If you have your Bibles with you this morning,
I'd like to invite you to turn to 1 John chapter
2 verses 18 to 21. Now John likes to hide out
in the back of our Bibles with his friends 2
John and 3 John. They're tiny little books, but
as you get towards the end of your Bibles, you
should find 1 John. Now we're going to do something
a little bit different this morning in that before
we read the text, I actually want to give you
the context as to what's happening here before
I read these verses for you. See, John was writing
to a local congregation that had members that
just picked up and left them. In other words,
they had a church community. They had what they
thought were brothers and sisters in Christ but
then just overnight they disappeared. They shared
fellowship, service and likely even suffered
with them but then all of a sudden they were
just gone. So John writes to this confused and
most likely very hurting congregation to help
them understand exactly what's happening here.
Now just to be clear, John isn't specifically
talking about people here that they didn't like
the renovations that were happening to the church
or the colour of the carpet that the building
committee had chosen, so they went and joined
another gospel believing preaching faithful church.
No, the people John's referring to didn't remain
in the community of Christ because as we'll see
They stop believing the truth of the gospel as
revealed by Christ and given to the apostles.
And the church, they're really struggling here.
They're really struggling to understand how this
could have happened. How could people who had
been with them, that they loved, all of a sudden
just walk away, rejecting both them and Jesus
in the doing? So it's with that context that
we read these words from 1 John chapter 2 verses
18 to 21. Hear the word of the Lord as given
to us by the Apostle John. Children, it's the
last hour. And as you've heard that Antichrist
is coming. So now many Antichrists have come.
Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They
went out from us, but they were not of us, for
if they had been of us, they would have continued
with us. But they went out, that it might become
plain that they all are not of us. But you, you've
been anointed by the Holy One. You have, you
all have knowledge. I write to you not because
you don't know the truth, but because you know
it and because no lie is of the truth. Church,
why don't you join me in praying and asking our
Father to help us with these words this morning.
Father God, we ask that by the work of your Spirit
you would help us to see the truth of this passage
this morning. That we would be a people looking
to Christ and illuminated by your supernatural
work. We ask for this for the sake of Christ,
his bride and in his name, amen. Right, so as
we've just read, there's a lot going on in these
few words that we have before us this morning.
So I've broken it up into three parts so that
we can kind of get our heads around what's going
on here. First in verse 18, John talks about
being in the last days, the last hour, and about
the Antichrist. Second, in verse 19, he tells
us that real Christians will stick it out, but
false converts will fall away. And third, in
verses 20 to 21, he tells us that Christians
will stick it out because we have the Holy Spirit.
So three things that I want us to have a look
at this morning. First, by looking at verse 18.
Now, to really understand what our apostle is
telling us here, We have to understand that really
important phrase that he employs there of the
last hour. I think that's really important that
we see what he's doing there because it's actually
a phrase that helps us to understand the big
picture story of the Bible. You see, if you open
your Bibles to the very first few pages, you
might come across a page that simply says the
Old Testament. And then as you kind of go towards
the back of your Bible, as you're flicking through,
there's going to be another page that says the
New Testament. Now thinking about the Old Testament
here and everything kind of in between the old
and the new, the book of Hebrews tells us that
God is telling us all about his unfolding plan
of redemption that's revealed in types. in types,
kind of in the shadows. We might think about
it like what we see around us this morning. There's
scaffolding. And with scaffolding, you get a
picture of what's to come, right? But obviously,
what we see around us, well, that's not the final
form. We get the picture in part, but it's in
kind of its skeletal stage, we might say. That's
how we're to think about the Old Testament. It
gives us a picture of something to come in types,
in figures. It's in skeletal form. Well, the
New Testament reveals that that all changed when
Jesus came to us 2 ,000 years ago. He is, we
might say, the flesh on the bones. He's the gyproc
on the frame. The full picture of what the Old
Testament was pointing to us all along, us two
all along. But what's this got to do with the
last hour? Well, the Old Testament writers, they
spoke about the Messiah, the anointed one, that's
what it means, and of Israel, which the New Testament
writers called the Christ, who would come in
the last days to rule and to reign. He would
rule and reign and judge the world. Now, this
is where things get really interesting. The apostles
throughout their writings continually pointed
to Jesus and said that that which was written
of the Christ in the Old Testament was being
fulfilled in the Jesus that they knew and that
they walked with. In other words, according to
the apostles, according to the new explaining
the old, The last days were inaugurated in the
life, death, resurrection and the ascension of
Jesus to the right hand of God the Father. for
you keen beings out there, we know that that's
not everything that the Bible has to say, that
the prophets look to. They also look to something
called the Day of the Lord, where God will come
to judge all the peoples of the world, which
quite obviously hasn't happened yet. And so we
might ask, did the apostles get it wrong? Well,
let's think about it like this. When you look
up at the night sky and see all the stars from
our perspective here on earth They all kind of
appear to be roughly the same distance away,
right? But if you could view those same stars
from a different angle, let's say from the side
You would quickly see that there's millions not
if not hundreds of millions of kilometers Separating
those stars from each other which seems so close
together from our point of view here on earth
What am I trying to say here well the prophets
they really did see the life of Christ from their
point of view and Much of the time they wrote
about him and his coming in the last days as
one great big event. But in the New Testament,
Jesus and the apostles, they give us this other
point of view. They give us this side view, we
might say, in that there was a first coming and
Jesus came as a lamb for the slaughter, for the
sins of his people, and there will come a second
coming where Jesus will come as the lion of the
tribe of Judah, where he really will come to
judge. the living and the dead. And so Jesus
really does rule and reign. He really will judge
the world but it hasn't happened all in one big
event like the prophets saw it from their point
of view. All this to say church, Jesus is the
Christ. He is the one that the prophets spoke
about that they were pointing to in the Old Testament
and the last days were truly inaugurated. They
truly started when Jesus came on the scene 2
,000 years ago. But as the apostles make it clear
in their writings, there's a first coming and
there will be a second coming. A future day when
all things will be brought to completion and
where the people of God will be taken into glory.
