The Gospel of the Kingdom Will Be Preached | Pastor Tim Notz | 9/13/2026

Sep 13, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Lawlessness Abounds, Love Grows Cold

Lawlessness isn’t just breaking rules—it’s rejecting God’s authority. When rebellion against Him becomes normal, hearts harden. The funeral director’s warning about disrespect for processions mirrors a deeper cultural shift: people no longer honor boundaries. This isn’t merely about traffic violations but a spiritual erosion where self-rule replaces divine order. As authority crumbles, suspicion and cynicism replace compassion. Cold love isn’t just apathy—it’s the fruit of unaddressed rebellion. Guard against pockets of resistance in your heart. [03:32]

“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.”
(Matthew 24:12, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you noticed your love for others cooling recently? What small act of intentional kindness could reignite warmth in that relationship?

Day 2: Endure Like Rocky: Get Back Up Again

Endurance isn’t passive survival—it’s active resistance. Like a boxer rising after a knockout, believers stand firm through life’s blows. This requires rejecting victimhood and choosing submission to God over emotional reactions. The enemy targets minds with fear, confusion, and fatigue, but endurance means clinging to Christ’s victory. Declare war on hopelessness: pray for enemies, anoint your home, and speak Jesus’ name over battles. Victory starts when you refuse to stay down. [23:06]

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.”
(1 Timothy 6:12, ESV)

Reflection: What recurring “punch” from the enemy tempts you to quit? How can you practically “get back up” this week?

Day 3: The Gospel That Topples Self-Made Thrones

The gospel of the kingdom isn’t a gentle suggestion—it’s a declaration of war on Satan’s counterfeit rule. Jesus’ authority dismantles the lie that we’re our own gods. Just as drivers ignore funeral processions, the world rejects divine order, but preaching Christ’s lordship breaks chains. This gospel isn’t dependent on eloquence; its raw power cracks hardened hearts. Share it boldly—even awkwardly—and watch God move. [38:19]

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations.”
(Matthew 24:14, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear Jesus named as Lord? What’s one step you’ll take to proclaim Him this week?

Day 4: Anointing Doors, Guarding Hearts

Spiritual authority requires practical action. Like anointing doorposts with oil, believers must actively secure their lives against invasion. Rebellion opens doors for demonic squatters—unforgiveness, bitterness, or pride. Guarding your heart means daily repentance, Scripture meditation, and rejecting toxic thoughts. This isn’t mysticism but wartime strategy: protect your mind like a soldier securing a fortress. [40:12]

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
(Proverbs 4:23, ESV)

Reflection: What “door” in your life needs spiritual reinforcement? How will you practically “anoint” it this week?

Day 5: Taking Shots the World Needs to Miss

Evangelism isn’t about perfect aim—it’s about taking the shot. Wayne Gretzky’s 2,857 goals started with willingness to try. Rejection stings, but silence guarantees failure. Invite, pray, give, or speak—even if it feels clumsy. Your obedience plants cracks in hardened hearts. The gospel’s power works in spite of your doubts. [48:22]

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
(Matthew 28:19, ESV)

Reflection: Who’s one person you’ve hesitated to reach? What specific “shot” will you take with them in the next five days?

Sermon Summary

Matthew 24:12-14 puts the last days right in front of the church: lawlessness will abound, love will grow cold, those who endure will be saved, and the gospel of the kingdom will be preached to every nation. Lawlessness is more than people breaking rules. Lawlessness is the rejection of God’s authority, and once God’s authority gets rejected, every other authority starts getting torn down too. Judges shows the result: everybody does what is right in their own eyes, and that is the ingredients for chaos.

Lawlessness also hardens hearts. Ongoing rebellion, anger, unforgiveness, fear, and little pockets of disobedience can open a door for the enemy to come in and squat. God calls believers to recognize those doors, repent, and slam them shut again. Love for God is the source of love for people, so when love for God decreases, love for others gets cold too. The world may be doing what the world does, but believers cannot become cynical, suspicious, judgmental, or disengaged from people who do not know Jesus.

