Sermon Info
Summary
God wants us to know about the End Times. Sometimes talking about the End Times can bring angst and fear; however, the Bible talks about how this world will end so that we will not be afraid. God wants us to know the end so that we will be “confident and unafraid.” God wins! God is Sovereign over all. If we are in Christ Jesus, then we are on the winning side. Our goal is to not get distracted but to grow in our relationship with Jesus and share Him with others. The best is still to come for all of us. Heaven is our home, and Jesus is coming back for us.
Content
The End Times are Here
Have you ever noticed that it seems that the older a person gets, the less they seem to care about what other people think? After they’ve lived some life, it’s more about them passing on what they’ve learned and grown in during their lifetime than about caring what others are thinking about them.
The apostle John was an older man himself when he wrote the book of 1 John. Scholars think that he was likely close to 80 or even 90 years old. When he wrote these letters, he wasn’t concerned about saying things that would offend or cause disruption; rather, he wanted to write things that would matter eternally. Things that were important to Christ-followers. Things that would impact the world to come.
In his letter, John recognizes that we live in a fallen world, a world that was so defined by brokenness and sin and hurt and loss. Yet, as Christians, he also recognizes that this world is not our home. Jesus came and died a death on the cross to save us from our sins – this we know. But, we also know that Jesus promises to come again. He is coming. And that’s how we can know that this world is not where we will spend eternity.
The End Times are here, but our Jesus is coming.
What the Bible Says about Understanding Eternity in 1 John 2
In the second half of 1 John 2, we read about the “last hour” and the antichrist that is coming. John says it himself – we are in the End Times. This doesn’t mean that we need to overthink or over analyze the End Times, but we do need to realize that eternal life is hanging in the balance. As for you, 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. And this is what He promised us—eternal life (1 John 2:24-25)
Eternal life is promised to those who believe, but we still must stay grounded in the truth. There will be antichrists and false teachers who will be teaching things that are not what God’s Word teaches, so we must know God’s Word and allow it to be what defines who we are. It will be what helps us to grow in our faith and trust that God is in control.
The book of Revelation was also written by the apostle John. We read in Scripture that God gave John a glimpse into what eternity with Jesus will look like. He writes in Revelation 21:4-5, Then I saw a “new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!” Both in this passage and in 1 John, we learn about what we have to look forward to – all things being made new through Christ. In order to live a life that is of value, a life that is beautiful, we must understand eternity and understand how much our lives can impact others’ eternities, too.
How can we get ready for the End Times?
Good is coming. Though the End Times hold much uncertainty and many unknowns, we know that Jesus holds our future in the palm of His hands. Rather than allowing fear and the uncertainty of what may come in the days ahead to control us, we can live in faith, trusting that God is sovereign and in control of all things.
This also should spur us on to share Jesus with others in our lives. First, make sure your own heart is ready by staying in God’s Word and growing in your faith, then share what you know to be true with those who don’t know Jesus. We can live confidently and unashamed because we know who our Jesus is. Regardless of what is coming our way – and we know a lot of hardship and tribulation is coming – we can hold on to hope. We can look forward to freedom from pain and persecution, rescue from disaster and doubt, release from brokenness and bondage. Jesus is coming. Oh, for the day.
But He hasn’t come yet. So, today, we get ready for Him to come by staying grounded in the truth even when the lies of the world get loud. We share Jesus with others, even when persecution may come. He will make everything new, including you and me, including heaven and earth. Here’s a sneak peek to the last page of the book: Jesus wins.
Jesus wins.
