The End Time Sermon

We don't know how long we have until Christ's return. I was speaking to someone before services today about the end time. We see the events happening around us. This message today is a preparation for the end time and more specifically, ultimately, about our evangelism. So the title of today's message is, The End Time Sermon. One of the most fascinating moments described in the Bible is found in the Gospels and more specifically in Luke, where he speaks of an end of days with regards to God's people, those who will be remaining. We know that there is a place of safety, but Luke speaks of that future moment, a future moment that will occur with those who remain. He says, let me just read this to you, he says, of those people. Now, when they bring you to the synagogues and the magistrates and the authorities, do not worry about what you should answer or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say. We know that scripture. That's actually from Luke 12, verse 11.

I find that so fascinating in wondering what those words will be. Have you ever wondered what those words will be? That the Holy Spirit will teach those of God's people who will be the end time evangelist? When it says, when they or will be delivered up, not if, but when? It says, don't worry about what you will say. The words will be given to you. It says, the Holy Spirit, it will teach you those words and give the message to you that you should speak.

So we can imagine what that scene will look like. It uses the words delivered up. So we can imagine that our people, God's people, will be confined in some way. In the reality of the situation, if you or one of those individuals would be hitting you as you might be summoned up to come before the authorities, prophecy being fulfilled in your very life, can you imagine what would be going through your mind? What would be those words? What would be the end time evangelism? The end time sermon? Well, the Apostle Paul found himself in that exact same scenario. And the words that would be given to him at that moment were nothing short of profound.

They were God-breathed, and they hold incredible significance to you and I today. So we're going to study the Scriptures around Paul's end time sermon and message, because it's a message that we should be preparing for and giving today. Paul had an incredible conversion. When he was coming near Damascus, it said that light shone all around him. He was struck blind, we know. And Jesus Christ asked him that question, Paul, why are you persecuting me? And then after a short conversation, he gave that faithful answer and questioned back to the Savior when he said, Lord, what would you have me do?

And so from that point on, Jesus Christ and God the Father would direct the very steps of Paul. And he began to then preach Christ in the synagogues. And this would profound the Jews and confound the Jews as he was proving that Jesus Christ was the actual Christ indeed, and only the hope and salvation comes through him.

And so the Jewish sect, the Sadducees, then set out on a plot to kill him because they didn't believe in the resurrection. So let's see this. Let's get started. Turn over to Acts 23. We will begin here in Acts 23 in verse 12. We will start here with the Jews that are banding together to make this vow to kill Paul. Acts 23 in verse 12, it says, And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

And so the pursuit for Paul's life was on. Go down to verse 16. So when Paul's sister's son heard of their ambush, he went and entered into the barracks and told Paul. And Paul called one of his centurions to him and said, Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him. So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, Paul the prisoner called me to you and asked me to bring this young man to you, and he has something to say to you.

So the commander was told of Paul's dire situation. Verse 23. And he called for two centurions, saying, Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at the end of the third hour of the night, and provide mounts to set Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the governor. And so this would set up an opportunity for Paul.

Paul had testified in Jerusalem, and now he would have an opportunity to testify and witness to Rome. So Acts 24 and verse 24. We're going to now see that Paul is being summoned up before the governor of Felix. He was accused of being a ringleader of the Nazarenes, those Jews who now began to believe as Christ was the Savior.

And Paul was considered extremely politically dangerous at this time. So let's pick up the story here. Acts 24 and verse 24. It says, After some days when Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. So Paul is standing here before Felix. Verse 25. Now as he, Paul, reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, Go away for now. When I have a convenient time, I will call for you.

Meanwhile, he had hoped that some money would be given to him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore, he sent for him Paul more often and conversed with him. Let's stop there. So this is the moment. This is the end-time encounter for Paul here. Paul is being held captive and he's now being summoned up, it says, to continually go back and back before the governor Felix and his wife Drusilla, as they would listen to him.

