Sermon Discussion Guide

THE REALITY OF HELL

The Reality Of Eternity Part 1
Ian Buckley
Right now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim reflection of reality but one day we shall see
reality face to face! 1 Corinthians 13:12 (Amp)

What happens after we die? At some point everyone wonders what happens after our life on Earth is finished. The Bible tells
us in 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 that nothing we see will last forever. The only things that will last forever are things that are not
seen. Listed below are five realities of life with related Bible verses. It is important to understand these truths to know what
happens after we die. Take some time to reflect on these before continuing.

THE REALITIES OF LIFE

1. God made you to love you & wants your love back. (Jeremiah 31:3)
2. You were made to last forever. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
3. God has prepared two eternal places. (John 14:2-3, Matthew 25:34, Matthew 25:41)
4. You choose where youll spend eternity. (Deuteronomy 11:26-28, Deuteronomy 30:15-19)
5. There is no second chance after you die. (Matthew 25:46)

One misconception is that God sends people to hell. On the contrary, people choose to go there by rejecting the free gift of
salvation made available through Jesus Christ. Since it is a choice and there is no second chance, it is extremely important to
determine your destiny now. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, or even the next hour. It would be tragic to put off securing
your future until it is too late. It is simple to decide your eternal destiny as we will see later in this study.

OPEN YOUR GROUP WITH A PRAYER. THIS IS ONLY A GUIDE SELECT THE POINTS YOU WANT TO DISCUSS.

1. WHY DOES HELL EXIST?

1. BECAUSE EVIL & SIN EXIST

According to Genesis 6:5-6, what was the primary focus of humanity?

There is little question that evil and sin exist in our world. Name several examples of this in recent events.
Why was God so upset and disappointed with humanitys evil nature?

2. BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY & JUST

Psalm 15:1-2 tells us the kind of person who can dwell with God. What are some of that individuals
characteristics?
Contrast the description of humanity in Genesis 6:5-6 with the requirements to dwell with God.

In 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9, how will God judge the world?

What will save us against Gods divine wrath and judgment?
The individuals who refuse to obey Gods laws within the Gospels will be punished in what way?

Worship Despite our best intentions, we all fall prey to our sinful nature, putting us squarely in the position of being
imperfect. Heaven is a perfect place, because God is perfect. To bridge the gap between imperfect humanity and perfect God,
there is Jesus. God also promised that all people would be judged in fairness and righteousness, therefore there will be a place
for the just and the unjust, which is heaven and hell. How can you show your appreciation to God for the knowledge that no
matter what happens in this life, He will balance the scales in eternity?
2. WHAT IS HELL LIKE? TOTAL SEPARATION FROM GOD.

In 1 Corinthians 16:22 how does this verse describe the condition of those who reject God?

In this world believers and non-believers experience the blessings of God equally through His creation. Using the
descriptions below in the left-hand column, how does every human experience each of these blessings?

GOD IS WITHOUT GOD, HELL IS

Love Terrifying & lonely
Light Complete darkness
Good Absolutely nothing good there
Life Eternal death & torment
Gracious A place of no grace

Hell is described in the Bible as the only place in the universe God is not. Using the right-hand column above
describe what people would feel if they were to exist without any of the benefits of Gods presence?
People often say jokingly something to the effect, See you in hell, as if they expect their earthly experiences to
continue in that place, just differently. If the real environment of hell is as described above to the right, would this be
possible? What would be a more accurate statement?
What parts of human fellowship such as fun, family, or work would be possible or not possible?

Fellowship Connecting with others and with God is one of His purposes for our lives. Relationships are part of the
blessings of Gods presence. While the total experience of hell may be beyond our capacity to understand, discuss in your
group what an eternity with no love and only loneliness would be like. How would you describe this to a non-believer?

3. HOW DO I SETTLE MY ETERNAL DESTINY?

In 1 John 5:11-13, who should know they have eternal life?

The dictionary defines believe as To accept as true or real. You can believe that someone exists without trusting
them. Share in your group some definitions of how people believe in God.
What would be the definition of believing that would lead to eternal life?

According to Colossians 1:21-22, how did God reconcile Himself to humanity?

What sort of attitudes and actions separate a person from God?
What are normal reactions to Gods tremendous sacrifice upon humanitys behalf, especially by those who have
recently come to know Jesus?

