Thes #7 Man of Lawlessness

Thessalonians series #7

The Man of Lawlessness

Scared, Standing, or Busy?

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

A paradoxical statement appears at the beginning of Dickens Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

Panic Over Fiction Story

On October the 30th 1938 Orson Welles broadcast The War of the Worlds on the Radio. Even though he told people upfront that what they were about to hear was fictional, it was presented in such a way that more than 1 Million people thought it was real and panicked.

It was 9 p.m., October 30, 1938. A woman anxiously dialed the New York City bus terminal asking information about the next bus departure. "Hurry, please!" she cried. "The world is coming to an end, and I have a lot to do." The woman was serious, for she had just heard Orson Welles's radio broadcast of the novel, The War of the Worlds.

1. Don't be Unsettled

definition -

un·set·tled : not settled: as

a (1) : not calm or tranquil : disturbed 〈unsettled political conditions〉

(2) : likely to vary widely especially in the near future : variable 〈unsettled weather〉

(3) : not settled down 〈unsettled dust〉

b (1) : not decided or determined : doubtful 〈an unsettled state of mind〉

(2) : not resolved or worked out : undecided 〈an unsettled question〉

c : characterized by irregularity 〈an unsettled life〉

d : not inhabited or populated 〈unsettled land〉

e : mentally unbalanced

f (1) : not disposed of according to law 〈an unsettled estate〉

(2) : not paid or discharged 〈unsettled debts〉

A. What Unsettles us?

When we don't know the truth about the future.

So every time we hear something new or something else happens on the world scene, we become unsettled

1. deception - we live in an age of deception;

a. we are deceived by "good" people, by "godly" people by "church" people" by people we trust; "educated" people;

b. we live in a day where people don't believe the Word of God any longer.

c. in the day when Paul wrote this letter, God's people believed the truth that was taught them by Christ, the prophets, the Apostles.

d. no one doubted the Authenticity of the Scriptures, the diety of Christ, the Virgin Birth, the Miracles of Jesus, the Teachings of the Apostles

e. Paul warned in many of his writings that the day would come when people would no longer hold to the truth of scripture, people would listen to teachings that pleased their itching ears

f. The DAY is HERE

2. lack of knowledge

a. we are unsettled because we don't know the truth, we don't know the word of God. So, when something sounds good we don't know if it matches scripture or not

b. we hear a "revelation" and we don't know the Word of God enough to know that that "revelation" couldn't be from God because it doesn't match up with his Written Word.

>A "revelation" from God will always match his Written Word. It is always for the purpose of understanding. It will never stand alone or apart from his Word

c. As a general rule, we are MORE Educated than our parents and grandparents generation, yet we are MORE IGNORANT about God's Word and so we become easily Unsettled

3. unnecessary fear / doubt

a. lack of knowledge and deception lead us to be afraid of the future, afraid of the present, unnecessary fears

b. we doubt ourselves, we doubt God, we doubt so many things unnecessarily

Quickly, then, what do we know …

B. What do we know About the Man of Lawlessness?

1. things must happen before the end will come

a. People will fall away from the Truth, 1 Tim. 4

b. 2 Tim 3 says people will be lovers of themselves, money, proud, abusive, without love, without self-control form of godliness but denying it's power - they will take advantage of weak-willed women, learning but never able to acknowledge truth,

c. well maybe we are there. We live in apostate days

2. the Temple must be rebuilt - v 4

a. the man of lawlessness will exalt himself in and desecrate the Temple of God

b. well the Temple is not rebuilt yet so he can't come

c. he will destroy the daily sacrifices and stand boldly in the Holy Place as an unholy man -

(Daniel 11:31 and Matt. 24:15)

d. of course before any of this could happen, Israel had to become a nation again. That happened in 60 years ago. There has never been a nation that has been dispersed, eliminated that has returned to the world stage after hundreds of years. Yet Israel returned to the world stage in the 1940's and will take center stage in the end times