And these were two highly influential individuals that Paul would now come face to face with. And these individuals would come face to face with God's Word as it would be delivered from Paul as they would listen to him. Felix had Paul's life in his hands. Felix would be the one who would decide Paul's very fate. This was a life and death moment for Paul. Put yourself here. What have you said? Wouldn't it have been wise to come with an approach, maybe, when you're being summoned up to come before the governor Felix, this authority?

Maybe it wouldn't have been wise to try to develop some kind of relationship as you're being called up and up before him, to maybe garner some kind of favor, negotiate some kind of release, maybe, after all, so that you can continue to preach the gospel? Would that be the reasoning?

Well, certainly we can make a case for that. Well, is that what occurred? Or would something else come forth from Paul here? What were the words that God gave him? Again, verse 25, it says, Now he, Paul, reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come. Can you imagine? No way would anyone looking to garner any kind of favor or negotiate any type of terms of release would have put forth these words that Paul did.

I can imagine that Paul came in shackles as he was summoned up, and he came with one purpose. He came to preach. He came to give God's Word, sharp as a sword. No way would Paul allow any part of himself to be in consideration here when he preached righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come. And this is what you will preach. Are you ready? Are you ready to preach these same three foundational points of God's Word? Well, today will be a good Scripture study of these three things so that we can prepare ourselves to be an end-time evangelist. Number one, righteousness. Look at verse 14 here, staying in Acts 24. This is during Paul's defense here, righteousness. He says in verse 14, So he made it clear with regards to righteousness. He never wavered upon what he stood upon.

What did he stand upon? He stood upon the law and the prophets. Righteousness was so important to Paul. After he was struck down and after his conversion, he realized that he was not who God wanted him to be. After he saw the perfect model in Jesus Christ. And so God would first give him these words. This is what the Holy Spirit would now teach him in that hour to come first with.

These are the words that he stood before this authority, the Sermon on Righteousness, and the absolute standard by which God has established. Let's turn over to 2 Corinthians 5, verse 21. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 21. There is a depth of understanding that we must understand about righteousness. And 2 Corinthians here says it all.

2 Corinthians 5, verse 21.

What a Scripture this is.

It says, Let's stop there.

No sin to be sinned for us. He did that. Complete humbleness left the right hand of God. He didn't have to do this. But he willingly brought himself here to be beaten, shamed, to experience a degrading, a stripping of his clothes, culminating in a spear to be thrust in his side. He became that sin offering for us. Why? What does it say? Why?

He was made to represent the defilement of sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Such an important Scripture. Such an important Scripture. The purpose of God in the death of Jesus Christ was not only so that we could avoid the penalty. Not only for the sake of us avoiding death. It was also another distinct purpose here. It says, and this is important, but also that we might become righteous, the righteousness of God in him. His death was for this distinct purpose. He extended this love to us for this. Go up to verse 14 here. Let's read more about this. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 14. It says, For the love of Christ, this love that he has given to us compels us now, because we judge thus, we come to this conclusion. That if one died for all, then all died, and he died for all. That those now who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. There's something more important here that's going on that we're experiencing here in the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, we now know him thus no longer. Not just that way. Verse 17.

All things are of God. Let's stop there. Knowing this, knowing this love that's been given to us, it changes everything. It compels us, and we conclude now that everything we experience in the flesh is to be of God. Everything we experience here in the flesh is to be of him. Now, all things are of God who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, but has committed us to the word of reconciliation. Fill this next verse. Verse 20. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. And Paul says, as though God were pleading through us, Paul says, we implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God. And verse 21 again, For he made him who knew no sin to be sent for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Incredible set of scriptures there.

