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Announcer: Today, on Real Life Radio.

Jack Hibbs: Listen, this is the word of God. This is eternal. This this lasts forever. And the only way for you to last forever with him is to get inside of this cuz this gets inside of you.

David J.: This is real life. Welcome to Real Life Radio with Pastor Jack Hibbs. I'm David J thanking you for joining us today as we listen, learn, and are challenged by God's word, the Bible. Well friends, listen. It's been 2 years here at the Real Life Network and God has been so good to us. God put it on our hearts to create a network that would be cancel free, censorship free, uncompromising so that we could bring the truth to anyone anywhere. God has been so good to us these last 2 years, everybody, and we want to thank all of you.

So today, we are amazed that over 70 million minutes of biblical worldview truth has been on our programming and viewed by you, the audience, on the Real Life Network. Every piece of our content on the Real Life Network is rooted in God's word so that it's safe, it's secure. So listen, spread the word with us, will you? Encourage friends and family to join the Real Life Network and that we might grow together, this community of believers all around the world.

Announcer: So if you haven't checked it out already, that's the Real Life Network streaming the best in Christian and conservative content. Sign up and start streaming today for free at reallifenetwork.com. That's reallifenetwork.com. On today's edition of Real Life Radio, Pastor Jack continues his series now called The Parables of Jesus and a message today called The Parable That's Not a Parable. Now, it might sound like a confusing title, but this parable is given by Jesus in such a way that it's not like the others. See, Jesus starts by breaking apart a common misconception about heaven and hell by being specific about the reality of hell.

The religious leaders think that hell isn't a real place. So in their reasoning, the story must be symbolic. He also mentions a person's name in this story, which not only makes it personal, it's highly unusual for a parable. So today, Pastor Jack teaches that there is a sense of urgency about this parable. Heaven is real, but so is hell. Jesus did all that was needed for us to enter heaven, but the choice really is ours. There are no second chances after death to choose to live for him. Now, with his message called Parable That's Not a Parable, here's pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs.

Jack Hibbs: The Bible says that Jesus went and preached to the souls that were in hell. That's interesting, and he led captivity captive. What did he do? When Jesus died on the cross, and listen, before his resurrection, he would have descended into this place called Abraham's bosom. He would have Listen, he would have announced to them, I'm the one you were waiting for. Are you guys ready to leave? Yeah, we're ready to go. That's why Jesus is also the first fruits from the dead. Remember when the other Lazarus in our in our gospels, Martha's Martha and Mary's brother died?

He wouldn't have gone to heaven. He would have gone to paradise if he would have stayed dead. Do you remember the thief on the cross? What did Jesus say to him? Very very interesting. I want to hear it.

David J.: Today you'll be with me in paradise. Jesus didn't say heaven. Because Jesus was going to paradise first, then to heaven. The thief on the cross couldn't go to heaven before Jesus because Jesus is the first fruit from the dead. Jesus had to enter heaven first. The first resurrected human being was Jesus Christ. Think of it. It's so cool. He, like a conquering general, takes captive all those who believed in him. Noah, Abraham, David, think of it. They're all down there. And the thief on the cross was with Jesus. He's the guy that spent the shortest amount of time in paradise.

Would you like to have something to drink? I'm just here for a second. Can you imagine? And so Jesus takes them into his care and announces also, at least it's very strongly believed that in taking those that are his who believed in him, he also announced to those who are in Hades, I'm the one you should have believed in. Cuz the Old Testament was all about him. They're still there tonight. They're in Hades tonight. They're in this place of torment. On the other side, paradise, it's it's completely vacant tonight. Why? Because now when the Bible says You're going to get so smart here in about 3 seconds.

Now, it is true, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Where's the Lord? In heaven. Isn't that cool? That's why the Bible tells us in the end Hades and death will be scooped up and put into the lake of fire. Completely different. You guys are brilliant. Interesting, just a little observation. The saved man was escorted to S the saved man, this rich I mean the poor man who apparently had faith and had repented of his sins we'll see this in a moment was escorted at death. Right? The Bible tells us the rich man was simply buried.

One was in paradise, the other one was in torment. One was with Abraham, and as you read this, the other one was definitely not with Abraham because it says that he saw Abraham afar off. Very very interesting. Verse 24 teaches us that God's mercy Listen to this. God's mercy at the end of our lives Listen, everybody. God's mercy becomes irrelevant. Did you hear what I said? Can you say that? I'll say it again. God's mercy becomes irrelevant. Why? Because it's you're dead now. You've died in this body. You don't Listen, you won't need mercy. Watch, everybody.

