Anchored in Christ: Living Faithfully in the Last Days

The heart of today’s teaching is a call to move beyond simply attending church or being part of a crowd, and instead to lock arms with others in genuine, Christ-centered community. From the very beginning, God declared it was not good for man to be alone, and that truth still stands. We are not meant to walk the Christian life in isolation, but to journey together—through the highs and lows, through Scripture, and in following Jesus. This is not about a program or a bracelet, but about living out the reality that Christianity is a communal faith, and that the enemy’s strategy is often to isolate us.

As we look at 1 John 2:18-27, we are reminded that we are living in the “last days”—the time between Christ’s first coming and His return. This reality can stir up anxiety, fear, and uncertainty, especially as we see evil, deception, and spiritual battles all around us. But John, as a spiritual grandfather, urges us not to be anxious, but to be anchored. The world may walk in fear, but we are called to walk in awareness, security, and abiding relationship with Jesus.

Awareness means recognizing that there is both a mighty move of God and a real move of the enemy. The enemy’s tactic is often subtle—distorting the message of Jesus, sowing confusion, and raising up “antichrists” who deny the true identity of Christ. The dividing line is always Jesus: not just as a good teacher, but as the Son of God, the Messiah, the only way to the Father. To compromise on this is to lose the very heart of the gospel.

Security comes from knowing that our salvation is not something we can lose, because it is not something we earned. We are held by God’s unbreakable grip, sealed by the Spirit, and promised eternal life. The enemy’s greatest deception is to make us doubt our identity as beloved children of God, but Scripture assures us that nothing can separate us from His love.

Finally, we are called to abide—to stay close to Jesus, to set up our lives with Him, to make Him our home. This is where the power is, especially in anxious times. Abiding is not about performance, but about relationship. Jesus is not a boss grading our efforts, but a perfect Father inviting us to remain in His love. In the end, Jesus wins. Our call is to stick with Him, to abide, and to help one another do the same.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Christianity is Inherently Communal God’s design from the very beginning is that we would not walk alone. True discipleship happens in the context of community, where we can encourage, challenge, and support one another. Isolation is fertile ground for the enemy’s lies, but together we can walk in truth and love, reflecting the very nature of God’s family. [25:58]
• 2. Awareness, Not Anxiety, in the Last Days We are living in the last days, a time marked by both God’s movement and the enemy’s opposition. The most dangerous battles are the ones we don’t realize we’re in. Rather than succumbing to fear or sensationalism, we are called to be spiritually alert—recognizing deception, holding fast to the truth, and remembering that the dividing line is always Jesus Himself. [41:12]
• 3. The Dividing Line is Always Jesus Many may speak well of Jesus or claim His name, but the true test is whether they confess Him as the Son of God, the Messiah, and the only way to the Father. To dilute or distort this truth is to fall into the spirit of antichrist. It is not unloving to hold to the exclusivity of Christ; rather, it is the most loving thing we can do, for only in Him is there salvation and life. [44:53]
• 4. Our Security is in God’s Grip, Not Our Performance Salvation is not something we can lose, because it is not something we earned. We are held by the unbreakable grip of God, sealed by His Spirit, and promised eternal life. The enemy’s greatest attack is to make us doubt our identity as God’s children, but nothing can separate us from His love—not our weakness, not our doubts, not our failures. [55:04]
• 5. Abiding in Jesus is the Source of Power and Peace The call is not to frantic activity or spiritual performance, but to abide—to remain, to dwell, to set up our lives with Jesus. This is where transformation happens, where anxiety is replaced by peace, and where we find the strength to persevere. In the end, Jesus wins; our task is to stay close to Him, to abide, and to help one another do the same. [60:51]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [25:24] - Move to One: Not a Program, But a People
• [26:40] - The Power of Community in Following Jesus
• [28:40] - Introduction to 1 John 2:18-27
• [29:15] - Prayer for Focus and Spiritual Readiness
• [31:15] - Are We Living in the Last Days?
• [33:40] - Reading and Breaking Down 1 John 2:18-27
• [35:27] - Anchored in Anxious Times: Be Aware, Secure, With Jesus
• [36:16] - The Early Church: Revival and Opposition
• [38:21] - God’s Move and the Enemy’s Countermove
• [41:12] - The Danger of Unseen Spiritual Battles
• [42:29] - What Are the Last Days?
• [43:55] - The Spirit of Antichrist: Then and Now
• [46:44] - The Exclusivity of Christ: Why It Matters
• [50:33] - Security in Christ: Can We Lose Our Salvation?
• [55:04] - Assurance: God’s Grip is Stronger Than Our Weakness
• [59:43] - Abiding in Jesus: The Heart of the Christian Life
• [62:40] - Jesus the Conquering King: Our Hope in the End
• [67:03] - Communion: Practicing Abiding Together
• [70:40] - Worship and Prayer Response

Bible Reading

1 John 2:18-27 (ESV) —
> 18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
> 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
> 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
> 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
> 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
> 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
> 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.
> 25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.
> 26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
> 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

Observation Questions

1. According to 1 John 2:18-19, what does John say is a sign that it is the “last hour”?
2. In verses 22-23, what does John say is the dividing line between truth and deception?
3. How many times does the word “abide” appear in this passage, and what does John connect it to?
4. The sermon mentioned that the enemy’s strategy is often to isolate believers. What are some ways this was described or illustrated? [[28:07]]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does John emphasize the importance of “abiding” in what was heard from the beginning? What does this look like in practice?
2. The sermon says that “the dividing line is always Jesus.” Why is it so important to hold to the truth of Jesus as the Son of God, and what are the dangers of compromising on this? [[44:53]]
3. John writes that some people “went out from us, but they were not of us.” What does this teach about the nature of true Christian community and assurance of salvation? [[52:45]]
4. The sermon describes the difference between being anxious and being anchored in the last days. What does it mean to be “anchored” in Christ, and how is this different from simply being aware of spiritual battles? [[33:15]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon stressed that Christianity is inherently communal, not meant to be lived alone. Are you currently “locking arms” with other believers, or do you tend to walk alone in your faith? What is one step you could take this week to move toward deeper community? [[28:07]]
2. When you think about the “last days” and the evil or uncertainty in the world, do you tend to feel anxious or anchored? What specific truth from this passage or the sermon could help you move from anxiety to security? [[33:15]]
3. The dividing line is always Jesus—not just as a good teacher, but as the Son of God and the only way to the Father. Have you ever felt pressure to water down or compromise this truth in conversations with others? How did you respond, or how could you respond differently next time? [[44:53]]
4. The sermon said, “Our security is in God’s grip, not our performance.” Are there areas in your life where you feel like you have to earn God’s love or approval? How can you remind yourself this week that you are held by God’s unbreakable grip? [[55:04]]
5. “Abiding” was described as staying close to Jesus, making Him your home, not about performance but about relationship. What does abiding look like for you personally? Is there a specific practice (prayer, Scripture, worship, community) you want to focus on to help you abide more deeply? [[01:00:51]]
6. The enemy’s strategy is often to isolate us. Can you think of a time when isolation made you more vulnerable to doubt or deception? How did community help, or how could it have helped? [[28:07]]
7. The sermon challenged us to help one another abide in Jesus. Who is one person you could encourage or support this week in their walk with Christ? What could that look like practically? [[01:03:21]]