Back to the Future (Part 2)

Throughout Christian history people have tried to identify who is the antichrist and them through the years I met her habit of looking up the list and see who is in and who's out than if you read the list.

It's really amazing really because it included former Roman emperors and some corrupt popes in the Bonaparte Hitler, FDR, Henry Kissinger, Louis Frederick, Ken and even Sam Donaldson of ABC, and I suppose these folks are no off the hook.

But today what I want to do is pray fully and thoughtfully try to clarify what the Scripture says about the Antichrist and if there's some confusion. Hopefully, that by the end of the message. The owl rings on clarity. The Bible speaks definitively about a person, and is called the Antichrist. He first is identified in the book of Daniel chapter 7 as the first time you hear or you read in the Scripture about this character and then he was reaffirmed by the Lord himself in Matthew 2415 when he said that when you see the desolation that spoken of by Daniel and then of course the apostle Paul himself writing to the Thessalonians, and explaining that this character is gonna rise at a time prior to the return of Christ, but it is chapter 13 of the book of Revelation that probably gives us more of the details about this person, but there's something that is of outermost importance. I don't want you to miss.

It is very important. The same John who had been privileged to go into the very portals of heaven and see the future as present. The very apostle John writes in first John chapter 2, verse 18. The following that same John said there are many antichrists who have appeared. What is he mean by that. Listen carefully. Please, it means that anyone at any time who opposes the fact the truth that Jesus and Jesus alone is the way to the father. Enter salvation enter heaven is an Antichrist buys a small way is he that is why a lot of people confuse when they see an Antichrist or think he is the antichrist and the jumping to conclusions. That is why throughout Christian history.

When people saw a political figure order religious figure or a powerful figure, a public figure who is publicly opposed to that central truth that make Christianity to view Christianity when they saw this, is that he is the antichrist, but please understand. Ever since Satan was kicked out of heaven. And remember, Jesus said those words. He said I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning is a Jesus was there before the anything was created in this room and by whom the whole universe was created. He has existed in preexistent with the father before a world and he saw what happened and he said I saw Satan fall. What happened Satan. Lucifer was the lead angel of light and he supposed to serve the living God. But one day in his heart he turned and wanted to be God and wanted to conduct a coup d'état if you like he wanted to be on the throne instead of God, and God kicked him out of heaven and you read about in Isaiah and Ezekiel throughout the Scripture. And so he was thrown out of heaven and from the moment he been thrown out of heaven to this.

He is always being in opposition to God throughout the earth in his opposition, he enlists many public figures why in order that they might articulate and enforce his opposition to God and God's plan in his Messiah, Jesus the Christ. All of these antichrist with a small lay have been and will always be in every generation and every nation.

You'll find him, you'll see them if they are opposed to the Christ event opposed to the fact that Christ and Christ alone can save you eternally. Then there are an Antichrist, but the Bible also speaks about the antichrist with the A, and he will rise immediately prior to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will be an individual who would literally control the earth. So far, even with the efforts of others. Nobody ever control the world. This character will be able to control the world. He will rise at a time when there is a great deal of confusion and chaos on the people he will rise at a time of uncertainty and unrest throughout the world. He will rise at a time when there is political and economic upheaval.

He will come at a time when there is a desperation for peace of mind and security at a time when there is a sense of hopelessness in the world and at that time. That person will preach whole optimism, peace and security. Daniel chapter 7 verse eight he said that person is a powerful, charismatic auditor, he will be very persuasive and charming and winsome personality. Intellectually he's going to be so brilliant in his power of reasoning, in fact, he will be possessing something of a superhuman power and he will be everything that people hoped for. He will be the ultimate political leader who will be the ultimate religious because you speak with religious stones. In fact, is going to set himself up against Christ. He will be the ultimate smooth talker. He will unite the world under his rule, and for a brief time he will deliver exactly what he promised he will deliver peace and prosperity and hope. But once the world go under his spell once the world came under his control that he will turn and become a ruthless dictator above all, he will deny that Christ is the only way and the only truth, and the only way to the father and I want you to think about how our world is so already is so prepared for such a character how our world was so already today. You have to be living under a rock not to realize what is happening around the globe. You have to be literally living in space. Not to realize that there are forces in the world today. Powerful forces that normally are opposed each other dumb ethically opposed to each other and yet somehow they are becoming united. The very core of the unity is one thing and one thing alone is that one thing in agreement infected disagree on everything else except for that one that Jesus is not the only way to heaven. Whether will be humanistic secular humanists. Whether will be atheists or agnostics or New Age mystics or Islamicists.

They all united on one thing that is Jesus is not the only way to the father.