To put that another way, we're no longer in the
Old Testament, reading it, wondering what it's
all about, who it's really pointing to, but neither
are we in the new heavens and the new earth just
yet. Now, we're living in the final stage of
God's redemptive plan before He wraps everything
up. It's as John tells us here, we're in the
final hour. Now, if that was mind -blowing to
you just then, well, this is really going to
blow your mind. John then starts to speak about
this person, the Antichrist. We see this here
in verse 18. And before we dive into what he's
saying here, I want us to pause for a moment
and have a think about what he's not saying.
You see, over the years, there's been so many
different misunderstandings and wild interpretations
about who and what the Antichrist is. If you
grew up in the 70s, you might remember a cult
classic movie called The Omen. which is a dramatic
and fictional story, let me highlight fictional
to you, about the devil fathering a child through
a mysterious woman and that child turned out
to be none other than the Antichrist, the devil
incarnate. Or if you're from my generation, you
might remember how some people were seriously
convinced that Marilyn Manson was the Antichrist
just because of his makeup and his lyrics in
his wild stage antics. History is full of names,
some famous, some infamous that people have labelled
as the Antichrist. Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf
Hitler, and even as recently as Barack Obama.
It seems that every generation has a stab in
the dark as to who this Antichrist might be.
Usually they're informed by the news. So we might
ask, where does this image come from? Well, interestingly,
John is the first to call this person the Antichrist,
but the person as it's described is first talked
about in the Old Testament by Daniel, particularly
in chapters seven through to nine where we're
given a picture of one who will set themselves
up against the Messiah, the Christ and his kingdom
and his people in the last days. And that's certainly
something that we need to be aware of, but instead
of trying to figure out the identity of this
mysterious person here, John wants us to see
this principle of the Antichrist that was already
present in the church that he was writing to
2 ,000 years ago. There were many Antichrists,
as he says here in verse 18. And he says that
that was the case because people were very much
like that archetypal figure to come were denying
the truth of who Jesus is as revealed in the
Word. And they were leaving Christ's rule in
the church that he had established to go and
set something else up in its place. Brothers
and sisters, pop culture might paint the picture
of the Antichrist as the devil incarnate or a
rock and roller or an internet influencer, but
John would have us see that the principle of
the Antichrist is actually anyone who denies
what the Bible has to say about Jesus. and then
ends up taking themselves out of what Christ
has established on earth with his people so as
to set something else up in its place. It's really
serious what our apostle is saying here in verse
18. John says we're in the last hour. because
he's drawing on Daniel to say in the last days
one would come and set themselves up against
Christ and his people and he's saying that principle
is being seen in the church here and now. People
are leaving to go and set something else up.
So what are we meant to do with this in our day
and age? Well first I would say that we should
remind ourselves that we are living in the final
stages of God's plan for this world. I don't
know if you've ever gone to a grand final event
and been in the sports stadium as the time is
ticking down. It's a thrilling event to say the
least, especially in the final half of the game.
Well, our apostle is telling us here. He's saying,
Church, stop playing like you're in the first
half. time is near to where the referee is going
to blow that whistle and the whole thing is going
to be wrapped up. Don't live life like you have
all the time in the world. Church, let me remind
you of the last words that our Lord said to us.
It's in the very last pages of our Bibles. He
said, surely I'm coming soon. Jesus said that
2 ,000 years ago. I'm coming soon. The point
is this, there's an urgency to what we're meant
to feel here. The world as we know it, the reality
that we've grown accustomed to won't last forever.
