Adrian Rogers:
REASON TELLS US
WE'RE GOING TO DIE, EXPERIENCE TELLS US
WE'RE GOING TO DIE, AND IF YOU'RE
NOT PREPARED
TO DIE, YOU'RE NOT
PREPARED TO LIVE. NO MAN IS EVER
READY FOR LIFE UNTIL HE IS
NO LONGER AFRAID
OF DEATH. NOW WE
HUMAN BEINGS ARE
KIND OF HUMOROUS. WE'RE INTERESTED
IN THE ORIGIN
OF THE SPECIES. WELL, FRIEND,
WE OUGHT TO BE
MORE INTERESTED IN THE DESTINY
OF THE SPECIES. FROM WHENCE
WE'VE COME,
THAT'S SETTLED, BUT WHERE
WE'RE GOING, THAT IS NOT
YET SETTLED. THERE WAS
A TIME WHEN
YOU WERE NOT. THERE NEVER
WILL BE A TIME WHEN YOU
WILL NOT BE. AND SO YOU NEED
TO CONSIDER TODAY WITH ME YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY. Announcer: PROFOUND TRUTH.
SIMPLY STATED. THIS IS LOVE WORTH FINDING
WITH PASTOR, TEACHER, AND AUTHOR ADRIAN ROGERS. Adrian: WOULD YOU TAKE
YOUR BIBLES AND FIND LUKE 16. AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT AN UNPLEASANT SUBJECT TODAY, AT LEAST
UNPLEASANT FOR SOME, AND THAT IS
THE SUBJECT OF DEATH. DEATH IS A VERY
REAL SUBJECT. AND MAN IS THE ONLY
CREATURE WHO KNOWS THAT HE'S GOING TO DIE,
AND HE'S TRYING DESPERATELY TO FORGET IT. IF YOU MENTION DEATH
IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY WILL CHANGE
THE SUBJECT LIKE PEOPLE CHANGE
THE CHANNELS WITH THEIR
REMOTE CONTROL. THEY DON'T WANT
TO TALK ABOUT DEATH. THEY DON'T WANT
TO FACE DEATH. BUT REASON TELLS US
WE'RE GOING TO DIE, EXPERIENCE TELLS US
WE'RE GOING TO DIE, AND IF YOU'RE
NOT PREPARED TO DIE, YOU'RE NOT
PREPARED TO LIVE. NO MAN IS EVER READY
FOR LIFE UNTIL HE IS NO LONGER
AFRAID OF DEATH. NOW WE HUMAN BEINGS ARE,
KIND OF HUMOROUS. WE'RE INTERESTED IN
THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES. WELL, FRIEND, WE OUGHT
TO BE MORE INTERESTED IN THE DESTINY
OF THE SPECIES. I MEAN, WHERE WE, FROM WHENCE
WE'VE COME, THAT'S SETTLED, BUT WHERE WE'RE GOING,
THAT IS NOT YET SETTLED. THERE WAS A TIME
WHEN YOU WERE NOT. THERE NEVER WILL BE A TIME
WHEN YOU WILL NOT BE. AND SO YOU NEED TO CONSIDER
TODAY WITH ME YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY. THE TITLE OF
OUR MESSAGE TODAY IS, "FIVE MINUTES AFTER DEATH." NOW I DIRECT YOUR
ATTENTION NOW TO VERSE 19, THIS STORY THAT JESUS TOLD
THAT DEALS WITH THESE THREE GREAT ISSUES. JESUS SAYS, "THERE WAS A CERTAIN
RICH MAN, WHICH WAS CLOTHED IN PURPLE AND FINE LINEN,
AND FARED SUMPTUOUSLY EVERY DAY. AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN
BEGGAR, NAMED LAZARUS, WHICH WAS LAID AT HIS GATE,
FULL OF SORES, AND DESIRING TO BE FED WITH THE CRUMBS WHICH
FELL FROM THE RICH MAN'S TABLE; MOREOVER, THE DOGS
CAME AND LICKED HIS SORES. AND IT CAME TO PASS
THAT THE BEGGAR DIED, AND WAS CARRIED BY THE ANGELS
