Final Destination

Begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise in Psalm 84, in the Scottish

Psalter version, Psalm 84, the tunes Tramps and Hawkers.

We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 6.

How lovely is thy dwelling place, O Lord of hosts, to me the tabernacles of thy grace,

how pleasant, Lord, they be.

My thirsty soul longs vehemently, yea, faints thy courts to see.

My very heart and flesh cry out, O living God, for thee.

We sing verse 1 to 6 to God's praise.

How lovely is thy dwelling place, O Lord of hosts, to me.

The tabernacles of thy grace, thy blessed Lord, they be.

My thirsty soul longs vehemently, yea, faints thy courts to see.

My very heart and flesh cry out, O living God, for thee.

To behold the smile, O thy devout, and her tender rest.

The swallow also for herself, and purchase it amidst.

In thy long waters, where she say, her young ones forth may bring.

O our almighty Lord of hosts, who art my God and King.

Blessed are they in thy house, and dwell, may ever give thee praise.

Blessed is the man who strength thou art, in whose heart are thy ways.

What Makes thy much peopleop In the Franks public.

Nor be a heavenly book of Message in Caesar, be where she tells me.

By thy poem's hearing.

Nor will thyUNT you falleth, that...

Nor shall be Cummings.

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Or shall be conclusions, the Word of thee.

Let's bow our heads together and come to God in prayer.

Let us pray.

Lord our God, our Father in heaven,

as we come in worship of you, in adoration of you,

we thank you that we come,

lifting up our voices in praise to you

and seeking that you will meet with us in our time of worship,

that we will come and behold your beauty,

your glory in our midst,

that through your word and through your spirit,

you will minister to us in all our needs,

that you will come and remind us, Lord,

that we are so dependent upon you,

but that you are a God who is able to lavish upon us,

grace upon grace.

And we thank you for the way that you remind us of that so often,

of your great faithfulness towards us,

and that we pray, Lord, that we may come

and meet with you anew this evening

and come with thirsty souls,

longing to meet with you

and to know that we have been with God,

that we have been in your presence.

And we pray, Lord,

that you will satisfy us through your word,

that you will give us the rest

and the peace that even the psalmist speaks of

in the psalm that we've sung together.

And blessed are they in my house that dwell,

they ever give thee praise.

May that be our song and our portion

this evening anew,

that we will come to praise your great and glorious name.

So we thank you that you are a God who is living,

a God who is worthy of all our worship,

a God who is real,

a God who no matter what the world might say about you,

who will so easily dismiss you or cast you away

or speak a word against you.

We thank you, Lord,

that we come to the one who is our hope,

our salvation,

and our security.

We thank you for your word

and how it constantly builds us up,

that whenever we feel discouraged or afraid

or whether we are full of thanksgiving and praise,

we can come to your word

and there find a word that speaks and ministers to us.

It reminds us of the hope that we have

in our Lord Jesus Christ,

a hope that we can never be taken away from us,

a hope that is our true security.

You're the one who is our refuge and our strength,

an ever-present aid.

We thank you for that constant nature,

that you are unchanging and unchangeable,

and that though we change in this world,

that we ever move on in this world

and that time never stands still for us,

even as we come and approach the end of another year.

We reflect on it, Lord,

and just see how quickly our days and our years will go by.

But we pray, Lord,

that we will not just look back,

but that you will enable us and help us

to look forward to

and to consider the days that lie ahead of us,

even in the uncertainty and unknown nature of them.

We pray then,

thank you that you have numbered each of them,

that they are known unto you.

And we pray, Lord,

that you will help us to number our days

and to look to you as the one who holds our eternal destiny,

that you are the one, Lord,

who we can look to,

who will guide us in the paths of life divine.

And we pray, Lord,

that you will indeed lead each of us on the right path.

For we know,

as your word says,

that there is a broad road that many are on,

but that road,

as we are told,

it leads to destruction.

But we thank you for the narrow way,

the way,

although there may be few on it,

the way that leads to life everlasting.

