Lies Have an Expiration Date
Notes
Transcript
Illustration: The Forger's Masterpiece
In 1945, as Allied forces swept through post-war Europe, art investigators began uncovering what seemed like a treasure trove — long-lost masterpieces by the Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer. Museums were thrilled. Collectors paid fortunes. Critics marveled.
Then the truth arrived.
A Dutch painter named Han van Meegeren had forged every single painting. He had spent years perfecting the deception — aging the paint with phenol and formaldehyde, using period canvas, studying Vermeer's brushwork obsessively. His fakes fooled some of the most respected art experts in the world.
But when investigators placed his work under the scrutiny of scientific analysis — ultraviolet light, X-ray, chemical testing — the lies simply could not hold. The forgeries fell apart. What looked like the real thing was exposed as nothing more than a very convincing imitation.
Van Meegeren had built his entire reputation, his wealth, and his safety on a lie. And for a season, it worked beautifully.
Until the light came on.
Transition Statement
Jesus warns His disciples in Matthew 24 that the last days will be filled with master forgers — false christs, false prophets, signs and wonders so convincing that "even the elect" could be deceived (v. 24). These are not obvious frauds. Rather, they are polished and persuasive. They look like the real thing.
But Jesus doesn't say "if possible" to terrify us — He says it to immunize us. He is telling us: the deception will be sophisticated, but it has a built-in expiration date.
1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Talk about end of the age, and why the disciples thought that the destruction of the temple meant the end of the world.
Sept 11, 2001, many thought this was the end of the world...
Signs of Christ Coming
Signs of Christ Coming
False Christs
Wars and rumours of wars
Famines
Pestilences or diseases
Earthquakes in various places
The significant tremors registered yesterday included: [1]
Venezuela (M7.2 and M7.5): A massive doublet struck the country's northern coast near Yumare seconds apart. It caused devastating damage in Caracas and La Guaira, tragically resulting in over 200 fatalities. 1 2 3
Japan (M6.9): Hit offshore near Kuji on the northeast coast of Japan. Though strong, it escaped major infrastructure failure or fatalities. 1 2 3
California, USA (M5.6): Struck Northern California near Ukiah and Redwood Valley. The tremor was felt widely but caused only minor injuries and no major structural damage. 1 2 3
While these powerful earthquakes occurred within an 8-hour window of one another, seismologists consider their timing to be coincidental rather than causally connected. [1, 2]
Copied from: major earthquakes in 5 places on earth yesterday - Google Search - <https://www.google.com/search?q=major+earthquakes+in+5+places+on+earth+yesterday>
Persecution
False prophets
Lawlessness
The underline current, the anti-principle that buoys all these signs is deception.
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
People Caught Up with Conspiracy Theories
People Caught Up with Conspiracy Theories
False Christs
Wars and rumours of wars
Famines
Pestilences or disease
Earthquakes in various places
Persecution
False prophets
Lawlessness
Assasinations
Knowing the truth about who is behind… won’t do a thing to stop the lies.
Did you know that a report was quietly released that the COVID virus was actually a biological agent that leaked from a lab intended for biowarfare. And, so what what has this revelation done. Has it stopped all the lies and deception rampant in the political world, scientific world etc. No.
But I’m here to let you know that lies and deception have an expiration date!
Despite all the deception that has taken our planet captive for millenia, we don’t need to focus on deception, what we need to focus on is found in verse 14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
The English word gospel is derived from an old English compoud of two words, god and spel: godspel which means good story.
Yes, friends, the gospel is the good story about what Christ has done, is doing and will do for humanity. The gospel tells us about how God through Jesus has delievered us from the penalty of sin, is delivering us from the power of sin, and soon will deliver us from the presence of sin. The lies and deception running rampant today have two primary purposes. One, destroy as many people as possible, and two, to disparage the character of God, leading people to question how a loving, all-powerful, all-knowing God could allow so much suffering, so much death, so much sorrow. The gospel is the truth about God that will cut through all of the lies, all of the deceipt, and bring an end to this broken world, will bring an end to lies and deception.
I came by this morning to remind not to get caught up in “what ifs” and “could it be”, but get caught in the good story, the true story, the gospel, that when preached, not only with words, but by how we live, “as a witness,” We will hasten the expiration date of lies and deception, and of sin and suffering.
