Sunday, September 17, 2006

The Best-Worst Sermon I've Ever Heard On The Subject

Contrary to popular belief, today's pulpits are not full of "fire and brimstone preaching." At least, that's what Don Whitney will tell you. In his sermon this morning at Union Avenue Baptist Church, he suggested that this morning's crowd would've been hard-pressed to remember the last time they heard a sermon on the subject of hell. If he would have singled me out as an example, he'd been right. Can you remember the last time you heard a sermon on hell?

With that being said, Don's message was the best-worst sermon I've ever heard on the subject of hell. I trembled at the magnitude of the infinte wrath of our Omnipotent God. Don was right in proclaiming that God is not absent in hell, but rather fully, infinitely, and eternally exposing the full-brunt of His righteous wrath against the eternally unrepentant. Hell is not an escape from God, but an endless enduring of the vindication of Himself against sinners. Appropriate solemnity, noticable trepidation, and biblical fidelity filled the sermon.

Once the sermon is posted (here) I would recommend two things; (1) Etch out 1 hour of a day, with at least one day's advance notice. Pray regularly before coming to that hour. Spend the first 15 minutes of the blocked off hour praying for Holy Spirit-empowered sensitivity of heart to the things of God, and (2) in the last 45 minutes listen, uninteruppted, to Don's message. This is a sermon that should be heard, but should not be entered into lightly. Be it known, there is no arm-twisting in this sermon. No "get 'em down the isle" antics. Just straight, plain, and clear biblical teaching.

The text: Matthew 25:31-46 - 25:41 being the focal text.
7 things Jesus teaches about hell in verse 41:
  1. Hell is real
  2. Hell is separation from God (In one sense)
  3. Hell is for all accursed ones
  4. Hell is eternal
  5. Hell is a fire
  6. Hell is a prepared fire
  7. Hell is eternity with the devil and his angels
Conclusion:
  1. Hell is inevitable if you don't come to Christ. All one must do to go to hell is die.
  2. Hell is inescapable once you are there. There is no getting out.
  3. Hell is avoidable for all who come to Jesus Christ!
The entire spiritual disciplines conference was helpful, the sermon was soul-jarring.

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