The gospel carries its own power. God’s Word never returns void, even when the person sharing it feels nervous, unqualified, or unsure. The gospel can crack open a hard shell, plant a seed, and bring conviction because Jesus’ blood and the gospel are what save people. The church is called to love sinners with compassion, pray for them, speak truth, and stay on mission instead of sitting back and watching people go to hell without hearing the truth.

Endurance means remaining, abiding, not fleeing, and holding fast to faith under trials. Endurance is not grabbing the rail and hoping the ride ends. Endurance fights the good fight of faith, guards the heart, refuses to let fear make decisions, and keeps hope alive. Jesus has already won the battle at the cross, so the temporary craziness of this world does not get to rule the believer’s mind, home, family, or future.

The gospel of the kingdom announces that Jesus is Lord. Lawlessness says, “I am the authority,” but the kingdom declares that Christ has authority over every life. The kingdom must be preached by ordinary believers in ordinary places: over the fence with a neighbor, in a life group, at lunch, in a workplace, or through a simple word of prayer and encouragement. The answer for a nation is not better politics or economics alone. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and healing comes as God’s people humble themselves, pray, repent, and get back to the work of reaching people.

Key Takeaways

1. Lawlessness begins by rejecting God’s authority. Lawlessness is not merely outward rule-breaking. It grows wherever a heart decides that personal opinion is the final authority. Submission to God protects homes, relationships, churches, and communities from the chaos of everybody doing what is right in their own eyes. [04:18]
2. Cold love often follows hardened hearts. Ongoing rebellion makes a heart calloused toward God and toward people. Unforgiveness, anger, and fear may feel justified, but they can become open doors for the enemy. Love must be guarded, especially toward people who are still blinded to the truth. [12:05]
3. Endurance holds fast and stays on mission. Endurance refuses to quit when pressure, bad reports, conflict, or rejection comes. Faith keeps getting back up because Christ matters more than the latest punch from the enemy. Hope stays alive when eternity becomes bigger than the trouble of the moment. [22:31]
4. The gospel announces Jesus is Lord. The gospel is not a passive idea or a nice invitation to improve life. The gospel brings the rulership of Christ into a person’s life and pushes back against Satan’s desire to rule. Every believer carries that kingdom authority into the home, workplace, and neighborhood. [37:13]
5. Duty belongs to believers, results to God. Rejection cannot become an excuse for silence. God calls believers to take the shot, invite the neighbor, offer prayer, share the gospel, and leave the response in His hands. Obedience opens doors that fear would keep closed.

## [48:22]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:18] - The Gospel of the Kingdom
[02:28] - Lawlessness and Rejection of Authority
[06:06] - Everybody Does What Is Right
[09:18] - When Love Grows Cold
[12:05] - Keep Loving People Far From God
[18:31] - Enduring to the End
[24:28] - Fight the Good Fight of Faith
[31:39] - Guard Your Heart Intentionally
[35:04] - Endure Well, Do Not Hide
[36:48] - Jesus Is Lord of the Kingdom
[41:21] - Every Believer Has a Mission
[47:30] - Take the Shot and Reach Someone
[51:18] - Jesus Is the Answer for the Nation
[53:30] - Salvation Through Jesus Christ

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 24:12-14
“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” [01:21]

Judges 21:25
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” [06:15]

1 Timothy 6:12
“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” [24:30]

2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” [52:10]

Observation questions

According to Matthew 24:12-14, what four things happen or are promised as lawlessness increases: love grows cold, believers endure, the gospel is preached, and the end comes?
In Judges 21:25, what was missing in Israel, and what did people begin to do as a result? [06:15]
What “little pockets” of rebellion or heart-hardening were named, and how can they affect a believer’s love for God and people? [09:39]
According to 1 Timothy 6:12, what are believers told to fight for and take hold of? How is this different from simply hiding from difficulty? [35:07]

