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Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: John 10:27It is good for our spiritual health and productivity as Christians to know we are eternally secure. This is why we must have a Scriptural defense for our eternal security. Following are four passages to reflect on regarding eternal security.1. 2 Peter 2:21: "For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”Adrian Rogers says, “Reformation without transformation leads to greater degradation and final condemnation.” Reformation doesn't give us a new nature. Our sinful desires only hibernate and wake up stronger. Salvation, on the other hand, gives us a new nature and a desire to follow Jesus.2. Matthew 24:11-13: "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."Endurance is the mark of reality in the life of a human soul. We must endure in times of trial, so that our faith will not fail.3. John 15:5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”Those who abide in Him bear the fruit. Those who do not bear fruit, are not abiding in Him.4. Hebrews 6:4-6: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”This passage refers to those who know the truth and turn from it, eyes wide open, having never repented to begin with. But we, who have accepted salvation and repented of our sins, are eternally secure.Adrian Rogers says, “Eternal security is like a strong rubber band that God puts around you when you get saved. You may stray away, but He keeps drawing you back.”Apply it to your lifeAdrian Rogers says, “Those who live by truth get more and more freedom. Those who live by lies experience more and more bondage.” Consider this Scriptural Defense for your eternal security.

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: John 10:27When we, as Christians, are sure of our future, we can concentrate on the present. This is why John 10 is fundamental to the eternal security of the believer.“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand” (John 10:27-29).This passage reveals eight reasons we can be sure we are eternally secure.1. PromiseGod has promised us eternal security through His Word. Romans 8 claims that nothing can separate us from His love. (See Romans 8:38-39.)2. PerseveranceGod, who first began a good work in us, will complete what He has begun. The Holy Spirit of God is the Convictor, the Convertor, and the Completor. Adrian Rogers says, “The Holy Spirit has never started anything He’s not able to finish.”3. PredestinationGod has predetermined our destiny. Adrian Rogers says, “Your salvation did not begin with you. Your salvation began before this world was swung into space.” If you are called to a new birth in Christ, it is absolutely settled.4. PerfectionHebrews 10:14 says, "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” Being a Christian isn’t making monthly deposits to pay God back for His salvation. Jesus paid it all, therefore, we are made perfect forever in God’s sight. It is not a fresh start; it is a new nature.5. PositionAdrian Rogers says, “Security is not a place; it is a person, and His name is Jesus Christ.” We are positioned with the Lord Jesus Christ, part of His body, sealed with the Holy Spirit.6. PossessionIf we are saved, we already have eternal life. Adrian Rogers says, “Everlasting life is not something you get when you die. Everlasting life is something you get when you believe.”7. PrayerJesus is praying for us, not that we would escape tribulation, but that we will be kept from evil.8. PowerFinally, we are kept by the power of God. This alone is enough proof that we are eternally secure.Apply it to your lifeAre you sure you are eternally secure? The same God who saved us will keep us if we believe in Him.

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: 1 John 5:11 Every Christian ought to have the privilege of knowing, beyond any shadow of doubt, that he or she is saved. But having doubts doesn’t necessarily mean we are not saved. Adrian Rogers says, “Doubt is to your spirit what pain is to your body; it doesn't mean you're dead, it means something's wrong.” 1 John 5 reveals how to be saved and know it, without hesitation. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:11-13). When doubts arise, we must remember, first, how we are saved: by grace, through faith (see Ephesians 2:8). Adrian Rogers says, “Grace is the unmerited favor and love that God shows to us. It's what made God love us when we were unlovely. God doesn't love us because we're valuable… we're valuable because He loves us.” Faith is not intellectual belief; it is trust and commitment to God. Think of grace as the hand of God reaching down to us, and faith is our hand reaching up to Him. Understanding this, we can find our assurance through three basic tests: Lordship Test Is Jesus Christ the Lord of my life? If we claim to love God, we will keep His commandments. Fellowship Test Do I love my brothers and sisters in Christ? Am I in fellowship with other believers? Fellowship is the nature of both the Christian and the Church. Relationship Test Do I have a vital relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? The assurance of our salvation is ongoing; it is not a past event, stamped by a time and date, and place. It is a present decision to trust in Jesus, right now. We can trust in Him, for He alone is the assurance of our salvation. Apply it to your life Do you have doubts about your faith? Consider the lordship, fellowship, and relationship tests. If you don’t know whether your doubt is the Holy Spirit’s conviction or the devil’s tactic, believe in Jesus.

