Instructions to Believers in the End-time (sermon)

There is something unique in a believer’s confession today: we are God’s people in the end-time. Not only are we living in the last days, but this is the end-time. There is not another age that will come after this time. This means one thing, the time of the Lord’s return for His church is very close.

Having said that, it is important that we remain ready for this occasion. In this sermon, I used Paul’s letter to the saints in Corinth to provide some important instructions for God’s people “upon who the ends of the ages have come.”

Paul begins by saying “I do not want you to be unaware…” of the things that happened to Israel in the wilderness. End-time Christians must not only look forward to what lies ahead. We must learn from “our” history. There things in the past that’s worth learning as prepare ourselves for the rapture.

So what happened to Israel in the wilderness? Well, after experiencing deliverance from bondage as well as on the journey, Paul says, “with most of them God was not pleased; for their dead bodies were spread out in the wilderness.”

But why? Why was God not pleased with them? Paul provides us with this answer:

6 Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they indeed craved them.

7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to Play.”

8 Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.

9 Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and were killed by the snakes.

10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer.
1 Corinthians 10.6-10 / NASB

The point is clear: not everyone who begins the journey of faith make it to the finish line. That is why it is important that we learn along the way the things that may make us fail to continue, as well as the things that will keep us going.