Title: A Voice From The Dead
Bible Book: Luke
Author: Jack Auten
Subject: Hell; Judgment; Salvation
Objective:
Introduction
People of every generation from every part of the world have tried to contact the dead in one way or other. Some hold hands while sitting in a circle as one of them tries to contact some person who died, others dance in circles until exhaustion overcomes them, some drink a mixture of sorts to "free" the mind, going into a "trance" and try to communicate with the dead, and so on. All these efforts are to "talk" with someone who is dead and find out something about the life beyond.
The Bible tells of someone who died and then was able to describe his situation. (Text) Two men died, a rich man and a beggar. The beggar went to God's place and the rich man went to the other place, Hell. The rich man was in great distress and called out for water from the beggar who was in heaven. The rich man was told by God that nobody could cross over from one place to the other. The rich man then asked that somebody go to his family and tell them about his condition and to avoid it. The rich man was told that his family already had all they needed: the scriptures and that the hearts of people are not changed by signs and wonders.
Two places people go to upon death: Heaven and Hell. Heaven is with God. Hell is not.
I. People are Going to a Very Real Place Named Hell
It ought to get everyone's attention that there is death of the body, but not of the soul, the mind. There will be consciousness throughout eternity either in heaven or hell. Look at John 5:28-29, Matthew 10:28, Matthew 5:29 and Matthew 25:41.
It is commonly said "God is too good to allow anyone to go to hell." Remember, God's ways and thoughts are not like man's. God doesn't want anybody to go to hell, but there is only God's way to miss going to hell. There is such a thing as God's righteousness, sin, and Judgment.
There is a worldwide belief that upon death all about that person is ended. Nothing beyond, is the belief of many. People are trying to bring God down to their level. They consider life after death according to what they would do or not do, not according to what God says and does. What does anybody really know about what happens after death except God?
All that can be known about death and after death can be found in God's Word, the Bible. What has science told about life beyond? It has trouble with living things. Who has been there and back? All from man is speculation, fears, hopes, imagination. Only God can tell about what is after death and God says there is a Hell and Heaven.
Everybody knows there is good and evil, right and wrong and good should be rewarded and evil punished but nobody knows how to do it fairly or correctly except God. God says there is Heaven for "good" and Hell for "evil."
II. If Somebody were to Come back from Hell, Who would Believe it?
God says it's so, Jesus says it's so, the Bible says it's so. Who would believe what somebody said who had actually been there? People would be told that there is no possibility to change places for all opportunity for that ended at death. As long as one is alive, there is hope that that person will believe in Jesus, but when death comes, all hope is ended. If someone were to come back from Hell, they would shout, "there is no second chance.."
III. If Somebody were to Come back from Hell, He would Say Repent!
The rich man realized he could not change places and wanted someone to go to his family and warn them, tell them to repent, change their minds, believe.
Repent - listen to God for what God says is true.
Repent - change the mind, change the direction, change the attitude, change behavior. Repent - recognize that sin is awful and turn to God in complete faith and trust.
Death is the greatest enemy of man and one cannot repent after death comes. Hundreds of people die every minute around this world - over 6,000 will die in the one hour that we are in this worship service.
When should one repent? Someone once said, "The day before you die." When are you going to die? Well, then, when do you need to repent? NOW!
If God were to send somebody back from Hell and his/her message was "Repent today!" who would listen?
Conclusion
There has been a message from the dead, a message from hell, a man describes it as being in torments, thirsty, and wanting somebody to warn his family about the horrible place he was trapped in and could never leave.
The other place that God has is called Heaven and a man was privileged to peek into it one day and what he saw he could not describe adequately as he just didn't have the words. John in the Revelation wrote of streets of gold, beautiful trees, mansions, a river, walls, gates, people robed in white wearing crowns, angels, brilliant light, and the presence of Jesus.
God has sent descriptions of both places that people will spend eternity in. Fire, bottomless pit, smoke, pain, darkness, restlessness, memories, and then the place He has prepared for those who believe in His Son, Jesus, a paradise, a place made just for His own family.
God leaves it to each person to choose how to live and those who choose to live by God's ways, trusting in His Son, Jesus, He will take to Heaven upon that person's bodily death. Those who choose to live without God's ways, ignoring, not trusting in His Son, Jesus, He will send to Hell which was prepared for the devil and his angels, and for all who refused to let God be God in their lives.
