Just for a few minutes or two, I wish to speak from the text that was in your hearing from the subject “IN THE LAST DAYS: A GLANCE OF REALITY”
From the time I was born in 1961 up to now, there were events I wasn’t aware of, but I read about it and there were some things that has happened was aware of and witness it in my lifetime.
For example, I was too young to learn about when we elected its first Irish Catholic President John F. Kennedy or the early marches of the Civil Rights Movement or the Bus Boycotts or when the Russians went into space or when President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas back in 1963 but, I learned about it later from reading about it but did not witness it right then. I was too young to hear about Malcolm X’s death in 1965 in New York.
But I did witness the first man on the moon on television in color; I witnessed Vietnam and the reports every day at around 6:00 pm with Walter Cronkite on the CBS Evening News; from Watergate to the Spirit of ‘76 to the Iranian War and even 9-11 and America’s first African American First Family in the White House, I witnessed and remembered and will not forget.
Paul in our text, was letting us know as he penned this to his young protégé Timothy in these last days, there will be violent periods of time. There will be days we see things as spoken of by Paul.
There are at least four kinds of people that we will encounter in these the last days.
THE REALITY OF THOSE FOLKS WHO JUST DON’T CARE. Paul told us that these folks, will be selfish and love money. They will brag, be arrogant and use abusive language. Philippians 2:3–4 (NASB95) tells us about selfishness, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Not only they will be selfish but be lovers of money. The O’Jays really told the truth about people who loves money:
For the love of money
People will steal from their mother
For the love of money
People will rob their own brother
For the love of money
People can't even walk the street
Because they never know
Who in the world they're gonna beat
For that lean, mean, mean green
Almighty dollar, money Writer(s): Leon Huff, Kenny Gamble, Anthony Jackson
Paul even talked about people will be bragging and being arrogant as well as using abusive language. Proverbs 16:5 (ESV) tells us “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, he will not go unpunished”. Also, the Bible tells us that, The Bible is abundantly clear that arrogance is something that God hates. It is abominable to the Lord and in direct opposition to how He instructs us to live. In the book of Proverbs, arrogance is included first on the list of things God hates (Proverbs 6:16–19). We see this even more and more in today’s society where people are getting more and more arrogant not just some things but a lot of things. The use of abusive language is heard all around us no matter who you are. I remembered when the Staple Singers in one of their songs:
Oh, you cuss around women folk
And you don't even know their names
And you're dumb enough to think
That'll make you a big ol' man
Respect yourself, respect yourself
If you don't respect yourself
Ain't nobody gonna give a good cahoot, na, na, na, na
Respect yourself, respect yourself.
Hear what the Word of God tells us in, Ephesians 4:29 ESV “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear”.
II.THE REALITY OF LOVELESS PEOPLE. Paul is talking about those folks who refuse peace with anyone, someone who slanderous, lacking self-control, brutal and not having love what is good. I found an article online called “50 Misery Love Company Quotes to Help You Move Forward” and it is here the author ask an interesting question,” When’s the last time you were in someone else’s support system? That support system the author talks about is that you’re supporting the system of misery and lovelessness they fell into. Famous Advice Columnist Ann Landers once quoted I think is so very true even today,” Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to known when to let go and then do it”.
There is a solution to facing those loveless, slanderous, no self-controlling, brutal, conceited and reckless people. There’s a remedy to these people who just have no love for nobody. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). He also said, “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27–28). So, whether others “persecute” or “abuse” or “hate” or “curse” us, we are to pray for them.
III.THE REALITY OF THE “FAKE CHRISTIANS”. I used to hear my Grandma Blanche, who was a Fire Baptized, Spirit-Filled, Tongue Talking, Holy Ghost Believing Preacher, say “If you’re gonna be real, be real for Jesus!” Paul talked about those folks that’s going to love pleasure than God, (doing their own thing instead of doing what God told them to do). Appearing to look to have a godly life (claiming they’re doing every godly and knowing good and well they’re not) but will not let its power change them. A true Christian is nothing other than a real, authentic, actual Christian. The reason some people, including myself, will say or write "true Christian" or "true believer" is because there are people who pretend to be Christians but are not. Matthew 7:22–23 (ESV), Jesus reminds us “On
that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
At the end of Paul’s message, he gives us a very strong and stern warning: STAY AWAY FROM SUCH PEOPLE! WATCH OUT FOR SINFUL PEOPLE!
I am reminded of what the Prophet Joel said
Joel 2:28-29
“It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind.
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
“Even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”
We are living in the last days. Repent from your sins and except Jesus as your Lord and Savior before it’s too late because we are living in the last days. God loves you and we do too. AMEN.
