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

Luke 20:27-40 and the Sadducees’ Question About the Resurrection

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

And now here's a message.

From Pastor Chris Roseberg. The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke chapter 20 verses 27 through 40. There came to Jesus some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection. They asked 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.

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

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.

But that the dead are raised even Moses showed in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live to him.

The Man of Lawlessness and the Great Apostasy

Then some of the scribes answered well teacher you have spoken well for they no longer dared to ask him any question. 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 Antichrist and there's a lot of false teaching out there a lot of really kind of Hollywood-esque sizzle regarding the Antichrist and it's best if we take a look through here and pay close attention to what scripture reveals.

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 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 Christ tarry that we too will be joining them soon enough right and our names will be added to the roll 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 going to 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 preppers guide to everything you ever needed to know about the Antichrist but we're afraid to ask.

So we're gonna help you be prepared. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 1 the Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit tells us concerning the coming of our 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 Lord has already come. Apparently in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 Paul names these two fellas who thought it would be a really funny idea to write an epistle say that it was from the 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 how what was in that. And the names of these two gentlemen are Hymenaeus and Philetus. They are mentioned for us in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 17.

Their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus who have swerved from the truth saying that the resurrection has already happened. So notice that 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 day of the 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 anyway. 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 Greek word for rebellion is apostasy. 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 and 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 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 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 God or object of worship so that he takes his seat in the temple of God proclaiming himself to be God.

This is the ultimate narcissist the man who has the true God complex. And he will not allow any to be worshipped except for him. The problem is he's not God. This is well the devil at work in this man.

Daniel writes about him in a couple of places. Let's take a look at them. Daniel chapter 8. Starting at verse 23 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 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. So pay close attention. So he shall cause the seat to prosper under his hand in his own mind.

He shall become great and without warning he will destroy many. He shall even rise up against the 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 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 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 God and shall speak astonishing things against the God of God's.

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 father's or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other God for he shall magnify himself above all.

He shall honor the God of fortresses instead of these a God whom his father's 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 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. 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 and 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 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 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 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 Antichrist the man of lawlessness is already at work.

He's oh he's been doing his work in the church for thousands of years now. So this is why 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 and 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 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 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 was behind this man of lawlessness with all power false signs false wonders. Yeah that's right. Turn on your television and watch Benny Hinn wave his jacket and everyone go whoo-hoo 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 of 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 a 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.

The Antichrist, the Anointing, and Abiding in the Truth

Now the Apostle 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 John writes about the Antichrist is that John also acknowledges that the Antichrist is already at work and that even in his time little Antichrist have appeared.

And so little Antichrist have appeared from the time of the Apostles through all of church history and they're even here now. John writes in 1st John chapter 2 starting at verse 18. Children it is the last hour he penned this almost 2 ,000 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.

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 Antichrist is coming.

And so now many Antichrists have already come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. And notice where the Antichrist came from. Ready. They went out from us but they were not of us. See the 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 Holy One. And the anointing referred to here is your baptism.

And so you'll notice now we'll start to note how scripture how the 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.

And the Antichrist and the little Antichrist along the way so that you would not be able to sleep at night. We don't want you to go home going. I can't sleep. He begins to comfort us with these words.

You've been anointed by the Holy One. Where have you been anointed. You have been anointed with the Holy Spirit in 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 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 lies of the truth. You 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 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 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 that Jesus is the Messiah. This is the Antichrist. Who denies the Father and the Son.

No one who denies the 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 Son and the Father. Note here. So where can we go to find the teaching of the Apostles. Well which this church heard from the beginning.

Where can we go to find this doctrine. Do 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 of the church the faith once delivered to the Saints not the new and improved.

See Christianity is not like your computers operating system. 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 download it into your Christian heart so that you can experience Christianity 5 .0.

The one where the email finally works. No there is no 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 Apostles Christianity 1 .0 then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us. Are you ready.

What's the promise. Eternal life. Christians it is time for us to become so heavenly minded that we can finally once and for all be of some earthly good. 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. I'm writing 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.

The Beast, the Saints, and Endurance Under Persecution

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 we'll note the cross reference in the similarities here to see that these are all describing the same thing.

Revelation 13. One. 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 worshipped the beast saying who is like the beast who can fight against it.

I know the answer to that question. It's not me. It's Jesus. And boy when he shows up things are not going to 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 it 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 Christian I'm 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 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 Saints. You go right ahead and die. Let them take their light 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. 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 Lord because God has chose you as the firstfruits 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 has called you through our gospel so that you may obtain the glory of our 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 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.

Standing Firm, Rejecting Lies, and Waiting for Christ’s Victory

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. God is the one who is warring not you.

And Jesus himself will bring all of it to not with his glorious appearing. So be comforted. Stand firm. You're going to be just fine because Jesus 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. If you would like to support.

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