Hope In The Last Hour
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 14 viewsNotes
Transcript
Good Morning church please turn with me to 1 John 2 were continuing in our study this morning of 1 John and were not going very fast bc there is so much stuff to digest and I really don’t feel the need to move too quickly.
Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
(Let’s Pray)
We come this morning to a very interesting passage especially in light of the season we find ourselves in in history. He says children it is the last hour and he says it twice. to emphasize the importance of what he is about to tell us. John describes for us this season in time we find ourselves in, right now, known as the last days.
Now you might say wow that doesn’t sound very nice, I don’t know if I wanna hear anymore, but come to think of it I think the apostle John might have been wrong he wrote that 2,000 years ago and here we are today, so he must have been wrong if he was writing telling them they were in the last days.
But actually he wasn’t wrong if you translate this from the Greek it translates better dear children we have entered into the last era. We have entered into the last age, this is speaking about a period of time that is the final era before the second coming of Jesus Christ, and before the end of all things.
What John is saying is dear children we have entered into that period which is the last period. There are no periods after this, before the coming of Jesus. It is called by other names other than the last day, or the last hour, or the last days. We also call it the church age, or the day of salvation. We need to remember that the bible teaches us that a day one day is as 1,000 years unto the Lord.
So for us this age could last 1,000 years but in gods eyes it has only been one day. Why?
Because He is High and lofty and lifted up He is majesty who sees past present and future all at once, He is the one and only God and he is the one who was and who is and who is to come.
The Lord calls this day the day of salvation, this age the age of salvation, the door is open, the mercy of God is her, the grace of god is being extended this is a certain season which has a definite beginning and definite end. There is only so much time for people to come to know Christ for people to come into the kingdom and then will come the end.
so he uses this term to show the sense of urgency that he wants to pass along to his readers and to us, to say we need to be on our guard. What John has been talking about in this whole letter is our need to be on our guard against false teaching and false teachers. So he goes on to say
Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
This is how we know we are in the end times
There is this spirit of antiChrist here on the Earth, when John says we are experiencing this increase of antiChrist meaning those who are openly and actively opposed to Christ as a sign that we are in the last hour he is revealing to us the fact that there would be a single person known as the antiChrist they had been taught about this. they had been taught that one day there will be a man who will be raised up literally empowered and enabled by the Spirit of satan. who will usher in a time that we call the great tribulation.
We could go on and on about what he is going to do but that is not the point that John is making here, he is saying even though you have heard that THE antichrist is coming even now many antichrist are here.
He is saying that the very same spirit of opposition, the same spirit of ant christ will reveal in the last days.
This is what we are already experiencing in the world. Here we are about 2,000 years after John writes this and you know were kind of thinking?
That might have been news back in Johns day but today this aint hard hitting brand new news we have had 2,000 years to see many who have come in the spirit of antichrist they have not been THE antichrist but they have come in that same spirit of opposition to the gospel and against everything that Jesus Christ stands for and they have had many different faces and have shown up in many different places.
Its kind of interesting that over the course of 2,000 years many of those antchrists have been obvious from the standpoint of they are not trying to decieve anybody as to what they are all about they arent trying to hold anything back, they hold their beliefs on thier sleeve they dont try to hide in any way shape form or fashion this what Im about, this is my agenda, even in our world today.
We have satanic things that go on that are openly opposed to everything that Christ has ever said.
I mean there are statues of baphomet in detroit and other places just out there in the streets honoring satan. There are satanic temples who are doing horrible things in their gatherings and they are simply being allowed to do it. The music that is found on many ipods and mainstream music stations are put out there and they are very much filled with antichrist messages to draw people away from Christ by luring them towards ideas and philosphies that raise themself up against the knowledge of God.
But do you know what?
These aren’t the guys that are very dangerous, now don’t get me wrong they are dangerous, but in their defense at least they are not hiding anything you know they are just in your face. Frankly the more dangerous elements of the spirit of antichrist are those that show themselves through accepted religious avenues.
People who have religious titles who appear on the outside to be very much Christian. but in fact what they say and how they live are very antichristian or antichrist bc what they say and how they live is very backwards from the revelation of Jesus Christ in His word.
It is in opposition to what God has given to us in His word and thats what makes them so dangerous. You know when a heavy metal rock band gets on stage and they are singing songs about sin and satanic subjects nobody is sitting wondering when someone is passing the communion plates. Nobody thinks that they know exactly what they are listening to.
