FHBC Sermon Notes

THE MARKS OF A TRUE DISCIPLE: THE LETTER OF 1 JOHN
“Encouragement for Living in the Last Hour”
(1 John 2:18-27)
Intro
So what is the last hour, or the last day? Jim does believe that the time right before Christ return will be unique and big. But what is this talking about if the last hour was also in the time of the apostles? Jim says that the last hour is a definite time period before the end of the old creation, and the creation of the new, but that this time is from God's perspective not ours. So far it has lasted 2000 years, but in God's time this is still small, finite. In the fullness of time, God sent His Son into the world, to save it. This had a dramatic transformative effect on creation. The incarnation itself was as big a change that can be imagined, with His death and resurrection bringing victory over death and sin. Now this last hour is in effect. We wait, we anticipate, we joyously hope in the coming of our Lord, of the completion of His redemptive transformation of ourselves and creation itself, so marred by the sin that preceded Him. So we need go be vigilant and aware. No matter your view of biblical end times, two things we know for certain. Jesus is returning and we need to be ready.

What Do We Need to Know about Living in the Last Hour?
1. The ​​reality of the last hour. (2:18)
Who is the antichrist? We think of that final antichrist, the final one that stands opposed to Christ in the end. John mentions that many though come before that one. As John says, there is a spirit of antichrist that comes in many forms until the final fulfillment. So there are many that have come and that are coming until we get to that final climatic point.

V.22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.

2. The ​​​​​signs of the last hour. (2:18-23)
In our days, we want to change Jesus, to make him one we control, that we manage. This to is a denial of Christ. It is a lie. In John it is the denial that Jesus was not God incarnate. What is our substitute? Is Jesus that wise teacher, the moralist, the sage? Is He subject to our judgement first? Is He simply one way of many, we each of us capable deciding which avenue pleases us most.

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.

3. Our disposition ​​​​​in the last hour. (2:24-27)
So how do we live in Christ?

A. Go back to the original message. Stay with the message that you first heard, with the apostles doctrine. So we never met the apostles themselves so how do we also possess this knowledge that is in truth? We have the testimony of scripture of the Word of God that was written by these apostles, found only in the Bible. We must be applying scripture constantly in our lives. Do battle day in and out, replacing that which is untrue, with what is true, by meditating of this word, letting the word of Christ dwell in us greatly. If it is in us, it will also flow out of us.

B. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives. John mentions the oil perhaps used to present the image of the Holy Spirit spilled out on a new believers life. In the church calendar, today is Pentecost, the day we celebrate the birthday of the church, when the Holy Spirit was poured out to abide in us to reveal the word of Christ to us and eternal perspective of God.


The eternal life is know God and knowing Jesus. This is the last hour, when God is doing something special to draw people to Him. Are you ready?