THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST - June 23, 26,27, 1999

St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church - Watertown, WI

COUNTDOWN TO THE THIRD MILLENNIUM

A Special Sign of Judgment Day - The Antichrist

NICE PEOPLE AREN'T ALWAYS PROCLAIMERS OF THE TRUTH 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

As the end of the world gets closer and as we get ready to enter the third millennium, you may hear of different events that are to take place before Jesus returns. You may also have heard about the Antichrist. Who is he? Where will he be found? What will he do? As we continue our summer series on the countdown to the third millennium, our Scripture readings and our sermon text focus our attention and thoughts on this teaching of the Bible.

What does the word "antichrist" mean? In the original Greek the word "antichrist" has as its basic meaning, "in the place of Christ" or "opposite Christ" In our day the word has taken on the meaning of being opposed to Christ and his teachings. As we heard John say to us in the first reading for today, there are many antichrists but there is one Antichrist. Paul refers to this one as the man of lawlessness in our reading today. Let's carefully examine this portion of God's Word to us today and as we do so, there is an important truth that everyone of us needs to learn. That truth is this NICE PEOPLE AREN'T ALWAYS PROCLAIMERS OF THE TRUTH. We heard Jesus tell us that in the Gospel reading for today. Our Savior said, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." (Matthew 7:15) As we examine Paul's words and identify who the Antichrist is, let's first recognize a problem that we face in our culture today. It is this: I) We have a tendency not to label anything or anyone as being wrong. Then let's examine II) Paul's warning about the antichrist.

WE HAVE A TENDENCY NOT TO LABEL ANYONE OR ANYTHING AS BEING WRONG

We are living in an era of political correctness. It is not acceptable to call something wrong or incorrect. Nor is it acceptable to label a person as being evil or wrong. In addition to this, our culture has emphasized feelings to the exclusion of absolute truth. It makes no difference what the law of the land may say, it's how I feel about something that is more important. Parents are being taught and told that they cannot spank their children nor correct them because they will damage the child's self-esteem. And more and more people are buying into this type of thinking.

Because our thinking is being so directed, when you attempt to point out to someone that something is morally and Biblically wrong, you are labeled as narrow minded, unloving, out of touch with reality, ungodly, unChristian, and the list goes on.

But look at Jesus Christ. When he confronted false teachers and false teaching, he did not step lightly. He was not concerned about hurting people's feelings. He was concerned about the truth. He wanted that truth proclaimed without the lies and false ideas of people mixed in. Often Jesus would warn his disciples about the false religious teachers and teachings of his day. He often said to his disciples, "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." (Matthew 16:6) By this he meant that they should watch out for these people's false teachings. Jesus did not dismiss these teachings as not being important. He realized how easy it is for false ideas and teachings to distort and destroy the truth of God's Word. Listen to Jesus' words to those who believed and taught incorrectly, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to." (Matthew 23:13) Remember during Jesus' last week when he drove the money changers out of the temple? Out Lord didn't walk in and politely say, "Boys, you really shouldn't be doing this. It may not be the right thing. You're cheating the people and making a mess of what God has established." Listen to how Mark records what Jesus did: "On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, 'Is it not written: "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations"? But you have made it a den or robbers.'" (Mark 11:15-17) Our Savior confronted falsehood head on. He warned people about the dangers of the false teachings and practices of the religious leaders of his own day.

The Lord still warns us today. We now focus on Paul's warning about the antichrist and his description of where we will find the Antichrist and how he will show himself.

PAUL'S WARNING ABOUT THE ANTICHRIST

The reason for Paul writing this portion of his letter to the Thessalonians is carefully laid out. Evidently someone had sent a letter supposedly from the Apostle Paul telling the Christians in Thessalonica that the day of the Lord had already come. They were led to believe that Jesus had returned. In fact, many of the Christians had quit their jobs and they were sitting on their front stoops waiting for Jesus to come by and pick them up. That is why later in this letter Paul says to these people, "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." (2 Thessalonians 3:10b)

