This post directly follows the one on Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices as encouragement to better understand the nature of hell, that there certainly is such a place.
A few moments into his sermon, R C mentioned a survey that had been conducted of a cross-section of America that included people in the following categories: religious, secular, young, old… a very diverse population. Therein, the vast majority believed in heaven; and a paltry minority believed in the existence of hell.
He also noted that when religious people hear Jesus’ words on heaven they say, “Yes Lord;” but whey they hear Him on hell they say, “No way, Lord.”
He prayed that his hearers would receive Jesus message in this parable.
Sermon points [bracketed statements, emboldening and underscoring are mine]:
- From 0:00 to 4:43, R C read the text from Luke and prayed
- 4:45 – 6:40 survey results from a cross-section of Americans that included: religious, secular, young, old…
- The survey indicated that the vast majority of this diverse population believed in heaven and as well, a majority denied the existence of hell
- We have the same source for information about each, heaven and hell, the Lord Jesus Christ
- 6:40 – Jesus spoke more of hell than either the prophets or the apostles
- There has never been a greater authority on these matters than Jesus
- That is, if you are a Christian, you must hear Him, receive His teaching on hell
- 8:45 – Why do we struggle so much to receive His teaching on hell?
- Possibly out of concern that our loved ones may end there
- Definitely, it indicates that we lack sufficient concern for the glory of God
- We do not understand who God is, His perfections and holiness
- THEREFORE: we do not have a clue about the sinfulness of sin [relevant to His holiness and the standards of His law]
- We’re quick to shrug our shoulders and say, “No one is perfect,” as though it weren’t a big deal as we sugar-coat our offenses against God and others
- R C stated that if he were to end up in hell, he’d believe it was right because a perfect God put him there
- God is perfectly JUST
- [The cross enables Him to forgive sinners, as He poured out His wrath against their sin on Christ; those who do not believe in Christ will themselves experience His JUSTICE first hand in hell as they pay the cost for their own sins]
- 12:25 – Analysis of parable began
- The parable began by stating the conditions of two men on earth: the rich man was luxuriously clothed in purple and dined sumptuously every day
- Lazarus, the poor man, suffered and was covered in sores; out of compassion, someone laid him at the gate of the rich man’s property, hoping that he could receive sufficient crumbs to sustain his life
- 16:10 – R C told a personal story about his sores from blood thinners
- 17:25 – The dogs of Jesus’ day were wild, despised…
- 18:30 – Lazarus, the beggar died and was carried to Abraham’s bosom by the angels (his body was not disposed of by the coroner)
- The rich man was buried and his soul ended up in the flames of hell
- The rich man cried to Abraham for mercy, that he’d send Lazarus to wet his finger to cool his tongue in the flames
- From the parable, you’d think the rich man had no understanding of the meaning of mercy
- (Jesus elsewhere talked about ‘outer darkness’ wherein weeping and gnashing of teeth was experience by its dwellers)
- Abraham said that it was not possible; that is, once one enters into hell, the time of mercy is past
- R C said he objects to hearing people speak of God’s infinite mercy. Yes, God is infinite and therefore His mercy is, but that mercy has a boundary:
- The end of one’s life is the boundary
- Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
- The unbridgeable chasm between heaven and hell indicates that they are each fixed places, once one enters either, he will remain there [the concept of purgatory is unbiblical and in light of this topic, an evil deception that gives false hope]
- R C stated that certainly, some people in his congregation, hearing this message would end in hell
- He asked if they’d believe the testimony of a man who had returned from hell if he were speaking at the podium today
- Then he concluded that those who do not believe Jesus’ word, would not either believe that man
- That if anyone who did accurately perceive the truth about this place should crawl over broken glass to reach the cross and the mercy of God
- Lazarus was initially the beggar; in the end, it was the rich man
- The rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s home to his 5 brothers, as he did not want them to experience God’s wrath in hell
- Abraham stated that they had Moses and the prophets [the word of God in the scriptures] that if they did not believe that they certainly would not believe one from the dead
- Jesus rose from the dead, we still do not want to believe His words about hell
- Please believe Him!
There is no bridge from hell to heaven. Once this life comes to an end, it is too late to repent of sin and look to Christ for mercy. In this sermon, R.C. Sproul continues his sermon series in the gospel of Luke by examining one of Jesus’ most sobering parables.
This sermon was preached by R.C. Sproul at Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla. Hear more from his series in the gospel of Luke:
