Everything You Needed to Know About the Antichrist But Were Afraid to Ask

Kongsvinger Lutheran Church

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Welcome to the teaching ministry of Kungsvinger Lutheran Church. Kungsvinger is a beacon for the gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of northwestern

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Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins in salvation by grace through faith alone.

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And now, here's a message from Pastor Chris Roseberg. The Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke chapter 20 verses 27 through 40.

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There came to Jesus some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection. They asked

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Him a question saying, Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.

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Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died without children. The second and the third took her and likewise all seven left no children and died.

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Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection therefore whose wife will the woman be?

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For the seven had her as wife and Jesus said to them, the sons of this age marry and are given in marriage but those who are considered worthy to attain to the age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage for they cannot die anymore because they are equal to angels and are sons of God being sons of the resurrection.

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But that the dead are raised even Moses showed in the passage about the bush where he calls the

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Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is not the

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God of the dead but of the living for all live to him. Then some of the scribes answered, well teacher you have spoken well for they no longer dared to ask him any question.

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In the name of Jesus, a little bit of a note here. We're going to be in our epistle text today and we're going to be looking at a dark subject, the subject of the end of the world and the

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Antichrist and there's a lot of false teaching out there, a lot of really kind of Hollywood -esque sizzle regarding the

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Antichrist and it's best if we take a look through here and pay close attention to what scripture reveals.

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As we get towards the end of the church year every year you'll notice that our readings across the year cover literally every major doctrine within the scriptures in one year's time and we spend well at least three weeks or more talking about the end of the world and so today we are observing

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All Saints Day and we remember those who have departed and died in the faith and we recognize that they are with Christ and that should

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Christ tarry that we too will be joining them soon enough, right, and our names will be added to the role of faith until Jesus returns but in the days immediately before Jesus returns there is going to be one who arises within the church who will be the man of lawlessness and the church always has understood two things about this particular person is that we will have to contend with him when the time comes and he is revealed but the spirit that is animating him, the spirit that is really at work in him is already at work in the church today so we are already dealing with the man of lawlessness at least the spirit behind him so it's kind of the now and not yet aspects that we're gonna key in on if you would like to follow along we're gonna do a little cross -reference work today you can kind of think of this as the ultimate prepper's guide to everything you ever needed to know about the

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Antichrist but we're afraid to ask so we're gonna help you be prepared. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 1 the

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Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit tells us concerning the coming of our

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Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him we ask you brothers not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed either by a spirit or a spoken word or a letter seeming to be from us to the effect that the day of the

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Lord has already come. Apparently in 2 Timothy chapter 2

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Paul names these two fellows who thought it would be a really funny idea to write an epistle say that it was from the

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Apostle Paul and let everybody know that Jesus had already been come too bad wish you'd all been ready you've been left behind kind of the issue of what was in that and the names these two gentlemen are

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Hymenaeus and Philetus they are mentioned for us in 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 17 their talk will spread like gangrene among them are

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Hymenaeus and Philetus who have swerved from the truth saying that the resurrection has already happened so notice the people who talk this way they have swerved from the truth and even in our day we've had people who've claimed that the the day of the

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Lord is well it's gonna be next Thursday I always thought next Thursday would be a good day for Jesus to come back but the people who make these predictions over and again scripture warns us about them and verse 3 in our epistle text says so let no one deceive you in any way let no one deceive you in any way they're going to be a lot of people who are teaching a lot of strange bizarre off topic things regarding the end of the world and so Paul wants you and I also to know the truth of what's coming so that number one we don't freak out we don't panic we don't fall for the people who are selling books and teaching all kinds of strange things regarding the end and what is in scripture is sufficient for us to be prepared so don't let anyone deceive you in any way that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed the son of destruction now the

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Greek word for rebellion is apostasia and if you spent any time in the church you've heard of the prophecy regarding the great apostasy that's what this is referring to an apostasy is a rebellion and where does the rebellion take place it takes place in the church you have to understand that scripture reveals that every human being is conceived and born dead in trespasses and sins they're already at war with God and under the dominion of the devil so the rebellion that's going to take place is going to take place where here in every congregation that confesses

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Christ and so there's going to be a rebellion against Jesus against sound doctrine against his word against his commandments and the man of lawlessness is behind all of this we continue so there the