It is all right out there in the open, its when people start taking the truth with a twist and it becomes very very dangerous especially for those who are just now learning about the truth, those who are brand new to the faith. Just learning the scriptures.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
Now let me be clear this does not refer to someone who changes churches, I have heard this mentioned as a proof text for that and thats not what it means.
What he is saying is these were people who were unwilling to accept and emrabce the full teachings of Jesus and as they were preached to by the apostles they would not stand for it they would not accept Christ, they had a form of godliness but denied its power.
So they just decided they were going to leave. John just says that is proof that they were never really with us in the first place. There is something scary about this, because they were with us for awhile, because there is a tendency in Christianity for us to look around the room and see who is here and there is a tendency to assume that everyone who comes is a born again believer in Jesus Christ.
I see them at church, they come faithfully they bring their Bible they sing the songs they are shaking hands and so they are obviously a Christian. Well then what happens, when that individual breaks off, and they begin to teach something that is unbiblical maybe not wildly unbiblical but maybe just a little bit off.
Thats the danger when we simply buy whatever other people in the church tell us as gospel and never really look at it for ourselves (Kerry)
I love it!
Search the scriptures for yourself!
Don’t just believe what Im saying but I will say this don’t go looking for something just because you wanna try to prove someone wrong. That does not honor God at all, (seminary), that can lead you astray.
These individuals who seek head knowledge and not a personal relationship with the Lord who do you think they are going to run after? They are going to target people who are going to respond most positively to thier message.
Those people who are targeted by these religious zombies these ones who have the spirit of antichrist who do not love sound doctrine who need add ons to sermons instead of being in love with just the word of God alone, these deceived ones who think they know the Lord but are not quite right bc they have the spirit of the antichrist they are going to target those who are younger in the faith.
This is why we have so many today who are falling prey to mancentered gospels feel good messages and things which are not Christ honoring. This is how the scripture will be fulfilled:
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
CHURCH THIS IS PLAYING OUT BEFORE OUR EYES THIS IS WHY DISCIPLESHIP IS SO IMPORTANT!
WE HAVE TO COME ALONG SIDE OTHER CHRISTIANS AND HELP THEM GROW NO MATTER THE SEASON OF LIFE THEY ARE IN BUT THESE LITTLE ONES NEW TO THE FAITH ARE OUR PRIMARY CONCERN!
Its interesting when you look at the major Christian cults, and when I say chrstian cults I mean those who have taken some form of christianity and added to it, changed it, perverted it or twisted it.
Those people who have gone out and started those cultic groups the vast majority of them attended a Christian church at one time, that was teaching the Bible but they couldn’t stomach it, they couldn’t handle it. So they went out and they started their own group and they began to disciple falsely their own group with twistings and turnings of the message.
These poor people they prey on were not quite able to discern the truth at that point and they were lead astray. This is why its very hard for me to trust someone to come preach to our young people.
When Cory and I choose someone to come speak to our youth we have a very select few we think of first. Why?
Because we trust them, (BCF) IN THE CHAPEL ON CAMPUS
In Johns day he was dealing with a group known as the gnostics or gnosticism They went around telling people that they had claim to a special advanced or hidden knowledge of Christ that the rest of Christians didn’t have.
So if you really want to have that inside scoop on everything that has to do with the Lord then you need to join us, now that appeals to people bc everyone wants to be right.
They told people they were the only ones who could bring them into this secret knowledge of the truth, and of course we have the same things happening in our day too.
Except today it comes with a NT of the Bible or it comes with a completely different Bible that does not match up with the Holy Word of God. Thats the stuff were dealing with in our day and it is the same spirit that John was dealing with in his day. It is anti the message of Christ as He passed it down and gave it to His apostles and gave it to the church.
IT IS A FLAT OUT LIE
This needs to be underlined in your bible this next verse
But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
What is John saying here He is not saying that you and me are perfect in knowledge and we didn’t need to be taught or instructed in anyway, he is insctructing them right now.
What he was saying is that they had already recieved the Holy Spirit and so you dont need a better teacher than Him.
When he says you know the truth… he is saying all the wisdom of God is already dwelling in your heart through the person of the HS these false teachers were trying to tell people that without them you had no way of unlocking these mysteries.
