The Age In Which We Live

I. The Events Before The End

V. 14- Jesus said that the following events would take place, and then the end would come.
NOTE- These events happened in the lives of those 1st century disciples and have happened in the lives of Christians ever since. These passages have dual application in regards to time.
NOTE- There are many who see these verses as being indicative of the present days, leading up to the rapture of the church and the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

A. Persecution V. 9

1. “Deliver you up”- to give into the hands of another. It speaks of betrayal.

a. It is the same word used to describe Jesus being betrayed by Judas

2. Tribulation; “to be afflicted” (KJV) – a pressing, pressing together, pressure
3. “and kill you”- 10 of the 12 disciples were martyred for their faith
4. “and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”

a. Not because of political involvement, moral living, or being church goers
b. But expressly for believing in Jesus Christ. All nations-end times

5. More Christians killed under Nazisim & Communism than by 1st century Rome
6. Currently, 500 per day; 165,000 per year acc. to Voice Of The Martyrs Magazine

B. Apostasy Vs. 10

1. NIV- v. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other…
NASB- At that time many will fall away…
NKJV- many will be offended…skandalizo- to place a stumbling block so that one trips & falls. To cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey.
2. Those who allow themselves to be so affected by these world events will choose to turn from Christ and will choose to go betray Christians. This will not be a reluctant or regretful betrayal, but one fueled by self-preservation and hate.

C. False Prophets V. 11

1. The last 20 centuries have had many false prophets claiming to speak for God.
2. Matthew 7:15-20 Jesus gave instructions about identifying false prophets

a. You know them not by their words or charisma, but by their fruit
b. Galatians 5:22, 23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control.

D. Cynicism V. 12

1. Lawlessness- anomia- without law
2. Lawlessness is the result of relativism and godlessness. Grows cold. A process.

a. God gives us laws to restrain us, & teach us what is right & wrong
b. Our consciences agree with God’s laws, that is why we can feel guilt
c. If you disregard God, then you disregard absolute truth.
d. In order to deal w/a guilty conscience, man justifies sin, defends wrongdoing, & becomes more & more calloused towards God & man
e. Truth becomes relative, and one is then moved by their base nature
f. Throwing off the law of God supposedly is thought to bring freedom, but instead it brings callousness and lack of love for God or man.

3. Love—agape– not lust or friendship (sinners love other sinners), but the agape of many. Love that is pure & sacrificial will begin to disappear. (John 3:16 love)

E. Worldwide Preaching Of The Gospel V. 14

1. Before the end, Jesus promised that the gospel would be heard worldwide.
2. God has also promised to accomplish this.
3. Revelation 14:6-7 6Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—7saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
4. But this is also the responsibility of every Christian/church as we are able.

II. Believers Are Called To Endure To The End V. 13

A. He Who Endures

1. Endures- hupomeno– to remain, not recede or flee, to hold fast to one’s faith.
2. Acts 17:14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. (hupomeno) They were not moved away.
3. 2 Timothy 2:12 (KJV) If we suffer (hupomeno), we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us…
4. 1 Peter 2:20 But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently (hupomeno), this is commendable before God.

B. To The End

1. To the end of what? Certainly not he who endured until the end of the age.

a. If the end of the age is still before us, then those people were disqualified.
b. If the end of the age was 70 A.D., then none of this applies to us.
c. If all the N.T. exhortations to endure were only for that 1st generation (as some claim is the case), why did God choose to not exhort us, for we suffer through these same things in our days, & over the last 20 centuries.

2. He who endured until the end of whatever applied to them.
3. He endured until he was killed by wild beasts in the coliseum; he who endured until he died a natural death, etc.
4. It simply speaks of one who would not allow the pressures of this world to move them away from having faith in Jesus.

C. Shall be Saved

1. Not saved from physical death, or calamity, or accidents, or persecution
2. Saved- saved from the judgment of God.
3. This speaks of people who committed their lives to Jesus Christ and were not moved away from Him by anything that this world brought against them.

D. How Do We Endure?

1. God’s Part- Ephesians 2:1-10
2. Our Part- Revelation 12:7-11