You know, this is not our righteousness. This is the righteousness of God. This righteousness, because of this act that Christ did, has now been imputed to us. It's been given to us to now display the very righteousness of Jesus Christ himself. And he reconciles us to God the Father at the same time, so that we are the work, and we are the evidence of his righteousness. That's the purpose that he gave his life for us. And verse 20 says, we are ambassadors for Christ. We sang that here this afternoon. Ambassadors for Christ, that prepositional phrase, for Christ, that means that we are acting on behalf of Christ. We represent his character and his righteousness summed up and embodied in his sacrifice. That righteousness has been given to us. And it was on full display at his sacrifice. We carry that righteousness now. And so Paul's saying it's as if Christ and God the Father are imploring through him to us, to the Corinthian church then, and to us today, to be reconciled to God and be that righteousness of God in him, in Jesus Christ. This is who you are. This is who you represent. This is what you've been given. Christ's very righteousness. And so we can no longer stay under that old man or that old woman. If we do so, then we're remaining under the first Adam, under that fallen nature.

But now we are a new man and a new woman. And we now participate in his righteous nature. It's incredible. We are shares of his divine righteousness, partakers of his divine nature. And it really is what has brought us here together. There's no greater bond that can occur between a group of people. It's what I share with you. It's what you share with each other. It's this divine righteousness that's been given to us.

To become in his very likeness. Not just to become Christ-like, but to emulate, to reflect, to show the world who Christ is. And so when we are called before the authorities, we better be ready to preach this first step, this first part of the sermon. And that means living it today. You and I know where we are not displaying this righteousness. It doesn't matter what age you are. We spoke about that before the services, in a conversation. We know there's parts of us that are not reflecting Christ's righteousness in us. And so we go through the annual Holy Days and we ask God to show us with the Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread. We know where we're struggling, but now is the time to overcome. And this is the perfect transition to the second part of Paul's end-time sermon. And that's number two, self-control. Number two, self-control.

Absolute love and righteousness has been shown to you and has been given to you. Now, how will you respond? How will that righteousness and love affect you?

Well, very simply stated, our response is by executing self-control. Control of the self is that old self wants to remain alive and active. So number two in the end-time sermon, self-control. Let's go back to Acts 24.

Acts 24 and verses 15 through 16. We're going to go back to Paul's defense here that we read earlier. Acts 24 and verses 15 through 16. This is Paul's defense as he is before the Governor Felix and his accusers.

Let's see what he says about self-control here.

Acts 24 and verse 15.

He says, I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both the just and the unjust. So this being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. Stop there.

Those words, this hit the Governor Felix and his wife, Driscilla, directly between the eyes, preaching self-control, speaking of control of the fleshly lusts and evil desires, to have a conscience without offense to God and men. This was not a message of believe in Jesus Christ and that. This was a piercing of the heart.

And these words of self-control were complete suicide to Paul at this moment. Complete suicide.

Did you realize, do you think he realized who he was speaking to here?

Did he realize who Felix and Driscilla were?

They were a couple of great earthly power we know that he stood before, as Felix held the very fate of Paul in his hands. And Felix was next to Driscilla, history records, a woman who Felix seduced away from her original husband with the help of a magician named Simon.

So they were here sitting at this moment in an adulterous relationship with now Paul standing before him, cutting him with these words of self-control.

Did he realize, you think?

You bet he did.

No negotiation, no watering down, no consideration for himself. This was a sermon. This was an end-time evangelism. These are the words that the Holy Spirit gave to Paul to give. And this is the message that you and I will go to the courthouse with. Go before the authorities if God so chooses.

Self-control. To whom much has been given, much is required. Let's turn over to Luke 12 here and see where that's quoted from.

Self-control to whom much has been given, Christ's righteousness. Now much is required.

Luke 12. We'll go to verses 46-48.

At the top of chapter 12 in my Bible it says, Beware of hypocrisy. I was thinking hypocrisy to me. And really every Christian, it's one of those words you never want to think about because it speaks of a lack of genuineness. Where you know the Master's will, you know His will is to fulfill Christ's righteousness through you, or me, but we don't do it. So we're now going to look at how God looks upon those who know but truly don't practice what they know. And this is pretty tough Scriptures here. Luke 12 in verses 46-48.

We're going to pick up the verse here of those servants who are executing hypocrisy. It says, verse 46, The Master of that servant will come on that day when he is not looking for him, and in an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him into and appoint his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew the Master's will, but did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with only a few. For everyone to whom much is given from him, much will be required, and to whom much has been committed to him they will ask the more.

