Last Days Part 2 - Archie Callahan
November 8, 2026
Signs of the Times: Staying Ready in the Last Days
Drawing from Matthew 24 and the account of the lame man in Acts 3, Pastor Archie challenges believers to remain spiritually prepared, alert, and active in their faith as the world displays increasing signs of the last days. Rather than offering strategies for merely managing life's difficulties, the sermon points to the transforming power of Jesus as the only sufficient answer to human need. The sermon emphasizes that the signs surrounding believers today are not meant to produce fear or panic, but to direct attention toward the greater reality of Christ's coming. Believers are called to know the Word, remain steadfast, guard against spiritual coldness, and boldly proclaim the gospel in a world growing increasingly dark.
Key Points:
- The name of Jesus carries transforming power that goes beyond coping or managing circumstances, as illustrated by the healing of the lame man in Acts 3
- Signs of the last days are meant to wake believers up and point them to Christ, not to produce fear or panic
- Deception is a defining mark of the last days, and the remedy is a deep, personal knowledge of God's Word
- Believers are commanded not to be troubled or emotionally destabilized by world events, because God remains sovereign regardless of political or global circumstances
- Spiritual coldness grows gradually through prolonged exposure to wickedness, and endurance in faith is proof that one's salvation is genuine
- The gospel must be actively proclaimed, and believers cannot afford to remain silent or passive in the age in which they live
- Readiness for Christ's return is not primarily about physical preparation but spiritual preparedness, rooted in a genuine relationship with Jesus
Scripture Reference:
- Matthew 24, in which Jesus describes the signs of the end of the age, including deception, wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, spiritual coldness, and the worldwide proclamation of the gospel
- Acts 3, in which Peter and John encounter a lame man at the temple gate and heal him in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
- 2 Timothy 3:1-5, which outlines the marks of the last days and was the focus of the previous week's message in this series
Stories:
- The healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate in Acts 3, used to illustrate that Jesus does not offer tools for managing hardship but rather transforming power that changes situations entirely
- The illustration of a check engine light on a vehicle dashboard, representing the signs of the times and the three possible responses: panic, ignorance, or wise preparation
- The story of road signs on a trip to Disney World, used to illustrate that signs point to a destination but are not the destination themselves, cautioning believers not to become so focused on signs that they miss the substance, who is Jesus
- The account of Herod's temple and its destruction in 70 AD by the Roman general Titus, providing historical context for Jesus's prophecy in Matthew 24
- A personal story about his daughter's car dashboard being covered with pictures, obscuring warning lights, used to illustrate how people ignore spiritual warning signs in their lives
- A personal account of his son receiving participation trophies on a losing football team, used to illustrate that there are no participation trophies in the kingdom of God and that genuine faith produces endurance
- A reference to the experience of Braxton Hicks contractions versus real labor contractions, used to illustrate the difference between preliminary signs and the intensifying signs that signal the nearness of Christ's return, and the importance of being spiritually prepared
#LastDays #Matthew24 #BridgeChurch #BeReady #GospelTruth #SignsOfTheTimes
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Signs of the Times: Staying Ready in the Last Days
Drawing from Matthew 24 and the account of the lame man in Acts 3, Pastor Archie challenges believers to remain spiritually prepared, alert, and active in their faith as the world displays increasing signs of the last days. Rather than offering strategies for merely managing life's difficulties, the sermon points to the transforming power of Jesus as the only sufficient answer to human need. The sermon emphasizes that the signs surrounding believers today are not meant to produce fear or panic, but to direct attention toward the greater reality of Christ's coming. Believers are called to know the Word, remain steadfast, guard against spiritual coldness, and boldly proclaim the gospel in a world growing increasingly dark.
Key Points:
- The name of Jesus carries transforming power that goes beyond coping or managing circumstances, as illustrated by the healing of the lame man in Acts 3
- Signs of the last days are meant to wake believers up and point them to Christ, not to produce fear or panic
- Deception is a defining mark of the last days, and the remedy is a deep, personal knowledge of God's Word
- Believers are commanded not to be troubled or emotionally destabilized by world events, because God remains sovereign regardless of political or global circumstances
- Spiritual coldness grows gradually through prolonged exposure to wickedness, and endurance in faith is proof that one's salvation is genuine
- The gospel must be actively proclaimed, and believers cannot afford to remain silent or passive in the age in which they live
- Readiness for Christ's return is not primarily about physical preparation but spiritual preparedness, rooted in a genuine relationship with Jesus
Scripture Reference:
- Matthew 24, in which Jesus describes the signs of the end of the age, including deception, wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, spiritual coldness, and the worldwide proclamation of the gospel
- Acts 3, in which Peter and John encounter a lame man at the temple gate and heal him in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
- 2 Timothy 3:1-5, which outlines the marks of the last days and was the focus of the previous week's message in this series
Stories:
- The healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate in Acts 3, used to illustrate that Jesus does not offer tools for managing hardship but rather transforming power that changes situations entirely
- The illustration of a check engine light on a vehicle dashboard, representing the signs of the times and the three possible responses: panic, ignorance, or wise preparation
- The story of road signs on a trip to Disney World, used to illustrate that signs point to a destination but are not the destination themselves, cautioning believers not to become so focused on signs that they miss the substance, who is Jesus
- The account of Herod's temple and its destruction in 70 AD by the Roman general Titus, providing historical context for Jesus's prophecy in Matthew 24
- A personal story about his daughter's car dashboard being covered with pictures, obscuring warning lights, used to illustrate how people ignore spiritual warning signs in their lives
- A personal account of his son receiving participation trophies on a losing football team, used to illustrate that there are no participation trophies in the kingdom of God and that genuine faith produces endurance
- A reference to the experience of Braxton Hicks contractions versus real labor contractions, used to illustrate the difference between preliminary signs and the intensifying signs that signal the nearness of Christ's return, and the importance of being spiritually prepared
#LastDays #Matthew24 #BridgeChurch #BeReady #GospelTruth #SignsOfTheTimes