And we pray that your word

will minister to our hearts

anew this evening,

that you will speak to us

through your word

and help us to put our confidence

and our trust

in the Lord Jesus Christ,

as we heard already today,

the one who is the light of this world,

who is able to dispel the darkness of it

and who is able to guide us in these paths.

We pray, O Lord,

that we will indeed again see Jesus

and know him as our Lord

and as our Savior.

May he become ever more precious to us

as we look around us

in the chaos of this world.

May we be able to fix our eyes on Jesus continually

and remind ourselves day by day

and even hour by hour

that in Christ

we have all that we need for life

and for eternity.

So we ask your blessing on us

as a people,

as a congregation here

and those tuning in online as well.

We thank you for one another.

We thank you, Lord,

that we are able to encourage

and to help one another

and especially in times of need.

We are so aware just now, Lord,

of the many who are grieving

over the loss of loved ones

or who are anxious over loved ones

and we commit them, Lord,

into your care

and into your keeping.

We thank you, Lord,

for the one another's

we read of in Scripture.

So many passages and texts

that remind us to pray for one another,

to encourage one another,

to build up one another.

And we pray that we will seek

to do all these things for each other.

in praying for one another, Lord,

we thank you for the strength

and blessing that there is in that,

that there is unity in the body of Christ

so that when one feels the pain,

the whole body suffers.

And yet, O Lord,

we have the strength in the body too

that will give healing and help

to those who are feeling a weakness.

So, Lord,

may you draw near to all in need,

whether it is in grief,

whether it's in ill health,

whether it's in anxiety and worries

that so many people maybe cannot see

are hidden from the eyes of many,

but, Lord, you know,

and you know every need that we have.

And so we pray, Lord,

that you surround us and help us

in all our times of need.

We thank you that your word reminds us

that you are the God of all comfort

and that for every circumstance,

every situation,

that you have an answer for us,

that you have a way to help,

a way to uphold,

a way to lift us up.

And so we commit each other

into your care at this time.

We pray for our mission as a church too.

We thank you, Lord,

for not just instruction,

but indeed the command

that you give us in your word,

that as a people,

we are to be the light,

salt and light of this world,

that we are indeed to be sent out

with your truth.

And we pray, Lord,

that you will help us,

help us in all that we seek to do,

whether it's with young or old or middle-aged,

whatever we seek to do,

whether it's in large groups

or one-to-one.

We pray, Lord,

for words of wisdom.

We pray, Lord,

for encouragement and strength.

We pray, Lord,

when we face persecution

or answers maybe

from people that we don't expect

or that even hurt us

when we hear the gospel slandered,

we pray that you will give us

a boldness and a courage

to continue to pray

and to love those

who even maybe despise us

as your people

or despise you as God

and have no time for you,

that you would give us

love for those people,

a love to seek the good for them

that only you can give,

to change their hearts,

to change their ways.

We ask, O Lord,

for your goodness

to be poured out upon us

and upon all your church this day,

far and wide,

that the riches of your gospel

will bear much fruit,

that where your gospel is proclaimed,

that there will be a call

to your people

that will build them up,

that will encourage them,

that will strengthen them,

and no matter where they are,

how many or how few

they may be gathered,

Lord,

that you will surround your people

and encourage them

and strengthen them.

We remember especially

those who are persecuted,

those who suffer for their faith,

those who are maybe even living

in fear throughout the world

of what may come upon them

for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray, Lord,

that they will know

you ministering to them

and strengthen them

in a very special way.

And we pray, Lord,

for your gospel to go out

and convict those souls

that lie in sin,

those who are so bound

in this world

and so caught up

in the ways of this world,

some of it so evil

as we see it around us

in war and terror

and so many acts

of violence in our world,

but others just blinded

by the God of this world

and aware of their sins

or unaware of the consequences

of them.

We pray for you

to send your light forth

and your truth

with great power

and with great conviction.

We thank you

that your word

is ever powerful

and ever able to save.

And so we pray, Lord,

for the power of your spirit

to go forth even this day.

