“In Hell He Lifted Up His Eyes.”
Luke 16:19- Jesus told this as a true story and not as a parable. I: When Hell Seems Far Away or Non-Existing: 1. This man was busy about many things. 2. He was making progress in his business life. 3. He was well clothed with the best material. 4. He was no doubt a great entertainer, and his wife prominent among the social set. 5. Every day was a day to eat, drink, and be merry. 6. He must have had a costly funeral. II: Five Minutes In Hell Changed His Mind. 1. He didn’t have his wealth to worry him. 2. He was clothed with fires of hell. 3. He had no time to spread the banquet table. 4. Days had turned to one continual night filled with torment. 5. There was no stopping place; nor was there a place to change his course on his rapid trip to hell. III:...
This Is Hell
Luke 16:19-31 When Christians refuse to believe in a literal, eternal Hell, they become cold and indifferent about the men and women going there. I: Jesus Knew of A Literal Hell. 1. He preached more about Hell than Heaven. 2. “But whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of Hell fire.” Matthew 5:22. a. “And fear not them, which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell fire.” Matthew 10:28. b. “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The son of man shall send forth His angels and they shall gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast...
God Divided the Water
The Heavens Declare the Glory of God Genesis 1:6-8, Psalms 19:1-7 Moses recorded marvelous things that it has taken man thousands of years to begin to discover. I: The Firmament is Made & the Waters Divided: 1. Firmament – “To spread out, limitless expanse.” 2. There are definitely two bodies of water & if they were not separated, life would be impossible. II: The Upper & Lower Bodies of Water: 1. The lower bodies of water we are well acquainted with. a. Here fish & living creatures make their home. b. Our ships sail upon it & our subs travel thru it. c. Divers bring its treasures from below the surface. 2. The upper bodies of water are just as real. a. It contains waves & bounding billows. b. It has currents & tides...
Joy In Serving
Matthew 25:21, Timothy 2 4:7-8 Jesus said it was more blessed to give than to receive. He came to seek and to save. He came to serve rather than be served. Jesus expects service from his church and he so commanded. I: The Shame of Idleness: 1. Ten percent of church members do 90% of the actual church work. 2. To some the Church is a place to sit comfortable in a pleasant atmosphere a few minutes a week. 3. An army with 90% casualty, would run up to the white flag. 4. The church is in a warfare for the eternal souls of men and about 90% of the army has deserted. 5. A church of 500 members, 156 of these are not resident, of the 344 left, 25% are inactive, leaving 258 to do the work, and 86 of these are content to do nothing. 6. So long as a single member is...
Joy in Belongings
Acts 20:28, Isaiah 52: Isaiah 52: “How beautiful upon the mountain are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings that publish peace; that bringeth good tidings of good that publish salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” I: An Exalted Opinion Necessary. 1. Americans are great joiners. 2. Different reasons for joining: a. Privileges it affords. b. Opportunities of service. c. Social contacts. d. The prestige it gives. e. The sheer joy of serving with that group. 3. One must appreciate the privileges of church membership to hold an exalted opinion of the church. 4. Ignorance of the Church character causes one to treat Her membership lightly. 5. To know the true character of the church, it will thrill our hearts and demand our loyalty. You...
Church
Ephesians 2:1-10, 5:25-27, Romans 5:1-9, & 6:1-16 Ecclesia translated “Church” occurs three times in Matthew, 23 times in Acts, 62 times in Paul’s letters, twice in Hebrews, once in James, three times in the third Epistle of John, and 20 times in Revelations. Jesus did not coin this word, it was in common use before he used it. Ecclesia occurs 114 times in New Testament. Only twice does it refer to the redeemed of all time. I: Jesus Never Built Anything After He Left the Carpenter Shop, but His Church. 1. Christ is the designer. He designed it for his kingdom purpose. 2. He is the architect. He tells us what kind of material to build with. 3. He is the builder. He fits every piece. 4. He is the foundation. The strong refused by Israel. 5. He...