H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks
Luke 16:19-31, Deuteronomy 32:28-35
July 26-27, 2003

     There’s a topic that’s tabu in the church today. No one even wants to think about it, much less discuss it. People are afraid of the subject. Some are afraid to even say the word. But I ain’t scared. I’ll discuss it boldly and openly. The subject of today’s sermon is ... H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks.
     The modern church is strangely silent about hell. It reminds me of the guy I saw on a TV talk show. He was talking about his “near death experience.” He told about going through a tunnel toward the light. He talked about being surrounded by his loved ones and feeling great peace. Then someone in the audience asked him if he also saw hell. I loved his answer. He said, “You know, I thought of that. But no one there mentioned it, and I darn sure wasn’t going to bring it up!”
     That’s how the church seems to feel about hell. Whenever the subject comes up, it’s as if we say, “Don’t even go there.”
     Do you know how hard it was to pick hymns to go with this subject? The only reference I could find to hell in the entire hymnal was that line in “Come Ye Thankful People, Come,” which says that God will “Give his angels charge at last, In the fire the tares to cast.”
     I did remember a song my mother-in-law taught us, that she used to sing as a child in Sunday School.  
“He went down to hmm hmm and sizzled and fried, sizzled and fried, sizzled and fried. He went down to hmm hmm and sizzled and fried. Sizzled and fried.” C’mon, Everybody! “He went down ...” Okay, never mind.
     Now there was a time when the church spoke about hell far more frequently and freely. There’s a story of a young seminary graduate who was being examined for ordination by his presbytery. It was a grueling exam. They asked him his views on the Trinity. They asked him to explain the relationship between free will and predestination. They asked him about supralapsarianism and premilineal dispensationalism and all kinds of -isms. They showed no mercy. Finally one crusty old minister stood up to test the candidate’s degree of dedication. He asked a question that wasn’t all that unusual in those days. “Young man, are you willing to burn in hell for the glory of God?”
     The exasperated candidate replied, “Sir, I am willing for this whole presbytery to burn in hell for the glory of God!”
     But what exactly is hell? In the first church I served, in rural North Carolina, the people gave me a dictionary called, “How To Speak Southern.” It had words in there like “Loan” as in “I need to mow the loan.” And  “Afar” as in “Call the far department to put out afar.” But my favorite was “Hail.” That’s where General Sherman is for what he did to “Etlanta.”

     But when we look at what the Bible says about hell, it’s no laughing matter. Jesus said, “The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:41-42) He referred to hell as a place “where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’” (Mark 9:48, Isaiah 66:24) He talked about hell as  a “place of torment,” (Luke 16:28) and “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,” (Matthew 25:41)
     The book of Revelation describes hell as a place where people “drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.” It’s a place where people “will be tormented with burning sulfur ... And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest” there. (Revelation 14:10-11) And Revelation 21:8 says, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
     But should we really take these descriptions of hell too seriously? Isn’t this mostly symbolic language? Perhaps it is symbolic language. For I think the most devestating description of hell in all the Bible, in all literature for that matter, is found in II Thessalonians 1:9 “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.”
     Can you imagine eternity shut out from the presence of God? God is love, so that means an eternity void of love. God is our source of joy, so that means relentless depression. God is the Creator of all that is beautiful and good, so that means an existence of endless atrocity.
     Never again would you hear the laughter of a little child. Never again would you see the splendor of a sunset, or the soft glow of a candle. Never again would you feel a tender touch or a loving embrace. Never.
     We were created to live in a loving relationship with God, and it’s in that relationship that we find purpose and meaning. But if we are cut off from God, nothing would ever bring pleasure or meaning again. Moment after moment, eon after eon would bring a constantly gnawing emptiness in your hopeless soul.
     I shudder to think about it. Last week we said that in heaven we would be constantly in awe of God’s endless goodness. Likewise in hell we would be perpetually appalled by the hideous absence of anything good at all.
     Last Tuesday the news came that Qusai and  Odai, sons of Saddam Hussein, had been killed. The press was flooded with stories of their cruelty and depravity. One committed his first of countless murders at the age of 14. The other treated rape as a hobby and torture as a form of entertainment. If ever anyone deserved to go to hell, these two men should be there.
     But think of this. In hell, those monsters are totally unrestrained. They are cut off from God. They are cut off from all that is good. So there is nothing to check their evil. The same is true of Pol Pot, Hitler, Stalin, Nero. The same is true of Jeffery Dahmer, Richard Speck and every other unrepentant murderer, rapist and child molester who ever lived. In hell all evil is unleashed, and everyone is the victim of everyone else. In hell every selfish impulse is indulged. Cruelty, lust, deception. Whatever anyone wants to do to you, they just do. Who is there to stop them?
     What’s more, our New Testament reading today tells us that in hell the rich man looked up and saw Lazarus in heaven. How horrible! To live in continuous torment, all the while watching the saints bask in glory. You can see their boundless joy. Perhaps you even hear the haunting echo of their exuberant praise. And you could have been there with them. Many times you were invited. Many times you were urged to receive eternal life, but you declined. You had better things to do. And now it’s too late. Now it is forever too late.
     The Bible says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” (I Corinthians 2:9) The same could be said for those who reject Him. Who could comprehend the horrors of hell? Our worst experiences on earth are like stubbing a toe next to the torment of those who suffer there. For at least here there is some hope. At least here there is some light. At least here evil has it’s limits. But not there. Not there.
     Perhaps fire and brimstone and worms are symbolic, perhaps they’re literal. Either way, they are nothing compared with the blazing anguish of the soul that is eternally cast away from the presence of the God of glory, light and love. That’s hell. You don’t want to go there.