INTO ABRAHAM'S BOSOM; THE RICH MAN ALSO DIED,
AND WAS BURIED; AND IN HELL HE LIFT UP HIS EYES,
BEING IN TORMENTS, AND SEEING ABRAHAM AFAR OFF,
AND LAZARUS IN HIS BOSOM. AND HE CRIED AND SAID,
'FATHER ABRAHAM, HAVE MERCY ON ME,
AND SEND LAZARUS, THAT HE MAY DIP THE TIP
OF HIS FINGER IN WATER, AND COOL MY TONGUE;
FOR I AM TORMENTED IN THIS FLAME.' BUT ABRAHAM SAID, 'SON, REMEMBER
THAT THOU IN THY LIFETIME RECEIVEST THY GOOD THINGS,
AND LIKEWISE LAZARUS EVIL THINGS; BUT NOW
HE IS COMFORTED, AND THOU ART TORMENTED. BESIDE ALL OF THIS,
BETWEEN US AND YOU THERE IS A GREAT GULF FIXED,
SO THAT THEY WHICH WOULD PASS FROM THENCE TO YOU CANNOT;
NEITHER CAN THEY PASS TO US, THAT WOULD COME FROM THENCE.' THEN HE SAID, 'I PRAY THEE,
THEREFORE, FATHER, THAT THOU WOULDEST SEND HIM
TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE. FOR I HAVE FIVE BRETHREN,
THAT HE MAY TESTIFY UNTO THEM, LEST THEY COME INTO
THIS PLACE OF TORMENT.' ABRAHAM SAITH UNTO HIM,
'THEY HAVE MOSES AND THE PROPHETS;
LET THEM HEAR THEM.' AND HE SAID, 'NAY,
FATHER ABRAHAM; BUT IF ONE WENT UNTO THEM FROM THE DEAD,
THEY WILL REPENT.' HE SAID UNTO HIM, 'IF THEY HEAR
NOT MOSES AND THE PROPHETS, NEITHER WILL THEY BE PERSUADED,
THOUGH ONE ROSE FROM THE DEAD.'" NOW, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS
A STORY BY THE MASTER TEACHER, THE LORD, JESUS CHRIST. SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT
THIS STORY IS A PARABLE. I DOUBT THAT IT IS A PARABLE. JESUS DOES NOT
CALL IT A PARABLE. LUKE DOES NOT
CALL IT A PARABLE. IF THIS IS A PARABLE,
IT'S THE ONLY PARABLE THAT JESUS EVER GAVE
WHEN HE MENTIONS SOMEONE'S NAME. HE MENTIONS THE NAME
OF A MAN, LAZARUS. DEALS WITH HIM AS THOUGH
HE IS AN ACTUAL INDIVIDUAL. BUT WHETHER IT IS A PARABLE
OR NOT, THE TRUTH IS THERE IN PARABOLIC FORM
OR IN HISTORICAL FORM. IT IS A TRUTH
THAT FELL FROM THE LIPS OF THE GREATEST TEACHER
THAT EVER LIVED. HIS NAME IS JESUS. AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS STORY,
IT'S A STORY OF CONTRASTS. HE'S CONTRASTING TWO MEN.
HE'S CONTRASTING THEIR LIFE. HE'S CONTRASTING THEIR DEATH. AND HE IS CONTRASTING
THEIR DESTINY. NOW, I WANT YOU TO SEE,
FIRST OF ALL, THE CONTRAST IN LIFE. BEGINNING IN VERSE NINE,
YOU'RE GONNA FIND OUT THAT THESE MEN
ARE VERY DIFFERENT. ONE WAS A RICH MAN;
ONE WAS A POOR MAN. ONE HAD MORE, MATERIALLY
THAN HEART COULD WISH; THE OTHER HAD NOT EVEN
ENOUGH TO SUBSIST. BUT WE SEE
A CONTRAST IN LIFE. THERE ARE THESE
INEQUITIES IN LIFE. THE RICH MAN
AND THE POOR MAN. BUT NOW, JESUS GOES ON,
AND NOT ONLY DOES HE SPEAK ABOUT A CONTRAST IN LIFE,
BUT HE SPEAKS ABOUT A CONTRAST IN DEATH. NOW WHEN THE BEGGAR DIED,
THE BIBLE DOESN'T EVEN SAY HE WAS BURIED.
