Sermon: Final Checklist
As the Body of Christ finds itself getting closer and closer to the
Great Tribulation and what the Bible calls the end time, certain
elements begin to manifest themselves within the Salvation Process.
It is now time we focus our attention on these elements.
Most of them are enumerated in Matthew 24. Let us read it.
Matthew 24
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples
came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 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.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him
privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall
be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive
you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive
many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not
troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not
yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and
there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers
places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you:
and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and
shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for
a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of
by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him
understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out
of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his
clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in
those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the
sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the
beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there;
believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall
shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they
shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go
not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto
the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered
together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then
shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of
man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and
they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end
of heaven to the other.
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender,
and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is
near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these
things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of
heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall
also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other
left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and
the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what
watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have
suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the
Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made
ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so
doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his
goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth
his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink
with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for
him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the
hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
In verse 3 the disciples ask Jesus a simple, two-part question, “what
shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world [age]?
What follows are descriptions of events and admonitions for the end
time. This paper will focus on the latter.
The five highest end time elements firstfruits will face
1] Deception…a method
2] False Doctrine…the content of the deception
3] Brother Relations…breaking down
4] Bitterness…firstfruits falling from the faith
5] Coping with Shock…mentally, emotionally, physically and
spiritually
What we will see revealed in scripture is the fact these elements will
dovetail together in various descriptions and manifestations.
End time elements from Matthew 24
Let us see where these are enumerated in Matthew 24:
Verse 4…take heed that no man deceive you. Items 1 and 2
Verse 5…many shall come in my name. Items 1 and 2
Verse 6…wars and rumours of wars, see that ye be not troubled. Item
5
Verse 8…all these [verse 7] are the beginning of sorrows. Item 5
Verse 9…you shall be afflicted, killed and hated. Items 3, 4 and 5
Verse 10…many shall be offended. Item 4
Verse 10…betrayal and hatred by brothers in and out of the church.
Items 3, 4 and 5
Verse 11…false prophets and deception. Items 1 and 2
Verse 12…iniquity shall abound; love waxing cold. Items 3 and 4
Verse 21…great tribulation on the highest scale. Item 5
Verse 23…lo, Christ is here or there. Items 1 and 2
Verse 24…great signs and wonders. Items 1 and 5
Verse 26…Christ is in the desert or in the secret chambers. Items 1
and 2
Verse 29…sun darkened; moon and stars without light. Item 5
Verses 37-44…as in the days of Noah; one taken, one left and Christ
coming suddenly. Item 5
Verse 48… “my lord delayeth his coming.” Items 3 and 4
Verse 49…smiting of brothers. Items 3 and 4
1] Deception…a method: mentioned six times.
2] False Doctrine…the content of the deception: mentioned five times.
3] Brother Relations: mentioned five times.
4] Bitterness: mentioned six times.
5] Coping with Shock: mentioned eight times.
Admonitions from Matthew 24
Along with all the end time events and the five elements listed above,
Matthew 24 gives the firstfruit a number of admonitions. Let us list
those the same way we listed the aforementioned elements.
Verse 4…be not deceived.
Verse 6…be not troubled.
Verse 13…endure unto the end.
Verse 15…watch for the abomination of desolation.
Verse 16…if you are in Judea, flee into the mountains.
Verse 17…do not take time to get things from the house.
Verse 18…do not take time to get clothing.
Verse 20…pray your flight be not in winter or on the Sabbath day.
Verse 23…do not believe lies or false prophets.
Verse 26…do not believe lies or false prophets.
Verse 33…look for the events enumerated in Matthew 24.
Verse 42…watch for these events enumerated in Matthew 24.
Verse 43…watch
Verse 44…be ready mentally and spiritually for the return of Christ
Verse 46…be doing the admonitions of Matthew 24 and continuing in the
Salvation Process.
End time events from Matthew 24
Since we have enumerated the end time elements and the admonitions from
Matthew 24, we should complete these lists with the events Jesus
described for the end time.
Verse 5…false prophets, ministers and teachers.
Verse 6…wars and rumors of wars.
Verse 7…wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes.
Verse 11…false prophets, ministers and teachers.
Verse 14…gospel preached to all nations and the end of the age.
Verse 15…abomination of desolation.
Verse 21…great tribulation.
Verse 24…false Christs, false prophets and miracles done by same.
Verse 27…the return of Christ in the sky.
Verse 29…after the tribulation: sun darkened and moon and stars not
giving light.
Verse 30…Christ returns.
Verse 31…sound of a trumpet and angels gather the firstfruits into the
sky.
Verse 37…the time leading up to tribulation will be just like the days
of Noah were.
Verse 38…eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, i. e.
normal life will be going on.
Verse 50…Christ returns.
Verse 51…the lake of fire for those described in Matthew 24 as falling
from the Salvation Process.
