Proverbs.29:18
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
`
Here is what the Strong’s Concordance says the word “vision” means; “An oracle, prophecy, divine communication. a sight [mentally] i.e a dream, revelation or oracle.
Our scripture text tells us that without such a divine communication, mental sight, or revelation from God, the people will perish.
The word perish means to suffer eternal loss.
Without a vision as described the people will suffer eternal loss. I want to give you three visions that without each of us having someone will suffer eternal loss. These three will come in three separate messages.
Somehow, we as Christians have the idea that a vision is what we have that we can do for God. However, a true vision is God showing to the church what He can and wants to do for the individual person, or the church.
In preparing for this message I have three visions for the church that must be seen by the church if we are to remain a church, that is relevant to the community around us, and of use to our Lord Jesus. Yes, we can remain a church in name, we may even prosper financially, but will we have a real impact on our community?
This morning I want to give you just the first of the three visions.
Will there be people give their lives and souls to Jesus? Will they become a part of our local ministry? Will they love the Lord with all their hearts, minds and souls? Will they have a heart desire to serve the Lord with whatever Spiritual gift He chooses to give them?
The Vision of Hell
When Connie and I have been to Branson Mo. we have had the opportunity to go to the Dick Clark Theater that used to have some of the Old Time Rock and Roll stars of the 50’s and 60’s. Some of these were what were left of Bill Haley and the Comets; the Platters, The Diamonds; The Righteous Brothers and so many others. But to this person what was equally fascinating was that in the entry-way to the auditorium was a huge Plexi-Glass place in the floor that one could look down into and see a small portion of what was housed in the basement which was called “57 Heaven.” This is where they had a 1957 car from every American auto maker. There were Chevy’s, Fords, Cadillac’s, Plymouths, Dodge’s, Desoto’s; every 1957 brand and model made in America.
I say this to make a point about my sermon text. What a profitable thing it would be if our God had such a place as this where every person had to walk by and gaze into hell for one minute. If they could only see the agony of the souls that were there they would have a vision that they would never forget. If they could only hear the cries of pain and suffering that they were going through. If they could only see the helplessness and the hopelessness that agonized every soul. If they could only feel the dryness of the mouth without a drop of water to cool the tongue it would give them a vision that would never leave their mind and would change their idea of what this life is really about. They would probably be nobody left unsaved. If there were a place such as this it would cause a giant revival that would transform our world as we know it. It would give them a heavy burden for the unsaved relative, friend, neighbor or co-worker.
This message is two-fold; One is for the unsaved person that doesn’t know what waits for him or her at the point of death; the second is for the church that our Lord Jesus gave His great commission to. It should and would cause a revival among the churches that would touch most hearts in this world.
Well our God did not give us such a place as told about the Dick Clark Theater, but He did give us an account or a vision of such an incident from His eternal word, the Bible.
Luke 16:19,22-28.It only takes about 1 minute to read it, it is what we might rightfully call a vison from heaven. If it is real, it is our look into the hell that was created for the Devil and His angels.
Luke 16:19 Please take note and remember that this is Jesus speaking to us through the Word of God. He would not and cannot lie.
“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.”
Now skip down to verses 22-28.”And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: 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.
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 receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
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 also come into this place of torment.”
The first thing we must realize about this account is that this hell that is spoken of is real. Jesus said it, so it must be true. It is not a parable as some say and wish.
The second thing is that it is only temporary. This hell is not the final destination for the lost soul. The Book of Revelation chapter 20:11-15;
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
This will be the final destination of all who reject the grace and mercy of our Lord. There is no appeal, no escape, no excuse and no mercy shown here. It is a righteous judgment from a holy and righteous Judge and God.
There may be some here that say they don’t believe that because all fires burn up whatever they are burning, but let me draw your attention to Exodus.3:1-3;
“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and behold the bush was burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said. I will not turn aside, and see this great sight why the bush is not burnt.”
Our God has the ability and power to either make a fire that will not consume, or a body that the fire will not burn up. Either way we must believe that the person in hell will be in a torment of flame and not consumed.
The third thing that we must realize is that the body or soul that is in hell is not the final housing of the soul. When we die every person saved or unsaved receives some sort of soulish body that can feel, hear, speak, see, and desire.
Luke 16: 3-28 “And in hell he lift up his eyes (he had eyes to see) being in torments (he had feelings of pain) and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in hi bosom.