SAYS THE RICH MAN WAS BURIED. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID
WITH BEGGARS AND PEOPLE OF THAT DAY? IT'S HORRIBLE, BUT THEY WOULD
HAUL THEM OFF AND THROW THEM IN THE GARBAGE HEAP TO BURN
JUST TO BE CONSUMED. AND THEY WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE,
MANY TIMES, A BURIAL. NOBODY WANTED TO BURY THEM. SOMETIMES THE DOGS
WOULD EAT THEM. BUT THE RICH MAN
WAS BURIED. IF IT HAD BEEN TODAY,
IT'D BEEN A SILK-LINED CASKET. HAD IT -- WOULD HAVE BEEN TODAY,
THERE'D HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF FINE-PRICED AUTOMOBILES OUT
IN FRONT OF THE SYNAGOGUE OR THE CHURCH
OR WHEREVER IT WAS. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
A PROFUSION OF FLOWERS FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER,
A JUNGLE, A RIOT OF COLOR. THE AIR WOULD BE
FILLED WITH PERFUME. DOUBTLESS ONE OF THE GREATEST
SPEAKERS WOULD BE THERE TO EULOGIZE THE MAN. AND ONE BY ONE THE PEOPLE WOULD,
AS THEY WOULD DAB THEIR EYES, WOULD SAY, "HE WAS A GOOD MAN.
HA, HE WAS A GOOD MAN. OUR COMMUNITY WILL MISS HIM,"
NOT UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE SAYS, "THERE IS NONE GOOD,
NO, NOT ONE." AND ALL OF THEIR WORDS WOULD
NOT CHANGE HIS DESTINY. AND ALL OF THE FINERY WOULD
NOT CHANGE HIS DESTINY, FOR HIS SOUL WAS IN HELL BEFORE
THE UNDERTAKER KNEW HE WAS DEAD. NOW, THERE WAS A CONTRAST,
A CONTRAST IN LIFE AND A CONTRAST IN DEATH,
BUT I WANT TO GET TO THE MAJOR THING.
THERE'S A CONTRAST IN ETERNITY. LOOK IF YOU WILL AGAIN
IN VERSE, 23 OF THIS CHAPTER. VERSE 22 SAYS, "THE RICH MAN
DIED AND WAS BURIED. AND IN HELL HE LIFT UP HIS EYES,
BEING IN TORMENTS, AND SEETH ABRAHAM AFAR OFF,
AND LAZARUS IN HIS BOSOM." A CONTRAST IN ETERNITY.
NOW, JESUS DOES WHAT NO ONE ELSE CAN DO. WHAT JESUS DOES HERE IS
TO PULL BACK THE CURTAIN AND LET US LOOK
TO THE OTHER SIDE. FIRST OF ALL YOU SEE WHAT WE
CALL THE GLORIES OF HEAVEN. THE BEGGAR DIED AND WAS
CARRIED BY THE ANGELS TO, "ABRAHAM'S BOSOM." WHEN HE DIED THERE WAS
AN ANGEL CONVOY THAT COME -- THAT CAME AND TOOK HIM
AWAY TO A PLACE CALLED, "ABRAHAM'S BOSOM." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN,
"ABRAHAM'S BOSOM?" THAT'S STRANGE. WELL, ABRAHAM WAS THE FATHER OF
THE FAITHFUL, THE MOST REVERED OF THE JEWISH LEADERS,
THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM
FOR THESE JEWS. TO BE WITH ABRAHAM WOULD BE
A PLACE OF INCREDIBLE HONOR. NOW WHAT DOES IT MEAN
TO BE IN, "ABRAHAM'S BOSOM?" WELL WHEN PEOPLE HAD
A BANQUET OF THAT DAY, THEY WOULD NOT SIT AROUND
THE TABLE AS WE SIT AROUND THE TABLE.