Remember our nation

at this time

and indeed remember us

as a people in the week ahead

as we see the Christmas season

and the holiday season

coming upon us.

We pray for schools

and workplaces

and all who will be taking holidays

over this time

in the midst of travel chaos

and weather

so inclement at times.

We pray, Lord,

for your safety

and protection

over all

who will be traveling

to and fro,

whether it's coming home

for Christmas

or going away

and visiting family

and friends.

We pray that you will protect us

and keep us all

and above all, Lord,

that you will help us

to remember

the Lord Jesus

in the midst of

all that we see around us,

the one who in the midst

of all the lights

that flash around us

is the light

greater than any,

the one who is the light

of the world.

We pray, Lord,

for that light

to shine brightly

in our midst.

Remember our young people,

we pray for the fellowship

this evening

and may your blessing

be with us in that

and for the schools

as they close

and the teachers

and the students alike,

Lord,

we pray your blessing

on each one

and ask that you will

go before them

in all of their days

as well.

May you remember us

then, Lord,

and all who rule over us

as a people

as we continue

to pray for our governments

and our royal family.

Again, we pray, Lord,

that they will bow

the knee to you,

that they will come

and honor you

and worship you,

something that seems

maybe so far removed

in our society today,

but we know that

in the blink of an eye

that you can change hearts

and we know

even in our own hearts

how you are able to change

and so may you come

into their hearts,

into their lives

and into the lives

of our nation

and indeed the world

to know your power

and to know your glory

in the midst of us.

We thank you

that you have not left us,

that you have not given us

over to our own ways

completely, Lord,

but that you are there

to be called upon

so help us

to call on your name

and to come in faith,

rejoicing that you hear

and are able

to answer our prayers.

So, Lord,

give us that faith

to keep believing

and keep praying

and to go on

in your strength

as we ask it all

with the forgiveness

of our sins

for remembering, Lord,

how far short we fall

so often

that you will restore us

and pardon us

and build us up.

We ask all this

in the name of our Lord

and Savior,

Jesus Christ,

for his glory now

and always.

Amen.

We continue to worship God

as we sing to his praise,

this time in Psalm 63.

In the Sing Psalms version,

Psalm 63,

the tune is Old 100.

We're going to sing

from verse 1 to verse 8.

O God,

you are my God alone.

I seek your face

with eagerness.

My soul and body

thirst for you

in this dry weary wilderness.

I've seen you

in your holy place.

Your power and glory

held my gaze.

Far better is your love

than life

and so my lips

will sing your praise.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 8

to God's praise.

Amen.

Amen.

O God,

you are my God alone.

I seek your face

with neither hands.

My soul and body

thirst for you.

In this dry weary wilderness.

I've seen you

in your holy place.

Your power and glory

held my gaze.

Far better is your love

and life.

And so my lips

will sing your praise.

I'll bless you, Lord,

throughout my life.

and raise my heart

to you in prayer.

My joyfulness will sing your praise.

My soul is filled with riches

upon my bed.

I'll bless you, Lord,

upon my bed.

I lie now,

I lie now,

and in my thoughts remember you.

And in my thoughts remember you.

I meditated throughout the night.

I'm in your love,

and in your love.

I am in your love.

I am in your love.

I am in your love.

I am in your love.

I am in your love.

because you are my help alone.

I am in your love.

I am in your love.

I am in your love.

And in your love.

I am in your love.

I am in your love.

You hold me up with your right hand.

To you, O God, my soul will cling.

Well, we'll turn to read God's word.

Two passages this evening.

First of all, in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew's Gospel, reading in chapter 25.

We'll take up our reading at verse 31.

Reading down to the end of the chapter,

and then we turn to 2 Thessalonians chapter 1.

2 Thessalonians 1 · chapter mention

Our first reading is in Matthew 25 and at verse 31.

When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him,

then he will sit on his glorious throne.

Before him will be gathered all the nations,

and he will separate people one from another,

as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

And he will place the sheep on his right,

but the goats on the left.

