizing that a rich man went to hell? Is that he was a Jewish man who shared the same blood as Abraham. Do you remember the words of John the Baptist in Luke chapter three verse eight?

Turn there with me, please. Look what the Baptist said in Luke three verse eight. Bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. So it was a common shared confidence among the Jews that because they were related to Abraham that they were automatically guaranteed resurrection unto life.

And you have the final old testament prophet who prophet who clarifies, don't you dare put your confidence in your heritage. You can't say Abraham is my father as a way to comfort your conscious that you have the right to receive eternal life. And isn't that true for so many today? That the confidence of their standing before God might be their family, their lineage, their culture that is ancient and has Christian roots. I am from this Christian nation.

I am from this Christian background. It's no different. It's not just for the Jews. Any other foundation that you base your confidence on except Jesus Christ will provide a shocking realization for you in the life to come. So you're saying, what are you what are you getting at?

Well, as the curtain for scene three closes, let me do this before it's officially closed. If you want to know that you have eternal life, let me ask you this question. What have you done with the message of this book? What have you done with what God has said to you through this book? Because this book sets the conditions for how a man has eternal life and this book alone.

Not what any person said, but what God had said. And the only way that you can have eternal life is not if Abraham is your father, but if God becomes stuff bothers me sometimes. And and the things that we throw around without thinking about it. And it bleeds into how even the world begins to think about our beliefs. How can God send any of his children to hell?

Who says you're a child of God apart from Christ? You're not a child of God just because you're created by God. In fact, the Bible labels us if we are outside of Christ. We are enemies. We're rebels.

And the gospel, Jesus Christ coming into this world to die on a cross and pay that payment so that you wouldn't have to go to this horrible place is exactly that. We don't present Jesus and say, God has come to send his son into the world to die on a cross to save you from loneliness. Though he does help you with your loneliness. God didn't send his world to come into his son into this world so that you and I could feel like we have now purpose or some kind of heavenly coach or some kind of guy that can help us make our dreams be realized. God sent his son into this world to save people from hell.

You don't have to be judged for eternity. Today, you can cross a line where God will receive you. God will crown you with redemption, and no one or anything in this life or beyond this life can take you from him. You must realize how, yes, though we've been hearing about the holiness of God, just as ferocious as his purity, his love, his love is equally intense. And that in his love, those that he created, though he had every right to just bundle us all up and throw us into that place and start all over, he instead wants to redeem every single person in this room.

Every single soul, he takes no delight in the death of the wicked. He takes no pleasure in it. His justice demands it. Yes. But his pleasure is in seeing every person come to the knowledge of his son, Jesus Christ.

That is the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we're doing nobody any favor by omitting this from our preaching. No. Nothing. And so, I will stand before God and give an account.

That's why I'm here to preach this truth. I fear God and I love people too much. And so my invitation to you is, if you are not certain, if you actually if you feel like you're just kinda floating around and you come here because you like hearing a message, it's kind of inspiring, maybe intellectually stimulating, you like the community here, but you don't know if you're saved, cry out for mercy. Church is not a game. We're not playing here.

We're not we're not this is not like a country club because we, you know, wanna be part of something on a weekly basis. This is about heaven and hell. This is what this is about. And I don't want you to gamble with your soul. I want you today to embrace Jesus.

He's willing to forgive you, accept you, receive you, and relate to you, where he'll know you by name. He'll walk with you in this life, and he will usher you into his presence forever and ever. Would you accept it? Would you receive it? Let's pray.

Lord, we heard your voice today. Your word is so clear. But perhaps there are some here who are hearing you calling them home. And your word says, today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. And so, Lord, even if there is one person here who up to this point took comfort in the fact that they went to church and they admire Jesus, but they've never given their lives to you, that today they would flee to the cross.

They realize that in your great love you have paid for their sin, that they never have to fear this place called hell, that they never have to wonder if you will unleash your wrath against them. I ask, Lord, and I pray that at this moment, your love would be seen and the kindness of God would lead us to repentance. For the believer, Lord, including myself, may we feel the urgency of the gospel. Thank you that this word perhaps served a different purpose in awakening us to the seriousness of our faith. So we give you glory for that as well.

And so, Lord, today we wanna be able to rejoice with the angels in heaven that even one has come to repentance. And if none here are going to repent, then may we glorify you in the reality that we have repented. You have drawn us and that we are sealed for glory forever. And so, yes, Lord, we have seen your amazing holiness, but we also wanna sing about your amazing grace that you have rescued us. You have not left us to be damned.

You have delivered us forever. We say thank you. Thank you for reminding us the great deliverance in the gospel. How costly and how awesome it is that you rescued us in this way. In Jesus' name.

Amen.