Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.18UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.19UNLIKELY
Fear
0.14UNLIKELY
Joy
0.17UNLIKELY
Sadness
0.54LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0UNLIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.16UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.98LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.23UNLIKELY
Extraversion
0.05UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.18UNLIKELY
Emotional Range
0.52LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Introduction
READ Luke 16:19-31
In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, there are a number of spiritual realities that rise to the surface in this parable.
Among the first we have to consider is whether this is actually a parable.
That may sound strange, but I consider this event not a parable, but a literal historical occurrence.
And the reasons for this are very simple.
Differences between this story and parables:
*1.
Jesus uses real names of real people*
If it’s a parable and not historical, this is the only parable that uses the names of real individuals.
*2.
There is nothing that dictates symbolism.*
One of the primary characteristics of parables is that they tend to be fictional stories that illustrate in a symbolic way spiritual truths.
They may also be allegorical in nature.
*3.
Taking historically and literally, this story parallels exactly that which we know about hell from other passages of Scripture.*
What I'd like to do is look at the story itself and then examine the question of hell's reality.
In the story the rich man is not named.
A strong church tradition in history calls him Divies.
The rest of the characters are named.
About the story itself, notice several general truths revealed here:
*1.
The rich man did not end up in hell because he was rich, but because he was godless.*
*2.
Eternal Reward or Punishment Begins Immediately upon Death.*
When Lazarus died he was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom;
When the rich man died and was buried – that's the grave.
That's where his body was.
But where was he himself?
– his soul?
Look at v. 23.
"And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment."
There are those (e.g., Jehovah's Witnesses) that teach that the body and soul are one and that there is no hell, only annihilation or cessation of existence.
*3.
There is no relief of torment in hell.*
READ Luke 16:24, 26.
*4.
There is no opportunity for salvation after death.*
By implication here, notice that the rich man became a believer, but his belief was too late to be saved.
READ Luke 16:27-28.
Now, suddenly the rich man has seen what his unbelief has cost him and is concerned about the salvation of his relatives.
So, how he knows the truth, but it does him no good.
He is sorry that he's in hell, he now believes, but he stays lost.
He is so concerned that he makes an interesting request:
He asks that Abraham send Lazarus back to his brothers.
READ 16:27-31.
Vs.
31 is very interesting – You know how we know that if someone rose from the dead and went back to his brothers that they still would not believe?
–
Because at least two people rose from the dead and testified in Jesus' day and people still didn't believe.
1.
Jesus raised Lazarus in John 11 (probably a different one) and the religious leaders wanted to kill him.
And they wanted to kill Jesus for raising him.
2.
Jesus Himself rose from the dead, and people still don't believe.
But what about the reality of Hell itself?
Is it real or is it not real?
There are many today who question the reality of hell.
Among people today, it is mainly used as a swear word or in jokes.
For many, it sounds like something country corn flakes or something out from under a revival tent.
In our society today, most feel that the concept of an eternal place of torment is inappropriate for a God who is supposed to be a God of love.
In fact, I'm convinced that if the Supreme Court could rule on it, they'd outlaw hell as cruel and unusual punishment.
Frankly, ladies and gentlemen, the only thing that really matters to me is whether or not the Bible teaches a real hell, and if it does, what the Bible teaches about it.
So, I want us to look at what the Bible has to say about it.
Hell is usually understood as the final dwelling place of the ungodly dead.
There they suffer eternal punishment.
In the OT – one Hebrew word is used, but in the NT there are three words used that I want to mention.
*OT Usage*
/Sheol /(שְׁאוֹל.)—Very
broad term that may refer to anything from simply the grave as a hole in the ground,
the dwelling place of the righteous after death
or the dwelling place of the ungodly after death.
*NT Usage – *
The NT reveals more details about hell for us.
There are three words in the NT that are translated "hell":
/Hades/ (ᾅδης)
/Gehenna /(γέεννα)
/Tartaros /(Τάρταρος)
Let's look at these one at a time
/ /
*1. /Hades/ (**ᾅδης**)*
Originally in paganism, ᾅδης referred only to the god of the nether world, but later came to refer to the place of the dead.
Here in Luke 16:23, ᾅδης is clearly depicted as a place of torment.
The same is implied in Luke 10:15 where Jesus says that Capernaum will be cast down into hell (ᾅδης).
Revelation 20:13 – depicts ᾅδης as a place of torment until the final judgment.
*2.
/Gehenna /(**γέεννα**)* – the name of a valley on the southeast of Jerusalem into which little children were thrown as sacrifices to a god named Moloch, an idol that had the form of a bull.
The ritual of child sacrifice among the Jews ended with the reign of King Josiah but the site was so detested by the Jews that they used the valley for the dumping of refuse, dead bodies of animals and executed criminals.
The continuing fires in the valley led the people to transfer the name to the place in hades where the wicked dead suffer punishment.
But keep in mind that Hades and Gehenna, while both are translated "hell", do not refer to the same place.
Listen to Revelation 20:13-15:
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
So this tells us that now people are in hell, but those people and hell are cast into the lake of fire.
And that's where they stay.
So, from its use in the NT, Hades is viewed as the place that receives the souls of the ungodly in the intervening period between death and resurrection.
During this time the body and soul are separated.
Following the resurrection, when the soul and body are reunited, and at the judgment of the lost, Gehenna becomes the final place of punishment by eternal fire.
*3.
/Tartaros /(*Τάρταρος*)*
* *
/Tartaros /(Τάρταρος) was regarded by the ancient Greeks to be the abiding place where rebellious gods and other wicked people were punished.
It is only used one time in the NT: 2 Peter 2:4 –
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast /them /down to *hell* (/Tartaros-/ Τάρταρος) and delivered /them /into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;"
So, this verse tells us that the angels are kept there until the final judgment.
This means that while ᾅδης is where the lost people go at death to wait until the final judgment, Τάρταρος is where certain angels are waiting for the final judgment.
*Other descriptions of suffering associated with hell.*
* *
After final judgment, the lost experience continual and unimaginable suffering.
The Bible describes this suffering in various ways:
"weeping and gnashing of teeth" and "outer darkness" (Matt.
8:12
Matt.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9