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: Revelation 22 There is an ongoing war over the Word of God. There are those who despise, dissect, and disregard it. But perhaps the greatest enemy of the Word of God is the one who believes in it but doesn’t know it. We will never be settled until we are settled about the Word of God. Our salvation and sanctification depend on it. Revelation 22:18 says, “For I testify unto every man who heareth the words of the prophecy of this book…” There are several reasons to consider in becoming certain that the Bible is the Word of God. First, consider the Bible’s scientific accuracy. There have been many instances in which scientific theories have gone against the Word of God, but those theories have crumbled over time. Science changes direction, improves, and builds upon itself. But the Word of God remains unchanged and unmovable. Second, consider the Bible’s historical accuracy. Though it’s not primarily a history book, the Bible records many notable events verified by historians. We also believe in the Bible because of its wonderful unity. It is penned by people from all kinds of backgrounds: shepherds, kings, soldiers, princes, priests, and fishermen. Yet, from Genesis to Revelation, it reads as one book because of its divine inspiration. Another reason we believe in the Bible is its fulfilled prophecy. The Old Testament contains more than 300 prophecies that deal with Jesus Christ that He fulfilled in the New Testament. We believe in the Bible because of its ever-living qualities. The Bible has faced much opposition, yet it has survived, and it still applies today. Adrian Rogers says, “The Bible is not the book of the month; it is the book of the ages.” Ultimately, we believe in this book because of its life-changing power. Adrian Rogers says, “The Gospel of Christ is the dynamite of God that saves.” It saves the sinners, sanctifies the saints, sustains the suffering, and satisfies the scholar. The Bible, in all its wonder and majesty, is summed up in this: “Jesus loves me, this I know; for the Bible tells me so!” Apply it to your life Are you certain that the Bible is the Word of God? Consider these reasons, and come to a faithful understanding of Scripture… knowing that once you begin studying it, you are never finished with it!

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: Acts 15:13-18 In Acts 10, the Gospel was made available to Gentiles for the first time. Up until Acts 15, many in the church believed Christianity was exclusively for the Jews. Concerned, they met in Jerusalem to discuss God’s plan for the Jews. Acts 15:18 reads, “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” God has a plan for this world, the church, for the Jew and the Gentile. And as we hear rumors of a new world order in these last days, we know the reasons why the world is out of sorts to begin with. The church is out of her rightful place. The church, which is the bride of Christ, belongs with the groom. Through the Holy Spirit, He is with us, but we are not by His side. Ephesians 1:13-14 explains that the Holy Spirit is “the earnest of our inheritance,” meaning He is a token of God’s love to His Bride while we wait to join His side. Second, there will never be world order until Israel is restored and there is peace in Jerusalem. God is not finished with the Jewish nation; they are still the chosen people. God gave the land of Israel to Abraham’s descendants in an everlasting covenant, yet, the Jews have been scattered across the earth. As God prophesied Israel's disobedience, dispersion, and disgrace, He also prophesied their resolve and return. Third, Satan is out of place, because the criminal belongs in prison. There will never be order as long as Satan’s spirit is working. The world stumbles in darkness orchestrated by Him. But Satan will not always have the run of this world. There’s coming a time when he will be cast into the prison of his own making: hell. Finally, there will be no world order until the King is on the throne. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords; soon, His Will will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Adrian Rogers says, “I cannot wait for the time our Lord comes and we have a new world order; when the church and Israel and Satan and Jesus are in their rightful place. It has a good ending, and we’re on the winning side.” Apply it to your life As the days grow gloriously dark, pray for the nation of Israel, and for those who may not know the Lord.

