CLICK HERE FOR THE LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE CONTAINING DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Review:

• What does it mean to be saved? Saved from what?
  • God’s just judgment of all people.
  • We will give an account.

• Why do we need to be saved?
  • We have a sin problem.
  • We are in trouble and most don’t know it.

Read Luke 16:19-31

parables- a short story to illustrate an important lesson of truth.  Jesus only uses realistic contexts and quite frankly has the library of human history to draw from.

Most of us live in ignorance or denial of eternal realities. (19)

• Life is good.
  
  
• Indulging in life’s pleasures: appearance, pleasure, luxurious pursuits.
  
  
• Ignoring the needs of others lest they damper your own pleasure. (21)

Death comes to the poor and the rich.  (22)

• Consequence of sin.
  
  
• Death shows no favor.
  
  
• We cannot control it.
  
  
• Eternal life is not determined by earthly blessing.

Eternal realities are immediate—heaven or hell.  (22b)

• Lazarus was experiencing life and relationship—Abraham’s side.
  
  
• The rich man was isolated and in torment. (23)
  
  
• The torment was conscious, constant, and unrelenting.
  • Just the touch of water to his tongue was a desperate request. (24b)
  • Consistent with other descriptions of Hell and Lake of Fire being a place of ongoing torment.

Revelation 14:11 “…no rest day or night.” 
Revelation 20:10 “…tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

2 Thessalonians 1:9 “…punished with everlasting destruction…”

There are no exchanges between Heaven or Hell.  (26)

• There is an eternal separation from the water of life.

Salvation from such a place can only be determined prior to your death.  (27-31)

• “Please warn them!”
  • Now he realizes his family is in trouble.

• The Word provides the warning—teach and pray for our loved ones.
  
  
• Miraculous presentations are not going to produce the response desired.

We have a problem that stymies belief.

We have three common humanistic problems that mute this warning: 

1. The dismissal or diminishing of eternal judgment.
   
   
2. Self-adulation that minimizes our need for a savior.
   
   
3. Compartmentalizing God’s love away from His holiness and justice.

Problem 1-  Our tendency as humans is to minimize or deny future consequences for present pleasure or ease of mind. 

• Resulting in Hell being made out to be a metaphor not a reality.
  
  
• An eternal, conscious, and ongoing place of torment is simply too horrific to be real or created by a “loving God”.
  • Leads to annihilationism.

Problem 2- We have too high a view of ourselves and of our capacity for good and self-rescue.

• Can we not attain a satisfiable level of good.
  
  
• If not me, then certainly the answer is not found exclusively in Jesus.
  • Maybe Jesus saves us all, we just don’t know until we get there. Inclusivism
  • There will be a second opportunity after death. It’s more fair once you truly know after you die. Postmortem Evangelism
  • All religious people who are sincere will be saved. Religious Pluralism

Problem 3- We use our human limitations to define God’s love, holiness, and justice.

• No way a loving God creates a place so awful as hell.
  
  
• Because God is love no one will go to hell. He saves them all.  Universalism
  
  
• Complete denial and ignorance of our compartmentalization of love, holiness, and justice that strips each of them of purity. God is NOT us!

Simple Truth

1. Our holy God hates sin.
   
   
2. Sin must be accounted for by death—complete eradication.
   
   
3. We cannot pay such a debt, so He did!
   
   
4. He replaces death with life. Not only for eternity but also for now!

We are blessed now and later.

Now- new life that thrives in relationship with God and others.
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!

Later- The ultimate hope of eternal life with Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

• We have hope because we have Jesus. (13)
  
  
• Jesus’ resurrection will be the pattern for us. (14)
  
  
• We will be with the Lord forever. (17)
  
  
• Be encouraged. (18)