I Know That I Will Make It Through The End Times! Series

What Do You Know?

I Know that I will Make it through the End Times!

1 John 2:15-27 & 4:1-6

April 22, 2001

Intro:

A. [Preparing for Judgment, Citation: Jon Mutchler, Ferndale, Washington; source: Seattle Times (3-27-00)]

On March 26, 2000, Seattle’s famed Kingdome—home of the Seattle Seahawks, Mariners, and at times, the Super Sonics—was destroyed.

Maryland-based Controlled Demolition Incorporated was hired to do the job of imploding the 25,000-ton structure that had marked Seattle’s skyline for two dozen years.

Remarkable about the event was the extreme measures taken to ensure no one was hurt. CDI had experience with over 7,000 demolitions and knew how protect people.

Engineers checked and rechecked the structure.

The authorities evacuated several blocks around the Kingdome.

Safety measures were in place to allow the countdown to stop at any time if there was concern about safety.

All workers were individually accounted for by radio before the explosives were detonated.

A large public address system was used to announce the final countdown.

In short, CDI took every reasonable measure and more to warn people of the impending danger.

The Bible teaches of a final judgment and destruction for this sinful world.

Like the engineers who blew up the Kingdome, our heavenly Father has spared no expense to make sure everybody can "get out" safely.

He warns us through our consciences, through the prophets, through the Word of God, through the Holy Spirit, through the Church, and through his Son.

B. Make no mistake about it, the Bible does speak of some perilous times for believers as Judgment Day approaches.

1. But listen to what Jesus had to say to the church at Smyrna in Revelation 2:10, Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

2. As we continue our study of first John, (I hope that you read through the book this week) John gives us some very insightful words about how to make it through the end times; first…

I. Remain in the Father

1 John 2:15-17, Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

A. These three verses make one of the most basic distinctions that we must understand in order to make it through the end times.

1. The distinction has to be made between the ways of the world and the ways of the Father.

2. Which do we love: the world or the Father?

3. During the end times, it is going to be very important to be able to tell the difference between the ways of this world and the ways of God.

B. And John says something that is very tough here…

1. John says that we can not love the world or anything in it.

2. John says that we can not love the things of this world.

3. And make no mistake, there are things about this world that certainly tempt our affections.

4. John says that everything in the world comes from the world and not from the Father.

5. John says the cravings of this world are not from God.

6. John says the lusts of the eyes are not from God.

7. John says the boastings of what we have are not from God.

8. John says the boastings of what we have done are not from God.

9. And John says the man who is attracted by these things will die, but that the man whose affections are on God will make it through the end times, and indeed, eternity.

10. That means that we can’t even love this life.

11. Because this life is of this world.

C. Some of you may recall the story of Lot’s wife during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah recorded in the book of Genesis.

1. God decided to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because they had come to love so much the ways of this world.

2. But since Lot was a righteous man, God decided to spare Lot and his family.

3. God told Lot to flee the cities and not look back.

4. But Genesis 19:26 says, But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

5. Why was she turned into a pillar of salt?