Then the king will say to those on his right,

Come, you who are blessed by my Father,

inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry, and you gave me food.

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink.

I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.

I was naked, and you clothed me.

I was sick, and you visited me.

I was in prison, and you came to me.

Then the righteous will answer him, saying,

Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you drink?

And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you,

or naked and clothe you?

And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?

And the king will answer them,

Truly I say to you,

as you did to one of the least of these, my brothers,

you did it to me.

Then he will say to those on his left,

Depart from me, you cursed,

into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

For I was hungry, and you gave me no food.

I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink.

I was a stranger, and you did not welcome.

Welcome me and naked, and you did not clothe me.

Sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.

Then they also will answer, saying,

Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty,

or a stranger, or naked or sick or in prison,

and did not minister to you?

Then he will answer them, saying,

Truly I say to you,

as you did not do it to one of these,

the least of these you did not do it to me.

And these will go away into eternal punishment,

but the righteous into eternal life.

Our second reading is in 2 Thessalonians,

reading in chapter 1.

We'll take up our reading at verse 5.

2 Thessalonians, chapter 1 at verse 5.

2 Thessalonians 1 · chapter mention

Again, it's linked to the reading we had in Matthew,

the day of the judgment of Christ.

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God,

that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God,

for which you are also suffering.

Since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction

those who afflict you,

and to grant relief to you who are afflicted,

as well as to us,

when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven

with his mighty angels,

and flaming fire,

inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God,

and on those who do not obey

the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction,

away from the presence of the Lord,

and from the glory of his might,

when he comes on that day,

to be glorified in his saints,

and to be marveled at among all who have believed,

because our testimony to you was believed.

To this end,

we always pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of his calling,

and may fulfill every resolve for good,

and every work of faith by his power,

so the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,

and you in him,

according to the grace of our God,

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen,

and may God bless these readings from his word.

We're going to sing again to God's praise.

It's a change to the psalm on the notice sheet,

which we already had this morning,

but we're going to sing from Psalm 27,

in the Sing Psalms version,

and it's verse 9 to verse 14,

page 32 of the psalm book,

Psalm 27,

at verse 9,

in the Sing Psalms version,

on the tune of Spore.

O do not hide your face from me,

and do not turn aside,

your servant in your righteous wrath,

for you have been my guide.

O God,

my saviour,

leave me not,

do not reject my plea,

my parents may forsake me,

Lord,

but you will welcome me.

Psalm 27,

Psalms 27:9

verse 9,

down to the end of the psalm,

and the Sing Psalms version.

O do not hide your face from me,

and do not turn aside,

your servant in your righteous wrath,

for you have been my guide.

O God,

O God,

my saviour,

leave me not,

do not reject my plea,

my feelings may forsake me,

forsake me, Lord,

but you will welcome me.

Teach me, O Lord,

how I should live,

and lead me in your way,

make strength my path,

because my foes oppress me every day.

Give me not over to the will of the evil and enemies,

for my earth's right,

to stunder me,

and we have cruelty.

Yet I am sure,

that in this eye,

God's goodness I will see.

We call the Lord,

be strong,

take heart,

for him we patiently.

Well, we can turn back to our second reading in 2 Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians 1 · chapter mention

Chapter 1.

We're going to look at this section that we read,

verse 5 to verse 12,

but in particular from the middle of verse 7 down to the end,

where it speaks about the coming of the Lord Jesus,

where Jesus is revealed from heaven,

with his mighty angels and flaming fire,

inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God,

and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

And so it goes on.

It's a time of year when many people find themselves maybe counting down,

counting down the days,

whether it's counting down the days to the holiday coming,

holiday starting.

Many people are counting down the days till Christmas Day.

And then we fast approach the end of this year.

And people count down then towards the end of the year.

And eventually you come to those last few seconds of the year,

where you count down 10,

9,

8,

and the bell rings,

and you're into a new year.

But as a reminder to us,

just as time is constantly going on,

how easy it is almost just to wish our days away.

Counting down the days,

but to what end?

