What Hell has that we Need

Today, I want to talk about a story Jesus told in Luke 16. Now, many of Jesus’ stories were called parables—relatable stories with deep spiritual meanings. But the story we’re diving into today is different. It’s not just a parable. This story includes real names and real people, and many scholars believe it’s an account of something that actually happened.

In this story, Jesus tells us about two men. One was a rich man, living in luxury, while the other, Lazarus, was a poor man covered in sores, longing for scraps from the rich man’s table (Luke 16:19-21, NLT). The story paints a clear contrast between their lives on earth. But then the tables turn after they die. Lazarus is carried by angels to sit beside Abraham, while the rich man ends up in torment in the place of the dead (Luke 16:22-23, NLT). It’s a heavy reality check for all of us.

Now, I want to share three key lessons from this story—lessons that we might not expect to come from a place like hell. Here’s what hell has that we actually need in our lives today:

1. Hell Has a Reality We Need
The first lesson is this: hell is real. In verse 23, we see the rich man in torment, fully aware of his eternal fate. Here’s the truth—he didn’t need anyone to convince him that hell was real anymore. It hit him like a freight train.

We don’t like to talk about hell, but it’s a real place. Jesus talked about it for a reason. I think sometimes we need a reality check ourselves. There’s no denying it—one day we’ll all face the reality of death, and our relationship with Jesus is what determines our eternity.

As William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, once said, “If I could, I would make every Christian spend 15 seconds in hell—then we would plead with people to be saved.” That’s the kind of urgency we need today.

2. Hell Has a Desperation We Need
In his torment, the rich man begs Abraham to send Lazarus with just a drop of water to cool his tongue (Luke 16:24, NLT). That desperation is something we need in our lives—not for water, but for God.

Have you ever been desperate for something? Desperation drives action. Maybe you’ve been desperate for a break, desperate for answers, desperate for relief. We need to be desperate for God like that—desperate for His presence in our lives, for His guidance in our decisions, and for His peace in our hearts.

When we live with that kind of desperation, it changes everything. It changes how we pray, how we worship, and how we live day-to-day. When we recognize our deep need for God, we find time to seek Him and put Him first.

3. Hell Has a Passion for the Lost That We Need
In verses 27-28, the rich man suddenly becomes passionate about something—his five brothers. He begs for someone to go warn them so they don’t end up where he is (Luke 16:27-28, NLT). Even though it’s too late for him, he’s desperate to save his family.

Here’s the question: Do we have that same passion for the lost today? Do we care that people around us don’t know Jesus? It’s time for us to catch a passion for reaching people with the Gospel.

On any given Sunday, 1 in 4 people would say “yes” to an invitation to church. That’s huge! But how often are we too comfortable to extend that invite? We can’t let the enemy be more passionate about reaching people than we are.

Hell has a reality, a desperation, and a passion that we need in our lives. But here’s the good news: Hell doesn’t have to keep you. God sent Jesus so that hell wouldn’t have the final word. John 3:16 tells us that whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life.

Today, if you haven’t made the decision to follow Jesus, you can. Hell might have you now, but it doesn’t have to keep you. Accept Jesus, and step into the life God has for you—both now and for eternity.