And he cried and said (he had a voice to speak), Father Abraham, have mercy (he had emotions) 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 (he had the sense of feel and pain).
But Abraham said, Son, remember (he had the ability to remember) that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou are tormented.
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence, (he had the presence of mind to know that his position was unalterable).
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 also come into this place of torment”
(He had a certain sense of compassion and concern as well as duty).
This body that we will receive will be different than the body we now have or will have in the future.
It is not our glorified body, that has to wait until we our resurrected bodies are brought out of the graves as described in 1 Cor.15:51-55 “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we all shall be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?”
Don’t ask me what kind of body we will have in heaven or hell, because I do not know. I do know from scripture that it will be as described in Luke.16. I can go no further than that.
The fourth thing is that this is a vision from the God of Heaven that He wants all of mankind to know about. The only problem with that is that it is to the church that He has given it to. It is up to the church to deliver this vision to the world. We are the watchmen on the tower and if we fail to warn the people of the vision that God has given us, we will have to give an account to Him for our failure.
Hell, and the Lake of Fire are not popular topics to speak about in the church among proper people. They don’t want to hear it so it is not being preached, but some of the biggest and best revivals in America and across the world began by the preaching on the fires of hell. “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” was such a sermon. It had power, it had an effect on people, because hell was made so real that lost people knew that if they didn’t give their lives and souls to Jesus, they would spend an eternity in the flames of hell.
Let me tell you some things about this hell that is not told in this account that we read, and why it will be that way.
1. Jesus said it would be a place of eternal darkness: Matthew 8:11-12 Jesus speaks of people being cast into outer darkness. Why is it a place of darkness? Because in the Gospel of John, John the Baptist tells us this in chapter “And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not.”
Also, we see in John 8: 12. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.
We also see in John 12:46 that Jesus said that He came as a light into the world, that anyone that believes in Him should not abide in darkness.
One more, we find also that in the 3rd. Chapter of John verse 19 “ And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and, men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. And They loved the darkness more than light so God gives them eternal darkness.
They loved the darkness in this life, so Jesus gives them eternal darkness.
2. There will be no water. John 4:1-14. This rich man was begging for water, just one drop.
We find Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman at the well where she had come for water and found Jesus resting there. To make a long story short, Jesus asked her to draw some water for Him and she didn’t understand that because He was a Jew and she a Samaritan, why Jesus would even speak to her? Let’s pick up the scripture from verses 10-14.
Jesus answered and said unto her, If, thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
When people reject the Living Water, they will receive no water at all in hell.
3. There will be no rest. Revelation.14:11 “And the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
We find these words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-29 “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Take, my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Those that reject the rest that He promised to those that come unto Him, lose all rest and ease in hell.
I have had people tell me that if they go to hell, all their friends will be there too and they will have one big party. How do you have a big party in torment, without water, without rest, without any light? The word of God tells us that Jesus told us that He had come that they might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). If they reject the One who came to give life and give it more abundantly, they will receive no party in hell with their friends.
How can you have a party without food and drink? Jesus said in John 6:35 “ And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and the that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
If you refuse the Bread of Life there will be no food for you in hell.
These people that say they will have a big party in hell are making light of something they know nothing about. They had better get some knowledge on hell and quit their foolish thinking.
Jesus told a parable about a father that prepared a great banquet and invited many to come. It says that they began to make excuses of why they couldn’t attend. Refuse His banquet table and there will be no party in hell.
They refused to attend the grand banquet so they were omitted. If those people today and in the future refuse to attend the grand banquet that God has prepared, then there will be nothing to eat in hell.
There is no escape. Father Abraham told the rich man that there was a great gulf fixed. It could not be changed or removed. There was no door for escape. Jesus said in John 10:9 “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
If you refuse to enter at the door that Jesus provides, He will remove the door of escape.
You will also be nameless and forgotten. Jesus testifies, I never knew you. Did you ever wonder why this rich man is un-named? Because he had been forgotten by God. Abandoned by the Lord. However, he may not be un-named by us. He might be your wife Agnes, husband Bob, brother Bill or sister Mary or cousin Ralph. You put the name on him, you put the face on him.
There will be no hope in hell. Colossians 1:27 reads “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
They would not accept the Hope of Glory so they will receive no hope in hell.
Not only is the vision of hell real and not only is it for the people that are lost but we also see that most of the people are going there.