Where are we going?

What's the destination we have in mind as all our days go past?

In Psalm 90 verse 12,

Psalms 90:12

the psalmist says to us,

teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

So instead of just counting down our days,

wishing them away in some ways,

instead we are to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

What does he mean by that?

Well,

he means that our days pass so quickly.

The days,

the months,

the years,

they pass so quickly.

And as we approach the end of another year,

we approach it in a way where we're on this journey,

as we often say,

through life.

But what is the aim of our journey?

If you go on a journey,

so often you have a destination in mind,

and you wait for the words to come,

perhaps if you're sitting on a train,

or if you're listening to your sat-nav guiding you along the way,

to say you've reached your destination,

or this is the final stop.

And you know then maybe you've reached the place that you were hoping to arrive in.

But as we look forward this time of year,

what do we look forward to?

And what is the destination that we are aiming for?

That Jesus himself spoke of it in Matthew's gospel.

There we read in Matthew 25.

Those words that you hear of the final destination,

it's either,

come,

you who are blessed by the Father,

or depart from me,

you who are cursed.

He is speaking about two different destinations.

The same as what Paul is speaking of here.

As he writes to the Thessalonians,

he is speaking about the two different destinations

that we're going to think about this evening.

Some years ago when we were in Dumfries,

this time of year is Christmas time of year,

when we had family coming to visit.

One day they decided that they were going to go to Gretna,

not too far away from Dumfries.

And they were happy to go by themselves,

that they knew roughly where they were going,

but they had the sat-nav with them

just to help them along the way.

So they were going to the retail park out there.

They put in the postcode for it,

and off they went.

They drove for some time,

and then they were told

that you have reached your destination.

And they were on a road in the middle of nowhere

under a bridge.

They had arrived at their destination,

but it wasn't the destination that they expected.

Luckily for them,

they weren't too far away

from where they were aiming for.

But it's a reminder to us

that if we're listening to the wrong instructions,

yes, we're being brought on a journey,

and our destination may not be far off

where we want to get,

but it doesn't matter if it's just a mile,

10 miles, 100 miles,

we're still not in the destination

that we're looking for.

And the Scripture reminds us

that our destination,

our desire should be

to be with the Lord

and not to get led down

the wrong path.

And so here,

as Paul writes to the Thessalonians,

he's writing to these Thessalonians

who have much to be thankful for in God,

but who are also enduring persecutions

and afflictions,

as it says in verse 4.

They're suffering much difficulties

on this journey through life.

And on the other hand,

the life and journey

of the persecutors and the wicked,

it seems in many ways easier

and more pleasant.

And the question can often arise,

why is this so?

But Paul is reminding them

to keep in focus the Lord

and the destination

that he ultimately has in mind

for his people,

that with God,

his plans will work out for good

in the end

because God is sovereign.

And in the verses before us tonight,

we're going to be shown

the end outcome

for both believers

and unbelievers,

where our journey destination ends.

And the end,

the ends couldn't be more different.

We have before us

the reality of heaven

and the reality of hell.

And it's heaven and hell

as the Bible,

the truth of God's word defines it.

Not a heaven and hell

of our own making

or our own imagination.

It is heaven and hell

as the Lord presents before us.

With a great challenge

and the real seriousness

of this matter.

What is your final destination?

As we journey,

what is our direction?

And where is our destination set for?

That's what Paul wants us to consider.

What is our final destination?

Paul challenges us here

in verse 8 to verse 12

in particular.

And we're going to look at these

two destinations before us.

First of all,

we look at hell

and the darkness of it.

As we heard this morning,

the difference between light

and darkness

is really what we see again

before us here.

The darkness

and the torment of hell.

And yet the light

and the beauty of Christ

and the hope

of heaven.

So first of all,

we see hell

and the darkness

of it.

And as we

go into this,

it's so important

to see that

as we speak

of these places,

it is not just

a made-up place.

It's not just something

of the imagination

of man.

It's so important

for us to realize that

because the basis

of both these destinations

is what the Word of God

teaches us.

