REALLIFE STUDY GROUP

"The Truth About Heaven & Hell!"

ICEBREAKER: If you could visit or vacation somewhere that you have never been tell us where you would go and why.

INTRODUCTION:

I believe that Heaven and Hell are literal places in the eternal realm prepared for those who either love and obey God or hate and disobey God and His Word. This lesson reminds us that the Word of God describes these places with tremendous detail. In fact Jesus the compassionate but just savior of the world preached about Hell more than any other person in the Bible. Clearly Jesus is serious about wanting us to choose life over death and heaven over hell. That’s why it is so important that we share the message of the cross with every person we meet

CONFESSION:

I confess that Jesus Christ is my savior for now and eternity.

I will never run out of living. I am an eternal being with an eternal destiny of serving God in the place that he has prepared for me. No pleasure on earth is worth missing heaven and ending up in hell.

OUTLINE: Characteristics of Hell

1. Hell is a Furnace of Fire That Burns People

Matthew 13:42 "And they will throw them into the furnace and burn them. There will be Weeping and Gnashing of teeth."

Matthew 13:50 "Throwing the wicked into the fire. There will be Weeping and Gnashing of teeth."

2. Hell is a Place of "Weeping & Gnashing of Teeth"

Matthew 8:12 "But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth."

Matthew 22:13 "Then the king said to his aides, `Bind him hand and foot and throw him out into the outer darkness, where there is Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth.

3. Hell is a Place of Never Ending Fire

Matthew 3:12 "He is ready to separate the chaff from the grain with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, storing the grain in his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."

Hell is a Place of Unquenchable Fire

Matthew 18:8 "So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to enter heaven crippled or lame than to be thrown into the unquenchable fire with both of your hands and feet."

4. Hell is also a Place of Outer Darkness

Matthew 8:12 "But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth."

Matthew 22:13 "Then the king said to his aides, `Bind him hand and foot and throw him out into the outer darkness, where there is Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth."

5. Hell is a Place of Blackest Darkness & Everlasting Gloom

2 Peter 2:17 "These people are as useless as dried-up springs of water or as clouds blown away by the wind—promising much and delivering nothing. They are doomed to blackest darkness."

Jude 1:13 "They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the dirty foam of their shameful deeds. They are wandering stars, heading for everlasting gloom and darkness.

6. Hell is Darkness

1 Samuel 2:9 “He will protect his godly ones, but the wicked will perish in darkness. No one will succeed by strength alone.”

Job 18:18 “They will be thrust from light into darkness, driven from the world.”

Job 33:28 “He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light.”

Psalm 88:6 “You have thrust me down to the lowest Pit, into the darkest depths.”

Proverbs 20:20 “Whoever curses his father or his mother, His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.”

Matthew 8:12 “But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Matthew 25:30 “Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

7. Hell is Fire & Burning

Job 18:15 “The home of the wicked will disappear beneath a fiery barrage of burning sulfur (Brimstone).”

Psalm 11:6 “He (God) rains down blazing coals on the wicked, punishing them with burning sulfur (Fire and Brimstone) and scorching winds.”

Psalm 140:10 “Let burning coals fall down on their heads, or throw (cast) them into the fire, or into deep Pits from which they can't escape (rise up again).”

Matthew 5:22 “But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to Judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of Hell."

Matthew 18:8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to enter heaven crippled or lame than to be thrown into the unquenchable fire with both of your hands and feet.”

Matthew 18:9 “If your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better to enter heaven half blind than to have two eyes and be thrown into Hell.”

Matthew 25:41 “Then He (Jesus) will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels (demons).”

Luke 3:9 “Even now the ax of God's Judgment is poised, ready to sever your roots. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire."

Luke 3:17 “He is ready to separate the chaff from the grain with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, storing the grain in his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."

James 3:6 “And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by Hell itself.”

Revelation 9:2 “When he opened it, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace, and the sunlight & air were darkened by the smoke.”

Revelation 20:10 “Then the Devil, who betrayed them, was thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

8. Hell is Desolate

Isaiah 59:10 "We grope for the wall like the blind, And we grope as if we had no eyes; We stumble at noonday as at twilight; We are as dead men in desolate places."

Ezekiel 26:20 " Then I will bring you down with those who descend into the Pit, to the people of old, and I will make you dwell in the lowest part of the earth, in places desolate from antiquity, with those who go down to the Pit, so that you may never be inhabited; and I shall establish glory in the land of the living."

9. Hell Has Odors - A Foul Spirit

Mark 9:25 "When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit."

Revelation 18:2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!"

10. Hell - Souls in the Pit

Psalm 30:3 “O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the Pit.”

Isaiah 38:18 “For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the Pit cannot hope for Your Truth."

Ezekiel 32:23 “Her graves are set in the recesses of the Pit, And her company is all around her grave, All of them slain, fallen by the sword, Who caused terror in the land of the living.”

Revelation 9:2 “And he opened the Bottomless Pit, and smoke arose out of the Pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the Pit.”

Revelation 11:7 “When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless Pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.”

Revelation 20:3 “The angel threw him into the bottomless Pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he would be released again for a little while.”

11. Hell Is A Place of Fear

Job 18:14 “They are torn from the security of their tent, and they are brought down to the king of terrors.”

Job 31:23 “For destruction from God is a terror to me, And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.”

Psalm 55:4 “My heart is severely pained within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.”