In fact, we're standing on the cusp of the next
great phase of God's plan. We're living in the
last days. We're in the final moments. It's as
John tells us here, Dear ones, we're in the last
hour and we have been since Christ came on the
scene 2 ,000 years ago. I just want to say something
as a quick word in passing. This doesn't mean
that we are meant to live like frantic people.
To hear this sermon, to read these words and
then go out into the world and sell all our possessions,
being reckless with all the things that we have
and not plan for anything in the future. That's
not the takeaway here, but what we should get
is a sense of weight and urgency. The truth of
scripture ought to be a light to our path. It
should stir us, especially when it comes to thinking
about the Church's witness in this world. We're
to live with expectation because we know our
Lord God is coming again to take us to where
He is but also with urgency because He's coming
soon. Second, I believe there is a very serious
warning in our Apostles words here as well and
that's that we must be watchful and on guard.
We live in a day and age where anyone can call
themselves a Bible teacher, they can set themselves
up a website, make themselves a YouTube channel
and preach their own newfound truths, things
that they claim others, in fact even the apostles
somehow missed. Well the reality is this, Jesus
established his church through his chosen apostles
and prophets, we see that in Ephesians. And the
apostles, along with the prophets, formed the
foundation of the church. What they have given
us in the scripture is the solid foundation on
which we are to build upon. That's the sober
warning that John is giving here. He knew that
from the very beginning false teachers, wolves,
would come into the flock and claim that the
apostles got it wrong. That they didn't capture
the whole essence of the gospel. That they had
discovered something more. They misunderstood
God's Word and what it truly said and they were
taking people away. John understood the danger
then and the warning is for us now. Some in the
church will believe false teaching and they will
leave. So be on guard. Now, as horrid as that
warning is, as sobering as it is, there's good
news in our verse as well, in our passage this
morning. We see it here in verse 19. True believers
will not fall away. False converts will, but
true believers cannot and will not because of
who we're united to. Hear John's words again
as told to us in verse 19 here. They went out
from us, but they were not of us. For if they
had been of us, they would have continued with
us. But they went out. That it might become plain
that they are all not of us. I really want you
to see what John is not telling us here this
morning. You see he isn't saying that that these
people that had left, that they were true believers
and that they had given up on the gift of faith
and disappeared. Or that they were legitimately
born again of Christ, brothers and sisters in
Him who fell away. Now notice the language. He
says that they left. And in the doing, they actually
revealed that they were never truly believers
in the first place, as it might become plain
that they are all not of us. It's what John says
here in verse 19. He says that when these people
left the church, when they denied the gospel,
When they shunned the community of Christ, they
actually revealed that they were false converts
in the first place, as their leaving, their rejection
of the truth, actually only ended up showing
their true colours. John says, for if they had
been of us, they would have continued with us.
So according to our apostle, if we're understanding
him right this morning, Being part of a Christian
community is really important. Because the way
that our apostle sees it, being part of a faithful
church and continuing in fellowship, is only
the outworking of the fellowship that we've already
obtained in Christ. In fact, that's how John
starts his whole letter, that which we have seen,
we have heard and we proclaim to you so that...
so that you may too have fellowship with us.
And indeed, our fellowship is with the Father
and His Son, Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters,
that's why the Christian longs and desires to
be with their spiritual siblings, with their
church family, no matter where in the world you
might find yourself or what biblically faithful
denomination that you like to affiliate with.
We long to be with our brothers and sisters because
we have a supernatural fellowship in Christ and
that supernatural fellowship manifests itself
in wanting to be part of the body, to be with
others in Christ's body. That's why true Christians
desire fellowship with God's people and why they
won't ultimately They won't ultimately abandon
their brothers and sisters or Christ. It's because
there is a bond, a supernatural bond that is
deeper than flesh and blood. All this to say
this desire to be with each other and fellowship
isn't something that is manufactured or that
we're forced to do. No, we desire to be around
one another, to fellowship with one another because
It's the supernatural outworking of already being
part of God's family. Say that another way, we
don't gather in Christian community in order
to get saved. It's not what we're meant to take
from this. We gather because we already are.
I think the 19th century, the great 19th century
preacher, Charles Spurgeon, he hammered this
one on the head in one of his sermons when he
says, God's people are not dogs. Otherwise they
might be a people that go about by themselves.