And the basis of them

is,

as we saw in Matthew

and here

in verse 7

of 2 Thessalonians 1,

it is the coming

of the Lord Jesus.

We're living in this world

as if it's a permanent

place of residence.

But we're just

passing through.

This is just

temporary.

And so it's so important,

it's vital

what we do

with our days

in this world.

And as the psalmist said,

teach us

to number our days

that we may apply

our hearts

to wisdom.

That we may seek

and be challenged

as to what is

our ultimate

destination.

The Lord

is coming.

And very similar

words were used

by Jesus and Matthew

and here by Paul

when Jesus is revealed

from heaven

with his mighty angels.

That day

is coming.

That moment

is coming.

And even though

we count down

the days

and even the minutes

and the seconds

of this year,

there's no guarantee

for us

that the Lord

will not come

even before then.

So it again

just reminds us

of the importance

of the now.

The today

as the scripture

speaks of.

The urgency

of the gospel

in light

of heaven

and hell.

And we remember

that no one

taught on hell

more than the Lord

Jesus himself

just as we read

in Matthew.

Some people

have said that

you know

it's more important

in this day and age

that we

just maybe forget

about hell

and don't speak

about it.

Show them the love

of Christ.

Don't try and

scare them

into heaven

by teaching on hell.

Just show the love

of Christ.

But it's important

to have both.

And as we think

of the doctrine

of hell

and the reality

of hell

and we put that

before ourselves,

that is reminding us

even maybe more

greatly

and truly

the love

of Christ.

Of what he came

to save us

from.

Of the love

of God

that gave us

son,

the love

of Christ

that gave

his life

to spare us

the reality

of hell

for ourselves.

And what it

cost him

was the giving

of his very life.

So it's so

important

that we hear

the reality

not just of heaven

and the beauty

of that

but the reality

of hell

and the cursing,

the darkness,

the bitterness

of that.

Reverend

Sinclair Ferguson

once told a story

from a number

of years ago

and he's told it

of one royal princess

who was coming

out of a cathedral

service in England

and she spoke

to the dean

of the cathedral

on the way out

and she asked

the dean

a question.

Is it true,

dean,

that there is

a place

called hell?

to which

apparently

the dean

replied,

madam,

the scriptures

say so.

Christian people

have always

believed so

and the church

of England

confesses so.

To which

the princess

is supposed to

have replied

saying,

and then

in God's name

why don't

you tell us?

why don't

you tell us

so?

The reality

of hell.

Hell is

an uncomfortable

subject

and for some

Christians it can

be an awkward

subject,

sometimes an

embarrassing

subject to talk

about.

We find it

difficult.

How can a

loving God

condemn anyone

in this way?

But it's about

seeing the

balance,

seeing both

that God,

yes there is

a place

for sinners

who do not

repent,

but the

reality too

is that

faith in

the Lord

Jesus Christ

is the only

thing that

can spare

us from

that darkness.

Avoiding

the subject,

it doesn't

make it

go away.

The reality

is always

there before

us.

So why

did Jesus

talk about

it so much?

Why did

Jesus often

speak about

this place

hell?

Because his

longing for

people was

to know

the truth,

the reality

of not

believing,

of rejecting

the gospel,

that without

him,

the saviour

of the world,

the reality

is eternal

destruction.

Why does

Paul address

it here to

the Thessalonians?

Again,

it's out of

his pastoral

love of

the people,

his great

concern for

them that

they would

realise what

a rejection

of Christ

means.

And why

do we

preach it?

Because we

all need to

know the

reality of

it, but

also the

way away

from it.

So as we

think of

hell as we

have it here

in verse

7 to

verse 9,

there's three

things about

it that

we're

reminded of

here.

First of

all,

it's a

real place.

It's a

real place.

Don't just

take my

word for

it,

take Jesus'

word for

it.

Because

Jesus

presents it

so,

as a

real place.

Here in

verse 7

and 8,

we are told

that Jesus

will be

revealed to

bring vengeance

on those

who do

not know

God or

obey his

word.

