Message Outline
Is Eternity Real?
Asking for A Friend
Pastor Wayne Brown
Sunday, Sep 29, 2024
Fact #1 - We all have an appointment with eternity.
- Hebrews 9:27 (NLT) says that each person is destined to die once and after that the judgment.
- James 4:14 (NASB) - Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
- Luke 12: The Parable of the Rich Fool “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
2. Fact #2 - Hell is a real place.
- Matthew 25:41 (NLT) - Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; '
- When the devil rebelled against God, a place was prepared for the devil and his angels.
- Luke 16:19-31 - 'Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’ “Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’ “But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’ “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”'
3. Fact #3 - Heaven is a real place.
- John 14:1-3 (NLT) - "Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am."
- Heaven is a place to which we should look forward. It’s home!
4. Fact #4 God desires that we all spend eternity with him.
- 2 Peter 3:9 - "...It’s not his will that anyone is destroyed but that everyone repents."
- God loves us so much that he sent his son to take our punishment so that we could spend eternity with him.
- Story: Luke 23:39-43 - One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!" But the other criminal protested, "Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
- We should never underestimate how much God loves us and desires to spend eternity with us.