Paul now explains to the Thessalonians that something must still take place before Jesus can return. That event is the coming of the man of lawlessness or the Antichrist. Listen to Paul's description, "He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (v. 4) Where will we find this man of lawlessness? Paul says he will be found within the visible church. Paul says he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Listen to this statement, ""The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful - who confirms his brethren in the faith - he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, page 235, paragraph 891, 1994.) What this statement from the new Roman Catholic catechism which was released in 1994 states is this: When the pope speaks on matters of faith and morals he cannot sin. The Bible says that only God is without sin. When someone claims that he cannot sin, is he not claiming to be God and putting himself in the place of God? When someone claims that he is the head of the church, is he not taking to himself what the Bible ascribes to the Lord Jesus Christ? What does Paul say about the man of lawlessness? He sets himself up in God's temple and proclaims himself to be God." (v. 4)

At the writing of this letter Paul says, "Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now hold its back will continue to do so until he is taken out of the way." (vv. 5-7) What was holding the lawless one back? It was the Roman empire and its government. When the barbaric tribes of the north invaded Italy and finally brought the downfall of Rome, then the church stepped in and filled the void left by the fall of the Roman empire. As time progressed the man of lawlessness made himself known. Rome became one of five centers of Christianity in the early centuries. Eventually the bishop of Rome became known as "first among equals" and later as the head of the church. As time passed the teaching that the pope could not sin when he spoke of matters of faith and morals also became official teaching of the church. Even though the Bible nowhere states that truth.

Paul then says, "the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow by the breath of his mouth." (v. 8a) In the medieval ages there were scholars and religious leaders who identified the pope as the man of lawlessness and the very Antichrist of the Bible. In the Smalcald Articles, Martin Luther writes, "This teaching (that the pope is the head of the church) shows forcefully that the Pope is the very Antichrist, who has exalted himself above, and opposed himself against Christ, because he will not permit Christians to be saved without his power, which nevertheless, is nothing, and is neither ordained nor commanded by God." (Smalcald Articles (Part II, Article IV, paragraph 10, page 475 Concordia Triglotta) During the 1500's the antichrist was revealed but as Paul says he will continue until Jesus returns at the end of time. His power is overthrown by God's true Word and he will finally be destroyed when Jesus returns in his splendor on Judgment Day.

Paul then goes on to describe how the lawless one's coming will show itself. Paul writes, "The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing." (vv. 9-10) Think of all the supposed miracles that have been attributed to the Virgin Mary and to the saints. Think of the supposed appearances of the Virgin Mother and the shrines that have been built at those places. Every so often we will read or see of another supposed weeping virgin or statue. These are some of the signs that Paul is referring to when it comes to the Antichrist and is coming.

The next statements by Paul are sad. "They perish because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." (vv. 10b-12) When people continue to reject the truth of God's Word and follow the teachings of men, finally God gives them up and allows them to be lost eternally.

It's may be hard for most of us to believe that the kindly, old gentleman called Pope John Paul II is the man of lawlessness described her in 2 Thessalonians. But he proclaims himself to be the vicar of Christ on this earth. He claims that he cannot sin when he speaks on matters of faith and morals. It is this office of the papacy which Paul describes as the Antichrist.

An important question that I am sure has crossed your mind by now. "Does this mean that all members of the Roman Catholic church are lost? The answer is no! There are many faithful believers in Jesus Christ within the Roman Catholic church. They are there because the Word of God is still read and the sacraments are administered according to Christ's command. They are Christians in spite of some of the teachings which the Catholic church holds to.

Another question that I am sure that some of you have thought of, "Isn't this unkind and unloving to call the papacy the antichrist?" No. It is loving and in keeping with the truth of God's Word. We don't want to see people led astray from the truth that we are saved only because Jesus Christ died for us and not because of works that we must do. For the Roman church also teaches that yes, Jesus died for us but that is not enough. They maintain that you must do good works in order to satisfy God for the sins that you commit in this life. And you can never be certain that you have done enough. So that is why they have masses and prayers said for the dead to help them get out of purgatory and into heaven.

Jesus has warned us that false teachers of his word will not appear as unkind, unloving and ugly men. He tells us just the opposite. He says that false teachers will be like sheep. Yet inwardly they are ferocious wolves that are trying to lead us away from the truth of God's Word.

God help us to never lose the truth of his Word that we are saved alone because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Amen.