Isn't that interesting? The one who knew God's will and did not do it will be beaten with many stripes. And the one who did not know with just a few. That's how God looks at the incredible position that we are in. And for us to accomplish his will after receiving the righteousness of Jesus Christ, it takes an incredible amount, an incredible amount of self-control.

We know this. Self-control is what is being asked for and what is required. Self-control is everything in the power of Jesus Christ. Controlling that part of us that's living outside of his righteousness that has been given to us. And there's an important concept to understand with regards to our contribution with self-control on this matter. And that is our motivation and how we look at this.

Self-control is this and true Christianity is this. Righteousness has been given to me, therefore I obey. In other words, because Christ's righteousness has been extended to me, that effect it has on me is that I obey. It's much different than I obey, therefore I'm righteous.

You see the difference. We don't obey, therefore I'm righteous. No, righteousness has been extended to me, therefore I obey. And it's so important, such an important concept to understand as we approach our efforts in establishing growth in this area of self-control. Our self-control is not an earning or some kind of vanity seeking. Our self-control is out of love for a love that's been given to us first. Our obedience and our controlling of the self to conform to God and to reflect His righteousness did not come first. Righteousness was imputed to us first.

Now, after, and because of that gift, much is required. So righteousness and self-control go hand in hand. The righteousness of God has been given to us, therefore we are required now to display that righteousness. God loved us first, gave us His Son, therefore I am obedient. I want to show all of my love back. And Christ says, if that's true, if you love me, then He says, show me. Show me by displaying my righteousness. Show me by keeping my command pins. Show me by conforming to my word. Then I'll know that you love me for the love I've given you.

Go to Romans 13, verse 11. Romans 13, verse 11. We're going to read more about this. And actually, we're going to see now that the judgment, the judgment to come, the third part of the sermon, begins to come into this message here. These are all Paul's writings. Romans 13, verse 11. And the judgment does come hand in hand with righteousness and self-control, and it really should give us a sense of urgency here, the judgment that is to come, as we shouldn't make any provision for anything else in our life other than displaying this righteousness.

Romans 13, verse 11, it says, Let's stop there. So the sin we have in our life, what the Scripture is saying is that we've actually made a provision for it. We've actually made an arrangement, a stipulation. We've prepared for it a place to reside in our flesh. And isn't that just profound? And it's so true. And that sin that's been with us for some time, we all have our particular weaknesses.

Those particular weaknesses, we've made quite a bit of provision for, if you're like me, preparation for it to dwell with us. But we have to really think deeply on those provisions we've made, where we've received this righteousness of God and yet have made a provision and not had self-control over those areas in our life. Does the love you're showing back to God for His gift of righteousness have any hypocrisy in it?

It's a scary thing to think about. Hypocrisy due to our lack of control of the self. If it does, then urgency is needed. Urgency is needed. Think of any provisions you've made in your life. I have no doubt, if you're like me, we've made quite a bit of strides since God first called us. Quite a bit of strides. Quite a bit of self-control has been displayed. But we just still have those areas that we just cannot have control over yet. And this is what the Scripture is telling us here to focus on.

Those provisions, any exceptions that we have made, can wreck our hopes of self-control. Self-control in a particular area takes self-control in all areas. And we'll never have any successful measure of self-control unless we have it just across the boards. And we have so many examples in the Bible of that. We can think of Daniel, who in the first chapter of Daniel, he had incredible self-control over not eating the king's food that would have defiled him.

He stood up for that, didn't make a provision for that, an exception. And then a few chapters later, the edict was made that no one could pray to their God. What did Daniel do? He threw open the doors, got on his knees, and prayed three times a day as he always had. No provisions across the board in his life did he make. And God was able with him to do an incredible work. And he was able to show an incredible amount of Christ's righteousness through Daniel.

