1 Peter 3:18-22
The following text was written "after the fact" - a Monday morning recollection combined with listening to the message posted at Covenant's Website.
What’s the oddest phrase in the Apostles’ Creed?
“He descended into hell.”
The place of the dead, the lower regions … as far away as anyone can go from God, and then some – a place of gray shades; even torment and suffering … a bad place, indeed.
But with an act of swift mercy and absolute kindness, Jesus goes there … to set the prisoners free … “those who were disobedient.”
Is there anyone beyond the reach of God?
No!
No one is left behind.
Everyone is included in the work of God.
So let me do some venturing with you today.
Something I’ve been working on for a long time.
Wondering about hell.
It is a place, a permanent place … where all is lost, and the lost are without hope, forever?
My thoughts were triggered many years ago … early in ministry – every pastor has heard the same question in some form or fashion: What about the millions who’ve never heard the name of Jesus, who’ve never had a chance to receive him as LORD and Savior, or who’ve heard of him only in a poorly given presentation? Do they go to hell? Will they suffer torment there, forever?
I’ve wrestled with that question much of my ministry.
I’m sure some of you have asked those questions.
It’s a little more pertinent these days … we rub shoulders with folks of all different sorts of persuasions.
When we our neighbor is Muslim, our co-worker a Hindu, it’s a whole lot harder to think of a hell for everyone who doesn’t know the name of Jesus.
In recent years, I’ve come to some conclusions.
With the help of good reading and reflection on the Bible.
Some would disagree with me.
Some would cite chapter and verse.
Well, I can cite chapter and verse, too.
We can find Bible verses to support just about anything.
But it’s not about a verse or two.
It’s the over-all message.
I come to these conclusions after much work.
So, let me share with you.
There is but one reality in eternity – God!
God’s love, light, pure and powerful.
We all go to heaven.
Because Jesus went to hell.
For those who’ve known God, in some form or version, those who’ve sought God with love and justice – to be thrust into God’s presence, full and complete, will be heaven!
The culmination of a life-long journey of faith.
The fulfillment of love.
But for the one who fled God’s love.
Who sought life elsewhere.
Who turned away and loved themselves more than anything.
To be thrust into the presence of God, full and complete, will feel like hell – the love of God will feel like a fire, burning and destroying – the love of God, for the one who ran from it, will torment and trouble – for the one who fled the love of God, there will be gnashing of teeth and “endless flame.”
But not forever!
The love of God prevails.
God’s love wins the day.
The lost are found.
The blind are given sight.
Every creature, great and small, will find their place in the love of God.
Every knee shall bow,
And every tongue confess.
Everyone goes to heaven.
But preacher, you say, if everyone makes it, why bother with all of this? Going to church, teaching Sunday School, trying to be good?
If everyone goes to heaven, why bother with this?
I might as well go off and do whatever I please!
Perhaps the question reveals something of the human heart.
Why are we here?
To save our own neck?
To escape some imagined fury?
Some dark eternity?
But if that’s reason we’re here, it’s not much of a reason.
It’s the heart of selfishness.
And selfishness discredits the effort.
Attend a million worship services.
Give money and serve.
Teach Sunday School and sing in the choir.
And so on and so forth.
But if getting to heaven and escaping hell is what it’s all about, then it’s all upside down and defective.
The lousiest Christians are those who are here to go to heaven – it’s still all about relentless self-interest.
We’re not here to escape hell.
We’re not even here to go to heaven.
We’re here to celebrate the love of God.
We’re here because we love God, and we know love, because God first loved us!
We’re here to lift up the name of Jesus
Who suffered for our sins,
To bring us to God!
If everyone makes it, why bother with evangelism?
Why bother with a witness?
Why tell anyone about Jesus?
Why?
It’s all about love.
I’d like my neighbor to know where they’re going.
I’d rather have someone get there and want to be there … I bear witness to Jesus and seek the conversion of others so that when they stand before God, they’ll not be afraid or angry – they’ll love God all the more; they’ll recognize God, they’ll recognize the place.
But most importantly, a life suffused with God’s love is life worthy of the name LIFE.
A life suffused with God’s love will be a life of justice and peace.
A life at peace with eternity will be able to focus its energy on life, here and now!
God relieves us of any question about eternity, so that we can devote our time and work to the here and now – abiding in the commission of Jesus himself:
To bring good news to the poor,
Release to the captives,
Recovery of sight to the blind,
To let the oppressed go free,
To announce the years of the LORD's favor.
It has never ceased to amaze me that some folks should want a hell.
Motivated by the darkest of thoughts – wanting others to suffer.
I think a good many folks have a twisted definition of sin – “It’s what I don’t like when the other guy does it!”
Let’s be honest: we’ve all wished ill to others, and the ultimate ill we could wish is hell.
Interestingly, polls indicate that lots of folks believe in hell, but also indicate that they won’t go there.
If the polls reveal anything: hell is a place where we want others to go.
I think that reveals something dark and unhealthy in the human spirit.
The very thing that drove Jesus to the cross.
The history of “hell” is sad.
The more powerful the church grew in the Middle Ages, the more it talked about hell – lurid sermons and dramatic paintings – suffering and torment – the stuff of control!
Power.
With the church holding all the cards.
And if you didn’t abide with the church, you were “excommunicated” – barred from the communion of the church – the sacrament – and barred from the sacrament, you were bound for damnation.
In America, what with the revival movement on the frontier, hell became a means of frightening “sinners” into the kingdom.
If ya’ drink, smoke, cuss and dance, you go to hell.
If you’re good, as the preacher defines it, you go to heaven.
The line between the “in” and the “out” was drawn more firmly.
But I don’t think any of this holds water.
So much of it was designed to promote the power of some, and the powerlessness of others.
The powerful love hell.
The privileged love hell.
For others!
Wherever there’s power, there’s likely to be corruption.
Power corrupts.
And absolute power corrupts absolutely.
If there are harsh words in the Bible, and there are, to whom are they directed?
But to the powerful.
The privileged.
The priest and scribe.
To the religious folk who think they’re in … but the bible suggests they may be out, because of pride and lack of love.
Everyone will make it.
Because God’s love prevails!
The triumph of grace.
The lost sheep is found.
The lost coin reclaimed.
Paul the Apostle writes in universal terms – the world all!
Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
Everyone!
If you want a hell for someone, why?
What’s in it for you?
What’s important for you?
I think you’ll find that the desire for hell is a dark blot on your soul and has a lot to do with anger, a secret vengeance sought against others. A secret pride: that we’re Christians and others aren’t.
I offer these thoughts, not as some final word on the matter, but I believe firmly, as the hymn puts, there’s a wideness in God’s mercy.
Wider than we could ever conceive.
Bigger and better than we might want it to be.
Thing of the grandest love, and then multiply it a couple of billions of times.
The greatest moment of grace … multiply it.
And then, just a glimpse of God’s glory.
Sometimes the church has a very small god, so that the church can be big and important.
Sometimes Christians have a very small god, so that we can feel important and powerful.
Well, I’ve done my best with this …
I hope that I’ve given you something to think about.
A wideness in God’s mercy.
Jesus,
Who suffered for our sins,
Who went to hell and quench its flames
With tears of a mighty love.
The righteous for the unrighteous,
To bring us to God!
All of us.
Everyone!
There is a wideness in God’s mercy.
Amen and Amen!
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