ADMIT I NEED A SAVIOR TO GET TO HEAVEN

BELIEVE JESUS DIED FOR ME
COMMIT MYSELF COMPLETELY TO HIM
DEPEND ON GODS PROMISE
Discipleship Even though Jesus sacrifice upon the cross permanently reconciled us to God, we can often drift away from
Him though sin, complacency or the lack of a church home. Give several practical examples to remind yourself of Gods gift
to you in the person of Jesus. Start by memorizing John 3:16.
4. WHATS MY RESPONSIBILITY? TELL OTHERS!

Why did God hold Ezekiel accountable for the evil mans death according to Ezekiel 33:8?
What is our role in the salvation of others?
How does our responsibility change once we tell someone about their eternal options?

In Romans 10:13-15 how will others come to know the Lord?

How does God view those who share the Good News?
What is the sacrifice that we have to make to share Gods love? Compare that to the sacrifice God made for us.

Mission God is clear on what He wants us to do. Were not just taking people to heaven with us, were saving them from
hell. Who do you know that needs to hear the Good News?

Take a moment to review any assignments/challenges made during the personal application and commitment section of your
previous meeting. Seeing God at work in the lives of those who commit to Him is essential for growth.

PERSONAL APPLICATION AND COMMITMENT:

In this study we have looked at the terrible reality of hell. In the second part of this series we will look at the glorious realities
of heaven. Have you chosen where you will spend eternity? If you havent yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, this is a
great time to do it. Ask God to help you follow the ABCD pattern in point three above to ask Jesus into your life now. If you
have already accepted Jesus as your Savior, who do you know that is struggling with the question of What happens when I
die? This week talk with them about their questions and lovingly share the Good News with them. Invite them to church
with you to see the reality of Christ in action. Who will be in heaven because of you?
Sermon Discussion Guide Leader Notes
Goals for this Weeks Study

Ask how Hollywood depicts hell.

Help the group understand the realities of hell compared to the popular concepts of hell.
Ask the group if there are any persons they can name that dont yet know Jesus the group can pray for this week.

Preparing to Lead Your Group

PRAY for insight as you begin to prepare for leading your group. Ask for Gods wisdom, that the Holy Spirit will be the teacher and
that you will be Gods instrument to lead the group to greater understanding and a willingness to commit to becoming more like God.
Prayer should be your primary source of personal preparation for leading your group.

PLAN where you want to take your group in the next 60-90 days. Is your group strong in some areas and weak in others? How can
you challenge the members to live more balanced Christian lives? Consider Gods five purposes for the church: Fellowship,
Discipleship, Ministry, Mission and Worship, and make a plan to encourage your group members to growth and commitment in their
weak areas.

PONDER YOUR PROGRESS after each session and at the end of a series. Reflect on what went well and what didnt. Re-evaluation is
key to your growth as a leader. Consider whether your plan is being effective in moving the group to greater understanding and
commitment. How are you doing with leading the discussion: is it stimulating, challenging, and meaningful? Are you able to keep the
group on track? Do you need to make some changes?

Using This Sermon Discussion Guide

This Sermon Discussion Guide is only a tool to aid you in meeting the needs of your group. For most groups there are too many
questions to answer in one session together. After considering the needs of your group you may choose one of the following options:
One section of questions;
One or two questions from each section

Feel free to adapt the format to meet the needs of your group. If your group is mature and wants to dig deeper, add Scripture and ask
suitable questions. Remember that this is only a guide.

The questions relating to the five purposes are helpful to develop balance and spiritual maturity in our lives. You can bring your group
to an awareness of their needs in these areas by using these questions as a regular part of each discussion.

Personal application is key to everyones growth and should be included in every discussion. When asked how he or she intends to
apply a certain principle a group member may say, I need to spend more time in the Bible and in prayer. It is important for you to
help group members make applications that are more specific and commit to a specific plan of action by asking, for example, How
are you going to begin? An example is to get up 30 minutes earlier each morning, spending 15 minutes reading the Bible and 10
minutes in prayer. Encourage each group member to be accountable to the group for personal progress at the next meeting.

As the leader your goal is to help bring the group into a stimulating discussion that helps the members recognize their need for
personal life change. Ultimately you want them to be willing to commit to change with accountability to the group. Accountability
helps us to persevere in our commitments and achieve the blessings of success.