“we have the inside scoop”
Without us there is no way you will ever learn this advanced knowledge of the truth. Isn’t that exactly what the mormons are saying? Without this extra book this extra revelation of God you will never know the truth.
Isn’t this what some of the mainline churches today are saying?
Without our prophet our special revelation from God there is no way you will know the deeper things of God?
I can assure you it is being said over and over again and people are lapping it up.
Now I believe that god through HIs Holy Spirit can and does speak to us b ut he normally does so through a doctrinally sound word that matches up entirely with his word.
This is what the Jehovha witnesses are saying
One of the things that was given to me in Bible college was a list of all the english translations of the Bible. hundreds of them.
Even before the King James was printed did you know there were translations before that?
I was having a conversation with a dear friend who was Jehova witness and he genuinely wanted to know things about the christian faith. He was hung up because they have their specific Bible that has many Bible verses translated differently.
So I brought the list to work and and I had all of these hundreds of translations from all of these different generations and they all translate this verse the same way we do.
I asked him brother do you honestly believe that the other translators ALL of them got it wrong and your book got it right?
He sat there confused and he said yeah thats what im telling ya
It is this idea that we have the inside scoop and you dont, we have the advanced knowledge and you dont
What is John saying here is that this is absolutely false
The HS is the best teacher the one who unlocks all mysteries and all wisdom and He came to LIVE IN YOUR HEART WHEN YOU CAME TO KNOW JESUS HE IS NOT HOLDING OUT ON YOU!
When you know the Holy Spirit and what He teaches you through His word it is really hard for people to confuse and sway you.
WE ARE ALL IN CHRIST CHILDREN OF GOD AND GOD HOLDS NOTHING BACK FROM HIS CHILDREN EXCEPT WHAT IS NOT BENEFICIAL FOR THEM
And as they were saying these things, He Himself stood among them. He said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost. “Why are you troubled?” He asked them. “And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
DO you know how He opened their minds?
Luke doesnt tell us John does
John said HE breathed on them and saidd receive the HS
THATS WHAT OPENS OUR MINDS GUYS TO REALITY OF GODS WORD
“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, because He will take from what is Mine and declare it to you. Everything the Father has is Mine. This is why I told you that He takes from what is Mine and will declare it to you.
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit —the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.
Listen carefully dont let anyone come along and try to sell you something special that basically says if your not a part of thier ministry their church your not truly understanding what the word has to say. YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING INSIDE OF YOU!!
He teaches us everything we need to know about God and His Son Jesus Christ!
Wherever and whenever the word of God is taught Christians are going to grow in their faith in the Lord.
I have had people who have come to me and have said you know I have grown more under your ministry than in any before you. Don’t worry it can never go to my head, you wanna know why?
Essentially what I hear when they say that?
I sat in church for a long time but I was never taught the Bible
THE BIBLE THE WORD OF GOD IS THE POWER OF GOD AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU GROWS YOU WHEN THE TEACHING OF GODS WORD IS THERE
WE HAVE THE INDWELLING SPIRIT!
Let me tell you this is really the hope for the last hour as we march closer to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
GOD DWELLS IN YOU!!
HE WILL SHOW YOU WHAT TO DO IN THE MOMENTS OF LIFE WHEN WE DONT UNDERSTAND
So people ask well what about the tribulation what are we going to do?
My first reply is always the same as Jesus said in Matthew 24, in that moment GOd will give us the words to say or the acts to do, if we are listening for Him. The truth is I dont know what the future holds but I know WHO HOLDS THE FUTURE AND I BELIEVE IN THE HARDEST MOMENTS OF LIFE AND WHEN THINGS SEEM UPSIDE DOWN AND WE SEE EVIL PREVAILING, GOD HAS BOTH A PLAN AND A PURPOSE AND THEY ARE GOOD AND HE DESIRES TO LEAD GUIDE AND DIRECT US IN THOSE TIMES IF WE WILL OPEN OUR HEART TO LISTEN TO THE INDWELLING SPIRIT.
HE WILL KEEP US AWAY FROM LIES THROUGH HIS WORD AND HIS SPIRIT AND HE WILL GIVE US THE STEPS WE NEED TO TAKE DAY BY DAY AMEN
YOU HAVE EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR LIFE AND GODLINESS ALREADY IN CHRIST JESUS
IF WE WILL LEARN TO RUN TO HIM HE WILL SATISFY EVERY NEED WE COULD EVER HAVE