3. Man of Lawlessness is currently being held back and will not appear until the Restrainer is removed

a. The Man of Lawlessness is a real man, NOT a world system, he is the Son of Destruction who will oppose the Son of God. He will put himself against everything that is of God. He will be empowered by Satan himself. He will bring the World Together in a "ten horned federation"

b. understand that God is in control and even this Man of Lawlessness can do nothing unless God allows it. There are Times and Seasons that are set and known by God alone

c. Who is the Restrainer? I believe he is the Holy Spirit, the 3rd person of the Trinity. If he is the restrainer, then how will he be removed? This part holds to debate, but I believe he will be "removed" as the CHURCH is removed from this earth in the Rapture. Currently The Holy Spirit inhabits his people, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. But I believe that the church will be Removed and thus the inhabitation of the Holy Spirit will no longer be in the world in the same way.

d. Of course the Spirit will still be at work on the earth as people will still believe and be converted during those last times, but with the Church gone, he will no longer work in the same way in hindering the movement of the Man of Lawlessness

e. Satan will work through the Man of Lawlessness through miracles much like Pharoah's magicians copied God's miracles through Moses vv9-10 and he will continue to deceive those who will not believe and are destined for destruction

f. The church is NOT destined for Wrath - "The Day of the Lord" or the "Day of Wrath" - is destined The Gentile or non-believer world, and the unbelieving Jews. But the Church is NOT.

1 Thes 1:10 "wait for the Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead - Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath."

1 Thes 5:9 "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ."

4. The Purpose of the Man of Lawlessness and the period of Tribulation is the punishment of the Gentiles and the Purification of the Jewish Nation. And with the Church removed, a new antichrist "church" will become central.

a. We have been saved in the Church by believing the Truth, they will be damned because they believe the lies of the Man of Lawlessness.

b. we have believed the good news of the Gospel, they believe the false gospel and promised of the devil.

c. we have been chosen for glory, they are destined for hell.

As I see it, here is how it will flow when the time comes

> the church will be removed in the rapture

> The Antichrist - man of lawlessness will rise to power in a peaceful way

> he will unite Europe and make a 7 year covenant with Israel promising to protect it as is prophesied in Dan 9:27

> 3 ½ years after the promise, he will break that covenant and invade Israel

> He will abolish all other religions cause all to worship him alone Rev. 13

> At the end of 7 years (the Tribulation or Day of the Lord) Christ will return to the Earth and Destroy the Antichrist and his government

It is clear that the Man of Lawlessness WILL come, the Tribulation will take place and of those you can be sure

Some can and do argue over whether the Church will go through the Tribulation or whether they will be removed before it but I believe that we will be removed, as we are not destined for God's wrath

But at the very least you should NOT be unsettled because we can see that the things we KNOW must happen, are clear and we can watch for them and know that God keeps his promises

So … DO NOT BE UNSETTLED instead

2. Stand Firm

A. Foundation of Truth

1. Salvation

2. belief in truth

Eph 4:11-16

?11? It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ?12? to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ?13? until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

?14? Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ?15? Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

James 1:6 "He who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."

3. called by God - your fate is in his hands - v13-14 "God chose you and called you to be saved and sanctified"

4. you will share in his glory

B. Stand on the Foundation

1. the foundation is only effective in making you stand if you STAND

a. if you fret and flit and shake and quake you are NOT standing on the truth

b. I am tired of Christians getting caught up fretting tomorrow when they know in whose Hands Tomorrow RESTS

c. God's people ought to be different in regards to the world around us

d. Some Christians just don't know, so we teach them so they can stand

e. but I'm tired of seeing Christians get OFF of their Foundation of truth and Sink in the Mire of Fear and Ignorance

"Do you Know that God is In Control?" Yes

"Do you know what the Bible says must happen and WILL happen in the end?" YES

"Do you know that God is in control even when the Antichrist comes?" YES

Then what are you WORRIED ABOUT?

Get up out of that Quicksand

Stop Blowing around in the Wind

Stand

2. plant your feet, square your shoulder; Stick out your jaw and stand

3. HOLD to the Truth - truth is only effective as you use it, put it into practice, live by it, proclaim it, surrender to it

4. Let's be reminded of the definition of being Unsettled

un·set·tled =

b (1) : not decided or determined : doubtful 〈an unsettled state of mind〉

(2) : not resolved or worked out : undecided 〈an unsettled question〉

c : characterized by irregularity 〈an unsettled life〉

d : not inhabited or populated 〈unsettled land〉

e : mentally unbalanced

f (1) : not disposed of according to law 〈an unsettled estate〉

(2) : not paid or discharged 〈unsettled debts

>Do not be Disturbed you can have Peace and calm that the world doesn't have

>Do not be swayed because God's prophesies do not vary it is certain so stand firm

>When the dust settles on this world barren after God's Judgment rolls, you are not unsettled you are NOT undecided.