THEY WOULD RECLINE. THE BEST PLACE WOULD BE
WHERE YOU WOULD RECLINE, WHERE YOUR HEAD
WOULD BE NEAR THE CHEST, THE BOSOM,
OF THE HOST. WHAT HE WAS SAYING IS
HERE, THIS MAN, WHO'D BEEN FEEDING ON CRUMBS,
IS NOW AT A BANQUET. AND NOT ONLY IS HE AT A
BANQUET, HE IS IN A BANQUET AT THE VERY HIGHEST
PLACE OF HONOR. WHAT JESUS IS SHOWING IS,
IS THE GREAT RADICAL CHANGE THAT TOOK PLACE,
THIS MAN AS HE'S CARRIED BY THE ANGELS TO HEAVEN. NOW IF YOU'RE NOT SAVED,
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. I'M NOT TRYING TO TALK YOU
INTO SOMETHING GROTESQUE, EVIL, VILE, OR BAD. I'M NOT INVITING
YOU TO A FUNERAL; I'M INVITING YOU TO A FEAST. THAT'S WHAT OUR LORD
IS TALKING ABOUT. HE'S TALKING HERE ABOUT
THE EPITOME OF GLORY WHEN HE SAYS THIS MAN IS,
"CARRIED BY THE ANGELS INTO ABRAHAM'S BOSOM." NOW I WOULD LIKE TO
SPEND A LOT OF TIME TODAY TALKING ABOUT HEAVEN,
BUT I'M AFRAID WE SPEAK TOO MUCH ABOUT HEAVEN
AND NOT ENOUGH ABOUT HELL, SO I'M GOING TO SPEND JUST A
LITTLE TIME HERE TALKING ABOUT, THE BEGGAR IN,
"ABRAHAM'S BOSOM." WHAT IS HEAVEN? LET ME JUST PUT IT
IN SEVERAL SENTENCES. HEAVEN IS ALL THAT
THE ALL-BENEFICENT LOVING HEART OF GOD
WOULD DESIRE FOR YOU. HEAVEN IS ALL THAT
THE OMNISCIENT MIND OF GOD COULD
DESIGN FOR YOU. HEAVEN IS ALL THAT
THE OMNIPOTENT HAND OF GOD COULD
PREPARE FOR YOU. HEAVEN WILL BE JUST RIGHT. WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY,
I USED TO THINK, WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I DON'T
WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN, AT LEAST NOT RIGHT NOW,
BECAUSE I WORRIED WOULD THEY HAVE ANY
SWIMMING IN HEAVEN? WOULD YOU BE ABLE
TO FISH IN HEAVEN? WOULD YOU -- COULD YOU
PLAY BASEBALL IN HEAVEN? HAVE YOU EVER
THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? WHEN YOU'RE A CHILD,
ESPECIALLY AND THINK WELL, YOU KNOW, "HEAVEN IS
SORT OF THE NEXT BEST PLACE, BUT IT'D BE A LITTLE
BETTER TO STAY HERE." DON'T BE SO FOOLISH. BILLY GRAHAM WAS
ON JOHNNY CARSON'S SHOW ONE TIME AND JOHNNY CARSON SAID
TO HIM, "BILLY, IF I GO TO HEAVEN,
WILL THERE BE GOLF IN HEAVEN?" BILLY SAID, "JOHNNY,
IF YOU GET TO HEAVEN, AND GOLF IS NECESSARY
FOR YOUR JOY, THERE WILL BE
GOLF IN HEAVEN." THAT WAS A GREAT ANSWER,
THAT'S A GREAT ANSWER. NOW, DON'T GO -- ANYBODY GO
AROUND SAYING THERE'S GOING TO BE GOLF IN HEAVEN.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT. I AM SAYING, DEAR FRIEND, THAT
YOU WILL NOT HAVE A LONGING, A DESIRE THAT HEAVEN
WILL NOT FULFILL MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE. AND I WISH I HAD
MORE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE GLORIES OF HEAVEN. BUT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AGONIES OF HELL AS WE TALK ABOUT,
FIVE MINUTES AFTER DEATH. AND MY TASK WHEN I TALK TO YOU
ABOUT HELL IS NOT AN EASY ONE. HELL IS THE BUTT OF JOKES,
THE IDEA OF RIDICULE. ABOUT THE ONLY TIME YOU SEE
ANYTHING ABOUT HELL TODAY IS THE COMIC PAGES TODAY. A PREACHER WHO PREACHES
ON HELL IS, IS LOOKED UPON AS EITHER IGNORANT
OR CRUEL OR BOTH. YOU SAY, "WELL, ADRIAN,
YOU'RE NOT GONNA PREACH ON HELL TODAY, ARE YOU? I THOUGHT YOU WERE EDUCATED.
