Sermon Tone Analysis

But first...

1.)Rebellion

2.)Man of Lawlessness

Who, What, Where, When, How?

A. He demands worship in the midst of destruction

B. Paul told them about this (1 Thessalonians)

C.

He has not come yet, but is being restrained

(Rev.

20:1-6

D. Lawlessness is already at work

(1 Peter 5:8 Rev. 12:7-17

John Stott writes:

His anti-social, anti-law, anti-God movement is at present largely underground.

We detect its subversive influence around us today—in the atheistic stance of secular humanism, in the totalitarian tendencies of extreme left-wing and right-wing ideologies, in the materialism of our consumer society which puts things in the place of God, in those so-called “theologies” which proclaim the death of God and the end of moral absolutes, and in the social permissiveness which cheapens the sanctity of human life, sex, marriage, and family, all of which God created or instituted.

Knowing that this lawlessness is at work, believers must not merely look to the future day of trouble but also watch for its precursors now and stand guard over the precious things of God.

This was Paul’s concern, so he urged his readers not to be taken in by false teachers.

If we respond to his end-times teaching by exclaiming, “I am so glad not to live in the times of the Antichrist!” we fail to heed the warning of “the mystery of lawlessness … already at work” (2 Thess.

2:7).

If we do not guard our speech, watch our hearts, and live in careful obedience to Scripture, we may well feel the sting of Satan’s bite and suffer great loss to our churches, our families, and our work because of our carelessness and complacency.

E. Jesus will return and kill him

(Is.

11:4 Rev. 19:15 21

F. We have hope

(2 Thess.

2:8 Rev. 22:20