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: Genesis 1:26 What’s wrong with animal rights? In simplest terms, the belief behind the Animal Rights Movement is that there is no difference between man and animal. But Scripture says otherwise. According to the Book of Genesis, both man and animal were created by God separately; neither evolved from the other. Though there are similarities, there is a stark contrast between man and animal as well. For one, man has a longing in his heart to know God. Man is created in God’s likeness —not in His physical image, but in His moral and spiritual image. When God created animals, in his mercy, He gave them instincts. But when God made man in His image, He gave them spirits. Adrian Rogers says, “The Holy Spirit is to man what instinct is to the animals. Now, if you were to take the instinct out of the beehive, what would happen? It'd be very much like our world today—men without the Holy Spirit.” Man has a capability for dominion, but he also has a capacity for depravity… one that animals don't have. Animals can't sin because animals don't have any choice. The reason they don't have any choice is they don't have any moral basis; but man does! Man also has a concern for his destiny that animals do not have. Man is the only creature who knows he's going to die, while animals never think about death. But the Bible says that God has put eternity in the hearts of men. Animals have a body and a soul (a soul being made up of a mind, emotions, and a will). But only man has a spirit. And the Holy Spirit molds us into what we're meant to be. Adrian Rogers also adds, “With your body you know the world beneath you. With your soul you know the world around you. But with your spirit, you know the world above you! And God made man with a spiritual capacity to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him.” Apply it to your life What did God make you to do? God created you to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him. The Bible says, "It is in him that we live, and move, and have our being." Do you know Him, love Him and serve Him with the spirit He gave you?

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: Job 8:8 Adrian Rogers tells us, “Truth is to your spirit what food is to your body, what light is to your eyes, and what sound is to your ears.” There is a famine in the world for truth; this is why, as Christians, we can never lose our burning ambition to discover, know and practice truth. In Job 8:8, Job’s friends respond to his suffering with an urge to appeal to look for answers from the philosophers of yesterday. And America has been shaped, molded, and skewed by a few philosophers of yesterday; their ghosts still haunt us, even now. The first is Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, who rejected moral absolutes and alluded to the dangerous sentiment that the strongest idea wins, and therefore history is evolutionary and there cannot be any absolute. Ludwig Feuerbach built upon this theory by saying, “If there are no absolutes, then there can be no God,” coining what we now know as humanism. Karl Marx built upon Feuerbach’s theory by asking, “If there is no absolute and no God, what is the future and purpose of mankind?” As a result, Marx founded communism: a godless system that refutes the worth or dignity of an individual. Then came Charles Darwin, who asked, “If there is no God, then how do we explain our existence?” He concluded that man is simply a product of evolution. The final ghost that still haunts us is Sigmund Freud, who says our idea of God comes to us from our childhood fathers. The extreme permissiveness and perversion we see today is also a result of Freudian psychology. These ideas have been around for a long time but have resurged in recent days. We shouldn’t be discouraged; these theories do not have something readily available to us, as Christians: the truth, and the Holy Spirit. We, who see the Bible as the incorruptible, indestructible, and indispensable Word of God, must stand, anointed with the Holy Spirit and a heart full of love, and preach the absolute truth of the Gospel. Apply it to your life Do you know what you believe, and why you believe it? Familiarize yourself with the truth of the Bible. Remember, as Adrian Rogers says, “Facts are like a recipe and truth is like the meal; digest the truth and it will change your life.”

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: 1 Peter 3:10 As Bible-believing Christians, our worldview affects everything in life. Yet we are living in a post-Christian society, hostile toward those who view the world as we do. As a result, we may be tempted to retreat; but in reality, there is no place to hide. Rather, we have to come together, united in our Christian worldview, and learn how to articulate it. We recognize five principles of our worldview in the Book of First Peter. This letter was essentially a handbook for survival for the early Christians in Rome. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” Here are the five principles: Lordship. We must make up our minds that nothing will stand in the way of obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Learning. Those who don’t know Jesus have some excellent questions; we must make a habit of learning all we can so we’re ready to give an account for what we believe and why. Lowliness. The Bible teaches that we are to have a lifestyle of meekness. Meekness is not weakness; it is strength that is channeled and under control. Lifestyle. The early Christians possessed a hope so real, vibrant, and incontrovertible, that they stood out. Our only chance against a world that bad-mouths and criticizes us is our ability to out-live, out-love and out-pray people. Our hope is our rock-ribbed assurance in Jesus Christ. Love. We live in a hurting society, with wounds desperate to be mended and questions desperate for answers. Adrian Rogers says, “Our job is not to save America; our first responsibility is not to preserve our freedoms. Our prime responsibility is to witness to this world of Jesus’ grace and power; to say it and mean it, “Jesus is Lord.’” As the days grow gloriously dark, we can find comfort in knowing the church will survive, for Jesus said, “Upon this rock I’ll build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Apply it to your life As Adrian Rogers says, “We are personal representatives of the Lord Jesus, and the church can continue to grow even when it is perceived by (society) as the enemy. I’m calling you to a Christian world view that’s backed up by a Christian lifestyle.”