HAVEN'T YOU BEEN TO SCHOOL?" I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF THAT. YEAH, I'VE BEEN TO SCHOOL
BUT I BELIEVE IN HELL. YOU KNOW, LET ME TELL YOU
WHY I BELIEVE IN HELL. NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE
JESUS TEACHES IT. NOW IF YOU EVER RIDICULE
A PREACHER FOR BEING A HELL-FIRE PREACHER,
YOU ARE RIDICULING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THERE ARE AT LEAST
A HUNDRED AND SIXTY-TWO TEXTS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT SPEAK
OF HELL AND THE JUDGMENT OF THE LOST. OVER 70 OF THESE WERE ISSUED
BY JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. I BELIEVE IN HELL BECAUSE
I BELIEVE IN JESUS. BUT NOT ONLY DOES --
DO THE WORDS OF JESUS TEACH THAT THERE'S A HELL
THE DEATH OF JESUS DEMONSTRATES THAT THERE WAS A --
THERE IS A HELL. NOW BE REASONABLE. IF THERE'S NO HELL FROM
WHICH MEN NEED TO BE SAVED, WHY DID JESUS DIE? IF THERE IS NO HELL,
THEN CALVARY IS THE BLUNDER OF THE AGES. MAY I TELL YOU THAT BY
THE SPIT THAT THEY PLACED INTO THE FACE OF JESUS,
BY EVERY LASH THAT WAS LAID UPON HIS BACK,
BY EVERY THORN THAT PIERCED HIS BROW,
BY THE AGONY AND THE UTTER MIDNIGHT OF CALVARY,
THERE IS A HELL. WHY DID JESUS DIE
IF THERE IS NO HELL? I BELIEVE IN HELL BECAUSE
THE JUSTICE OF GOD DEMANDS IT. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT A MAN
CAN BE A RAPIST, A MURDERER OR WHATEVER, COMMIT SUICIDE,
AND IT'S ALL OVER? NO. THERE IS A JUDGMENT TO FACE. THERE MUST BE A TIME WHEN THINGS ARE MADE RIGHT,
WHEN EQUITY DOES COME. SOMEBODY SAYS, "I HATE
THE IDEA OF HELL." THAT -- WELL, I DO, TOO,
BUT IT'S A FACT. I'M SURE THAT IT BROKE
THE HEART OF THE LORD JESUS, BUT IT'S A FACT. YOU MAY HATE RATS AND SNAKES,
BUT THEY'RE FACTS. THE FACT THAT YOU HATE
SOMETHING, DISBELIEF IN HELL DOES NOT CHANGE IT. NOW JESUS TELLS US
WHAT HELL WILL BE LIKE, AND I WANT YOU TO LISTEN.