The Bible tells that Jesus said that this in Matthew 7:13;
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many thee be which go in thereat.”
“But our God doesn’t want anyone to perish in hell. He has said in 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men county tells slackness, but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
What most people don’t get is that you don’t have to do anything to go to hell. You don’t have to commit murder, theft, adultery or do drugs or be a drunk.
You can just sit in your pew and hear a sermon and walk out without making a decision, and die and go to hell. You can sit there and snicker about the silliness of the preaching on hell; or maybe you think you have plenty of time to make that decision and that you have a lot of living and other things to do first, but you are not too young or too busy to die and go to hell. It has been declared by our Soverign God that it is appointed to men to once to die and after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
John. 3:17-18 “ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten So of God.”
See, there is nothing you have to do to be condemned, it says that if you do not believe, and that word believe is the same Greek word as faith, faith in Jesus, you are already condemned. Just sitting there is enough. Refusing to make a decision is enough reason to stand before God and have Him say “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”
Turning away from the light because you love your sins; refusing the Water of Life; not accepting the rest that Jesus promised to those that would come to Him; Turning your back on the abundant life He promised to all those that would call upon Him. You don’t need to do anything, but refuse to make a decision.
When you appear before the door of heaven and He asks you why should I allow you into my Heaven and you say, Well, I have kept the Ten Commandments, He will say to you, “Depart from Me, I never knew you. My Commandments were to testify of the time Jesus would come and pay for the sins of mankind.”
If you should say Well, I have lived by the Golden Rule, He will say, Depart from me I never knew you. All your righteousness is as filthy rags.
If you say, Well, I have given much to the church, He will say, “Depart from me, I never knew you.
Luke 18:9-14 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
No doubt if this Pharisee died and stood at the gate of heaven and Jesus asked him why He should let him into His heaven and this man made the claim of paying tithes on all that he possesses, Jesus would say to him “Depart from me, I never knew you.”
Ephesians.2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; It is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath ordained that we should walk in them.”
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy He saved us, by washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
There is only one answer that I will give when I stand at the gate of heaven and Jesus asks me that same question; and that is “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snows.” He will say to me in that day, Enter in my son into the joy of the Lord.” The sweetest words ever spoken by any lips. The saddest is “depart from Me, I never knew you.”
Several years ago my first wife and I had the privilege to go to Hawaii for a vacation. We were able to cruise some of the Islands and on one particular evening, the ship captain announced that we were to pass the Island that had the lava tube flows. We would be passing at night and we were told it was a spectacular sight. I remember passing within a few hundred yards of them and I could see the large tubes in the mountain that the hot lava passed through. When it hit the water, huge volumes of steam arose from the ocean. I remember thinking that that must be what hell would be like. The lava was white hot, and in my mind, I could see souls in there, suffering forever. I know that hell will be much worse but that was as close to an image of hell my mind could imagine.
I could not wish that on my worst enemy, if I had one. I remember one lady in a church that I taught in, that when I had said that I could not wish my worst enemy to go to hell, she replied that she could. It seems that someone had done her a terrible wrong and she could never forgive that person. She said, “You don’t know what that person done to me,” Which is true, but I ask her what if that person got saved and she had to spend eternity in heaven with that person, her reply was that she would rather not go to heaven if she had to spend eternity with that person. What a pity to hold that much hate: that much un-forgiveness.
That hate held this woman in bondage and ate into her soul like a cancer.
There is only one method that our Creator God has given to avoid His condemnation and eternity separated from Him.
Acts 4:12; Neither is salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
One more, John 11:25-26 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
You see my lost friend, Jesus died for your sins on the cross. He shed His precious blood for your atonement, He suffered what you deserve so that you won’t have to. For God so loved you, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that you that will believe on Him and shall not perish but have everlasting life. All you have to do is to call upon the name of Jesus, realizing your lost condition and depending on what Jesus has already done for you, asking Him to accept you just the way you are and He will give you a new birth, you will be saved eternally.
You see my friend that it is not what you do with or for your family. It is not what you do with or for your neighbor, nor what you do with or for your church, it is what you do with Christ. That is the only thing that will ever satisfy our Holy, Holy, Holy, God. It is the narrow way that Jesus spoke of. It is the only name given among men whereby you must be saved.
For you church members that are saved, this message should challenge you also to be more concerned about your family, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers and fellow students. God has given us a real vision of hell, what will you do with it?