He will

come to

judge.

And he's

fulfilling the

words of

warning that

he has

already given.

In

Matthew 7

Matthew 7:13

verse 13,

it says,

they enter by

the narrow

gate, for

the gate is

wide and the

way is easy

that leads

to destruction.

And those

who enter

by it

are many.

Enter by

the narrow

gate.

Find your

way to

salvation,

not by

continuing on

the broad

way or

the wide

gate, as

he describes

it, that

leads to

destruction.

The two

destinations

presented by

Jesus, it's

a real

place.

And it begs

the question

of us,

what road

are you on?

What path

are you on?

What gate

are you going

through?

What is

the destination

that you

are on?

Jesus again

says in

Matthew 10

Matthew 10:28

verse 28,

he says,

do not fear

those who

kill the

body, but

cannot kill

the soul.

Rather,

fear him

who can

destroy both

soul and

body in

hell.

He just

reminds us

so often,

it is a

real place.

As one

commentator

says,

this is

not the

imagination

of man.

These are

not the

words of

great

theologians

like

Jonathan

Edwards

or John

Calvin

or Augustine

or Paul

himself.

These are

the words

of Jesus

reminding us

of the

reality

of this

place,

that hell

is a

real

place.

there is

so many

people

afraid

of so

many

things

today.

We are

afraid

in the

world in

which we

live of

so much

that may

lie before

us,

but how

afraid are

we of

our eternal

destination

and the

reality

of this

place,

hell.

The second

thing we see

of this

place,

it's not

a place

to joke

about.

It's not

a place

to make

a joke

of.

When you

read these

words,

when Jesus

is revealed

from heaven

with his

mighty angels

in flaming

fire,

inflicting

vengeance on

those who

do not

know God

and on

those who

do not

obey the

gospel of

our Lord

Jesus,

they will

suffer the

punishment

of eternal

destruction.

It's not

a place

to joke

about.

You see

it so

often,

and it

becomes

more so

as the

days and

the years

go on,

that hell,

the devil,

the gospel,

it just

becomes the

butt of

all jokes.

The mocking

of the

Christian faith

and Christians

becomes more

and more.

It's amazing

how online,

you know,

for all it's

good,

now you see

so many people

just spouting

forth all

sorts,

and especially

when it

comes to

faith.

Faith,

the Christian

faith,

the butt

of all

jokes.

Jokes

have become

more and

more harsh

as the

days and

the years

go on.

It's almost

like there's

no filter

on people

now,

they'll just

say anything

when they

make mockery

of the

faith,

but you

just shudder

at what

you hear.

somebody was

just saying

recently that

they're part

of an

atheist group

in order

to save

Christians

from their

way of

thinking.

It's as if

this is their

mission,

to take

Christians

back from

all these

fairy tales

as they

will describe

them,

and to

bring them

back into

the real

world.

And you

just shudder

at that way

of thinking

when you

see the

reality of

what the

gospel teaches,

and what

the mocking

of God

will bring,

the punishment

that they

will suffer,

this eternal

destruction.

They don't

want to hear

it, but

that's the

reality of

what we

have before

us.

And there

is this

joking about

even hell

being a

place,

even if it

is real,

well at

least I'll

be with

my friends.

But what

kind of

place is

it?

It's a

place of

darkness,

torment,

and gnashing

of teeth.

It's not

going to be

a place

that's a

party and

a family

reunion.

What so

many people

look forward

to at this

time of

year is

being together

with friends

and families.

This is

not hell

though.

It's not

some kind

of party

for us

all to

enjoy

for all

eternity.

It's a

place of

torment.

It's no

joke.

because it's

not a

joke,

it's a

place that

we have

to take

seriously.

It's a

third as

we see a

place to

be avoided.

Some

people will

say,

well at

least I'll

finally be

away from

God and

Christians.

As if this

is something

to look

forward to.

you.

And it

says here

in verse

9,

they will

suffer the

punishment of

eternal

destruction

away from

the presence

of the

Lord and

from the

glory of

his might.