You won't need mercy in heaven, will you? No. The need for mercy's now. Watch this. In fact, let me read it. I wrote it, and I'll mess it up. 1 second into eternity and prayer becomes irrelevant. Think of it. Nobody's praying in heaven. You just talk to God. You don't You don't You're not in heaven praying. 1 second after you die, prayer becomes irrelevant. In heaven, you don't need anything. You don't need to pray about anything. In hell, no one's listening. I wrote that down. Did you like that? I wrote that 1 second into eternity, mercy becomes irrelevant.

In heaven, it's perfect there. In hell, mercy's not available. It's just not available. 1 second into eternity, in water becomes irrelevant. In heaven, it's everywhere. In hell, there's a drought. This man says crying out Father Abraham, have mercy on me. That's not possible. Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am in tormented of these flames. Impossible. There's no mercy there. Do you think for a moment you can sin against God, live your life godless, and think in the end you're going to what? Snap your finger at the last last breath of your life, in the last moment pull up, enter into heaven at the How do you know that?

How do you know you're not going to have a heart attack any second, get hit by a truck? How do you know that? You don't know that. And the Bible makes it very clear. It's over for you. 1 second into eternity, and you'll either be in heaven with God in absolute paradise and it's 73° I'm making that part up. I don't know. Or you're in hell where it's burning hot, there's no hope, there's no mercy, there's no prayer to be answered, there's no Apparently, there's no way for you even cool the tip of your tongue.

And don't think for a moment you're going to get off the hook by you thinking, well I don't believe in a God who would create a hell like that for me. He didn't create a hell like that for you. You are so rebellious against him that you have decided that you're going to go live in a hell that was created for Satan. That's what the Bible says. You don't want anything to do with him. You're rejecting him. And you don't want him in your life. I want I don't want anything to do with him. And God says, okay okay, I'll answer this one prayer for you, okay.

You don't have to have anything to do with me. I'll answer that. I believe those words will be haunting in the minds of people forever. They'll blame nobody in hell. The end of our lives, verse 25 to 26, will that be your final answer? Abraham said, son remember that in your lifetime you received that all that which is good. Now look, here's the thing. It's not that the rich are going to hell and the poor going to heaven. The point is this. Verse 26 says, and besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf.

It's fixed. So those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us. It's over. It final. That is a tragic thing to consider. What is your final answer regarding Jesus? In third and final point, we'll end with this. We're out of time. Verse 27 to 39 Forever is the most important thing. It's the most important thing you'll ever do. It's the most important thing you'll ever experience forever. Forever's real. Think of it. See, I don't believe that stuff. Well, okay. I mean you will, but let's just There's enough going on in life.

You've had enough things happen in life where it it flirts with your thinking. And I know I've read all this stuff cuz I've I've Have you ever Have you ever This thing called déjà vu, you ever heard of this stuff? It's like This is really weird. I feel like I've lived this moment before. That person's going to say this word in about 3 seconds. Oh my gosh, that's so weird. Am I having a stroke? What's the problem? Well, this is weird. Have you ever heard that that's And psychologists will say, It's actually the bifurcation of the frontal lobe memories and all And nobody knows what it is.

They people like to talk about it. Cardiologists will say, You're actually having a little bit of a stroke, heart failure thing and you're not processing time properly. You have like a little seizure thing in a warp speed. Nobody knows. Have you ever been in an accident? We were t-boned on Beach Boulevard going to the beach one day. Going right through the intersection, and you look like this. I was like 14. I wasn't driving. I was 14. I was in the passenger side. I was crazy, but I wasn't that crazy. And I remember looking at the person driving.

It was my mom, my friends in the back seat. I'm whatever. What And I looked right past her and there's a car going right through the red light coming right at us. You ever seen Have you ever had Have you ever been in a big accident? Listen, those of you who been in a big accident, raise your hands. What are you guys crazy? You've all been hit by somebody or something. Does time speed up or slow down? Oh, let me hear it again. One more time. Wow. Well, that's because your brain is trying to process it.

Listen. That look. You I saw this car coming, and all of a sudden You know what I'm talking about? But listen, was your brain working normal speed? It's like oh my goodness, and the whole thing's And the And the car hitting the glass and you you're like oh my goodness, you're totally engaged, full speed, and everything around you is going so slow. I This my interpretation. I believe that was the mercy of God. If I would have died that day, I would have gone straight to hell. I believe that God in that moment your brain My brain was so thinking so fast and all the stuff around was moving so slow.

I think that was God's mercy. And that kind of weird thing going on, I think those are little glimpses of God telling us you better wake up to the fact that there's a spiritual world outside of your little game you're playing. I think it is dead. I think it's absolute serious.