HELL IS A PLACE OF MISERY. IT'S A PLACE
OF SENSUAL MISERY. YOU WILL FEEL IN HELL. IN THESE VERSES THAT I READ,
IN VERSE 23, 24 AND 25, THREE TIMES JESUS
MENTIONS THE WORD TORMENT. HELL IS A PLACE OF TORMENT. YOU'RE GOING TO BE TORMENTED
IF YOU GO TO HELL. FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING, "DO YOU BELIEVE
IN LITERAL FIRE IN HELL?" LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY. I BELIEVE IN REAL FIRE IN HELL,
REAL FIRE, WHATEVER IT IS. WHETHER JESUS IS SPEAKING
HERE IN A METAPHOR OF SOMETHING THAT IS EVEN WORSE THAN
THE LITERAL THING, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.
JESUS USED THE WORD FIRE. LISTEN TO WHAT JESUS SAID
IN MATTHEW 25 VERSE 41, "THEN SHALL HE SAY ALSO
UNTO THEM ON THE LEFT HAND, 'DEPART FROM ME, YE CURSED,
INTO EVERLASTING FIRE, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL
AND HIS ANGELS.'" NOW, IF YOU DON'T LIKE
THE IDEA OF FIRE IN HELL TAKE IT UP WITH JESUS,
DON'T TAKE IT UP WITH ADRIAN, BECAUSE I'M JUST READING
THE WORD OF GOD TODAY. JESUS SPOKE OF FIRE. I HAD MUCH RATHER JESUS SAY
TO ME, "ADRIAN, YOU TOOK MY WORD TOO LITERALLY,"
THAN TO SAY, "ADRIAN, YOU EXPLAINED IT AWAY." NOW WHATEVER IT IS,
WHATEVER JESUS INTENDS TO CONVEY BY USING
THE WORD FIRE, MAY I TELL YOU, FRIEND,
YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO THERE. AND NOT ONLY IS THERE
GOING TO BE THAT SENSUAL MISERY, THERE WILL BE
THAT EMOTIONAL MISERY. VERSE 25, ABRAHAM SAYS TO THIS
RICH MAN, "SON, REMEMBER." DID YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU GO TO
HELL, YOU'LL TAKE YOUR MEMORY WITH YOU? PSYCHOLOGISTS TELL US
THAT WE NEVER, EVER, REALLY, TRULY FORGET ANYTHING. MEMORY WILL STING
LIKE A HORNET IN HELL. YOU WILL REMEMBER THIS SERVICE. YOU WILL REMEMBER THIS SERMON. YOU WILL REMEMBER
THE PRAYERS OF YOUR MOTHER. YOU WILL REMEMBER EVERY
OPPORTUNITY YOU HAD TO BE SAVED, AND EVERY TIME YOU SAID --
STUBBORNLY SAID NO TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THERE WAS A MAN WHO SAID TO
A WISE MAN, "I'LL -- FOR ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS
I WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO REMEMBER THINGS." THE WISE MAN SAID, "I'LL GIVE
YOU A THOUSAND DOLLARS IF YOU'LL TEACH ME
HOW TO FORGET SOME THINGS." BUT IN HELL YOU WILL REMEMBER. AND THEN NOT ONLY IS THERE
THAT SENSUAL MISERY, NOT ONLY IS THERE
THAT EMOTIONAL MISERY, THERE IS AN ETERNAL MISERY. IN VERSE 26
ABRAHAM SAID, "LOOK. YOU CAN'T COME OVER HERE.
WE CAN'T GO OVER THERE. THERE IS A GREAT GULF FIXED. THERE IS A CHASM
BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS." NOW IN THIS LIFE
THAT CHASM CAN BE SPANNED. THANK GOD FOR THE CROSS
WHERE IF YOU'RE ON ONE SIDE, YOU CAN COME
TO THE OTHER SIDE. AND I LOVE
THAT SONG CALLED, "CALVARY." "O THE MIGHTY GULF
THAT GOD DID SPAN, AT CALVARY." BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS VERSE
TEACHES US IN VERSE 26? THERE IS NO SECOND CHANCE. "IT'S APPOINTED
UNTO MAN ONCE TO DIE, AND AFTER THIS
THE JUDGMENT." THERE IS THE ETERNAL MISERY.
THERE'S THE SPIRITUAL MISERY. VERSES 27 THROUGH 29, THIS MAN
IN HELL SAYS, "BUT LOOK. I'VE GOT FIVE BROTHERS. SEND SOMEBODY THAT HE MIGHT
WITNESS TO MY BROTHERS. SEND LAZARUS. WHY, IF SOMEBODY ROSE FROM
THE DEAD, THEY'D BELIEVE." OF COURSE, JESUS WAS PROPHESYING
THE FACT THAT THOUGH HE WOULD SUFFER, BLEED, DIE,
AND RISE FROM THE DEAD, PEOPLE STILL WILL NOT BELIEVE. AND HE SAID, "NO, THEY HAVE
MOSES AND THE PROPHETS. THEY HAVE THE OLD TESTAMENT. IF THEY WON'T BELIEVE THAT,
THEY WOULD NOT BELIEVE, THOUGH ONE ROSE FROM THE DEAD." NOW THE SAD THING IS THIS. THAT THIS MAN IN HELL IS NOW
BEGINNING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT HIS LOVED ONES
AND IT'S TOO LATE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S
WRONG WITH MANY OF US IN THIS BUILDING TODAY? WE'RE GOING TO WAIT TILL
IT'S TOO LATE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR LOVED ONES. A WOMAN CALLED ME ON
THE PHONE, SHE SAID, "PASTOR!
PASTOR! PASTOR!
PASTOR!" SHE WAS HYSTERICAL.
I SAID, "HOLD IT. GET HOLD OF YOURSELF."
SHE SAID, "PASTOR!" I SAID, "WHAT IS WRONG?" SHE SAID, "MY DADDY
IS IN HELL! MY DADDY IS IN HELL!
MY DADDY IS IN HELL!" I SAID, "WHAT MAKES YOU
THINK YOUR DADDY IS IN HELL?" SHE SAID, "MY DADDY
DIED THIS MORNING. MY DADDY WAS NOT SAVED.
MY DADDY IS IN HELL." I SAID, "YOUR DADDY
IS NOT IN HELL." SHE SAID, "YES, MY
DADDY WASN'T SAVED." I SAID, "NO,
YOUR DADDY WAS SAVED." I SAID, "I WENT BY LAST WEEK
AND TALKED TO YOUR DADDY." HER DADDY WAS A MEDICAL DOCTOR. "I ASKED YOUR DADDY IF HE KNEW
JESUS AND HE SAID, "NO." I ASKED HIM IF HE WANTED
TO BE SAVED; HE SAID, "YES." AND I SAID,
"I PRAYED WITH YOUR DADDY. YOUR DADDY GAVE HIS HEART
TO JESUS CHRIST, PUT HIS HAND IN MINE,
AND TOLD ME THAT HE TRUSTED CHRIST AS HIS PERSONAL SAVIOR." I SAID, "YOUR DADDY
IS NOT IN HELL, YOUR DADDY'S IN HEAVEN. BUT I WANT TO ASK
YOU A QUESTION. DID YOU WITNESS
TO YOUR DAD?" SHE SAID, "I WAS GOING TO,
I WAS GOING TO." I SAID, "HAD IT BEEN UP TO YOU,
YOUR DADDY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN HELL." DO YOU HAVE A LOVED ONE,
SOMEBODY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK
TO ABOUT THIS? HERE'S A MAN, TOO LATE,
SAYING "SEND SOMEBODY TO SPEAK TO MY BROTHERS
ABOUT THIS THING." OH, THE SPIRITUAL
MISERY OF HELL. NOW I MUST CLOSE THIS
MESSAGE, BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, FRIEND. LISTEN TO ME.