     So who will go to hell? Again we find the best answer in II Thessalonians 1:8-9 “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.”
     You see, there are people who spend their whole lives rejecting God. They doubt or deny His existence. They explain away His creation. They reduce His son to just another teacher, one of many options. They ignore His will and insist on living this life on their own terms. There are people who spend their whole lives wanting nothing to do with God. So God merely grants them their wish. They will be without Him for all eternity. To those who reject the Lord, He gives them exactly what they ask for. “Depart from me.” Go ahead. Go. You want it? You got it.

     But of course, you and I don’t have to worry about that, do we? Do we?
     Jesus said, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:22-23) And again, “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27But he will reply, ‘I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.” (Luke 13:26-28)
     Maybe you and I shouldn’t be so smug.
     Jesus said, But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. (Matthew 5:22 ) Have you ever lost your temper? Have you ever called someone a fool, or something worse?
     Jesus said, If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. (Matthew 5:29) Have you ever looked at someone lustfully, whether in person or in pictures? Have you glared at someone who offended you? Have you ever winked at perversity or lied without batting an eye?
     Jesus said, And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:30) Have you ever touched anything you should not have touched, or taken anything that wasn’t yours to take? Maybe we shouldn’t be so smug.
     But you say, “I’ve been confirmed. I’ve stood in front of the church and taken those vows. “I renounce them.” “I renounce them.” “I do.” “I do.” But remember that Jesus also said, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” (Matthew 1:8) Was he describing you?
     But you say, “I love Jesus.”
     You say you love Jesus, but when His people gather to worship Him, are you eager to come into His presence, or do you come straggling in 10 or 15 minutes late? You sing His praises, but without much emotion in your voice. Week after week you confess your sins -- which sent Him to the cross -- without ever shedding a single tear. Then you keep checking your watch. I recently heard someone define worship as “extravagant love.” Do you check your watch when you’re loving your spouse?
     You say you love Jesus, but what does that mean when you’ve read all the Harry Potter books or the complete works of John Gresham, but you’ve never read the whole Bible? It’s too boring.
     You say you love the Lord, but when He says, “Bring the whole tithe into my storehouse,”(Malachi 3:10) you say, “But then I won’t be able to afford some of the things I really want.”
     Some people love their idea of Jesus. Some people love Jesus when it is convenient to do so. Some people love Jesus on their terms. But remember that Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)     
     But you say, “We’re saved by faith, not by works.” That is absolutely true. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9not by works, so that no one can boast.” We cannot earn our salvation. We can only receive it as a free gift, and we do that when we invite Christ into our lives and put our faith in Him.
     But what does it mean to have faith? James said, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ... Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” (James 2:17-18)
     Are you caring for hurting people? Are you feeding hungry people? (There is a food pantry right here at the church.) Do you love your fellow believers and actively encourage them to grow in their faith? You insist that you believe. But are you putting your faith into action? Is your faith vibrant and active, or listless and dead?
     Understand that I’m not saying that you’ll go to hell for reading a Harry Potter book or that you’ll go to heaven if you read the Bible. I’m not saying that you’ll go to hell if you’re late for church and you’ll go to heaven if you come to prayer gathering. I’m not saying bringing food for the food pantry or joining a small group or serving on a ministry team will spare you from the torment of eternal separation from God. Being religious is not an eternal fire insurance policy.
     What I am saying is this. When we truly put our faith in Christ, He comes into our lives, and He starts to change us. He changes our desires. He adjusts our priorities. He redirects our behavior. Over time we are transformed, inside and out.
     In May of 1748 John Newton was about as wretched a sinner as you can imagine. He was a sea captian in the slave trade. He would sail to the coast of Africa where he would trade weapons and other goods for Africans who had been abducted in ruthless raids by rival tribes. He would cram the prisoners aboard his ship and sail to America where he would sell them as slaves. Only about 80% of those who left Africa made it to America alive. The others were thrown overboad when the died or got sick.
     In America he would trade the the slaves for sugar and molases and take that back to England to sell to rum makers. With the proceeds he would buy more weapons and goods and head out again to Africa. On the highway to hell, this guy had an e-pass.
     On May 10 Captain Newton was caught in a storm at sea. In his distress he cried out, “Lord, have mercy on me.” The ship was spared. Later as Newton reflected on that experience he realized that Christ had answered his prayer. He gave his life to Christ. Before long he realized that he needed to give up the slave trade. He took a different job and studied for the ministry. Later he wrote one of the most beloved hymns ever. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now I see.”
     John Newton put his faith in Christ Jesus, and Jesus made him a new man.
     Listen to I Corinthians 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
     Sexually active outside of marriage, party animals, dishonest in their business practices, greedy, gossips. That’s what some of those Christians were. They were that, but not any more. Christ changed them.
     The question for us is clear. Do those words describe who you were, or who you are?
     What I am saying is this. Christ changes us. He transforms us into His image. And if that transformation is not taking place, be it ever so slowly, we have reason to question our faith. If our burning desire is not to draw closer to Christ every day, and to become more like Him, then we should examine our love for Him. Maybe we shouldn’t be too smug.

