Weekly Sermon 06/22/2025
The End Times – Daniel 12: 1-4
12 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise[a] will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”
Warnings Against Denying the Son – I John 2: 18-23
18 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.
20 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 whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
Do you think Daniel and John got a kick out of these words? Do you think they enjoyed this message? They weren’t enjoying this, but they were warning the people of Israel that they need to be true to God. You see, as a pastor called to look after God’s flock, I need to join with these two men and make us aware of what God is saying. We all want to hear how much the Lord loves us. We all want to hear that he will never abandon us. But there are other things we need to hear from God’s Word.
There is a great deal of talk today about whether or not we are living in the end times. This question has been on the rise for the last seventy plus years.
It would be very easy to answer this question if it weren’t for the fact that so many people who are asking questions about the end times don’t really know what they are asking. When people ask if we are living in the end times, what they are really asking is if we are going to see Jesus come back in our lifetime. That is a question that no one can answer with certainty because Jesus told us that we could not know the day or the hour of his return. And, contrary to some speculation, we can’t know the year or the month or the week either.
The question about whether or not we are living in the end times is very easy to answer. The answer is yes. This is an absolute fact and there is no doubt about it. You see, the Bible teaches us that the end times began nearly two thousand years ago when Christ came to earth and that these end times will continue until he returns to earth again.
This is why John could say, over two thousand years ago, that he and his readers were living in the last hour. Obviously, John wasn’t speaking of a sixty-minute hour. In the New Testament the “last times” or the “last days” or the “last hour” are all references to the last era of human history -- the Christian era. The Christian era is the end time because there is not going to be another era before Christ returns to establish his kingdom on the earth.
The Bible teaches us that one of the chief characteristics of the last days is the presence of false teachers. “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
Timothy I 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Timothy I 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Because of the presence of these false teachers or antichrists we know that it is the end times (2:18)
Many ask, “Who is the Anti-Christ that John speaks about?” Sorry, I can't tell you. Because I do not know! That may be disappointing to some of you who expected specific answer. There are others who thought they knew the answer to that question. We were told that various people must be that one.
I cannot give you the name of anyone that wears that title. But I can give you a description of the person or persons that fit into that category. To be really honest, I can't even do that. All I can do is to share with you the description given in scripture.
Dee got into a discussion about the anti-christ with another pastor’s wife. It really wasn’t a discussion because this pastor’s wife had all the answers, because she new it all.
The apostle John gives us good information about what to look for, and what to look out for, when it comes to the subject of the anti-christ. In fact, John is the only one of the biblical writers who uses that name, and only in two of his letters.
There are other names in scripture that appear to refer to the same thing as what John is telling us. Names such as the Son of Perdition, Man of Sin, and the Lawless One. But today let's learn what the apostle John has to say about this subject. Would you all turn to I John 2:18-23. Here is what he says:
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
What does this term anti-christ mean? In the Greek “anti” can mean either “in the place of” or “in opposition to”. In the scriptures we find that both of these meanings will be true of the antichrist.
Thessalonians II 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God
Before asking, Who is the Anti-Christ? We should ask: What is meant by the term "Antichrist". To answer that we need to remember that the word Christ is the Greek word for Messiah. Both Christ and Messiah mean “the anointed One”. Therefore an antichrist is anyone who opposes Jesus Christ as the Messiah: our prophet, priest, and king.
The antichrist has not come yet, but his spirit has been actively working in the world through false teachers since the first century. Why is John writing about these antichrist? John knew that his readers knew the truth, but he also knew that the antichrists were trying to lead them astray. Christians can be lead astray and so John has written to true believers to make sure that they remain true to the faith. John knew that if he wanted his readers to be on guard against antichrists he would need to tell them how to recognize an antichrist.
When something sounds too good to be true it is. This is also true with false prophets. Be careful of what you hear, if you find yourself thinking, this really sounds good, I never heard it that way before; you need to test it. Even everything that comes out of this pulpit you should test, look it up for yourself, don’t just think because I said it that it is true.
It fascinating how Christians spend more time studying lies that we spend studying the truth. The only thing that can destroy a lie is the truth, and if the only thing around is lies, it is lie unto a snakebite with no serum, like a disease with no cure the lies will eventually bring death. And the death from believing a lie is a spiritual death that will eventually lead to an eternal death.
These anti-christs gather their followers into communities, isolate them from the outside world, and try to influence more and more people with their teaching. Often times they claim an exalted status for themselves such messiah or prophet and by doing so they are setting themselves up “in the place of” God. Anytime that you see any or all of these things happening you need to be aware that these people are actually antichrists no matter how nice they seem.
The spirit of antichrist is actively influencing the culture of our day in many ways. Just as these cult leaders and false teachers have an over inflated view of their own importance. We are becoming a society of individuals whose primary concern is for themselves only. A poll was taken of churchgoers that showed that a majority of them believed that their primary concern in life was not for God, family, or church, but for themselves. We are a culture whose values are seriously out of whack because we have allowed ourselves to be influenced by the spirit of antichrist. The Spirit of Christ is exactly the opposite of this spirit. The Spirit of Christ is a spirit of humility and concern for the needs of others. The Bible tells us that we are supposed to consider the needs of others as being more important than our own needs. It’s comfortable and easier to think only of yourself and of yourself before others. John 3:3 Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. You will not see the kingdom of God think of yourself first or only.
John tells us that there were many antichrists in his time. And indeed there are many antichrists in our time.. We don't have to wait until just before Jesus returns to have to deal with a final Antichrist. They are here now. But they may be hard to recognize, because as they say, many are sheep in wolves clothing.
Micah 2:11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
The people wanted a prophet like this because he told them what they wanted to hear whether it was the truth or not.
Timothy II 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.
Beware, the Antichrist is a liar.
Verse 22 says, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” In verses 20 and 21, John makes it clear that he knew that his readers knew the truth, and that they had the Holy Spirit's guidance. But he also knew that the antichrists were trying to lead them astray with lies.
The antichrists build their following based on lies and deceit. They get people to follow them by telling them whatever they want to hear. Peter gave that warning in II Peter 2:1-2 saying, “...there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.”
The apostle Paul told young Timothy to, “Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.”(2 Timothy 4:2-4 NLT)
When we look ahead in John's letter we see in 1 John 4:1-3 he writes: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”
John says that the antichrists are liars. That is the opposite of what Jesus practiced in His ministry. Jesus always told people the truth whether they wanted to hear it or not.
Sometimes being a Christian is hard. Jesus said to follow Him we must take our cross. He took up His cross and died for us. Can't we take up our cross and live for Him?
So with the description the apostle John has given us, we are forewarned. Even Jesus gave us the warning in Matthew 24:23-25 saying, “...if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.”
So know this, that the spirit of the anti-christ is at work today. If the devil can't get you into his court by worldly temptations, he will try to get you by the lies of false teachers.
Verse 23 warns, “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” To acknowledge the Son is to believe in your heart and confess with your
One can say, “I'm a good person. I haven't really hurt anybody. I'm OK. I don't need God.” And the devil will be glad to hear that. But in the end, truth will out. And every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. So lets do it now.
We all need Jesus. We are all sinners. We may expect a heavenly home, but we will not make it without Jesus.