Now these groups normally would be into each other throughout and they will one, but for the time being. They have just one thing in common that is uniting them and it is a denial of Christ's claim to be the only Messiah in the divine son of God, and to add insult to injury to of the most extensive surveys ever been conducted in the United States of America come up with the following results, 54% of all Christians of all denominations do not believe that Jesus is the only way 37% of the so-called evangelicals do not believe that Jesus is the only way to say that you are an evangelical, which means you believe in the gospel in the gospel of Jesus alone as your means of salvation, but to deny that he is on the way to salvation is like saying I'm an American, but I deny that there are 50 states do you get the confusion here, but you can see the seeds of confusions have been so deeply planted, even in the minds of more than to have "who claim to be Christians in this just in this country alone. You go to Europe and the Bruce percentage is huge at this chaotic economic conditions around the world and you will have to conclude that our world is ready for such a character that whether he would be an Antichrist with a small eye of the antichrist. Only God the father knows that we don't know all but Paul tells us in second Thessalonians to three he said this smooth operator is going to be worshiped is gonna be adored is going to allow people to sing praises to him and ballot him at his feet, but once he has the upper hand. Once he held the world under his spell. Literally people will be surrendering to him and then he will turn on the believers of the Lord Jesus Christ first to try to use them and then he will turn on them.

In Matthew 2415 Jesus said that he will commit the abomination of desolation and the same thing in second Thessalonians. Paul said the same thing. What does it mean that he will perform false miracles is going to perform false signs and wonders.

He will appear to possess super human power and the question is where will he have this power.

Where will he get that power and the answer is Satan is a spirit and therefore he's forever looking for a warm body in order to possess, so they can carry his water if you like.

He's forever looking for the first spokesman is forever looking for an individual whom he can possess.

So that that person would do his bidding, in opposition to God. In fact, Revelation chapter 13 tells us that this antichrist is going to fake his own death and resurrection, so he was busy remind you of right. He is the Christ. Now let me stop you. Just for moment because I'm aware of the fact that some of you a more versed about this whole subject of the second return of Christ than others, and after studying these views for all these years.

I just decided that as a study the Scripture. There are four things that are absolutely essential. Number one that only those who receive Jesus as Savior and Lord are going to make it to heaven. Number two that Jesus is coming back to take the believers terrain and rule with him in heaven. Third thing is this that there will be a judgment over those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ otherwise would be a miscarriage of justice on God's part. The judgment is part and parcel of the gospel. I know you don't like to leave it these days we don't rub it on the think is not going to happen when other bury our heads in the sand, but the Bible repeatedly says there is a judgment that is coming up on those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ and the fourth thing is this. When Jesus appears in all the believers again be with him and that's enough for me. That's enough for me. That's enough for me.

If we go through the tribulation. We don't go through the tribulation and there are some of our brothers and sisters right now going through tribulation whether we can see the other guys would not see the undergrads makes no difference whether we got the new heaven and a new earth is a new planet or this one is going to be transformed.

It makes no difference to me. It makes no difference when I trusted Jesus for my salvation and my eternal life. When you trusted Jesus with your salvation for eternal life. You have trusted him to take care of all of your future, whatever it may be, whatever it may be whenever Jesus is that's heaven and I'm going to be a weatherman you gonna be with him, never will put their trust in him are going to be with him and that's enough for me. My simple mindset that's enough for me and the one who created this beautiful beautiful earth and we look at the beautiful scenery of this planet.

He said that he's got a far more beautiful place is in this available and is prepared for all those who put their trust in him. He promised no matter what happened, he will never leave us nor forsake us that we are engraved on his palms and the palms of his hands that we are current on the shoulders that heel touches us touches the apple of his eye. The word promised that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come.

No powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything created thing will ever separate us from the love of God that we have in Christ Jesus has the good news in his great news, both in Thessalonians to Paul's teaching the church in Thessalonica and in Daniel chapter 7. It tells us that just prior to this demon possessed inspired trauma becomes so powerful in his deception arrived at that moment the Lord will appear and he will destroy the antichrist. That is gonna lock Satan forever, and the like a fire. Daniel chapter 7 verse 21 and 22 visit as I watched, this horn talk about the antichrist was waging war against the saints and defeating them until the ancient of days came, and he pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the most high, and the time came when very possess the kingdom.

Amen belongs here. Now my friends, that's really what it's all about that really what it's all about.

