Before Christ Comes You Will Begin To See Two Groups Of People In These Last Days

people will often say there are only two types of people then go on to describe the two types such as those who make your life easier and those who make your life harder for those who have money and those who don't lines like that are often said in movies by motivational speakers or by friends the list of two types of people can go on and on the truth is there is only one grouping that matters that is those who do not know jesus and those who do in these last days you are either one who loves yourself or the lord the group of people who love themselves can be found in first timothy chapter 3 verse 1 to 5. it says but understand this that in the last days there will come times of difficulty for people will be lovers of self lovers of money proud arrogant abusive disobedient to their parents ungrateful unholy heartless unappeasable slanderous without self-control brutal not loving good treacherous reckless swollen with conceit lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of god having the appearance of godliness but denying its power avoid such people the first thing we see about those in the first group is that they are lovers of self this is the defining characteristic of those in the first group everything else they do flows out of a need to fulfill one's own desires this leads to people loving money more than god loving pleasure more than god being proud and heartless against god the rest of the characteristics mentioned on that list the truth is that all of our hearts are naturally that way if we do not know jesus on a whole we do what is best for ourselves we become selfish and seek to only fulfill our own pleasure for those who are followers of jesus he becomes our first and most important priority god is actually like the paper we write our priorities on he becomes the base and center of everything we do while our other priorities change god does not however for those in this first group their desires and pleasure become the paper on which they write their priorities whatever makes them feel good and satisfied becomes the center this is why first timothy says that they are lovers of self the first group may actually look like they have the right priorities in first timothy it says they may even appear godly however their godliness is surface level they look good on the outside but their hearts are evil jesus talks about a group of pharisees with the same problem he says in matthew 23 verse 27 woe to you scribes and pharisees hypocrites for you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness jesus calls them whitewashed tombs on the outside of the building is a new fresh coat but inside is nothing but dead bodies our heart matters more than how we make the outside look let's say i offered to get you a delicious bowl of chicken noodle soup i get a bowl that has a lid on it i start cleaning the outside of the bowl to get it ready for the chicken noodle soup matter of fact i scrub the outside of it until it is spotless i tell you the bowl is clean but then you look inside there's old ketchup mayo a hot dog a soggy bun mustard and soy sauce left on the inside would you eat my chicken noodle soup out of that bowl of course not while the outside looks clean the inside is a mess jesus is trying to show us the same thing it doesn't matter how godly we appear if our hearts are unclean the first group is full of people who may look godly but have unclean hearts the second group of people are those who love jesus in these last days acts 2 verse 17 says and in the last days it shall be god declares that i will pour out my spirit on all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams this group of people will have the spirit poured out on them in the old testament the holy spirit rested on people and equipped them for the job god had for them after the job was accomplished the holy spirit would leave in the new testament and forward which is also the last days the holy spirit dwells inside of believers the spirit of god now lives inside and permanently equips believers to follow him this group receives a mighty outpouring from god examples of the mighty outpouring according to acts 2 17 is that some followers of jesus will prophesy and see visions god will do that and so much more through those who follow jesus so the question really becomes which group are you in there are those in group one who are lovers of self while they do what feels good and right in the end it leads to hell and a life without god then there are those in the second group that look at jesus and see how beautiful he is they see that despite their sin jesus loves them he came and lived a perfect life died the death they deserved by taking on the wrath of god and then rose from the grave by faith they trust that jesus has done that and now they have the holy spirit it may seem as if the second group is missing out because they do not get to fulfill all of their own desires however this group receives something much better they get a mighty outpouring by the hand of the lord so one last time let me ask you there are only two types of people in this world those who love themselves and those who love jesus which group are you in [Music] don't be silenced about your love for christ don't allow anything to silence your testimony instead live by the words of romans 1 verse 16 for i am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of god for salvation to everyone who believes the gospel is the only way that sinful men can be reconciled to god and have eternal life with him that is not just another opinion it's a fact and it's good news this world doesn't need any more self-help books it needs christians who will stand up and preach jesus this world doesn't need any more civil tongue politicians this world needs to hear the gospel and how will they hear through us as the children of god you