Living in the Last Days | Part 1

These are growing gloriously dark, listen carefully to Adrian Rogers. I was at a conference for Christian workers, but in the hotel there was a conference for forensic signs that talk about the size were not for me. There were for them, but I could remember easily is the same way with the science concerning the revelation of Jesus Christ. Both sides are primarily for those who will be left here after the rapture, but we can see both sides now we know the rapture must be very close because coming events cast the shadow ahead of time. Welcome to lovely intrigue, a dynamic teaching author and beloved pastor Adrian Rogers as we just heard, the time is right for the second coming of Jesus Christ. First John chapter 2 gives three warnings to us as we near the rapture and the great tribulation prophesied in the book of Revelation. If you can look with us now turn to first John is Adrian Rogers gives insight to those living in the last days Willis time to the back of the Bible first job first John chapter 2 and I were going to be a radiant moment in verse 18. Now the time is ripe not only for the rapture of the church, but immediately after that the arrival of the antichrist. With that in mind begin reading with me if you will. First John chapter 2, by begin reading in verse 18, little children, it is the last time as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are many antichrists whereby we know that it is last time they went out from us, but they were not this all for had they been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us but ye have an unction from the holy one, and know all things. I'm not written to you because you know not the truth but because you know that no lie is of the fruit who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ is an antichrist that denies the Father and the son was ever lifeless on the same if not the fault but he that acknowledges the son hath the father also let that therefore abide in you, which you have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning, shall remain in you, you shall also continue in the sun and in the father and this is the promise that he has promised us even eternal life.

These things have I written to you concerning them that seduce you, but the anointing which you receive him abide in you, and you need not that any man teach, but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him that when he shall appear, you may have confidence and not be a shame before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone that knew his righteousness is born of him that I say these are perilous times, pregnant times, if you will about to bring forth as we mentioned this morning, and you need to be aware for several reasons. First of all you need to wear for the intersession factor you need to know how to pray.

You do not intercede for this world and for your loved ones and get them ready that they might flee from the wrath to come. Number two right along the intersession factors also in effect on the real proof the jubilation prophecies that I may know to get a notebook, primarily, but do you have a heart for lost souls, and you get your head out of the clouds of prophecy and known to the pavement of soul winning is another reason that you need to understand this and that is the family preparation that you need to get all of your loved ones say is the family preparation factor.

There is the comfort factor of what we see happening today has taken God by surprise.

There is no panic in heaven. God knows all of the fine print in the contract and so let me lay several factors on your part tonight that come out of this very rich passage of Scripture that comes from first John, and there's so much here tonight. I want to try to delay triple factors on your heart become out of his number one we are living in the last days and you need to be awake. Look, if you will again in verse 18 of this chapter. Look at it, little children, it is the last time now we are living in the last days beyond the shot without these are the last days you say will Pastor have you know they were the last days because they were the last days and John's time for 2000 years.

It has been the last days as a matter fact, this passage may be translated the last hour were always on the brink of eternity in John's day. It was the last hour we say that is true, why hasn't Jesus return Willis and friend ever since the ascension of Jesus Christ.

From that time to this time we have been living on the brink of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the great teachings of the Bible is that his teaching that is coming is always imminent and that means it could happen momentarily at any time the Old Testament with its many prophecies prepared us for the first coming of Jesus Christ. The New Testament prepares us for the second coming of Jesus Christ that I preach this morning on signs but I want to say the other side of that coin is this. There is no sign or even that needs to transpire before Jesus can come. We are living in the last days. Now let me explain that to the two stages in the second coming of Jesus Christ.

There is the stage that we call the rapture and there's the stage that we call the Revelation, the rapture is when Jesus comes and takes the church out in the great tribulation begins here on this earth after the rapture, Jesus comes this time not for his saints.

But with this St. Ann unveils all of his glory and that's called the Apocalypse on the unveiling of the Perugia all these various words that describe Jesus coming in power and great glory. When he comes for the church is coming secretly, like a thief in the night, but when he comes in power and great glory. He's coming like the lightning shining from the east to the West, and so the signs that we speak about in the Bible, all the signs are not signs of the rapture. There really signs of the Revelation weighs, I will.

Pastor Rogers then why did you discussed this morning because of the signs of Revelation. Here we know the rapture must be very close as well and say print the signs could take place after the rapture, all of them but I was at a conference here while back and it was a conference for Christian workers, but in the hotel there was a conference for forensic detectives and one conference for forensic detectives and another for Christian workers and I saw the signs that talk about the detectives meeting and pointing this way and all of the announcements and so forth. Those signs were not for me. There were for them, but I could read them very easily and is the same way with the signs concerning the revelation of Jesus Christ. Those signs are primarily for those who will be left here after the rapture. But if we can see those signs now we know the rapture must be very close because coming events cast a shadow ahead of time, but there are really no signs for the first stage, the rapture, the rapture can take place at any moment now improvement. The apostle John said it is the last time literally again last hour to get that now listen just jot the Scriptures them very quickly. First Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10.

