THE NORTHSIDE CHURCH OF CHRIST GREETS YOU

Scripture Reading: Mark 9:43-48

Let me talk to you this morning about a topic that is very controversial today in society. You cannot take one and deny the other, you cannot encourage people to believe in one, and deny the other. Many deny that both exist at all. (Modernists & Atheists). Many deny that one exists in the Bible (Sectarians and people in the world in General). God is love, many are saying, and He would never make a place as horrible as Hell.

If one is real, the other one is real If one is real, the other one is real. If one is not true, the other cannot be true. Consistency is what we need when it comes to real Bible doctrine. The Bible, and Jesus Our Creator, speak regarding both places in a very open way, without any worries. I would like to encourage each and every one today, to think about your ETERNAL LIFE, and the place that you will choose to spend ETERNITY IN!

And still I support and teach that GOD IS LOVE! "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:46) And still I support and teach that GOD IS LOVE!

Place of darkness. Weeping. Pain. Torment. Eternal fire. No rest or escape.

JOY. PEACE. NO SORROW. NO TEMPTATION. NO SIN. NO DEATH/PAIN. FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FATHER, JESUS, THE HOLY SPIRIT, FAITHFUL ANGELS, FAITHFUL SERVANTS OF THE LORD.

If you believe it or not, totally that is your PROBLEM! REAL PLACES? If you believe it or not, totally that is your PROBLEM!

WHY IS THIS SUBJECT IMPORTANT?

THE REALITY OF HEAVEN

DWELLING PLACE OF GOD

1 KINGS 8:30 "And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.”

Ecclesiastes 5:2 "Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.”

Matthew 6:9 “…Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

JESUS IS IN HEAVEN

Hebrews 8:1 “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens...”

Acts 1:11 “who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven...”

Revelation 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen....”

A PREPARED PLACE

John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

1 Thessalonians 4:17 “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord..”

GOD’S PEOPLE WILL DWELL THERE

Luke 16:22 "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom”.

Hebrews 12:23 "to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,”.

OUR INHERITANCE

1 Peter 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”

Colossians 1:4-5 “…since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel...”

Hebrews 10:34 “…for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.”

A HEAVENLY COUNTRY

Hebrews 11:16 “But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

Philippians 3:20 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Ephesians 2:19 “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

A PLACE OF REST

Hebrews 4:9 “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.”

Revelation 14:13 “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’”

This is not an invention of our imagination, as many are saying! All of that is just a description for you and I. It tells us that heaven will be, and is a real PLACE. IS IT A REAL PLACE? This is not an invention of our imagination, as many are saying! HEAVEN IS REAL BECAUSE GOD REAL. IT IS REAL BECAUSE JESUS IS REAL, AND IT IS REAL BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS REAL. THE GODHEAD DWELLS IN HEAVEN!

But, what about Hell? Can one exist but not the other one?

REAL PLACE

Matthew 5:21-22 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Mark 9:43-48 "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched; where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' "And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched; where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' "And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire; "where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.'

FOR DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS

Matthew 25:41 “Then He 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.’”

SEPARATION FROM GOD

Luke 16:26 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'

DESTRUCTION

“…end is destruction…” 2 Thessalonians 1:9 “…everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord…” Philippians 3:19 “…end is destruction…”

EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT

Matthew 25:46 “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

OUTER DARKNESS

Matthew 25:30 2 Peter 2:17; Jude 13 “…cast into the outer darkness.” “…for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

WEEPING, GNASHING OF TEETH

Matthew 25:30; 24:51; 22:13 “…There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

ETERNAL FIRE “LAKE OF FIRE” “FIRE NEVER QUENCHED” (Revelation 20:15) “FIRE NEVER QUENCHED” (Mark 9:43-48)

REAL PLACES? YES!

We cannot pick and choose. It is either one, or the other. Satan is the father of all lies, and works through all of his agents (Modernists, Atheists, people in the world, Sectarians, & Family members). He is saying: Heaven and Hell don't exist, or that God is love and heaven is real, but Hell is not. We cannot pick and choose. It is either one, or the other.

Live faithful Christian life (Rev. 2:10) Where do you want to spent your eternity? This lessons is very real for both, Heaven and Hell. Do you want to become a Christian this morning? Hear (Rm. 10:17) Believe in Jesus (Jn. 8:24) Repent of sin (Lk. 13:3) Confess Jesus before men (Mt. 10:32-33) Be baptized for remission of sins (Acts 2:38) Live faithful Christian life (Rev. 2:10)