No, they are called sheep. And therefore sheep,
they naturally are found in flocks. There's one
last thing that I want to draw your attention
to here, and it's found in verses 20 and 21,
and it's this. True believers are anointed of
the Holy One. In other words, all the children
of God are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who actively
works in us. He brings us into the light, into
the truth, and He gives us discernment, recognising
gospel truth. from demonic deception. Let's have
a look at verse 20 there. But you have been anointed
by the Holy One and you all have knowledge. Now
we're not going to spend as much time here but
I want to highlight for you that John is affirming
only something that the other apostles knew to
be true of every born -again believer. God the
Father has given God the Holy Spirit to unite
us to His Son, Jesus. And through the Spirit's
ongoing work in us, we will have a firm grasp,
a growing, maturing grasp of the truth because
it's been planted deeply within our hearts. so
that we might stand firm until the end. Listen
to how the Apostle Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians
chapter 1 verses 21 to 22. Now it is God who
makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He
anointed us, he set his seal of ownership on
us and put his spirit in our hearts as a deposit,
guaranteeing what is to come. Essentially our
apostle is saying here to the church, to true
believers, to born again children of God. He's
saying that the Holy Spirit that was given to
you is to establish us so that we can stand firm
in the truth of our most holy faith. That's the
Spirit's role. He is an anchor that doesn't let
us drift off too far. from the truth if we could
see it like that. Now this is incredibly important
both in John's context and in ours now because
there were and there still are people claiming
that there is more to the gospel than that which
was revealed by the prophets and the apostles.
They're saying there is a secret knowledge a
hidden truth something that the Apostles didn't
have but we do and if you don't follow our teaching
Ultimately, you can't be saved But John He uses
the sword of the Lord He counters this directly
and he says to the believers in the church you
have the Holy Spirit of God You know the truth
not because of your superior intellect but because
of the one who has anointed you. You know to
whom you belong and you can discern the truth
from these lies because of the Holy Spirit who
dwells in you. John wraps it up for us nicely
here in verse 21 and he says, I write to you
not because you don't know the truth but because
you know it and because no lie is of the truth.
Brothers and sisters, do you see what the Apostle
John is doing here? He reminds us in the church
that there is no new truth about Jesus that you
haven't already heard. You've heard the gospel.
You've believed the gospel. You've put your trust
in the Gospel as it's been revealed to you by
the Word of God and through the preaching, the
writing, the inscriptuation, I can't say that
word properly, of the prophets and the apostles.
Because of this you know the truth. A truth that
will protect you from lies. For the Holy Spirit
has given us wisdom and understanding. Church,
one final thing to say here, we live in a world
that gets very, very bored very easily. Always
looking for the next big thing to cure the soul.
We live in a world where a lot of people get
their worldview from Instagram clips and YouTube
channels and it's a complete understatement to
say that there's a lot of fake news out there.
Well, as we've seen this morning, we are a people
who are in danger of falling for an antichrist
agenda. But that's not to say that we will fall
for the schemes of the enemy. No, the Holy Spirit
has been given to all God's children and the
Spirit is the one who has joined us to Christ.
He will never leave nor forsake us and He will
never contradict the revelation that has been
given to us in the Good News. Now the Spirit
will never contradict His Word because He gave
it to us. He will only illuminate what He has
given to us. If anyone comes along and claims
a new truth about the Gospel, a secret wisdom
about how to really be saved, a new teaching
that contradicts what we know about Jesus as
revealed in his word to us, then instinctively,
the sheep know the voice of the shepherd. And
we will run from that wolf. That's why we need
the church. That's why we need each other, brothers
and sisters. We need each other to keep pointing
one another to the way, to the truth, to the
life. The church was founded by the prophets
and the apostles with Christ as its cornerstone.
It is a gracious gift of God's mercy to us in
this world. We're in a spiritual battle. If we
go Han Solo on the rest of the platoon, it's
not a great thing. The church is here to help
us to persevere in our most holy faith. Look
around you this morning, brothers and sisters.
Christ has given us to one another. To love each
other, to encourage each other. to help each
other on this journey until our Lord comes again
to take us to where he is. We are the sheep of
his flock. And so let's stay close to our great
shepherd and encourage each other along the way.
Would you please pray with me? Lord Jesus, we
thank you so much that you have Torn us out of
this world Lord that we by nature were going
one way, but you revealed yourself your life
your perfect life your substitutionary death
your resurrection for justification Your ascension
to the right hand where you rule and reign until
you come to get us again Father, we thank you
for the gift of the church. We thank you that
we're not just gathered here in Armidale, that
we're gathered in Brookden, that we're gathered
in Gosnells, that we're gathered in North Perth,
South Perth, Sydney, Papua New Guinea, Africa
and so many different places. There's churches
that are visibly able to promote you and there's
churches that are somewhat underground. We thank
you for the gift that you have given us of each
other. Lord, I ask that we would be a people
that would hear truth, know truth, and weigh
everything that we hear by your word. That everything
we would do would be for your glory. We ask for
this in Jesus' name.