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: Ecclesiastes The Book of Ecclesiastes is the journal of King Solomon. It is a record of some of the perplexities he had, as well as some of the mistakes he made. There are three themes from this book when considering the beauty of this life we get to live. First, this book reveals the complex mysteries of life. God does not want life to make sense to us. God, in His infinite wisdom, makes life a mystery to draw us to Him. God put eternity in our hearts; He gave us a desire to see life from an eternal perspective. The answer to life’s mystery is not in nature, history, or science. The answer is that apart from God, wisdom, wealth and work are all meaningless. Ecclesiastes also addresses the challenging adventure of life. In spite of its mystery, God urges us to live with enthusiasm and joy. We cannot let our problems make cynics out of us. There are going to be some hard times; we would be foolish to not enjoy the good times. Adrian Rogers says, “Since God is good, we should live joyfully. Since God is sovereign, we should live confidently. And since God is holy, live life reverently.” Finally, this book reveals that life is a comprehensive test. Everything is going to come to judgment. Because of this, we must learn to rejoice. Adrian Rogers says, “God’s laws do not restrict us; they liberate us.” We must learn, also, to rest and remember; to honor, to obey, to serve God in every season. Everything that King Solomon wrote is by divine inspiration. But we know some things he didn’t know because we have the New Testament. We have an understanding that even Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, did not have before he died, primarily, the answer to the age-old question: What is life all about? Glory to God, we know that Jesus said, “I’ve come that you might have life, and that you might have it abundantly.”(John 10:10) Life is about Jesus and only Jesus. Apart from Him, everything is meaningless. Apply it to your life Life is a complex mystery and a challenging adventure. In order to pass the comprehensive tests of life, we must learn to rejoice in every season, to rest in God’s grace and goodness, and to remember Him.

Sermon Overview Scripture Reference: Genesis 3 Satan wants to bring death to our happiness, joy, and purity, and he accomplishes this through lies. Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field…” Satan cleverly crafts subtle lies about the biggest truths. We see this exemplified in his confrontation with Eve in the Garden of Eden, when he told her four lies that ruined the world. 1. “God is not loving.” Satan’s first tactic was to convince Eve to think negatively about God. The devil wants us to think God is straight-laced and cruel, and that our relationship with Him would be filled with “don’t!” But Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight thyself also in the LORD, and he will give thee the desires of thine heart.” God does not take away joy; He gives it. 2. “God is not truthful.” The devil’s second tactic was to get Eve to think skeptically about God. When Satan removes the truth of God’s Word, then he slips in other ideas to replace them. Many other religions, spiritual practices and New Age thoughts are simply substitutes from the enemy to divert us from the truth. 3. “God is not righteous.” Satan’s next tactic is to make us think lightly of God. But God is holy, and He will punish sin. The Ten Commandments are not advice; they’re law. 4. “God is not gracious.” Finally, Satan will try to convince us to think suspiciously of God. Scripture says that God had a wonderful plan for Adam and Eve. Many people think serving God cramps their style. Yet, the devil, who promises total freedom, keeps his victims in bondage. All the problems in the world today are rooted in these four ancient lies. How can we overcome them? Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Adrian Rogers explains, “On the cross, Satan’s back was broken, and through the blood of the Lamb every lie that you believe can be forgiven. You can see through the lenses of the cross what the real truth is.” Only when we commit ourselves to the written word of God, can we overcome the devil’s lies. Apply it to your life Have you accepted Calvary’s conquest in your life? Have you committed yourself to God’s word so that you may overcome the devil’s lies?