>Stand Firm knowing that the future has already been determined and decided by non-other than God Almighty.

>The future of this world has been resolved, worked out to the desired result

it has been resolved in the courts of Heaven and the Justice of Eternity has decided the fate of this world and the Evil One and the Man of Lawlessness who will come.

>But if you know Jesus Christ as Savior, then you have NOT been appointed for wrath, your debts have been paid and your account is settled so don't be Unsettled, Stand Firm

But before we close today. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ and You understand the certainty of the Future and know that God is in control and you understand what must happen before the end … then …

are you just supposed to STAND FIRM are you supposed to be a Firm Standing Spiritual Loiterer?

I don't think so …

In light of the truth,

recognizing that Judgment is coming, the Man of Lawlessness will be revealed in the Awesome and Terrible Day of the Lord

… God doesn't want us rest on our Blessed Assurance …

3. God wants you to Get Busy

A. God calls you to do something with this Truth on which you stand

1. you have eternal encouragement

a. you don't have to be shaken by this year's world uncertainty

b. you aren't shaken by the latest heresy that is being taught by this years spiritual Fad perpetuator

c. v 16 - you have an eternal encouragement that will carry you through today AND tomorrow and right into eternity

2. you have good news that is really good - v 17 GOOD HOPE

- we act like we don't really have something to tell

- We have good news.

Paul says "I am NOT ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ because it is the power of God until salvation for those who believe." Ro 1:16

Peter Says "always be prepared to give an answer for the hope we have in Christ Jesus" 1 Peter 3:15

3. the fact is that the man of lawlessness WILL come, this world WILL end, Hell is REAL, Heaven is available, all through the blood of Jesus Christ. We do NOT have to fear tomorrow, nor what the future holds, because God is in control

4. we don't have to be afraid to sound like a radical, or a fool for believing the TRUTH!

B. In Every Good Deed and Word

1. he doesn't just encourage you so you can make it through the day

2. he encourages us to do something with this truth

3. LOVE = Deeds, Action lived out in our lives toward other people

4. Word = a testimony - we are overcomers by the Word of our Testimony - and the power of the blood -

a. open your mouth at work - tell what you know and believe when talk of the future comes up -

b. Don't just say "only the Lord knows" - that is a cop-out - Yes there are some things that only God knows but there are some things that he has made plain to us

c. - Speak the truth -God is calling you to be a witness

d. Acts 1:8 - YOU WILL be my Witnesses - it is NOT an option it is an expectation for those who follow Jesus Christ, those who live in the Truth will speak it not as a Judgment but as a call to an unbelieving world that they are already condemned and can escape the Judgment

C. How should we Live?

2 Peter 3:11-12 since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives. As you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring your destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat"

1. how can WE speed the purposes of God?

2. I do NOT believe we change the plans of God but we complete them

3. Matt 24:14 "this gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to the nations, and then the end will come."

4. the nations will be without excuse before he comes so we should be about spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth.

5. But does that mean that God doesn't know when it will be? OF COURSE NOT

6. but when we are standing around wondering when it will be it will seems like forever. But when you get busy doing something it seems like the time you long for comes quickly. Time flies when you are busy

7. If you want to speed His coming - Get BUSY, preach the Gospel, You know the Truth Be his Witnesses

Don't Be Unsettled

His Word is sure

His Purposes are Certain

His Plans are Accomplished

Stand Firm on the Rock of Ages

Our Hope is in Him all day long

Get Busy his coming is Just around the corner and your Neighbor needs you know, your Friend needs to know

Your Co-worker needs to know

Your Enemy needs to know

My momma used to sing a song

Everybody ought to know

Everybody ought to know who Jesus Is

He's the Lily of the Valley

He's the bright and morning star

He's the fairest of 10,000

Everybody ought to know