If These Are The Last Days, What Does The Last Of The Last Days Look Like? Series

INTRODUCTION

Do you realize that the last days began nearly 2,000 years ago with the birth of Christ? His coming to earth ushered in salvation by grace to all who freely accept His gift, but it also ushered in the last days. Let me read you what Hebrews 1:1-2 says: In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe

I am now 68 years old. People will say that I am over the hill. I have statistically less time to live than I already lived. In other words, I have lived most of my life already. So, in the real sense I am in my last days. But my last of my last days will probably not be the same as the beginning of my last days. Now, in the beginning of my last days, I can drive an auto but there may be the possibility in the last of my last days I cannot. I can cut my own yard on a zero-turn mower in the beginning of my last days, but in the last of my last days, someone else may have to do that for me. I can walk in these beginning last days without any assistance, but in the last of my last days, I might need a walker or wheelchair.

What I am trying to tell you is that I am expecting the last of my last days is going to be different than the beginning of my last days. And the Bible makes it clear that the last of the last days is going to be a whole lot different than the time spoken about in Hebrews 1:1-2 which is referring to the beginning of the last of the last days.

But how different are the last of the last days going to be? That is what we hope to answer tonight. So, if you have your Bible turn with to 2 Timothy 3:1-12.

SCRIPTURE

2 Timothy 3:1-12

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,

4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--

5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,

7 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth--men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.

9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,

11 persecutions, sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.

12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Points:

#1

I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST DAYS AND THE LAST OF THE LAST DAYS.

Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)

1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

2 Timothy 3:1

(NIV) 1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

In Hebrews 1:1-2- there is no mention of terrible times. Instead, it extols the greatest of Jesus. But 2 Tim 3:1 cuts right to the chase. If you are living in the last of the last days, you are living in terrible times.

There are people who think nothing is going to change. Life as we know it is just going on and on. My grandparents struggled, my parents struggle, I struggle- that is just life. It not any worse; it is just a different type of struggle and our kids will struggle differently than us. No, there is a definite spot in time, when things are going to be so much worse than before.

It is going to be a marked difference. I know that by the word “terrible”. It is the same Greek word used in Matthew 8:28. Matthew 8:28 (NIV)