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Jesus will not come back unless the rebellion comes first the man of lawlessness is revealed who is the son of destruction and he is one who listen to this opposes and exalts himself against every so -called

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God or object of worship so that he takes his seat in the temple of God proclaiming himself to be

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God this is the ultimate narcissist the man who has the true

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God complex and he will not allow any to be worshipped except for him the problem is he's not

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God this is well the devil at work in this man

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Daniel writes about him in a couple of places let's take a look at them Daniel chapter 8 starting at verse 23

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Daniel says this about this fellow at the latter end of their kingdom when the transgressors have reached their limit a king of bold face one who understands riddles shall arise his power shall be great but not by his own power in other words the devil will be behind him and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does and destroy mighty men and the people who are saints listen to that he's going to destroy mighty men you can think of great rulers and leaders on the earth and he will also destroy the

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Saints by his cunning listen to these words he shall make deceit prosper under his hand and see the scriptures reveal that this lawless one is already at work in the church and there are many churches where deceit and lies are prospering pay close attention so he shall cause the seat to prosper under his hand and in his own mind he shall become great and without warning he will destroy many he shall even rise up against the

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Prince of Princes that's Jesus and he shall be broken but not by human hand think of it this way there's only one person only one person who is capable and has the authority to execute justice with this fellow and it's not you or I or any living human being it is

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Jesus Christ God in human flesh so the visions of the evenings in the mornings that has been told is true but seal up the vision for refers to many days from now and then in chapter 11

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Daniel tells us a little bit more information about this fellow he says and the Kings shall do as he wills he shall exalt himself magnify himself above every

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God and shall speak astonishing things against the God of God he shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished for what is decreed shall be done so notice there's a time coming when this fellow will arise and he's going to prosper he's going to succeed he's going to make war against Christians and they are going to die he's going to make war against the other leaders of the world and they will fall scripture cannot be broken he shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers or to the one beloved by women he shall not pay attention to any other

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God for he shall magnify himself above all he shall honor the

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God of fortresses instead of these a God whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver and precious stones and costly gifts and he shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign

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God those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor he shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price this sounds like the stuff of an epic movie does it not but this isn't some fiction this is prophecy and notice it says the ones who honor him worship him the early adopters to get on board with his plan and you'll notice scripture describes him as both a religious leader and a political leader this is the ultimate merging of church in state but the problem is this isn't the church this is the synagogue of Satan it says in our epistle text that he shall exalt himself in the temple of God and that's not referring to a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem Paul and talking about the temple of God as a

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Christian as an apostle is talking about the body of Christ he will be both churchmen and politician melded into one satanic unit and world politics and world religion will come together in one satanic dictatorship and those who don't bend the knee will have their heads taken off I'm not painting a very rosy picture of the future am

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I this is not the picture that we get from the liberals the liberals tell us that it's our job to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth it's our job to go and well engage in social justice to solve the problem of poverty to overcome the ills of the world and thus bring the kingdom of God to earth and really really recreate

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Eden by our own well powers and efforts and that once we do that Jesus will show up give us a nice pat on the back and say well done you finally got your act together it took you several thousand years but you finally figured out it's your job to bring heaven to earth and you finally done it that's not what scripture says scripture teaches that as we get closer and closer to the end things get worse and worse and note this the

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Antichrist the man of lawlessness is already at work he's been doing his work in the church for thousands of years now this is why

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Paul then says verse 5 in our epistle text do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things and you know what is restraining him for now they so that he may be revealed in his time scripture reveals that this mystery of lawlessness that is already at work verse 7 says has had a restrainer put on it but it's not a total restrainer so with each level of restraint that is eased back upon this mystery of lawlessness his power and his deceptive abilities continue to grow and grow and this is one of the reasons why the end of the world is likened to birth pains getting stronger stronger and stronger so only he who restrains it will do so until he's out of the way and then the lawless one will be revealed whom the

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Lord Jesus will kill love this with the breath of his mouth that's some pretty strong breath and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming and then verse 9 which was not in our epistle text

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I think we should put in here the coming of the lawless one notice this he's coming is by the activity of Satan and now we know who is behind this man of lawlessness with all power false signs false wonders yeah that's right turn on your television and watch