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: James 1:12-15 We live in a world of victims; nobody wants to take the blame for anything. And when we run out of other people to blame for our sins, we can be tempted to blame God. But God’s Word heeds warning to those who would dare blame Him for their temptation to sin. James 1:13-15 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted of God’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” It is impossible to tempt God with evil; He cannot be tempted and He cannot tempt us with evil. Adrian Rogers says, “God gives us tests to make us stand. Satan gives us temptations to make us stumble.” Sin is an inside job; it begins from within. How does the devil provoke our flawed appetites and fatal attractions? First, there is a courtship that leads to a consent. Satan has laid plans to sabotage us, but he cannot do it without our consent. He begins with a courtship: temptation comes our way to entice, entrap, ensnare, and allure. He flirts, baits, and draws us away. Second, the consent leads to conception. Adrian Rogers explains, “There comes an unholy union that brings an unholy child. There is a fatal attraction: the father. There is a flawed appetite: the mother. When these two come together, there is a conception of an unholy child of sin.” Third, conception leads to a consummation. The final result of sin is always death. We can play the blame game all day long, but we will ultimately lose. Adrian Rogers says, “First, sin fascinates; then it assassinates. First, it thrills; then it kills.” As long as we live, there will be temptation. The only thing we can possibly do is to have an inward change, beginning in our own hearts. James 1:18 says, “Of His own will He begets us with His word.” That is, when our hearts are changed, we are born again. Apply it to your life Are you being tempted to sin? Don’t blame God or circumstances. Ask God for a change of heart, and for the strength to refrain from sinning.

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: Ezekiel 28:8 Our war is not against flesh and blood. Rather, we wage war against the evil force behind it all: the devil. And Satan’s origin, found in Ezekiel 28, is one of riches to rags. It’s important to learn about his descent from the palace to the pit because we are pawns in this battle. God did not create a devil; God created a perfect being, who became the devil because God gave him a choice. He was first an angel named Lucifer (which means Son of Morning), surpassing in beauty, superlative in wisdom. But because of the pride in his heart, the Son of Morning was banished from heaven to earth, to be forever known as the Father of Night. The devil’s wisdom is corrupt, his beauty blemished. Now, he continues in power. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant, your adversary, the devil, goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” Adrian Rogers says, “Satan is a master of camouflage; he works through art, music, literature, and he certainly works through religion. Satan doesn’t want casualties as much as he wants converts.” The devil is the chief terrorist who divides, depresses, and destroys. Behind all wickedness and oppression is Satan, beating the drums of diversion to drown out the truth. But, never forget: God has done something about the devil. Hebrews 2:14 says, “Forasmuch, then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also (Jesus) likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” The word “destroy” in this passage actually means “to render helpless.” Satan has been stripped, shamed, and subdued. His dominion over the earth has been taken from him and given to those who will put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Adrian Rogers reminds us, “Satan sails a sinking ship; he rules a doomed domain. There’s coming that final, glorious day when Jesus will come and put His bruised heel upon Satan’s head; Satan is headed to the pit.” Apply it to your life Adrian Rogers says, “God gave Satan a choice and he became Satan. God gives you a choice and you can become a saint.” Spend time in the Word of God today; pray that you may follow Him and honor Him with your life and your choices.

Sermon Overview Scripture Reference: Acts 17:16-18 The opposition we, as Christians, face in this pagan world is nothing new. In Acts 17, Paul finds himself surrounded by a pagan society in Athens, Greece. Yet, the ones who opposed the Gospel in this passage are much like those who oppose the Gospel now. Paul’s response to this opposition is a picture of standing firm in a pagan world. First, Paul met superstitious idolatry. Acts 17:16 says, “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.” An idol is anything you love, serve, fear or trust more than God. Paul saw idolatry everywhere he turned in Athens. Our city and even sometimes our churches are filled with idolatry. There are gods of materialism, alcohol, sex, violence, and even gods of knowledge and wisdom. We all worship something because mankind is incurably religious. Second, Paul faced self-righteous orthodoxy. Verse 17 says, “Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.” These religious men had their sterile orthodoxy. They believed in one true God, but they did not know Him; they did not understand that the Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled through Jesus Christ. Adrian Rogers says, “It’ll be a great day in America when people stop enduring religion and start enjoying salvation.” Thirdly, Paul met sophisticated philosophy. Verse 18 says, “Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him...’” Paul encountered two types of philosophers: the Epicures and the Stoics. Epicureans sought pleasure above anything else. Stoics believed they were victims of fate, that God is in everything and everything is God. If this sounds familiar, it’s because we still encounter people who believe this way. How did Paul deal with this opposition? He expressed confidence in his faith. He simply continued to preach, and reveal that God is a God of power, love, righteousness, and salvation. Paul also expected converts as a result of his faith. Some mocked, some laughed and some procrastinated. But, thank God, others believed. Apply it to your life As we stand firm in this pagan world, we can’t make others believe, however, we have the opportunity to preach the Gospel anyway. Are you confident in your faith? Do you expect converts when you share the Gospel?