I now want to take each of the five end time elements and see what other
scriptures outside of Matthew 24 have to say both to their being these
elements and admonitions to avoid their impact in our spiritual lives.
The five highest end time elements firstfruits will face
1] Deception…a method
2] False Doctrine…the content of the deception
3] Brother Relations…breaking down
4] Bitterness…firstfruits falling from the faith
5] Coping with Shock…mentally, emotionally, physically and
spiritually
Element One: Deception
Deuteronomy 11:16
Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn
aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
2 Timothy 3:13
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and
being deceived.
Titus 3:1-6
1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey
magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness
unto all men.
3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving
divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one
another.
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy
he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly
they are ravening wolves.
Acts 20:30
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away
disciples after them.
1 Timothy 4:1-3
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath
created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the
truth.
2 Peter 2:1-3
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be
false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even
denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of
truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of
you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation
slumbereth not.
1 John 2:18-21
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist
shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the
last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us,
they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might
be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye
know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
1 John 2:26
These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
1 John 4:1-4
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of
God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is
not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it
should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he
that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Jude 1:3-4
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation,
it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained
to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into
lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 19:20
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles
before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast,
and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of
fire burning with brimstone.
Element Two: False Doctrine
Colossians 2:18
Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of
angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by
his fleshly mind,
1 Timothy 4:1-3
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath
created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the
truth.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn
away.
2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their
own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.
Titus 1:9
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by
sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Titus 2:1
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
Element Three: Brother Relations
…breaking down
For this element, we will focus on the verses arising from Matthew 24 and verses
9, 10, 12, 48 and 49.
Verse 9
[they
shall deliver you up, kill you and hate you]
Acts 5:40-41
40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten
them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let
them go.
41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were
counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Acts 7:59
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit.
Acts 12:1
[see
verses 2-5]
Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of
the church.
Verse 10
[many
offended, betrayal and hatred]
John 6:66-67
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
2 Timothy 4:16
At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that
it may not be laid to their charge.
Matthew 10:35-36
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter
against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
Verse 12
[love
waxing cold]
Revelation 2:4-5
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first
love.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first
works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick
out of his place, except thou repent.
Revelation 2:10
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast
some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten
days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Verse 48
[“my
Lord delays His coming.”]
Ezekiel 12:22, 27
22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying,
The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth
is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.
2 Peter 3:3-5
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking
after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell
asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens
were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Verse 49
[brother
smiting brother]
Isaiah 66:5
Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated
you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but
he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
2 Corinthians 11:20
For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man
take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
Element Four: Bitterness
Bitterness is what enters the heart of a firstfruit as he or she beings the
falling away process. Bitterness is about firstfruits falling away and this
will be a frequent thing we witness in the end time. We must prevent it
residing in us even one day.
2 Thessalonians 2:3
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of
perdition;
Hebrews 3:12
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in
departing from the living God.
Hebrews 10:38
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have
no pleasure in him.
Hebrews 12:15
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of
bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they
would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be
made manifest that they were not all of us.
2 Peter 2:1-2
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be
false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even
denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of
truth shall be evil spoken of.
1 Corinthians 10:12
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Psalm 18:21
For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my
God.
Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put
away from you, with all malice:
Acts 24:16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence
toward God, and toward men.
Element Five: Coping with Shock
The way you cope with the coming shock is to know that it is coming, prepare
yourself for it happening and invoke faith. It is Matthew 24:6 where Jesus says
to you, "See that you be not troubled."
Psalm 27: 1-3
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the
strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my
flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war
should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
Psalm 91:1-7
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the
shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I
trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the
noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:
his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that
flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that
wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it
shall not come nigh thee.
1 Peter 3:14-15
14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid
of their terror, neither be troubled;
15 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:
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by
our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by
word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give
I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Luke 21:17-19
17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Habakkuk 3:16-18
[speaking
of God using the Chaldeans to punish Israel for their sins]
16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness
entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of
trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.
17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines;
the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the
flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Checklist
All five elements can be stated in a short checklist.
The five highest end time elements firstfruits will face
1] Deception…a method…be fully immersed into the Word of God.
2] False Doctrine…the content of the deception…be fully immersed into the
Word of God.
3] Brother Relations…breaking down…be not easily offended. Take the
wrong. Resolve the issue. Forgive. Lift up your brothers in the faith. Cover
their sins in the blood of Christ.
4] Bitterness…firstfruits falling from the faith…avoid false doctrine.
Avoid vain jangling and debate. Stay distant from those departing the faith and
who no longer hear sound doctrine. Displace bitterness and the root of
bitterness by increasing amounts of the Holy Spirit. Stay in the Salvation
Process.
5] Coping with Shock…mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually…invoke
faith. Know and understand what is coming and prepare yourself on all these
levels. Pray to God for strength, refuge and providence.