You Asked For It – Is Heaven Real? What About Hell?

2025-05-04

Pastor Jonathan Falwell

 

Matthew 7:13–14 (CSB) Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. ¹⁴How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.

 

1. The Reality of What’s Next

Luke 16:19–24 (CSB) There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen, feasting lavishly every day. ²⁰But a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was lying at his gate. ²¹He longed to be filled with what fell from the rich man’s table, but instead the dogs would come and lick his sores. ²²One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.

²³And being in torment in Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side. ²⁴‘Father Abraham!’ he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame!’

• These are the words of Jesus
• “because I am in agony in this flame!” – A clear description of the reality of Hell
• “send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water” – A clear description of the reality of Heaven

2. The Path of Eternity

Revelation 20:11–15 (CSB) Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. ¹²I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. ¹³Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. ¹⁴Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

• The Great White Throne Judgment

3. The Desperation of Separation

2 Thessalonians 1:7b–9 (CSB) …and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, ⁸when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength.

Mark 9:42–48 (CSB) “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³“And if your hand causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to hell, the unquenchable fire. ⁴⁵And if your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ⁴⁷And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ⁴⁸where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

4. The Importance of Urgency

Luke 16:25-31 (CSB)  ‘Son,’ Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. ²⁶Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.’ ²⁷“ ‘Father,’ he said, ‘then I beg you to send him to my father’s house—²⁸because I have five brothers—to warn them, so that they won’t also come to this place of torment.’ ²⁹“But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ ³⁰“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ ³¹“But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’

5. The Glory of Heaven

Revelation 21:1–5 (CSB) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ²I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. ³Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. ⁴He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. ⁵Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.”