Hells Sad Suprise

by Rev. Howard Rosen, Jr
(Dillwyn, VA)

Pleasant Grove Baptist

Luke 16: 19-31 And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments.

We usually think of a surprise as a good thing.
Can you imagine the surprise this man received?
Safe and secure amid an abundance of wealth.
Petted and pampered by all who knew him.
Having everything on earth his heart could wish for
Peacefully closing his eyes in death.
Then without a moment's interruption.
He found himself in torments.

SADLY SURPRISED THAT HELL EXIST

 He was probably like most men of our day. Desensitized
 He heard about Hell in his lifetime, but thought little about it as actual fact.
 He had heard men argue that God was too loving to create such a place.
 He had joked about Hell. Just as they do today, jokes take the fear away.
 He had used the word as a swear word.
 He had told men in anger to go there.
 He never thought that he would find himself in Hell.
 He was now faced with the sad surprise of Hell's HORROR.

SADLY SURPRISED THAT HE WENT TO HELL

There is nothing in the story that says he was a bad person.
 He probably wasn't a mean person, not a criminal.
 He always stayed out of trouble.
 He no doubt was well known, and well liked, friendly.
 He probably had funded many feast, and parties.
 He never hurt anybody.
 He had friends who were important people. Leaders in the community.
 He may on occasion attend church.
 He maybe even believed there was a God.
 But - His problem was his heart. If he knew God he would have helped Lazarus.
 He knew Lazarus was at his gate, hungry, hurting and helpless.
 He was too selfish, too proud, too good, too important, too busy, and too rich.
HE IS SUPRISED - TOO BAD, TOO SAD, TOO LATE

SADLY SURPRISED HOW FAST HE WENT TO HELL

 He died and was buried, Life then death.
 He was in Hell before his family knew he was dead.
 He closed his eyes to die, and opened them in Hell.
 He blinked once, and lifted his eyes in Hell
 He may have thought there would be a waiting period, and he would reason with God.
 He maybe thought that God would surely look at his influence, and reconsider. HOW SAD!!

We live in a fast paced world; you can send a message to hundreds of people all around the world in just a few seconds.
People want Fast Food, Fast Service, Fast Cars, and Everything Fast.
Some think they are too fast for Hell to catch them.

Or move too fast to listen to the warning from God's people and his word.
But yet the next heartbeat without Christ could be their last.
It would be too late. SO MUCH FOR THINKING SOME OTHER TIME. HOW SAD!!

SADLY SURPRISED AT THE TORMENTS OF HELL

 He was in torments - More than one
 He was crying.
 He was thirsty, Just one drop?
 He was in unquencible fire.
 He was in misery and pain.
 He knew he was separated. "A far off"
 He was made to remember his mistakes. And reviewed his life.
 He was shown why he was there. “Receivedst thy good things"
 He was shown how it could have been, "He is comforted"

SADLY SURPRISED THAT HE HAD NO CONTROL

 He was always telling people what to do, and they did it.
 He wants Abraham to send Lazarus to bring water.
 He wanted to manipulate people.
 He surely wanted more than just a finger tip of water.
 He wanted Abraham’s pitty, “Have mercy on me".
 He wanted to send someone to his Father's house.
 He was sadly surprised that he could not control anyone any more.

SADLY SURPRISED AT THE HOPELESSNESS OF HELL

 He could do nothing to change anything.
 He was surprised that it was all finial.
 He was trying to find some hope for his family.
 He was shown it was too late.
 He never cared until it was hopeless. HOW SAD!!

SADLY SURPRISED THAT THE BIBLE WAS TRUE

 He wanted a Christian to visit his family
 He wanted to send someone from the dead.
 He wanted something shocking to change his family.
 He was willing to never see his family again.
 He was shown that the Bible was all anyone needed to stay out of hell.
 He was shown that the Bible would bring people to repentance.
 He would tell you today, Preach the Book, He would tell you today to tell people, that MAYBE they won't be SURPRISED