Main Idea: Hell is a real place. It is not a place of fun, but of torment.
Key Verse: “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:43-44).
Illustration: Once there was a man who died and went to heaven. He was talking to Peter and he noticed that right next to the door into heaven there was a door that led to hell. He asked Peter, “Can I just peek into the door and see what hell is like.” Peter replied, “As you wish.” He peeked into the door of hell and what he saw astounded him. He saw people partying, having fun, drinking, driving fast cars, gambling and winning lots of money. He saw naked ladies, people freely having sex, and it looked like they were all having a good time.
He went back to Saint Peter and said, “I feel people have lied to me. It looks like hell is a fun place. So I want to go there instead of going to heaven.”
Peter said, “As you wish.”
The man went through the door into hell and he was immediately grabbed by a demon. The demon threw him into a pit of fire. The man screamed in torment.
The devil came by and the man angrily cried out to him, “When I looked into hell, it looked like everyone was enjoying themselves and having fun but now that I am here I am being burned.”
The devil laughed at him and said, “Fool, you have seen the advertisement. But now you are experiencing the reality of hell.”
Hell is real. The cross is real. Christ is real. Salvation is real for those who believe.