So by us having those provisions, it can limit God and the amount of work that he can provide and perform through us. And if you are making any exceptions in any area of your spiritual life, as the Scripture said, eventually if we don't have growth, then we will be beaten with many stripes as believers. We'll be cut in two and our portion divided amongst the unbelievers. So the Scripture says, Awake out of sleep. The time of our salvation is nearer than we first believed.

And we could certainly say that living in the world that we live in now. Look around. It's nearer than what we first believed. So today is the day. Today is the day to start cleansing ourselves of those areas that are outside of Christ's righteousness that's been given to us. That may eventually prevent us from entering into His Kingdom.

But there's good news. No matter how much you've rejected or lived outside of this righteousness that's been given to you and I, there's hope. Let's turn over to 2 Timothy 2 in verse 19. Of all the Scriptures with warnings, there's always the Scripture of hope. The Scriptures of you can do it. Don't give up. And this is certainly one of those. I find this very comforting. 2 Timothy 2 in verse 19. Every morning when you wake up, I try to do this. I don't do it every morning. I thank God for another opportunity. We're going to see here every day is another opportunity to cleanse ourselves of those areas.

So 2 Timothy 2 verse 19, he says, Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands having this seal. The Lord knows who are His, and let everyone whose names, the name of Jesus Christ, depart from iniquity. It's very clear. Have self-control in that area. Verse 20. But in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. For some honor and some dishonor. Therefore, verse 21, if anyone cleanses himself of the latter, he will be then a vessel of honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

Verse 22, So flee also youthful lust, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle, able to teach, patient, humility, and correcting those who are in opposition, for if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Stop there. Did you see the hope? There's great hope here. In verse 21, where he describes here this great house of God. We have an incredible opportunity here. We have been brought into God's great house. And it says, even in God's house, there are different types of vessels.

Some are for honor and useful and effective, and some for dishonor and not effective. Verse 21 is the encouragement, because it says you can turn it around. If you analyze yourself, and if you have been a vessel that has been dishonorable to God, that's okay. Because you can clench yourself, it says here. You can become who God wants you to be. You can turn yourself around and be sanctified and be useful to the Master. God knows you you can be.

Remember, He has brought you into this house specifically. And He hasn't chosen everyone, but specifically, He has brought you into His church, this great house. He believed in you first. So He says, if you've found yourself in an area where you've been dishonorable, that's okay. I've given you another breath of life this morning. Take advantage of it. Use this day to clench yourself. And I love verse 26. It says, come to your senses. I have to tell myself that.

Come to your senses. Escape the snare of the devil. Don't continue to do His will. Your will comes from the Father to display Christ's righteousness that has been given to you. You can do it. Go forward in one chapter here. 2 Timothy 3 and verse 10. Let's read this while we're here. 2 Timothy 3 and verse 10 through 16. This is Paul, but he says, you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which has happened to me at Antioch and Iconium and Lystra.

What persecutions I endured. And out of all them, the Lord has delivered me. So Paul didn't die at the hands of Felix, by the way. God allowed him to continue on, and he continued to give his end-time sermon. Verse 12. Yes, in all those who desire to live, a godly and Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and apostas will go worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Verse 14. But you, you must continue in the things which you have learned and be assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

And that from childhood you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith which is in Jesus Christ. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Paul was writing these words here at this moment from a damp, dark prison cell in Rome, a Roman prison cell. And he was bringing us at the brink of his life. This is actually just before his death.

And in every message that he would implore those then and us today, he would say, you know, I can do it. And you can too. In a way, he knew that we could look at the history of Paul and see who he was before the conversion and see the growth and what God was able to do for him and through him.

So he says, if I can do it, you can do it. Let me plead. Christ is pleading through me, he says. Every time he gave this end time sermon of righteousness, we have been given righteousness, so we must have self-control because a judgment is coming. This is the end time sermon that every disciple of Jesus Christ has given at the end of their days.

And Paul was actually very familiar with the words that would now be given to him as he stood before Felix and Drusilla. He was very familiar with those words because they were the same words that cut him to his heart earlier in his life.