And if

anyone thinks

that this

is a good

thing,

it is not.

It is the

last thing

you want

to be cast

away from

the presence

of the

Lord and

from the

glory of

his might.

It is the

absence of

all light,

utter darkness.

And if the

greatest blessing

we can have

is to know

the Lord and

his face,

his light

shining upon

us, the

reverse is

through our

greatest

curse is to

be cast

away.

It's a

place to

be avoided.

And the

only way to

avoid it is

to come to

the light,

to come and

put your

trust,

in the

Lord Jesus

so that

you will

not hear

these words

that Jesus

said,

depart from

me, you

cursed,

into eternal

fire.

We have

these great

truths before

us.

Henry

Alford once

said,

the most

dreadful

torment of

the lost,

in fact,

that which

constitutes their

state of

torment will

be this

coming to

themselves

when it

is too

late for

repentance.

It's like

the story

of the rich

man and

Lazarus.

It'll be

too late.

Knowing the

reality of

hell, then,

what does

that mean for

your journey

and your

final destination?

salvation?

Are you

safe on the

narrow way

or are you

in the

broad way

that leads

to destruction?

Is it time

to turn?

Hell is

real.

Hell is

not a

joke.

Hell is

to be

avoided

at all

costs.

And that's

why we

give thanks

to God

for his

gospel,

for the

good news

that shows

us another

destination,

another place

that we

should all

long for.

As we are

told of the

reality of

hell, we

give thanks

to God

for the

reality for

all who

believe that

at the

coming of

the Lord,

the Lord

will say,

come,

come,

you who

are blessed

by the

Father,

inherit the

kingdom

prepared for

you, the

place we

know as

heaven.

And the

way to

that is

through

Christ,

through the

light of

the world,

the Lord

Jesus

Christ.

We long

for peace

in our

world today.

We pray

for it.

And even

if it

comes,

though,

it will

not compare

to the

peace and

blessings

of for

God's

people in

this eternal

destination

of being

with him.

Even the

way Paul

describes it

in another

place, he

calls it

being home

with the

Lord.

The

destination

for all

who believe

to be

home with

the Lord,

to be

in his

presence

forevermore.

And when

we think

of the

difference

here between

the darkness

of hell

and the

light of

God's

kingdom,

what should

that do

for us?

As we are

reminded here

of why

Jesus came

to spare

us from

that darkness

and to

lead us

into his

wonderful

light,

what should

it do

for us?

Well,

when you look

at verse

10 and

11,

the contrast

is so

stark.

when he

comes on

that day

to be

glorified

in his

saints

and to

be marveled

at among

all who

have believed,

the difference

is there for

us to see.

Night

and day,

darkness

and light,

those who

believe will

glory in

their Lord.

He will be

marveled at

among those

who have

believed.

we will

praise his

name

forever.

And so

what should

that do

for us?

Well,

it should

drive us

to our

Saviour.

It should

drive us

to the

Lord Jesus.

As Paul

warns here

of the

punishment

of eternal

destruction,

those who

believe

the reverse

is true,

eternal

blessing.

The great

gospel

invitation

is to

come,

but to

come

for what?

Well,

that gospel

invitation

that we

have so

often,

as we

see in

John 3,

16,

for God

so loved

the world

that he

gave his

only son

that whoever

believes in

him should

not perish,

this eternal

destruction he's

speaking of,

but have

eternal

life.

Again,

as we were

hearing this

morning,

that light

of the

Lord Jesus

is the

light of

life,

and life

eternal,

which should

drive us

to our

Savior.

Life,

it isn't

like a

computer game.

If you

enjoy playing

computer games,

you often

find that

you've got a

number of

lives.

You can

gain extra

lives,

you can claim

them.

This is not

real life,

though.

We only

have one

life to

live,

one

opportunity,

and today

is that

opportunity.

Today is

that time

to come.

As Charles

Studd once

said,

two little

lines I

heard one

day,

traveling along

life's busy

way,

bringing