Re-posted from 2008
It is unpopular and uncommon in most churches in America to hear a message on Hell. I am going to preach on Hell Sunday morning. It would be a good service to invite people to if you care about their souls. Let’s admit it Hell is not a popular subject, so why would we preach on it? What good can come from preaching on Hell?
This should be answer enough: Jesus preached about Hell. Jesus had a lot to say about Hell. Why did he talk about Hell so much? It must have been good to talk and think about Hell. Here are just a few of the good things that happen when we talk, think, and preach about Hell:
– It makes us we examine ourselves.
– It stimulates efforts to evangelize.
– It magnifies God’s grace.
– It illustrates God righteousness, holiness, and justice.
– It reminds us to examine ourselves.
– It causes us to hold God in awe.
– It causes us to hate sin more.
– It sobers us and we are often told to be sober.
– It makes Heaven sweeter.
– It makes the things of this world smaller.
In American colonial days Jonathan Edwards preached his famous sermon; Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Listen to a version here. Read it here. Was Jonathan Edwards wrong to preach that way? Is it possible that one of the reasons there is so little fear of God in America and so much disregard for God, because there is so little preaching on Hell in America? We believe there is a hell. Why don’t we warn people about it? If we don’t warn people about it, is it because we really don’t believe in Hell?
Let’s talk about Hell. It will do us good.
Pastor Ken Pierpont
The Study – Evangel Baptist Church
June 6, 2008