• Church, continued:
  • Practices of local churches in the New Testament, continued:
    • Sounded forth the Word
      • I Thessalonians 1:8
      • Philippians 1:3-5; 4:15-16; I Corinthians 9:1-18; II Corinthians 11:7-9
      • New Testament churches were not offering products or services to the public. They were simply sharing God’s word. Churches today need to stay focused on that mission.
    • They used resources to care for needy Christians.
      • They early churches would pool their money together and use it to help needy Christians. (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35; 6:1-3; 11:27-30; Romans 15:25-26; I Corinthians 16:1-3; II Corinthians 8-9; I Timothy 5:3-16)
      • Family members were to take care of their own before churches stepped in (I Timothy 5:16), but when special circumstances occurred, brethren took care of their own.
• Heaven and hell
  • All of us have become guilty of sin.
    • Many people only want to talk about positive things in religion, but it’s important to deal with the facts so that the positives make sense.
    • Mark 10:17-33

Bad news: Sin

Good news: Salvation

“One thing you lack” (Mark 10:21)

“treasure in Heaven” (Mark 10:21)

“Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:37)

“repent … baptized … forgiveness” (Acts 2:38)

“you disowned … put to death” Jesus (Acts 3:14-15)

“sins may be wiped away” (Acts 3:19)

“rejected by you” (Acts 4:11)

“chief corner stone … salvation” (Acts 4:12)

“darkness … dominion of Satan” (Acts 26:18)

“light … God … repent” (Acts 26:18-23)

• Jesus and the apostles loved people enough to tell them the painful truth: all of us have become guilty of sin! (Romans 3:23)

• Judgment Day

  • Matthew 25:31-46; 23:24-30, 36-43, 47-50
  • There are many things we don’t know about Judgment, but we know enough. We know we’ll be divided based on whether we’ve obeyed (II Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10-12). One group gets eternal punishment. The other, eternal life.
  • We don’t know when that that is coming! I Thessalonians 5:3

• Heaven and hell

  • Hell is a dreadful, horrendous place!
    • Hell is translated from “Gehenna,” which referred to the Valley of Hinnom, a valley just south and southwest of Jerusalem. It was a place of continual fire for burning filth.
    • Jesus used vivid language to motivate people to stay away from it. Matthew 5:29-30; 18:8-9; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 12:4-5; Matthew 10:28; 5:22

Bad news: Hell

Good news: Heaven

Described as “Gehenna” (valley of filth and fire)

Described as a city made by God

Outer darkness, away from God

Fellowship with Christ and the saved

Worse than any suffering on Earth

Worth any suffering on earth

• Heaven is a place of eternal glory and fellowship with God!
  • Hebrews 11:8-16 – Heaven is a city prepared by God. Matthew 6:19-21; I Peter 1:3-4
  • Imagine living forever in a place with no sinners or wickedness (Ephesians 5:3-5) and where Satan is not allowed (Matthew 25:41).
  • Heaven will be eternal rest, making all our sacrifices during our relatively short lives on earth pale in comparison. Romans 8:18; II Corinthians 4:16-18; Hebrews 4:9-10; Revelation 14:13