THERE IS A HELL. FIVE MINUTES AFTER YOU DIE,
YOU WILL BE IN HELL AND YOU WILL NEVER COME OUT. TO GET TO HELL, YOU'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO GET THERE. IF YOU GO TO HELL,
YOU'LL HAVE TO WORK TO GO TO HELL. YOU'LL TAKE MORE DIFFICULTY
TO GO TO HELL THAN YOU WOULD TO GO TO HEAVEN. YOU SAY, "WHY
DO YOU SAY THAT?" YOU'LL HAVE TO CLIMB
OVER SOME MOUNTAINS TO GET TO HELL. YOU'LL HAVE TO CLIMB
OVER THIS SERVICE, THE MUSIC THAT WE'VE SUNG,
THE PRAYERS THAT WE'VE PRAYED. YOU'LL HAVE TO CLIMB OVER
GOD'S WORD THAT I'VE HELD IN MY HAND TODAY
AND PREACHED TO YOU. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO PUT THIS UNDER YOUR FEET AND CLIMB OVER IT
IN ORDER TO GET TO HELL. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
CLIMB OVER YOUR OWN CONSCIENCE, THAT IS TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW,
"MAYBE I OUGHT TO GIVE MY HEART TO JESUS CHRIST
AND BE SAVED." YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
CLIMB OVER THAT TO GET TO HELL. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLIMB
OVER THE CONVICTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT'S IN
THIS BUILDING TODAY BECAUSE I HAVE PRAYED
AND ASKED GOD TO SPEAK. AND I KNOW GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT
IS WORKING TODAY. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
CLIMB OVER THAT IN ORDER TO GET TO HELL. IF YOU GO TO HELL,
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLIMB OVER THE BLOOD-STAINED
CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO CLIMB OVER MOUNT CALVARY IN ORDER TO GET TO HELL. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO CLIMB OVER THE PRAYERS OF THESE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE PRAYED FOR YOU THAT YOU MIGHT GO TO HEAVEN. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO CLIMB OVER THOSE PRAYERS IN ORDER TO GET TO HELL. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO CLIMB OVER YOUR BETTER JUDGMENT
TO GET TO HELL. BUT ONCE YOU GET THERE,
YOU WILL NOT COME OUT. BUT WHERE, OH, WHERE WILL
MY SPIRIT BE, FIVE MINUTES AFTER I DIE? THIS MAY BE THE LAST WORSHIP
SERVICE YOU'LL EVER BE IN. THIS MAY BE THE LAST GOSPEL
MESSAGE YOU'LL EVER HEAR. SO I WANT TO PUT IT TO YOU
BIG AND PLAIN AND STRAIGHT. YOU DON'T HAVE TOGO TO HELL.
YOU CAN BE SAVED. GOD LOVES YOU.
JESUS DIED FOR YOU. JESUS INVITES YOU,
"AND WHOSOEVER WILL MAY COME." AND I PROMISE YOU,
ON THE AUTHORITY OF THIS BOOK THAT I PREACH FROM, IF TODAY,
IN REPENTANCE AND FAITH, YOU WILL GIVE YOUR HEART
TO JESUS CHRIST, SIR, HE WILL SAVE YOU;
LADY, HE WILL SAVE YOU AND HE WILL KEEP YOU
SAVED FOR ALL ETERNITY. AND DON'T GAMBLE
WITH YOUR DESTINY. WOULD YOU BOW
YOUR HEADS IN PRAYER? HEADS ARE BOWED
AND EYES ARE CLOSED. WOULD YOU BEGIN TO PRAY
FOR THOSE 'ROUND ABOUT YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW THE LORD JESUS? I'M GOING TO ASK
THAT NO ONE STIRRING, NO ONE MOVING
UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. FATHER GOD, I PRAY TODAY
THAT MANY WILL COME TO JESUS. AND LORD, THAT THEY'LL
NOT WONDER ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE, THAT THEY WILL LAY
ANY PRIDE IN THE DUST, AND, LORD, THAT THEY MIGHT
HUMBLY, JOYFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR.
IN HIS NAME I PRAY, AMEN.
