By Dr. Robert Jeffress

PERFECT ENDING WHY YOUR ETERNAL FUTURE MATTERS TODAY by Dr. Robert Jeffress

THE TRUTH ABOUT ETERNITY December 15, 2013 | 10:50am Luke 16:19-31

Introduction: All human beings -- regardless of their religious beliefs -- will live for eternity. Today we will examine what the Bible reveals about the eternal destination for non-Christians.

Matthew 7:13-14 “13 Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter it. 14 For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.”

I. Jesus On The Subject Of Hell

II. What Jesus Taught About Hell

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Luke 16:19-26 “19 Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day. 20 And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. 22 Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23 And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.”’

A. Hell is an Actual Location (Matthew 25:46)

Matthew 25:46 “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

1. Tartaros (2 Peter 2:4)

Jude 6 “And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.”

2. Gehenna (Revelation 19:20; 20:10; 20:15)

Revelation 20:10 “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

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3. Hades (Luke 16:23; Revelation 20:14)

Revelation 20:14 “And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.”

B. Hell is a Place of Physical Torment (Luke 13:28; Luke 16:24)

Luke 16:24 “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.”’

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Revelation 19:20 “And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.”

Revelation 22:5 “And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever.”

C. Hell is Filled with Indescribable Loneliness (Matthew 8:12)

Matthew 8:12 “But the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

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D. Hell is a Deserved Judgment (Luke 16:25, 27-31; Hebrews 10:29)

Luke 16:25, 27-31 “25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father’s house - 28 for I have five brothers - that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 But he said, ‘No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.”’

Hebrews 10:29 “How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

1. “Trampled”

2. “Regarded as unclean”

3. “Insulted the Spirit of Grace”

E. Hell is a Forever Destination (Luke 16:26)

Luke 16:26 “And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.”

Conclusion