Living In The Last Days
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
We are going to look down through the remainder of this chapter, but those two verses introduce us to the subject at hand.
Last Sunday morning, I actually preached on the previous few verses where John sought to inform us of specific pitfalls that are common to all: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. We found that all sin ultimately falls into one of these three categories, and God tells His children, do not love the world, the world being the world system.
Our text this evening continues to deal with particular difficulties common to all believers in every generation. John reveals the presence and dangers associated with the spirit of antichrist. They were only a few decades removed from the ascension of Christ and the spirit of antichrist was already prevalent among them. Now we stand some 2,000 years removed and the spirit of opposition to Christ and His church grows stronger.
We are living in a day when people have departed from the Lord’s people and denied the Lord’s person. When people will not believe the truth then they will believe a lie.
G.K. Chesterton said, “When people abandon the truth, they don’t believe in nothing, they believe in anything.” If you’ve been in church long at all you’ve known those who have departed from the flock and have denied the Father.
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Perilous times are here!
The days are numbered and we need to be ready.
Here’s some reasons we need to be ready!
Intercession: We need to be praying for this world. We need to get our heads out of the sand and get our knees on the floor and pray for this generation.
Soulwinning: If you are living for this world only, all you are doing is rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. We need to be getting people to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.
Family: Living in the last days is dangerous and we as parents and grandparents need to be sharing and showing values and Bible truths into the hearts and minds of our children.
We need to be awake and realize it is the last days, and by the way, I’m not looking for a sign, I’m looking for Jesus!
There is a theme throughout the New Testament that shows we are looking for Him! (1 Thess. 1:10, Phil. 3:20, 1 Cor. 1:7, Heb. 9:28) are just a few passages that teach this.
There are three keywords in these verses I want to point out tonight!
1-Antichrist
1-Antichrist
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Look at three things concerning the Antichrists in these two verses:
We see the timetable:
We see the timetable:
We’ve already looked at this in the introduction, but notice, John says, “…it is the last time.”
The Greek word translated time here actually means “hour, specific time.” If it was the last hour 2000 years ago could it be that we are in the last minutes of the last hour or could it be that we are in the last seconds of the last minute of the last hour? Jesus is coming and John warns the church about the time that we are living in.
We see the tyrant:
We see the tyrant:
John says, “…ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists...”
The Antichrist is indeed coming! Antichrist: is made up of two Greek words. Anti has a dual meaning. It can mean ‘against’ Christ and ‘instead of Christ. In the last days there will appear a figure that will exalt himself in the world and have power and prestige from Satan and will be against everything that is godly.
There is “THE Antichrist”, but John also tells us that many forerunners to the Antichrist have come and they are still on the scene. Because there is the spirit of the antichrist in the world we can learn from that that it is the last hour. It is the last hour that we leave in. The spirit of the Antichrist is alive and well in our world today.
The spirit of the Antichrist promotes and supports abortion, gay rights, trans rights, pornography, murder, rape, prostitution, lying, stealing, anger, abandonment, abuse, and everything else that opposes the Word of God and the Spirit of God.
We see the tragedy:
We see the tragedy:
John says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us...”
These people appeared to be for Christ, to know Christ. They were church members and disciples and teachers. The true Christians don’t leave the Church, Christ, and the Christian fellowship. They don’t go out—they get in and stay in.
John is talking about those who have turned away from the church and departed from the fellowship.
It wasn’t that they never heard the truth, but they would not believe the truth and heed the truth. They had known the way of salvation and yet persisted in their unbelief!
Those who are truly saved will remain with the saints. Jesus says that a tree is known by its fruit. John says for this reason they went out from us so that it could be manifest, that they really didn’t belong to the family of God.
This happened to Jesus by the way...
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
2-Anointing
2-Anointing
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
We have an unction, and anointing. These two words are translated from the same Greek word and are used metaphorically of the Holy Spirit.
The word “unction” in verse 20 and “anointing” in verse 27 is the Greek word “chrisma” - it means, “what is rubbed on,” i.e., “ointment,” “whitewash.” - Medically, it denotes a “healing ointment.”
You know what that means? It means that those who are truly saved and have the Holy Ghost living within have protection!
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
We can detect the truth, we can decipher the truth, and we can declare the truth!
We can know all things concerning the truth because we know that Jesus is the truth and His Spirit lives inside us!
Simon Kistemaker wrote, “The believer anointed with the Holy Spirit is able to discern the truth from error, oppose heresy, and withstand the attacks of Satan.”
Because of the unction and anointing, we can continue!
1 John 2:24 (KJV 1900)
24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
True children of God don’t turn away…They continue!
3-Abiding
3-Abiding
The way in which we should live in the last days is summed up in this one word...
We see:
Abiding in the INFALLABLE Word of God.
Abiding in the INFALLABLE Word of God.
1 John 2:24 (KJV 1900)
24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
There are three keywords in this verse pertaining to Abiding...
You “heard” – What did you hear? Truth...
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
You “remain” – Why do you remain? Trust...
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
You “continue” – Why continue? Triumph...
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Abiding in the INDWELLING Spirit of God,
Abiding in the INDWELLING Spirit of God,
1 John 2:27 (KJV 1900)
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you,...
Those who are born again possess a special resource the world doesn’t have...All believers are indwelt with the Spirit. We have assurance that He will guide us in the journey. When the enemy comes against us, we have the Spirit’s guidance to counter his attack.
Abiding in the INSEPARABLE Union with God,
Abiding in the INSEPARABLE Union with God,
1 John 2:27 (KJV 1900)
27 ...but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Not only do we enjoy the anointing of the Spirit, we also have the promise of His continual presence. We are surrounded by the Lord through the Spirit as we engage the enemy. We do not have to wonder if we have the resources necessary to overcome. The Spirit will guide us in the right path, while surrounding us with His presence and power.
Conclusion
Conclusion
28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
We are living in the last days.
Many have abandoned the journey, denying the faith. Christ could come at any moment. When He comes, we will stand before Him in judgment. We will all give account of the lives we’ve lived. As long as we abide in Christ, living our lives according to His will in order to glorify Him, we can have confidence that we will not be ashamed when He returns.
Possessing that confidence ought to be our desire.
It challenges me though. If Christ were to come today, would He be pleased with what is revealed in our lives? We aren’t keeping anything from Him, but would we feel good about standing before the Lord at this moment, with our lives as they are?
Abide in Him, and you will always enjoy that confidence!
Are there needs in your life? Are you as close to the Lord as you ought to be? Have you met Christ in salvation? If not, I urge you to seek Him today!