     I know why we don’t like to talk about hell. It isn’t just because it makes us feel uncomfortable. I’m uncomfortable. But that’s not the main reason. The main reason we don’t talk about hell is that we don’t want to scare people into religion. We want people to be attracted to God’s love and goodness. We want them to run toward the splendor of heaven rather than flee from the wrath of hell. We don’t want to use scare tactics.
     If you have heard me preach very many times, you know that I agree with that. I usually preach about God’s love, not hell’s fury. And this is one of the hardest sermons I’ve ever had to prepare.
     Nevertheless, in the parable we read this morning, the rich man in hell said to Abraham, “Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.”
(Luke 16:27-28) Let him warn them.  Someone said, “If the living knew what the dead know, all the world would be converted in the span of one hour.”
     My friends, hell is real. Those who choose to live apart from God will do so for all eternity. And that God-forsaken condition is infinitely more horrible than we can even imagine. So people need to be warned. And if we love them, we will warn them. Because I love you, I am warning you.
     The rich man in the parable asked Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to warn his five brothers. But Abraham said, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”
     But now, my friends, One is risen from the dead. Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross to take away your sins. He felt the full fury of hell when our putrid sins came between His Father and Himself. He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God contradicted His own being. He became, for a time, the God-forsaken God. The Author of life was swallowed up by death. The King of heaven delved into the very pit of hell.
     But His desent into hell was an invasion. He smashed the chains of hell to set it’s prisoners free. And He rose again with eternal life for all who recieve Him.
     Now One has risen from the dead. And we can receive eternal life from Him. But that means we receive Him on His terms. It means that we ask Him to live in us, and we pledge ourselves to live for Him. You see, when we try to receive Him on our terms, we really don’t receive Him at all. We refer to Him as Lord, but we’re calling all the shots. When we try to receive Him on our terms, we are really rejecting Him. And He will let us do that. He will let us do that for all eternity. But you don’t want to go there.

     On those rare occasions when we do talk about hell, someone always raises complicated, controversial questions. Sometimes they’re sincere, sometimes they’re just a smoke screen.
     “What about Ghandi? He was a good man. And in a sense he believed in Jesus, though he remained a Hindu. Is he in heaven or hell?”
     “What about Ted Bundy? Did he really repent? Was he really forgiven? Is he in heaven or hell?”
     “What about Socrates? He was a good man, but he never even heard the gospel. Is he in heaven or hell?”
     “What about the cavemen? What about the savage in the jungles of South America? What about my uncle Mac?”
     There are difficult questions, some of which we may not be able to answer on this side of glory. But there is one question that we can answer today. Actually it’s a question that only you can answer. For the moment let’s forget about Socrates and Ghandi. The question you have to answer today is simply this. What about you?