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Benny Hinn wave his jacket and everyone go woohoo and fall down and be slain in the spirit false sign false wonder by the activity of the devil himself so the coming of the lawless one is by the activity

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Satan with false signs false wonders with all wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved as a result of that God sends on them a strong delusion so that they may believe what is false have you noticed that unbelievers in the media seem to have more biblical discernment than people who attend certain churches nowadays isn't that weird that the media can look at Christians and go how dumb can you be to believe that if you send in a thousand dollars to that televangelist that God's gonna make you rich are you thick in the head the answer is no they're not thick in the head they're suffering under delusion sent by God in judgment and don't think this couldn't happen to us it could so God sends a strong delusion so that they may believe what is false in order that they they may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness now the apostle

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John also writes about the man of lawlessness and he uses the actual word Antichrist and you'll note this as we look at what

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John writes about the Antichrist is that John also acknowledges that the

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Antichrist is already at work and that even in his time little Antichrists have appeared and so little

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Antichrist have appeared from the time of the Apostles through all of church history and they're even here now

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John writes in 1st John chapter 2 starting at verse 18 children it is the last hour he penned this almost two thousand years ago it is the last hour that is a very long hour it's that hour has lasted several thousand years who knows how long it's going to continue to last it's beyond my pay grade to be able to tell you when the end is coming

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I haven't achieved some kind of a level where the Trinity has revealed to me when the end is coming so we'll just have to all work together with what we do have so it is the last hour you have heard that the

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Antichrist is coming and so now many Antichrists have already come therefore we know that it is the last hour and notice where the

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Antichrist came from ready they went out from us but they were not of us see the

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Antichrist rise up within the church if they had been of us they would have continued with us but they went out that it might become plain that they are not of us but you have been anointed by the

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Holy One and the anointing referred to here is your baptism and so you'll notice now will start to note how scripture how the

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Holy Spirit comforts us with this knowledge the Holy Spirit didn't tell you about this guy that's coming and the man of lawlessness in the mystery of lawlessness in the

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Antichrist and the little Antichrist along the way so that you would not be able to sleep at night we don't want you go home going

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I can't sleep he begins to comfort us with these words you've been anointed by the

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Holy One where have you been anointed you have been anointed with the Holy Spirit the waters of your baptism you've been buried with Christ you've been raised with him your sins have been washed away today you come and feast on the body and blood of Christ broken and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins take comfort he's given you all of this information ahead of time so that you wouldn't need to worry because nothing is out of control all is going according to plan you are in him keep trusting and looking to Christ looking to the one who has anointed you so but you have been anointed by the

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Holy One and you all have knowledge so I write you not because you do not know the truth but because you know it because no lie is of the truth oh that's an important statement no lie is of the truth see that's the thing when you see the person performing signs and wonders and performing miracles but when they open their mouth they speak lies they twist

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God's Word to make it say things that it doesn't say oh I know where you're from you're from the lawless one you're not doing this by the power of the

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Holy Spirit you're doing this by the power well of the devil no lie is of the truth so who is the liar but the he who denies the

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Jesus is the Messiah this is the Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son no one who denies the

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Son has the Father whoever confesses the Son has the Father also important statement there so let what you heard from the beginning abide in you let me say that again let what you heard from the beginning abide in you if what you heard from the beginning abides in in you then you too will abide in the

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Son and the Father note here so where can we go to find the teaching of the

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Apostles well which this church heard from the beginning where can we go to find this doctrine do

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I need to listen to a prophet giving me fresh revelation or do I go to the apostolic writing the doctrines taught from the very beginning at the church the faith once delivered to the

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Saints not the new and improved see Christianity is not like your computers operating system

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Christianity doesn't need to be sent back to the computer programmers so that they can work the bugs out and give a fresh interface to it and then downloaded into your

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Christian heart so that you can experience Christianity 5 .0 the one where the email finally works no there is no

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Christianity 2 .0 there is only Christianity and that's what he's saying don't let anyone deceive you abide in what you've heard from the beginning if what you heard from the beginning abides in you the words of the

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Apostles Christianity 1 .0 then you will abide in the

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Sun and in the Father and this is the promise that he made to us are you ready what's the promise eternal life