Announcer: You're listening to Real Life with Pastor Jack Hibbs. You know, to hear more episodes and maybe catch up in the series, just go to jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. And for now, let's get back to our teaching. Once again, here's Pastor Jack.

Jack Hibbs: In verse 27 to 28, hell at all cost, my friend, is to be avoided. Then he said, I beg you therefore, Father Listen to this man. All of a sudden the man in hell becomes very concerned about ministry. Notice this is this is valuable stuff. You can't go to Listen, you can't buy this in a college. You can't get a You can't get this from any school. You are Jesus Christ himself is letting you and I in on an invisible scene that I believe really happened. The man said, I beg you, Father Abraham that you would send him to my father's house.

Now, the man's not only concerned about ministry, he becomes super compassionate and very burdened for the souls of his brothers. Oh my goodness, church is hell filled with people who are full of regrets? For I have five brothers that he may testify to them lest they also come to this place of torment. The book of Revelation 20 verse 11 says, Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it from whose face the earth and the heavens had fled away and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God.

And books were opened and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it. And death and Hades were delivered up, the dead who were in them. And they were judged each one according to his works. Then death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Wow. And Abraham says in verse 29, these are warnings that are to be heeded. Listen to this.

This is the eternal answer. This is the answer from God to you tonight. You have Moses, you have the prophets. Better listen to them. And the man says, no Father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they'll repent. Now we know the issue. There it is. Circle it. The issue is not rich or poor. The issue is not eating sumptuously or eating crumbs. There it There it is. This man never repented. He never saw himself as the one who did the wrong. He never saw himself in need of the savior. He never He always justified his situation and blamed it on others.

Never took responsibility for his own filthy thoughts or her own self-actions. And the man It slips out from eternity. Send somebody to my family so they don't wind up here. Maybe they'll repent. Repentance is impossible without Moses and the prophets. Churches are gathering together around the world and in America, and they have people attending and they've never repented and they're going to wind up in hell just like this guy because the pastors and the preachers never talk about Moses and they never talk about the prophets and they'll never mention the word repent. Shill. We end here.

Jesus, my friend, did all that was needed. And so he said to them, if they do not hear Moses or the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead. I wonder if Jesus was pointing at himself at that second if one would rise from the dead. I'm going to ask you to close your Bibles. You can stand to your feet. I know it's very late. Going to ask the worship team to come on out. I want you to think about this though right now, please. Jesus is all that is needed. Did you know this?

The Bible says Hebrews in 9:27 is appointed unto every man once to die and then comes the judgment. Did you know that? Did Did you know there's no second chance after you breathe your last breath? It's over. Jesus did everything. Jesus did it all. Listen. 2 Corinthians 6 says, So we then together as workers with him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain, for he says, In an acceptable time I have heard you and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, today is the day of salvation.

Listen, this is the word of God. This is eternal. This This lasts forever. And the only way for you to last forever with him is to get inside of this cuz this gets inside of you. And this word says that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and rose again from the grave. Because the hour is very very late, I'm going to ask you Let's just pray right now together. And tonight if you want to make a decision for Jesus Christ in that time of prayer, I'm going to ask you to just slip your hand up real high, okay?

And then we'll sing our closing song, but those of you who raise your hands at the when when Gia dismisses us from this, I'd love to meet you up here. I can't make you come up here, but I I'd love to have you come up. Father, we come to you tonight and we thank you for this series in the parables. I'm always have mixed emotions at the conclusion of a book or a series, Lord, because makes me absolutely terrified because now I am more responsible and accountable as we all are tonight for having heard your word.

But while heads are bowed and eyes are closed tonight, Lord, I pray that you would seize the hearts of those who are in the balances. They are unsure of where they're at with you. They still think they can somehow pull it off with their good deeds or their morality. Lord, tonight by the power of your Holy Spirit, speak to them and show them they are absolutely bankrupt and in need of the blood of Jesus tonight like all of us. Tonight, do you believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the grave as the Bible says?

Do you believe that Jesus Christ announces that there's a heaven, that there's a hell, and that the Bible makes it very clear that he wants you in heaven and not in hell. Do you believe tonight that now is the night, today's the day for you to put your faith in him and to become a follower of Jesus Christ? If that's you tonight, heads are bowed, Christians praying, raise your hand if that's you this evening. You're making that decision. God bless you. Anyone else? God bless you to my right. Others? There's a little tornado going on inside your soul and you know that you should be doing this.

Anyone else? God bless you. Tell him now in your own words, Dear Jesus, I'm giving you my life. I'm not even quite sure what I'm doing. I just know that this is true and I need you. In your name I pray and all God's people said

Guest (Male): Amen.

