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?
6. Because her love for the things of this world were so strong that she could not help but look back.
7. In Luke 9:62, Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
D. So in order to keep our affections where they should be, we must train ourselves to not love the things of this world.
1. We must train ourselves not to love the cravings of this world.
2. We must train ourselves not to love the things we can see.
3. We must train ourselves not to love the things that we have.
4. We must train ourselves not to love things we have done.
5. We must train ourselves not to love this life.
6. Friends, when someone dies who is a Christian, they haven’t lost anything!
7. Even if they supposedly died young—they didn’t "die too early!"
8. Because to leave the things of this world is gain!
9. Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
10. And Paul said in Philippians 1:21, For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
11. When we know that the things of this world can never satisfy us and the things of this world will never make us happy, we treasure things that will.
12. And those things are the things of the Father and not the things of this world!
13. I know that I will make it through the end times if I remain in the Father; and…
II. Remain in the Body
1 John 2:18-19, Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
A. The body I’m referring to is Christ’s body: the church.
1. The NT Scriptures refer to the church and the body of Christ.
2. And the NT Scriptures refer to everyone who believes in Jesus as being members of that body—no matter what kind of church they attend.
3. There are Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals, and even some of us Christian Church people who are a part of the body of Christ.
B. And I also need to explain what John is saying about "antichrists."
1. John acknowledges that there is to be an "antichrist" that comes in the end times.
2. Indeed, John is the one who would later write the book of Revelation, so he does know that there will be a specific "antichrist" that will do terrible things in the end times.
3. But John also says that there has already been many "antichrists."
4. John says this is how we know it is the last hour (or the end times) because there have been many and will be many of these "antichrists."
5. Later, in the fourth chapter of first John, (which we will read in a few moments) John defines what these "antichrists" are.
6. John says there that these "antichrists" are those who deny that Jesus is from God.
7. John says that even at the time he wrote this book, there had already been many of these "antichrists."
8. And, indeed, there have been many since that time and there are still many today.
9. There are many that deny that Jesus really is from God—some of them standing behind pulpits today.
C. So I hope that you are understanding what John means by "antichrists" and I hope that you are seeing what the "last hour" or "end times" is.
1. You see, there was an OT time period.
2. There was a NT time period.
3. And we are now living in the "End Times" period.
4. Just as the OT time period lasted for several thousand years, so does the "End Times" or "last hour."
5. Actually, those living during the NT time period believed that they were living in the "end times" as well.
6. But the difference is that we’re obviously (2,000 years later) much closer to Judgement Day than they were.
7. It may be another 2,000 years until Judgement Day and it may be tomorrow.
8. So the obvious truth is that we need to live like its tomorrow—in case it is.
9. We need to remain in the Father.
10. And in these verses, I believe John is saying that we need to remain in the body or the church.
D. Look at what John says in verse 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
1. John is saying that these antichrists when out from them.
2. These antichrists moved out of the church.
3. These antichrists moved into what they thought was a more enlightened belief system.
4. John says that they never really belonged to the church even though they had attended.
5. They had attended church, but they never became a part of the true church.
6. They went to church, but they never became a part of Christ’s body.
7. They never truly believed that Jesus really is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
8. So they went out and attained new beliefs.
9. And today I would say that what they do is add other philosophies of this world to the teachings of Christ.
10. But if we are adding to, or taking away from the teachings of Christ, then we really don’t believe Christ.
11. John is saying that these antichrists will move away from the church and they will attract others to go with them.
12. So the obvious lesson for us is that we need to remain in the church.
13. During these end times when these antichrists try to persuade people to leave the church by adding to and taking away from and twisting the teachings of Christ, we need to remain in the church.
14. After all, the one behind the antichrists is Satan and he certainly knows how to add to and take away from and twist the teachings of Christ into things that will sound good to people and will persuade them that they are the teachings of Christ.
15. So the lesson for us is that during these end times, we must remain in the church; and…
III. Remain in the Truth
1 John 2:20-23, But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist--he denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
A. In order to get through the end times, we must remain in the Father, we must remain in the church and we must remain in the truth.
1. Because sadly, there are some organizations that call themselves churches that don’t believe the truth anymore.
2. John says that if they deny that Jesus is the Christ, then they are a liar.
3. John says that if they deny the Father and the Son, then they are a liar.
4. If they don’t believe that Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father (just as Jesus said), then they are a liar.
5. If they don’t acknowledge that everything Jesus said is true, then they are a liar.
B. John says that his readers had an anointing from Christ, the Holy One.
1. He said they knew the truth.
2. The truth is the teachings of Christ.
3. Jesus is the truth.
4. And if we believe that Jesus is the truth, then we have the HS living in our hearts.
5. And the HS teaches us the truth. The HS reminds of what Christ said.
6. The HS reminds us of what we’ve read about Christ in the Bible.
7. The HS reminds us of the truth when we need it.
8. The HS reminds of the truths that we have learned when we hear something that is contrary to the truth.
9. There is something (the HS) that pricks our conscience, when we hear something that is contrary to the truth of God’s Word. That is anointing.
