As we think about living our lives with the end in mind, it is inevitable that we talk about the reality of hell. No, it is certainly not a fun topic, but because Scripture teaches that hell does exist and calls us to place our faith in Christ so that we do not have to experience it. It also encourages us to tell others about our faith in Christ so that they never have to experience the eternal pain of hell either.
What is one annoying song that might be played over and over again on repeat in hell?
1. What do you think most people think about when they think about hell?
2. Read Luke 15:1-10. What do these parables teach about God and His love for people?
Luke 15:1-10 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! Parable of the Lost Coin“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
Luke 15:1-10
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
Parable of the Lost Coin“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”
3. Read Matthew 25:31-46. What do these verses teach about heaven, hell, and eternity?
Matthew 25:31-46 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
Matthew 25:31-46
“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
4. According to these verses, what people spend eternity with God and what people spend eternity apart from Him?
5. Why do you think Jesus made it a point to speak more on hell than He did on heaven?
6. Despite the difficult conversation about hell, what encouragement do you find in the verses that we have read today?
7. Hopefully you have been thinking of someone in your life who you can be praying for and sharing your faith with. Who is that person, and how have you been praying and sharing with them this week?
If we believe in what the Bible teaches about hell, we must take it seriously. We must live in light of eternity, knowing that heaven and hell are both true realities. Take some time as a group talking about how someone will live who lives in light of eternity, with the end in mind. Next, consider your own life. Do you see any inconsistencies in your own life? Share those with your group. How can you take steps to live in light of eternity? When everyone has finished sharing, pray for each other to have courage to take these steps.
We have been reminded in our Bible study together that both heaven and hell are true realities. Not only are heaven and hell true realities, Scripture teaches that judgment is also a reality for both followers of Christ and unbelievers. Today, our focus is on the judgment of those who have placed their faith in Christ. Scripture teaches us that one day, followers of Christ will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, which is also known to some biblical scholars as the Bema Seat of Christ. While both believers and unbelievers alike will face judgment, there is a difference in what this judgment will look like for both groups of people. The judgment seat of Christ represents a time when believers will stand before Christ and give an account for the way that they lived their lives. In an effort to gain more understanding about this judgment seat of Christ, let’s turn to Scripture and answer a few questions after reading.
Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. In this passage, Paul compares followers of Christ to builders in an effort to teach them something about how they are living their lives.
Read Romans 14:10-13
Read 2 Corinthians 5:6-11
Each one of us will stand before Christ and give an account for the way we lived our lives. After reading about the Judgment Seat of Christ, let’s reflect.
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Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’"
Matthew 22:37
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’"
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