Jack Hibbs: Amen.

Announcer: Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs here on Real Life Radio and his message called Parable That's Not a Parable. This episode marks the end of our series on parables, and we hope you've enjoyed it and that God really has blessed your life through this series. We sure did enjoy making it for you. So don't forget that you can always recap the series at jackhibbs.com. Next is our series on 1 Samuel, a favorite of mine by the way. So join us for that on the next edition of Real Life Radio.

Gia: So as you heard from our broadcast, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. And if you'd like to know what a commitment to Christ can mean in your life personally, we would love to help you out with that. Go to jackhibbs.com/knowgod. That's k n o w god. And there you'll be guided through what a commitment to Christ can mean in your life and the freedom that you'll find in knowing God. Don't miss out. That's the knowgod tab at jackhibbs.com.

Jack Hibbs: I sat I sat right beside June Hunt at the uh in Dallas at the um the CBN convention for the last dinner. It was pretty cool.

David J.: Did you She's awesome.

Jack Hibbs: She's sweet, but you'd never know. I mean when we were sitting there talking, I thought this lady is so sweet. She's probably with someone who's, you know, prominent in in in our our

David J.: Oh yeah, she is. She's

Jack Hibbs: And she she Yeah.

David J.: She's with Jesus.

Jack Hibbs: She's with Jesus all the time.

David J.: Oh And she is, too. Man, I

Jack Hibbs: June Hunt walks with the Lord.

David J.: I was so impressed with her.

Jack Hibbs: She is a wonderful woman of God. Uh we've got a book that we could not endorse enough. And it's it's not only because we love June Hunt, but uh this is a book that literally has over 11,000 biblical references in it. It's the biblical counseling reference guide. Davie, this is amazing because look we all need this book because Why? It references and answers 580 real life topics. Issues of life.

David J.: Yeah. And it's it's been said it's not a book that you'd read from cover to cover, right? She covers all kinds of topics like anxiety, anger, forgiveness, you know.

Jack Hibbs: True. Oh, exactly. Well, look. In fact, I'll do a book roulette, which is not which is not a good thing to do. But with this book you can do it. So I'm going to I'm flipping through the book. I'm going to stop and I'm going to open it up and here is a string of verses on complaining and grumbling.

David J.: Okay. This In this book it's good. No kidding.

Jack Hibbs: So the Lord must have had us open it up for producer Johnny. Just kidding. But you guys this book It's that wonderful. Here's Here's another one, grief. And I'm looking There's I don't know how many verses here on what does the Bible say about grieving. We all need to know this. Please get this book. If I had the money I'd buy it and give it to all of you. The biblical counseling reference guide, 580 real life topics, 11,000 verses, June Hunt I mean it's just over the top.

David J.: You know, she really she really seems like a person that just leans on the word of God. You know what I mean? Everyone so while you meet somebody you go, wow, this person knows the word of God.

Jack Hibbs: Yeah. I tell you what. I hope she's not listening to this broadcast right now because she'll be embarrassed, but um when I've been around June Hunt, I have the deep sense that I'm in the presence of someone who really knows the Lord in a very intimate way, a very personal way. This woman walks, speaks, and ministers in the grace of God. She is a wonderful saint and um we just thank the Lord of her and you guys you All that wisdom and guidance coming from the Bible and organized by June Hunt.

David J.: It's it's it's kind of a tool that you turn to when, you know, life hits with hard questions and stuff and it you know when a counseling situation comes up, it's great to have.

Jack Hibbs: Well, and you mentioned the word counseling as is the title of the book, The Biblical Counseling Reference Guide. What I would like to do is encourage everybody cuz you know people will hear the word counseling and they'll think either A, they don't need it, or B, they don't know how to give it. How about this? This book will equip you to give out biblical guidance

David J.: Yeah. Yeah.

Jack Hibbs: to those who ask and for yourself. And you know in June Hunt again we've talked about how precious she is, but she's the founder of the wonderful ministry Hope for the Heart. And uh she's I tell you what, she's a treasure uh in the church today and we're grateful to God for her.

Announcer: The Biblical Counseling Reference Guide by June Hunt is our thank you gift for your donation of any size to Real Life this month. And if you'd like to order your copy, and we hope you will, just visit jackhibbs.com/realradio. That's jackhibbs.com/realradio. Order your copy right away.

Jack Hibbs: This program is made possible by the generous contributions of you our listeners. Visit us at jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. Until next time, Pastor Jack Hibbs and all of us here at Real Life Radio wish for you solid and steady growth in Christ and in his word. We'll see you next time here on Real Life Radio.