Paul is telling the church at Thessalonica. How they do live and here's what he says here in verse 10 and to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

The wrath to come as a regulation, he says now listen folks, you folks at Thessalonica.

I want you to wait for Jesus when I would make any sense. If it were not positive Jesus to come he should you be waiting for Jesus that is a present infinitive and 11. Wishart is a present infinitive.

It means that we are to be constantly those people so long ago would be waiting for Jesus.

Let me give you another one. Polybius chapter 3 verse 24 our conversation or conversation nearly remains made it our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul said, look, we're looking for Jesus. We are looking for Jesus.

Those early Saints 2000 years ago were looking for Jesus.

Let me give you another one is granted chapter 1 and verse seven. Paul talking about the spiritual gifts that the Corinthians had said that you come behind in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the early Christians were looking longing, yearning, waiting for Jesus Christ to come give you another one. Hebrews 9 verse 28 for Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and under them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin of the salvation they would be looking for Jesus though Saints 2000 years ago. Here's another Titus chapter 2 verse 13 says where to be looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

All of these teachers that at any moment Jesus may come. Jesus could have, any moment from the time that the apostle John wrote our text here in chapter 2 and verse 18. Up until this present time. And that's the reason Jesus gave us the Scripture from Matthew 24 versus 48 through 51.

He talked about a servant who is not ready for his master to return any said, but and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my Lord delay this coming and shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken, the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looked if not for him, and in an hour when he is not that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

What Jesus said there for is that it is wicked not to expect and prepare for the second coming of Jesus and it will result in judgment.

So of the last hour began in John's day we are living in the last days in the I believe reliving the last of the last days. Now there are signs of the times by the signs of the times do not tell us that Jesus cannot come at any moment our could not have come at any moment will always looking and waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ. I've been in the ministry for more years than not that I can really realize what I think about 1/2 a century have been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I've been preaching on the second coming. I believe in the second coming. When I first began to preach it and I still believe it and anticipation in the nearness has never gone for me. I was a boy in college I was preaching revival meeting in Stuart, Florida. They put me in a hotel right near the railroad track. I did note was neither a worker the middle of the night. I just preached the message on the rapture and in the middle of night a diesel locomotive outside my window blew the whistle I was at the resort was a wreck. I never heard a noise like that it was most penetrating sound I've ever heard.

And after I've been preaching and meditating on site coming of Jesus Christ and I set up in bed hospital. This is it. Here I go, but I know I gestated a bit but tell your friend.

One of these days is going to happen in a moment in the placing of an eye. We're going to hear the shout, behold, the bridegroom cometh really out to meet him. So we need to say first of all is very clearly this is the last day and we need to be awake and number two the antichrist is coming, not only is Jesus coming antichrist is coming, and we need to be aware. Look again in verse 18, little children, it is the last time, and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time now.

There is a wicked malevolent ungodly person who will be Satan in the flesh who was waiting in the wings waiting to be revealed after the rapture of the church. This antichrist is ready to to step onto center stage. Now it may surprise you to know that the apostle John is the only one in the Bible calls this man the antichrist. He, like many criminals has many aliases but has one heart and one mind. Let me give you some the other names that he is called in the Bible. He is called, for example, the man of sin. But the Scripture that second Thessalonians 2 verse three let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition is saying that the day of wrath will not come. The tribulation will not come until that man of sin is revealed, the reason I use that phrase is that there is someone so wicked that the Bible calls him a man of sin. The whole problem again with the center man, but it is going in with the man of sin where evolutionist wants us to believe that that we have a number of the beast.

We encumber the beast we headed to the beast. The man of sin. The Bible calls them here Amanda sin. That's a very interesting phrase. The man of sin is matter-of-fact in my study I looked it up in a number of different translations limiting house translated in various translations of Scripture one calls him the man of lawlessness. Another calls and very interestingly, the incarnation of wickedness. Another calls him Champion of wickedness.

Another calls and wickedness in human form, the apostle John calls him the anti-Christ, he is called also in this Scripture that I gave you in second Thessalonians chapter 2 in verse three is called the son of perdition, and what that means. It speaks of the judgment that is awaiting him. The word perdition means judgment, and the antichrist will not prevail. He's headed to hell, but he is the son of perdition.