That same end time sermon would be given to another disciple, Stephen, as he would face the end of his life. Those same words that Paul was now giving cut him to the heart years earlier. Let's look at Acts 7 in verse 51 through 54. We're just going to read a few scriptures here from Stephen's end time sermon.

Acts 7 verse 51 through 54. Stephen would be accused just as Paul would be later. So what words would be given to Stephen?

Acts 7 in verse 51. Stephen stood at the end of his sermon.

You stiff-necked, uncircumcised, and hard in ears. You always resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the just one, the righteous one, whom you now have become betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by direction of the angels and have not kept it. No self-control. Verse 54. So when they heard these words, they were cut to the heart and gnashed at him with their teeth. Let's stop there. Stephen's sermon was so interesting. He was accused, but he doesn't even directly address his false accusation of him being slanderous toward Moses and God. This was no Stephen's sermon, if you look at it. It was no defense. It was no apology. It was no request for acquittal. He stood up, and he came to preach. And he gave a proclamation of the words that would be given to him that day. And he really... it's fascinating. He goes through the Israelites' history, showing them that they were the ones that actually killed the just one, the righteous one. They were the ones that didn't perform self-control and violating Moses and the law. And it may look like Stephen was on trial, but he made certain that they understood that it was they. It was they that were on trial because a judgment is coming. And in his sermon, they not only rejected the Messiah, he said, but they failed to respond to God throughout their history. And he basically tells them, you thank your God's people, but you're not. Are we? Are we God's people? Well, we just can't think that we are, because if there's a reality that we're not, our accusers will deliver us up, and the words may not be there for us. But if we are, if we are living and practicing this end-time sermon, then the words will be given to us. They've been given to every disciple again to preach at the end of their days. And this is the sermon that you and I must be living and preaching today. We can't shy away from it. We must be evangelists on this same sermon. And if we are, if God sees that we are demonstrating these areas, then he will put opportunities before us. But he has to be confident that we will give these same three foundational points. And with regards to our judgment to come, God has fixed today to judge the world with righteousness. And with regards to that judgment in relationship to God's people, there will be a separation of those that are truly His and not. In conclusion, let's begin to conclude here. Let's turn to stay here in Acts, but go to Acts 17 and verse 24 through 31. Let's read a little bit about this summary here and the judgment to come. Acts 17, verse 24 through 31. This is the conclusion. God, it says, verse 24, who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn't dwell in temples made with hands, nor is He worshiped with men's hands as though He needed anything. Since He gives life, breath, and all things, He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings. Make no doubt, if you're sitting here today and you are hearing God's Word, and many of you have been doing this for many years, your pre-appointed time is now. You are a first fruit.

Therefore, it speaks of these boundaries that we must conform, then, our life to. Verse 27, so that they should seek the Lord, because your time is now, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. Verse 28, for in Him we live and move and have our bean, as also some of your own poets have said, for we are also His offspring. Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we must not think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by the art of a man's devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world with righteousness, by the man whom He has ordained. That's Jesus Christ. He has given assurance to all by His raising Him from the dead. Let's stop there. So this is really the conclusion. God has given us our very life, our breath every morning, and has determined our pre-appointed time. And divine righteousness has been given to each one of us.

So now we look to see what is required. Because of that divine righteousness, now much is required, and we have these boundaries that we must work within to become a new man and a new woman. I love verse 30. You may have lived like you liked before, but today is different. Verse 30, Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands men everywhere to repent. And execute that self-control. What a sermon Paul gave on that day as he stood before the Governor Felix and his wife, Drusilla. Righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come. And if the occasion arises for you to share this message to the world, it's a simple message. I've studied Jesus Christ, and what I've seen is the ultimate display of righteousness. And through his resurrection, that righteousness has been bestowed to me. And therefore, I execute self-control so that I can display as much of that righteousness as possible. Because I know what judgment is coming, and I want God to see my desire to fulfill his will in me. What a simple message. Profound. The end time is coming, and we must be prepared to stand up, deliver this message, give this sermon, accept the words from the Holy Spirit when it is given to us, and live and preach this end time sermon now and to the end.