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Christians it is time for us to become so heavenly minded that we can finally once and for all be of some this is what scripture teaches us our eyes are focused not on the here and the now and all getting worried and upset and anxious ridden because of what's happening in the here and the now our eyes are set firmly on Jesus who's to be revealed at the end of the world the new heavens the new earth the promise of eternal life keeping our eyes focused there will help us get through all of the turmoil in the in -between so I write you these things he says those who are

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I'm writing the these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you but the anointing that you receive from him abides in you and you have no need that anyone should teach you but as his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and is no lie just as is taught to you abide in him and now little children abide in him so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming if you know that he is righteous you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him one last look at scripture revelation chapter 13 this is the one that all the movies go to revelation 13 this is the one with the big graphic picture of the beast in the dragon and will note the cross reference in the similarities here to see that these are all describing the same thing revelation 13 one

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I saw a beast rising out of the sea with ten horns seven heads ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its head and the beast that I saw was like a leopard its feet were like a bear's its mouth was like a lion's mouth and to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority one of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound but its mortal wound was healed and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast notice revelation says the whole world will follow him they worshipped the dragon for he had given authority to the beast and they worship the beast saying who is like the beast who can fight against it

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I know the answer to that question not me it's

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Jesus and boy when he shows up things are not gonna go well for this thing and the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty blasphemous words and it was allowed to exercise authority for 42 months notice it was permitted to do this it opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God blaspheming his name is dwelling that is those who dwell in heaven and also was allowed to make war on the saints pay attention here pay attention this thing is allowed to make war on the saints and what's the outcome of this war he was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation and all who dwell on the earth will worship it everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of the life of the lamb who was slain if anyone has an ear let him hear so what does this mean for us this sounds like a terrible dark future oh you're just looking at the in -between keep your eyes focused on eternity it's gonna get really really crazy right there at the end and so if you have ears to hear then hear this if anyone is to be taken captive to captivity he goes if anyone is to be slain with the sword with the sword he must be slain are you saying pastor that there's a chance that I as a

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Christian am gonna be thrown into a camp and killed you bet your bippy that's right you if that happens to you have been found worthy to suffer and to die for the name of Christ for not bowing the knee to the devil but persisting in worship of the one true

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God who has already set you free you see in the waters of your baptism you died you were buried with Christ and you were raised with Christ you're already dead so if anyone's to be slain with the sword with the sword he must be slain here's a call for the endurance and the faith of the

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Saints you go right ahead and die let them take their life your life because they can't take your life your life is already hid in Christ so let them kill you let them throw you in prison let them make you suffer all of this is heaping up even more and more reward and glory in the kingdom that will be revealed now

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Jesus has told you all of this ahead of time and so our text in our epistle ends with these words of standing firm so we are always to give thanks to God for you brothers beloved by the

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Lord because God has chose you as the first roots to be saved through sanctification to the spirit and belief in the truth you brothers and sisters are saved you are in Christ you have been sanctified to God's Holy Spirit and through belief in the truth so to this he is called you through our gospel so that you may obtain the glory of our

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Lord Jesus so then brothers stand firm hold to the traditions the sound doctrines that you were taught by us either by our spoken word or by our letter and now may our

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Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word so what are we to do knowing what's coming and is already here and at work what are we to do come to church confess your sins be forgiven feast on the body and blood of Christ feast on the words of scripture leave here and go and love and serve your neighbor come back and do it again next week all of this is coming we know it's coming when it shows up we don't have to worry as if something has gone terribly wrong no everything's going according to plan continue to make disciples trust in Christ feast and believe the truth reject the lies fight the good fight of faith

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God is the one who is warring not you and Jesus himself will bring all of it to naught with his glorious appearing so be comforted stand firm you're going to be just because is the one who wars for you and he has the victory already in hand so much so that the only thing he needs to do when he shows up to kill this terrible thing is to go that's true power and true comfort in the name of Jesus amen

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If you would like to support the teaching ministry of Kungsvinger Lutheran Church you can do so by sending a tax -free donation to Kungsvinger Lutheran Church 15950 470th

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Avenue Northwest Oslo Minnesota 56744 and again that address is

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Kungsvinger Lutheran Church 15950 470th