Proverbs 10:24 “The fear of the wicked will come upon him, And the desire of the righteous will be granted.”

Hebrews 10:31 “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

12. Hell - Unsaved Are Like Prisoners in Prison

Proverbs 7:27 "Her house is the way to Hell, Descending to the chambers of death."

Isaiah 24:22 "They will be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the Pit, And will be shut up in the Prison; After many days they will be punished."/Why Was Hell Created?

13. Hell was originally Prepared for Satan & His Demons— It's Now

For Unsaved People Too

Matthew 25:41 "Then the King will turn to those on the left (Unsaved People) and say, `Away with you, you cursed ones, into the Eternal Fire prepared for the Devil and his Demons!"

Matthew 25:46 “And they (Unsaved) will go away into Eternal Punishment, but the righteous will go into Eternal Life.”

Satan and his Demons Will Suffer Eternal Torment in Hell

Revelation 20:10 "Then the Devil, who betrayed them, was thrown into the Lake of Fire that burns with sulfur, joining the Beast (Antichrist) and the False Prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."

14. Hell is a Place Where There is No Rest

Revelation 14:11 "The smoke of their torment rises forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name."

15. Hell is a Place of Disgrace and Everlasting Contempt

Daniel 12:2 "Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt."

16. Hell is a Place of Eternal Separation From God

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 "And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing Judgment on those who don't know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from His glorious power, when He comes to receive glory and praise from His Holy people. And you will be among those praising him on that day, for you believed what we testified about him."

JESUS IN THE BIBLE:

· IN Genesis He is the Seed of the woman

· IN Exodus the Lamb for sinners slain

· IN Leviticus our High Priest

· IN Numbers The Star of Jacob

· IN Deuteronomy The Prophet like unto Moses and the Great Rock

· IN Joshua the Captain of the Lord of Hosts

· IN Judges the Messenger of Jehovah

· IN Ruth our Kinsman Redeemer and Faithful Bridegroom

· IN 1 Samuel He is seen as the Great Judge

· IN 2 Samuel He is the Princely King

· IN 1 Kings as David's choice

· IN 2 Kings as the Holiest of all

· IN 1 Chronicles as the King by birth

· IN 2 Chronicles as King by judgment

· IN Ezra He is seen as Lord of Heaven and Earth

· IN Nehemiah as the Builder

· IN Esther as Mordecai

· IN Job our Risen Returning Redeemer

· IN Psalms the Son of God and the Good Shepherd

· IN Proverbs our Wisdom

· IN Ecclesiastes as the One Above the Sun

· IN Song of Solomon the Great Church Lover, the One Altogether Lovely and the Chiefest among Ten Thousand

· IN Isaiah He is the Suffering and Glorified Servant

· IN Jeremiah the Lord Our Righteousness

· IN Lamentations the Man of Sorrows

· IN Ezekiel the Glorious God

· IN Daniel the Smithing Stone and the Messiah

· IN Hosea He is the Risen Son of God

· IN Joel the Out Pourer of the Spirit

· IN Amos the Eternal Christ

· IN Obadiah the Forgiving Christ

· IN Jonah the Risen Prophet

· IN Micah the Bethlehemite

· IN Nahum He is the Bringer of Good Tidings

· IN Habakkuk the Lord in His Holy Temple

· IN Zephaniah the Merciful Christ

· IN Haggai the Desire of All Nations

· IN Zechariah the Branch

· IN Malachi the Son of Righteousness with Healing in His Wings

· IN Matthew He is the King of the Jews

· IN Mark the Servant

· IN Luke the Perfect Son of Man

· IN John the Son of God

· IN Acts He is the Ascended Lord

· IN Romans the Lord Our Righteousness

· IN 1 Corinthians Our Resurrection

· IN 2 Corinthians Our Comforter

· IN Galatians the End of the Law

· IN Ephesians the Head of the Church

· IN Philippians the Supplier of Every Need

· IN Colossians the Fullness of the Godhead

· IN 1 Thessalonians He comes for His Church

· IN 2 Thessalonians He comes with His Church

· IN 1 Timothy He is the Mediator

· IN 2 Timothy the Bestower of Crowns

· IN Titus our Great God and Saviour

· IN Philemon the Prayer of Crowns

· IN Hebrews the Rest of the Faith and Fulfiller of Types

· IN James the Lord Drawing Nigh

· IN 1 Peter the Vicarious Sufferer

· IN 2 Peter the Lord of Glory

· IN 1 John the Way

· IN 2 John the Truth

· IN 3 John the Life

· IN Jude He is Our Security

· IN Revelation the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Lamb of God, the Bright and Morning Star, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

TEXT: Luke 16:19-31

STUDY GROUP QUESTIONS:

1. Name one characteristic of Hell that bothers you.

2. Besides Jesus and your family identify someone or something you would like to see in Heaven.

3. The rich man in Luke 16 begged God to raise someone from the dead to warn his family about hell. Why do you think we have become so apathetic about hell in America?

4. In light of the recent attack in Boston, what do you think it will take to sober Americans up to the idea of really serving God with our whole hearts?

5. Why would Jesus talk so much all throughout the Gospels about Hell?

6. Tell us one thing you could tell someone to convince them to give their life to Christ and live right and go to heaven one day and not hell.

PRAISE REPORTS & PRAYER REQUESTS:

ACTION POINT: This week I will share my faith with someone to save a soul from the agony of an eternity of Hell.