God's Judgment: WHY and HOW, Part 4

Review / Introduction:

Judgment is Inescapable for the Unsaved. Someday It Will Be Too Late... (Nahum 3)

1. Judgment IS going to Happen. (Nahum 3:1-7)
2. It's been too late for Others. (Nahum 3:8-11)
3. Your Resources won't matter. (Nahum 3:12-18)
4. There is NO coming Back won't matter. (Nahum 3:19)

Hebrews 9:27 - And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment...

Hebrews 6:4-6 - For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they then fall away, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding Him up to contempt.

Isaiah 55:6 - Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Nahum 3

1. Read Nahum 3:5-7. Why does God make the judgment so shameful?

2. Why did God mention what happened to Thebes (No amon, Nahum 3:8-11)?

3. When was the last time you have warned someone about God's judgment? Why are we so reluctant to do so?

4. What was your big "take-away" from this passage / message? What was your big "takeaway" from the series?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another.

God's Judgment: WHY and HOW, Part 3

Review / Introduction:

Judgment is Horrific. (Nahum 2)

1. The Battle is going to be horrific. (Nahum 2:1-5)
2. The Devastation is going to be horrific. (Nahum 2:6-10)
3. The Fall is going to be horrific. (Nahum 2:11-13)

The Truth about Hell

Hell is a Place

Matthew 8:12 - thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 10:28 - And 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.

Hell is a Place of Torment...

Revelation 20:15 - And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Hell is a Place of Torment of Varying Degrees...

Matthew 11:24 - But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.

Hell is a Place of Torment of Varying Degrees that Lasts Forever...

Matthew 25:46 - these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Hell is a Place of Torment of Varying Degrees that Lasts Forever which we all Deserve...

Romans 3:23 – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Hell is a Place of Torment of Varying Degrees that Lasts Forever which we all Deserve but God DOES NOT want us going there.

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK
Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers!

Small Group Questions (Whole Group):
Read Nahum 2

1. Based on cartoons, jokes, and old myths - what are some unbiblical ideas about hell that you have seen / heard?

2. Why are more and more people, even in the "evangelical church", denying the doctrine of hell, despite what the Bible says?

3. Paraphrase Nahum 2 in a sentence or two. Why would such a prophecy about Nineveh be preserved for US in God's Word? Why does God want us to know this?

4. What was your big "take-away" from this message / passage?

Breakout Questions:

Pray for one another!

Questions from the Congregation - Part 2

GENESIS

Why does Genesis seem to have two accounts of creation? Or is chapter 2 an expansion on Day 6? Gen. 2:4 seems to start the account again.

If "death" in Romans 5 is taken as spiritual death as it is in other places in the New Testament (eg John 3:16), what is preventing us from taking the creation account of Genesis 1 - 2 as non-literal? In other words, is there any way God could have created the world not in one week ~6000 years ago?

Who are the Giants of Genesis 6 and will they be back? "As in the days of Noah, so it shall be in the coming of the Son of Man."

REVELATION

What does the Scriptures say about the timing of the rapture of the church? Will it occur before, or at the start of, the end times?

Does the Bible indicate if the antichrist actually knows he is the antichrist?

Satan and ⅓ of the angels fell from God's grace because of sin (him wanting to be God). How can I be sure it won't happen to ME in eternity (I certainly know I'm no angel)? Revelation 7:4 and 14:1,3. Is the number of 144,000 a literal number of those who will be marked with the seal of God? What does this mean? Will only 144,000 people (believers) make it into Heaven?


HEAVEN and HELL

How will we relate/react to our earthly spouse when we are in Heaven?

If God loves all people as His children and is all powerful, how can He allow ANY of His children to be eternally separated from Him in hell?

Is there a purgatory?

I recently heard a message on the radio that said "sheol" is not the same as "hell". It was said that "sheol" is a holding place. Is this where the Catholic religion gets their model for "purgatory"? Also, IS "sheol" different from "hell"?

When someone dies who is not saved and their loved ones say "he/she is in heaven/in a better place", I don't feel that it's the proper time to explain that is just not so (meaning at the time of the funeral/death). What do I say, then, in response to this at this time?

In 1978, Pope Paul (VI) said, "One day we will see our pets in the eternity of Christ" and a few weeks ago, Pope Francis said, "Paradise is open to all God's creatures." Is there any Biblical basis for either of these statements?


DOCTRINAL ISSUES

What is the deal with the apocrypha? Why is it not included in the protestant canon?

If Jesus forgave us for all of our sins on the cross, why does 1 John 1:9 say that we need to confess our sins and then we will be forgiven? What happens if we don't confess? Are we not forgiven? Signed: Confused!

Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANK