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A Reservation in Hell

A Reservation in Hell

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A college drama group presented a play in which one character would stand on a trapdoor and announce, "I descend into hell!" A stagehand below would then pull a rope, the trapdoor would open, and the character would plunge through. The play was well received. When the actor playing the part became ill, another actor who was quite overweight took his place. When the new actor announced, "I descend into hell!" the stagehand pulled the rope, and the actor began his plunge, but became hopelessly stuck. No amount of tugging on the rope could make him descend. One student in the balcony jumped up and yelled: "Hallelujah! Hell is full!"

Perhaps there is a part of all of us that wishes that student was correct. Wouldn't it be great news if hell were full? Unfortunately, hell still has a vacancy sign posted at the gates.

Yet the saddest part is that hell was never created for people in the first place. In Jesus' parable of the sheep and the goats, He describes the day when those who never trusted in Christ are consigned to hell. Notice what He says about it:

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels'. (Matthew 25:41)

God's plan was for hell to be the place of punishment for Satan and his demons, not for Adam and his descendants. What went wrong?

When Adam sinned (Gen.3), he made a reservation for a room at the hotel Hades for every human being. No deposit down, no credit card number required, everyone's place is secure. Can you imagine the joy this brought to Satan and his angels? Hell was supposed to be their permanent retreat center, but Adam booked a space for everyone who refuses to put his or her trust in Christ.

One day, hell really will be full. After the final judgment, Satan and his angels will be thrown forever into the Lake of Fire. Regrettably, so will every human being who stubbornly refused Christ's free offer of salvation.

But for those of us who took Christ at His word when He said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6), we have a different destination. The second we placed our trust in Christ alone as our only hope of salvation, our reservation in hell was permanently cancelled and transferred to heaven. Here's the way the Bible puts it:

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)

When we die, we go immediately to the most incredible place you could never imagine:

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." (I Cor 2:9)

This is what gets me about people that think heaven is some cloud-sitting-harp-playing place that's just a step above going to church because you can fly and stuff.

Um, no. Heaven is so amazingly awesome the Bible doesn't even try to go into too much detail about it. Why? Probably because human language can't do it justice. It would be like trying to describe the beauty of a sunset to your pet.

So hell is terrible, and heaven is incredible. Maybe that's why the majority of Americans believe in heaven, but not in hell. Maybe that's why you and I should get busy trying to fill heaven, because hell most certainly isn't full.

Head: What you need to know about this truth

Heaven and hell are real and literal places that are the only two possible final destinations for all humanity.

Heart: What you need to feel about this truth

Joyful and heartbroken. Joyful that your reservation in heaven is secure, and heartbroken that there are many who still have a reservation in hell.

Hands: What you need to do about this truth

This one is definitely a no-brainer...there really are people who are headed for hell. Would you walk by a burning house with people screaming for help and ignore them? Would you walk by people destined for hell screaming for help and ignore them? Sure...you and I do it everyday, but it doesn't need to be everyday anymore. This week, listen for the cries and rescue people from the flames.