Sermon Overview Scripture Passage: 1 John 2:18-29 The days are growing gloriously dark; the time is ripe for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:18-29 heeds three warnings to us as we near the rapture and Great Tribulation prophesied in the Book of Revelation. First, we are living in the last days, and we need to be awake. “Little children, it is the last time....” (v. 18) Ever since the ascension of Jesus Christ, we have been on the brink of His return. And because the signs of the revelation are here, we know the rapture must be very close. When He raptures His church, He will come secretly, like a thief in the night; we must be spiritually awake. Second, the antichrist is coming, and we need to be aware. “...and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” (v. 18) There is a wicked, malevolent, ungodly person waiting to be revealed after the rapture of the church; he is called the antichrist. We must be aware that he is devilish, divisive, deceptive, and destructive. Third, our Lord is on His way, and we need to be abiding. “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye shall also continue in the Son, and in the Father.” (v. 24) While living in the last days, we need to make ourselves at home in the word of God. Now more than ever, we need to appreciate, appropriate, and assimilate Scripture. We must make ourselves at home with the Spirit of God. Adrian Rogers says, “Anything I can talk you into, somebody else can talk you out of; the one who teaches you is the Holy Spirit of God.” Finally, we need to make ourselves at home with the very Son of God. When Jesus comes for us, we shouldn’t have to be formally introduced. Rather, when we see Him face-to-face, it should feel like uniting with someone we’ve known heart-to-heart. Apply it to your life The signs of the upcoming revelation are all around us in these last days. Are you ready for Jesus to come? Are you awake and aware — are you abiding in Christ?

Sermon Overview Scripture reference: Matthew 24:1-3 Mankind has always been fascinated with knowing the future; our only reliable source of prophecy is the Word of God. In Matthew 24, Jesus prophesied His literal, physical return to earth, offering signs of the times and the beginning of the end. “And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” (v. 2) The temple was the center of Jewish life – spiritually and socially. No one could believe it would ever be desolated. Yet, Jesus had prophesied its destruction and it came to fruition. In response, the disciples ask Jesus three questions: When shall these things be? What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (v. 3) Jesus gives them seven marks of the beginning of the end. 1. Deceptions of counterfeit christs One of the marks of the last days will be a time of great deception, in which all the world will be deceived by the antichrist. 2. Division of continuing conflicts The generations to come will see more terrorism, hijackings, bombings, and assassinations than ever before. 3. Disasters of cataclysmic consequence Jesus spoke candidly of famine, plagues, and earthquakes. 4. Defamation of committed Christians Religious persecution will increase, particularly toward those who follow Jesus Christ. 5. Distortion of christless cults Adrian Rogers reiterates G.K. Chesterson’s statement: “When men choose not to believe in God, they do not thereafter believe in nothing, they then become capable of believing in anything.” 6. Disposition of carnal coldness Adrian Rogers says, “When you take away moral limits, you destroy the fire and the glow of true love and you substitute that with the false fire of lust, and theology turns to me-ology.” 7. Discharge of Christ’s commission Before Jesus left this earth, He commissioned us to take the Gospel to all of the world. Jesus calls these marks “the beginning of sorrows.” (v. 8) In this context, the word “sorrow” also translates to, “birth pangs.” As these sorrows multiply and intensify, we know we are nearing the return of Jesus Christ, and the Great Tribulation that comes with it. Apply it to your life Knowing Jesus could return at any moment, the wisest thing to do is follow Jesus and spend time in His Word.