This Is How You Know the End Is Near... | IMPACT Recap

IMPACT Recap

Salvation Hope Wisdom

Recap

The speaker opened the first part of an end times series by asking the question, 'How close are we?' While acknowledging the world's anxiety and the prevalence of discussions about the end, the message firmly established that the date and hour of Christ's return are unknown to everyone except God the Father, as taught by Jesus in Matthew 24. The purpose of biblical prophecy is not to scare believers but to prepare them, encouraging them to live in readiness and hope. The sermon outlined key signs of the 'beginning of the end' that Jesus described as 'birth pains,' including the rise of false messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, and a significant increase in knowledge and travel as prophesied by Daniel. A broad overview of the biblical timeline of end-time events was provided, from the rapture to the establishment of the new Jerusalem. The speaker emphasized that in an age of information overload and potential deception, believers must ground themselves in God's Word and the community of the church. The closing call was to find assurance of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, living with the confident hope of eternity with Him.

Main Points

The exact timing of Christ's return is unknown; our role is not to predict the date but to prepare for the day by living in readiness.
Jesus outlined specific 'birth pains' or signs of the beginning of the end, including deception, global conflict, and an explosion of knowledge, to prepare His followers, not to frighten them.
In an age of information and potential deception, believers must be rooted in Scripture and the church, living with the confident hope of eternal citizenship in heaven.

Verses Mentioned

Matthew 24:36 - "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (NIV)
Matthew 24:37-39 - "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." (NIV)
Matthew 24:40-42 - "Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." (NIV)
Matthew 24:43-44 - "But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." (NIV)
1 Corinthians 15:52 - "in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." (NIV)
Matthew 24:4-5 - "Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.'" (NIV)
Matthew 24:6-7 - "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places." (NIV)
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 - "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." (NIV)
Acts 1:11 - "'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.'" (NIV)
Daniel 12:4 - "But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge." (NIV)
2 Timothy 3:7 - "always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." (NIV)
Matthew 24:24 - "For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." (NIV)
Romans 1:22 - "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools" (NIV)
Philippians 3:20 - "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ," (NIV)
Titus 2:11-14 - "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." (NIV)

Daily Action Plan

Monday

Scripture Reflection: Matthew 24:36 - 'But about that day or hour no one knows... but only the Father.'

Focus Point: God's Sovereignty Over Time

Action Plan: Release any anxiety about the future by consciously entrusting the timeline of world events and your personal life into God's hands.

Deep Prayer: Lord, I trust that You hold all time in Your hands. Help me to live faithfully today, free from fear about tomorrow.

Tuesday

Scripture Reflection: Matthew 24:42 - 'Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.'

Focus Point: Spiritual Readiness

Action Plan: Evaluate one area of your life (e.g., a relationship, a habit, your thought life) and take one practical step to align it more closely with Christ.

Deep Prayer: Jesus, show me where I need to be more ready for Your return. Give me the courage to make the necessary changes today.

Wednesday

Scripture Reflection: Matthew 24:4-5 - 'Watch out that no one deceives you...'

Focus Point: Biblical Discernment

Action Plan: When you consume news or social media today, pause to ask: 'Does this align with the truth and character of God as revealed in Scripture?'

Deep Prayer: Holy Spirit, sharpen my discernment. Guard my heart and mind from deception and anchor me in Your truth.

Thursday

Scripture Reflection: Philippians 3:20 - 'But our citizenship is in heaven.'

Focus Point: Eternal Perspective

Action Plan: Identify one temporary worry or pursuit that is consuming your energy. Write it down and prayerfully surrender its ultimate outcome to God.

Deep Prayer: Father, remind me that my true home is with You. Help me to invest my heart in what is eternal, not just what is temporary.

Friday

Scripture Reflection: Titus 2:12-13 - '...to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives... while we wait for the blessed hope...'

Focus Point: Hopeful Living

Action Plan: Perform a simple act of kindness for someone today, motivated by the hope and love of Christ within you.

Deep Prayer: God, let the hope of Christ's return fill me with purpose and love. Use me to reflect Your grace to someone else today.

Saturday

Scripture Reflection: 1 Thessalonians 4:17 - '...we will be with the Lord forever.'

Focus Point: Assurance and Witness

Action Plan: Reflect on your assurance of salvation. If you are sure, thank God. If you are unsure, reach out to a pastor or trusted Christian friend to talk about it.

Deep Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the promise that I can be with You forever. Solidify this hope in my heart and let it overflow in my conversations.