By the way, the only other person called the son of perdition in the entire Bible is Judy's now again he is called an already reference this is called the beast in Revelation chapter 13 if you remember our studying the book of Revelation is called the beach the Revelation is full of emblems and symbols and so this man like a beach is ferocious. He is cruel he spheres. He is bloodthirsty but John calls him in our passage.

The antichrist nephew were here this morning. You remember that I told you the prefix anti-means two things. It means instead of, and it means against it has two meanings, so this this is one who comes instead of Christ that is seen as a false Christ who substitutes himself for Christ. Therefore, to be against Christ.

He is counterfeit Christ.

He will be to the devil.

What Jesus is to the father. Jesus said he who has seen me has seen my phone.

The antichrist will be able to say who has seen me has seen my father, Satan has always desired worship.

Just as we are to worship God the father through God the son, Satan who mimics God was to receive worship through his antichrist is false Christ, the Christ of the cult. Satan wants obvious open over worship limitation some things about the antichrist must let them begin with the B. Sure you can remember.

First of all, he is devilish he is fool all the devil is Satan incarnate number to not only see devilish the antichrist is divisive look in verse 19 of our chapter here, if you will, but they went out from us, but they were not of us or if they had been on this they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us in John's day there was a division in the church. There were some people who started in the church, but then they left.

They went out the us refers to the church and there was a bear, a splinter movement.

There was a breakaway movement and John says the power behind that division was the antichrist, the spirit of antichrist that was already in the world. In John's day divides churches.

He says they were not others. That is, there was no true fellowship. There was no true union updated lose their salvation. I never had it. There was no real cone in the and so the antichrist is the power behind all of the faults Colts that you have a lot of the faults Colts have the stamp on the made in America. They have broken away from the true church and they Come out with the spirit antichrist and they are preaching a false gospel.

The Bible says in first Timothy chapter 4 verse one in the last days perilous time to come. For men shall depart from the fate, giving heed to seducing spirits, so there is the spirit antichrist that is devilish. The spirit of antichrist that is divisive and that is the spirit of antichrist that is deceptive and then then the Bible says the devil would deceive the very elect that were possible. Look you will and verses 20 through 23 but ye have an option.

He talks about the zoo going out and split away, but he talks after the true believer but ye have an unction from the holy one and all things I've not written to you because you know not the truth but because you know it, and that no lives of the true who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ, he is an antichrist that denies the Father and the son who's ever denies the sun the same as not to fall but he that acknowledges the son hath the father also what he saying is this antichrist to establish and whose divisive is also very deceptive and noticed the focal point of this deception is over the person of Jesus Christ he wants to deny the facts about the Lord Jesus Christ. Now the devil doesn't care what you believe you believe many things that are good and right and honorable, as long as you're wrong about Jesus. He doesn't care what else you may be right about if you're wrong about Jesus.

Nothing else really matters to give you a couple of ancillary verses are not remember the event antichrist, the spirit of antichrist, not the antichrist with the spirit of enterprise the spirit antichrist is devilish. The spirit of antichrist is divisive. The spirit of antichrist is deceptive value in first John two golden first John chapter 4 and look here getting verse one beloved, believe not every spirit. Don't get the idea that everything that is spiritual is holy, believe not every spirit, but prior test the spirits whether they are of God, my Dante how to test the spirits in a moment because many false prophets are going out into the world.

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus is come in the flesh is of God in every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. Jesus, the Messiah is come in the flesh is not of God.

This is that spirit of antichrist where of you have heard that it should, and even now already is in the world. The touchstone the test point is Jesus. Remember this.

I want to call Stoke on Theodore.

They will say believe something when a real Christian gun Theodore they will say receive someone that someone is Jesus Christ. The Bible says, believe not every spirit test the spirits whether they be of God, look go back now you're in and the first John second John and look at your will. In verse 74. Many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward and notice verse nine whosoever transgresses in a byte is not in the doctrine of Christ had not gone he that abided the doctrine of Christ. He is both the father and the son of a person is wrong about Jesus there wrong person is wrong about Jesus there wrong you thankful for the profound truth. Simply stated by Adrian Rogers will continue with part two of this powerful lesson tomorrow, but if you have questions about who Jesus is about what he means to you how you can begin a relationship with God through Christ, go to where discovered Jesus page@lwf.org/radio to find resources and materials there that can answer any questions you might have about your faith again go to LWF.org/radio and click discovered Jesus that you like to order a copy of today's message request the title living in the last days when you call us at 1877 love God. This message is also part of a powerful series is called challenges to the cross for the complete collection almost 6 insightful messages: number 1877 love God or you can order online@lwf.org/radio or write to us that love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 thanks for studying God's word with us today and considering the sobering reminder that the signs of the upcoming Revelation are use them tuning tomorrow for the insightful conclusion of living in the last day online.

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