Don't miss what's it's all about and I'll get bogged down in these charts and and fixing of dates that's all that matters Michelle were to go from second Thessalonians number and move through it very quickly yet understand the background which this epistle is being written, Paul was combating false teachers and false preachers in his day as we are combating them. This day except this day we want to get along with. The phone never trotted along with his just called them for. Therefore there are he was combating these false preachers and false teachers who said that Jesus is not coming back physically, there are some people within the Christian community today in evangelical community say that Jesus is not coming back physically when he said I'll come back to you. He was referring to his coming back from the resurrection after the resurrection. He came back to the disciples that is absolute falsehood.

Jesus himself said I'll be back Jesus basically said he'll be back. And so Paul was combating those false teachers like we combat them today and Paul said that no one deceive you, while the return of Christ is going to be sudden to those who are unprepared, but that day will not take us by surprise that there is not going to take the believers by surprise.

Why, because those who are anticipating the day of the Lord. Those who are living, and preparing to meet the Lord, whether he comes back this afternoon or that individually go back this afternoon. Those who are waiting for him in looking for the sign of his return to be surprised when they see the rejoice those who love the Lord when they see even church leaders today denying the divinity of Christ denying the claims of Christ embracing a wholesale departure from the faith of the Bible call apostasy denying Christ's authority over his church, denying Christ's resurrection. When the faithful believers see all of that they will not be shaken. There will not be surprised. They will be immovable, but rather they rejoice because they are living in expectations.

They are living in anticipation there will be filled with joy when the day comes when you see even some of the elect and Jesus said that by the way, I didn't say he said some of the elect are going to be deceived and when you see some of the elect today are being deceived for the sake of popularity for the sake of being wanted to be accepted when you see them watering down the conviction and watering down their belief in order to get along and say well we just all have disagreements with each other but talking about religions that are absolutely diametrically opposed to the Christian faith.

When you see all of that. Don't get shaken in your faith stand firm stand and wait because you can see the Lord coming back. Jesus told us this is going to happen, don't be surprised but indeed what you need to do what I need to do is to hold Fastenal faith in Christ, we are to be intelligently serving in the name of Christ, that we are to be urgent in calling people to come to Christ.

We are to live our lives with joyful expectation for the coming of Christ. We are to let ourselves of the idols that have replaced Christ in our lives we are to look up because of that is going not second Thessalonians to six and seven Paul is saying as you see the restraining power of the Holy Spirit beginning to withdraw from the earth when you begin to see the restraining power of the Holy Spirit withdrawal from any church when you see miniatures operate on human wisdom and not the power of the Holy Spirit. When you see the Holy Spirit restraining power being rejected by many a denomination look up look up the deceivers around the corner and he will use this chaotic environment to his advantage. Look at verse eight.

Then suddenly the Lord Jesus will come and will overthrow him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming out about you but I can wait. I live every day with that expectation is not told her last message I I put in 1416 hrs. a day. I'm not gonna put on white robes and get on the mountains is going to come and finally working hard not idle you plan as of Jesus not coming back for thousand years. But your work and your surveys is coming tomorrow. That is the word of the Scripture. That's a balance of the Scripture when the antichrist appeared he would have people under his spell. He will have people under his his grip that will literally persecute the Christian friends with intensity because through his minions. The Bible said he's gonna be in such control that nobody buys ourselves without his permission and he's going to be in control of the economy. Maybe someone here today who have bought into this confusion that says that Jesus is just a way not the only way someone for the sake of tolerance have bought into this falsehood that says that all the ways leads to God that all religions are equal of equal value that there are no absolutes that describes you with the challenger is your eternal life worth gambling with is your eternal life worth gambling with come to him the only one who dearly loves you and demonstrated his love by sending his son, his only begotten son to die on the cross to pay for the wages of your sins and mine come to the one who died to give you eternal life comforting now. While there is time, come to him during this time of grace and he will give you peace and assurance. No matter what happens we going to be with him. Father, you have not left yourself without a witness and is not a single person who's listening, will have an excuse in the day, but also father I pray that you deliver us who know you and love you from smugness that we would have passion and compassion for those who don't know you that we repeated them because the God of this world has blinded their eyes and that we would speak the truth in love as the Holy Spirit has spoken to you. The Holy Spirit convicted you if you living in doubt and if you living in fear God because clearly spoken to you what him to make that commitment right now I'm going to lead you in a short prayer. Let that be your prayer and please allow us to walk with you. Come alongside of you.

The Lord Jesus Christ you died on the cross for me. You have given me yet another opportunity to come to you. I do come to you now, Lord, I repent of my sins are confessing to you I receive your gift of eternal life.

I receive your gift of forgiveness.

Help me to walk with you day by day until either I come to you when you come to me in Jesus name, amen. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that's LTW.org