10. We should not be lead astray during the end times by false teachings because we have an anointing.
11. We should not be lead astray during the end times by false teachings because we already know the truth.
12. I know that I will make it through the end times if I remain in the truth; and…
IV. Remain in Jesus
1 John 2:24-25, See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us--even eternal life.
A. Now John says that we must remain in Jesus.
1. We must remain in the Son.
2. Just as we remain in the Father, we must also remain in the Son.
3. We must see that what we heard from the beginning remains in us.
4. If what we heard from the beginning remains in us, then we will remain in the Father and in the Son.
B. And John says that if we remain in the Son, we will make it through the end times.
1. If we maintain our belief in Jesus, then we will receive what He promised us.
2. If we remain in Jesus, we will receive eternal life.
3. That means that we will make it through the end times.
4. We may die, but we will make it through the end times, with our faith in tact and THAT is what’s important!
5. Our objective in making it through the end times is receiving eternal life, not in staying alive physically.
6. Our objective is to stay alive spiritually.
7. And in order to receive eternal life, we must maintain our belief in Jesus and thereby remain in the Son; and…
V. Remain in the Word
1 John 2:26-27, I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him.
A. John says he is writing these things because there are people who will try to lead us astray.
1. John says that we don’t really need anyone else to teach us.
2. We don’t really need anyone else to teach us because the HS is our real teacher.
3. John 14:26, But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
B. Now that’s a question that all of us must ask ourselves—is the HS teaching us?
1. Now does that mean that you shouldn’t go to church and listen to your pastor teach you?
2. Yes, you should—as long as the HS is speaking through them.
3. That’s the question that all of you must ask yourselves, is the HS speaking through Todd Coget or not?
4. Is the HS teaching you with the voice of Todd Coget?
5. You see that is what I view as my job description: making myself available to the HS.
6. I see my job is just making my vocal chords available to the HS so that you can audibly hear Him speaking to you.
7. I believe that is the job of every teacher.
8. That means that if I am a teacher that is to be used by the HS, then I must spend a lot of time with the HS.
9. I need to let His anointing anoint me.
10. And if I do that, then my teaching will be anointed because it is not from Todd, but from the HS.
C. But the truth is that when there are times of persecution, there may not be an opportunity to go to church and hear a good teacher teach.
1. Then what do you do?
2. Well if the anointing is in you, then you won’t need another human to teach you.
3. You can read the Bible and learn yourself, because the HS has always been your real teacher.
4. I know that I will make it through the end times because I will remain in the Word; and…
VI. Remain in the Spirit
1 John 4:1-3, Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
A. Clearly, if we are going to remain in the Word and not need another teacher, we are going to have to remain in the Spirit as well.
1. John says that we are not to believe everything we hear.
2. We are to test the spirits.
3. We are to check their teachings and see if they are from God or not.
4. We are to test them and check their answers against the Word of God.
5. If their teachings jive with the word of God, then that spirit is from God.
6. If it doesn’t, then they are a false prophet or an antichrist.
B. That’s the reason that I use so many Scriptures in my teachings.
1. I want what I say to be what God wants said.
2. So I know that the more Scripture is in my teachings, the more of God is going to be there and the less of Todd.
C. I know that I will make it through the end times because I will not believe everything I hear, but I will test the spirit to see if it is from God or an antichrist; and…
VII. Remain in Victory
1 John 4:4-6, You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
A. John says, "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the World."
1. God is greater!
2. God is greater than he that is in the world!
3. God is greater than any false teacher that is in the world!
4. God is greater than any antichrist that is in the world!
5. And God is greater than the antichrist who is to come!
6. God is greater! God will overcome!
B. And so will we!
1. You see that is what the end times are all about for us!
2. Satan is on a mission to steal every soul that he can possibly get and take them to hell with him for eternity.
3. And the closer it gets to Judgement Day, the more desperate he will become.
4. He will do all kinds of things to trick people into turning away form the Father.
5. He will do everything he can to turn people away from the body.
6. He will do everything he can to turn people away from the truth.
7. He will do everything he can to turn people away from Jesus.
8. He will do everything he can to turn people away from the Word of God.
9. He will do everything he can to turn people away from the Spirit
10. He will do everything he can to turn people away from victory over him and death and the grave.
11. So our goal is to see that we overcome Satan during the end times no matter what he may try.
12. Our goal is to see that we remain in the Father.
13. Our goal is to see that we remain in the body.
14. Our goal is to see that we remain in the truth.
15. Our goal is to see that we remain in Jesus.
16. Our goal is to see that we remain in the Word.
17. Our goal is to see that we remain in the Spirit.
18. Our goal is to see that we remain in VICTORY!
19. Because God and Christ will overcome!
20. And our goal is to see that we remain on the Lord’s Side until this world is over!
Conclusion:
A. [The Final Victory, Citation: R. Geoffrey Brown, "Look! A Great White Horse!," Preaching Today, Tape No. 111.]
Some will tell you that triumph will come by the development of human beings--the gradual evolution of their potentialities.
We should just give it time, wait and see.
Everything’s coming up roses.
World War I dealt that theory the cutting blow.
World War II broke its spirit.
Vietnam laid it in its grave.
The takeovers of Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan shoveled the dirt of interment on it.
Will human progress stop people and nations from sinning?
Will human progress and achievement ever wipe away all tears from our eyes or heal our broken hearts?
To ask these questions is to answer them.
No, the final victory will not come through some natural progress of human development, nor through the religious forces that are operative in the world right now.
The victory will come not by an improvement of the present order but through its complete overthrow and supercession.
The high point of human history will be the sudden appearance on the field of battle of the captain of our salvation.
And he will come in glory, and it will be comparable to what John beheld: Look, I see a great white horse.
And there is a rider on that horse whose name is Faithful and True, and there are many crowns upon his head.
B. What commitment do you need to make today?
1. Are there one or more of these things that you need to begin focusing on?
a. Do you need to get more into the Word?
b. Do you need to get involved in a Bible study?
c. Do you need to spend more time in prayer?
d. Do you need to start training yourself to place your affections on the things of God instead of the things of this world?
2. Will you make it through the end times?
3. What commitment do you need to make today?
4. John has given us some very practical things to help us know that we can make it.
5. Is there something that you need to come and pray about?
6. Do you need to place your membership and start getting yourself prepared ?
7. Do you need to be saved and baptized?
8. Whatever commitment you need to make, I encourage you to make it as we stand and sing "As the Deer."
