IT'S THE MAN ON THE INSIDE

Sunday Sermon
November 16, 2008
Rhema Community Church

Sermonic Scripture: ESV 1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Sermonic Tension: The spirit of the Antichrist and the doctrine of Docetism

· ANTICHRIST First used in the Johannine Epistles (1 John 2.18; 22; 1 John 4.3; John 7), the term signifies those who deny Christ’s Incarnation. It has also been used to signify the prince of the enemies of Christ. In the Gospels, Christ warns of one who would come and try to deceive the elect in His name (Matthew 24.24; Mark 13.22). Paul warns of the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2.3; 8; 9) who will come and do miracles (2 Thessalonians 2.9-10) and deceive many. The Antichrist is described in Revelation as “the Beast,” and his appearance is the prelude to the parousia (Second Coming) of the Lord Jesus. At this time, the Antichrist will be defeated by the Lord. Speculation about the identity of the Antichrist has been common throughout church history. The early Church believed the Antichrist was a person such as Caligula, Simon Magus, or Nero. Others felt that the Antichrist was the Arian heresy popular in the early Church. During the Reformation (and to this day in some less-educated Protestant circles) the Antichrist has been identified as the pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

· DOCETISM From the Greek dokein, “to appear,” “to seem.” Docetism teaches that the humanity of Jesus was not real; He was a divine being who only seemed to have a human body. The belief was widespread among those who held that Christ could not suffer and still be Divine, and also among those who believed that Christ’s having a material body would have tainted Him with sin. Docetism was opposed by the framers of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds and soundly defeated at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, where it was affirmed that Jesus was “truly God and truly man.” See: Apostles’ Creed; Chalcedon, Council of; Nicene Creed.

Sermonic Point: There is no reason for a child of God to fear or experience failure. God has declared us the winner of every fight. (Live to win)

Since this premise is true, (1 John 4.4) then why do I feel like such a failure? Either you are not saved or you are ignorant of your salvation.

Sermonic Structure:

I. I AM CONNECTED TO THE CREATOR
(Little children, you are from God)

II. I AM AN OVER-COMER
(And have overcome them)

III. I AM POSSESSED BY THE COMFORTER
(for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world)