Eternal Echoes of Hell: A Message That Must Be Heard

Echoes of Eternity Part 6 | Pastor Andrew Thurber | Passionate Life Church



The concept of eternity is a core theme of the Gospel, but when we discuss the afterlife, conversations often stop at heaven. In Echoes of Eternity Part 6, Pastor Andrew Thurber challenges that imbalance by boldly preaching a rarely discussed but essential topic—hell.
This message was not presented to stir fear or create emotional manipulation. Rather, it was deeply rooted in Scripture, personal testimony, and pastoral urgency. As Pastor Andrew explained, “If we’re going to talk about heaven, we have to talk about hell. Jesus talked about hell three times more than he talked about heaven.” The truth is that understanding hell gives meaning to the cross, urgency to our mission, and clarity to our calling.

The Human Resistance to Hell—and Why Jesus Addressed It

We like the idea of heaven. As human beings, we are naturally drawn to the hope of peace, reunion, and eternal joy. But many resist the reality of hell, even though Jesus described it repeatedly. That resistance is precisely why He addressed it so often.

Pastor Andrew explained, “Our human nature wants to believe in a loving God who brings us to heaven but struggles to reconcile that same love with the existence of hell.” Jesus’ repeated teachings on hell weren’t to scare people, but to warn them. Warnings are an act of love.

A Personal Experience of Hell That Changed Everything

This message took on deeper meaning when Pastor Andrew shared a powerful, life-altering encounter he had with hell during his time working at a Job Corps Center. Assigned to a government-run residential facility for troubled youth, he described the environment as “the most demonically charged place I have ever been.”

Despite his initial fire for evangelism, the hostility and disrespect he experienced began to harden his heart. One young man even said, “I don’t care if I go to hell. I’ll just get used to it.” At that moment, Pastor Andrew admitted, marked the beginning of spiritual numbness: “I was becoming callous. And that’s Satan’s goal—to stop us from caring.”

Frustrated, he prayed a dangerous prayer: “God, I think you need to show me where they’re going. Show me hell.”

That night, Pastor Andrew had a vision in which an angel led him to the center of the earth. What he saw was devastating: dark, prison-like cells, demonic torment, and suffering beyond description. “I was on fire. I couldn’t breathe. I felt my chest burning,” he recalled.

Though the vision lasted only moments, it left a permanent mark on his soul.

Hell Is Separation from God: The Worst Part

Quoting 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Pastor Andrew highlighted that the worst thing about hell is not the fire, pain, or torment—but total separation from God.

“They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from His glorious power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:9)

Even those who reject God on earth still experience His mercy indirectly. But in hell, there is no presence of God, no mercy, no hope. It is not just punishment—it is the complete withdrawal of everything good.

Jesus’ Descriptions of Hell: Darkness, Fire, Regret

The sermon explored several vivid descriptions from Jesus and other biblical writers about what hell is like.

1. Outer Darkness
As Jesus described in Matthew 8:12 and Jude 13, hell is a place of total darkness. Pastor Andrew used a powerful personal story of visiting Glenwood Caverns with his family, where a guide shut off all the lights in a cave, plunging them into complete darkness. Within 90 seconds, people began crying out in fear. That experience, he said, was a glimpse of what eternal darkness would feel like—no light, no direction, no peace. The church points believers to Psalm 27 scripture reading for hope in the midst of fear.

2. Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth
Hell is also filled with intense sorrow and mental torment. One testimony Pastor Andrew shared involved a woman who had overdosed and was momentarily sent to hell. She explained that the “gnashing of teeth” came not just from physical pain, but from overwhelming regret and shame—the torment of a life wasted without Christ.

3. No Water or Relief
In Luke 16:24, Jesus told the story of a rich man in torment begging for just a drop of water to cool his tongue. “Even a single drop would be relief in hell,” Pastor Andrew said. This is a place without refreshment, relief, or mercy.

4. Eternal Fire and Torment
Jesus described hell as a place of flames and torment, where demons plan how to torment souls forever. “It’s not a party,” Pastor Andrew clarified. “It’s eternal agony.”

5. A Spiritual Prison
Quoting Isaiah 24:21-22 and referencing the testimony of Bill Wiese (23 Minutes in Hell), Pastor Andrew revealed that hell is structured like a prison—cells of isolation and bondage in another realm, likely located in the center of the earth but beyond physical reach.

Where Is Hell and Why Was It Created?

Multiple scriptures describe hell as a descending place, often called a “pit” or “chamber” (Psalm 88:4-5, Ezekiel 26:20, Proverbs 7:27). While it may exist in the earth’s core, Pastor Andrew emphasized that it exists in a different realm—a spiritual dimension not accessible by physical means.

But why would God even create such a place?

Jude 1:6 explains that hell was originally created for the devil and his angels—not for people. It was meant as punishment for rebellious spiritual beings who left their rightful place.

“God has kept them secretly chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.” (Jude 1:6)

Matthew 25:41 reaffirms this: “Then the King will say… ‘Away with you… into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.’”

God never intended for people to go to hell—but through free will, humanity chooses it.
Do People Choose Hell? Jesus Says Yes

Pastor Andrew addressed a common question: “If God is so loving, why would He send people to hell?”

Jesus answered this in Matthew 7:13–14, teaching that the path to destruction is wide and many choose it, while the way to life is narrow and only a few find it.

Hell is not forced upon anyone—it is the result of rejecting the way God clearly provided. Using a vivid analogy, Pastor Andrew said, “God gave us GPS directions to His house. If you ignore the directions, you won’t arrive. That’s not His fault.”

Salvation in the Face of Eternity: Stories of Redemption

This message closed with two powerful real-life testimonies.

One was of an elderly coworker who believed he was too far gone for grace. “I deserve hell,” he said. But Pastor Andrew explained that Jesus had already paid the price. That man wept, prayed, and gave his life to Jesus right there on the unit.

Another was a teenager grieving the suicide of his cousin. He was hopeless, but after attending church with Pastor Andrew and hearing the Gospel, he raised his hand in surrender and received Christ. The Lord spoke to Pastor Andrew: “One month of your life is worth two lives in eternity.”

These stories reminded the church that every life matters and we are on a mission.

You Are on Mission Too

Pastor Andrew urged the church to pray, invite, and evangelize again. If you’ve stopped praying for someone, if your heart has grown callous, if you’ve stopped inviting people to church—it’s time to return to your mission.
 
“Write their name on a piece of paper and put it on the cross,” he said, inviting the church to a response of action and intercession. “Don’t give up on them. God hasn’t.” Believers were encouraged to submit a prayer request, take their Next Steps, or connect directly through the Contact Page for support.

He ended with a simple call: “You are on a mission. Every person in your life is a divine appointment.”