Homecoming - Part 7 [Notes]

Many learned the children’s song “Heaven is a Wonderful Place” in Sunday school. The song begins, “Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace. I want to see my Father’s face. Yes! Heaven is a wonderful place.”  Although the song is simple, it captures a remarkable truth. The most wonderful aspect of heaven will be seeing the face of the One who loves us so much. But this is only the beginning...

Today's Takeaway // Hell is every bit as real as heaven.

According to a 2021 survey from Pew Research Center,

• 73% of US adults believe heaven exists.
• 62% of US adults also claim they believe in hell.
• 92% of American adults who claim to be Christians believe in heaven and 79%—almost 8/10—believe in hell.
• 3% of atheists believe in heaven, and only 1% believe in hell.

This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
– 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (HCSB)

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to shame and eternal contempt.
– Daniel 12:3 (HCSB)

“When the •Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on the 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 foundation of the world.
– Matthew 25:31-34 (HCSB)
_{^• Most frequent title Jesus used for Himself (Dn 7:13; Mt 8:20)}

Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!
– Matthew 25:41 (HCSB)

“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
– Matthew 25:46 (HCSB)

He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves. We have •redemption, the forgiveness of sins, in Him.
– Colossians 1:13-14 (HCSB)
_{^• The deliverance from bondage by a payment or ransom (Mk 10:45; 1 Pt 1:18–19)}

“The Greek word is gehenna; it is the Aramaic term for the Valley of Hinnom on the south side of Jerusalem; formerly, it was a place of human sacrifice, and in NT times, a place for the burning of garbage.”
– CSB Study Bible

...it is the place of final judgment for those rejecting Christ.
– CSB Study Bible

Then He will also say to those on the left, 'Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!'
– Matthew 25:41 (HCSB)

...it is righteous for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to reward with rest you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful angels taking vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from His glorious strength in that day when He comes to be glorified by His saints and to be admired by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.
– 2 Thessalonians 1:6b-10 (HCSB)

On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy inYour name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles inYour name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers.
– Matthew 7:22-23 (HCSB)

My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand.
– John 10:27-28 (HCSB)

And a third angel followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name.
– Revelation 14:9-11 (HCSB)

Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and •Hades gave up their dead; all were judged according to their works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
– Revelation 20:13-15 (HCSB)
_{• The Greek word for the place of the dead; it corresponds to the Hebrew word Sheol.}

1. Why do you think people avoid talking about the subject of hell? What about ministers? Why might they avoid speaking to their congregations about this subject?
2. Read Matthew 25:31-34, 45-46 and Matthew 18:8-9.Why do you think Jesus talked so much about hell? Why is it important we talk about it?
3. Read Revelation 20:13-15. How would you explain to someone how they can make sure their name is written in the Book of Life? (See John 3:16-18. What other passages can you think of that assure us we will have eternal life through faith in Christ?)
4. Read 2 Peter 3:3-13.How might living with the reality of a judgment day impact how we live our lives today? What are some practical steps we can take to be ready for that day?
5. How might you apply today’s lesson to your life?

House of the Lord / Faithful Now / Let it Be Real (I'm Ready) / Great I Am

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