Interpretation questions

If lawlessness includes rejecting God’s authority—not only breaking rules—what might that rejection look like in a person’s attitudes toward God, family, work, or other relationships? [04:18]
Matthew says lawlessness can make love grow cold. Why might ongoing anger, fear, cynicism, or unforgiveness make it harder for a believer to show compassion to people far from God? [12:19]
What does it mean for a believer to “endure to the end” while still staying active in faith, hope, prayer, and reaching people rather than merely waiting for hard times to pass? [22:36]
The gospel of the kingdom announces that Jesus is Lord. How does that message challenge the mindset, “I am my own authority”? [38:12]

Application questions

Is the lawlessness and conflict around you making your love colder toward anyone—an unbeliever, a family member, a coworker, or another believer? What would it look like to guard your heart without ignoring the truth? [17:44]
Is there an area of anger, unforgiveness, fear, or ongoing disobedience that needs to be brought honestly before God? What step of repentance could help you shut that door instead of leaving it open? [11:23]
When pressure comes through bad news, conflict, rejection, or uncertainty, what usually happens first in your mind and emotions? What would “fighting the good fight of faith” look like in that specific situation this week? [25:09]
Have fear or the possibility of rejection kept you from inviting someone, offering prayer, sharing encouragement, or speaking about Jesus? What is one simple “shot” you could take with someone God has placed around you? [48:22]
Who is one person in your neighborhood, workplace, school, family, or daily routine who may need encouragement or the gospel? What could be a natural next step: a prayer, a text, a meal, an invitation, or a caring conversation? [41:21]
What helps you keep hope alive when the world feels heavy or chaotic? How can the reality of eternity with Jesus change the way you face this week’s troubles? [30:13]
Second Chronicles 7:14 begins with God’s people humbling themselves, praying, seeking Him, and turning from sin. Which of those responses needs fresh attention in your own life as you pray for your home, church, and nation? [52:29]

Sermon Clips

43s

#InviteSomeone

“But we're gonna call on his name. And we as believers, we as believers, if my people, we as believers need to repent. We as believers need to start doing the work that he has called us to do, to evangelize. And again, I wanna ask you again, who around you needs to know about Jesus? Who around you are you supposed to say, hey, I just want you to know I'm praying for you? Who who around you needs to come to church? Let let's not let's not go another week. For real, let's not go another week. That's a challenge that I believe God's putting up. Let's not go another week. You invite them, you speak to them, you pray for them.”

70s

#LiveSetApart

“Follow Jesus even when it's unpopular. when others hate. Forgive when others retaliate. Believe God's word when culture rejects it. Pursue holiness when everyone else says it doesn't matter. Preach the gospel when people don't wanna hear it. We have to be different than the world. Believers are called to be different. This is what holiness means, to be set apart, to be set apart. You should look holy. You should smell holy. You should talk holy. You should act holy and at work, here and at home, not just here. Not just here. We're holy, we pursue love, we pursue people, we pursue unity, we pursue forgiveness everywhere we go. Everywhere we go. Even on Thanksgiving when the family's there. Everywhere we go.”

50s

#PeaceInChrist

“It means to endure the struggles that will come after you. Endure them well. Endure them well. So well that other people would look at you. How did you get through that? Why are you still smiling? Why is there peace in your life after all these things are happening around us and at work and everything? Why are you so happy? The boss just got mad at you. Blah blah blah. Oh, because my peace isn't in what the boss says. My peace is in Jesus. My victory is in him. We're all gonna go through battles and life is very difficult, can I just tell you that the battle's already been won? Jesus won it on the cross. If you're a believer in God, if you're a believer in Jesus, you're born again, you're going to heaven, you win, you win.”

45s

#HopeIsReal

“Never never... See, the enemy wants to steal your hope, the way he's gonna do it, he's gonna get into your mind, and he's he's gonna tell you that there there's no way this is ever gonna change. There's no hope for the future. God doesn't have a purpose for you. Just give up. Just quit. Give in. But no, hope says no. There's something brighter coming. Hope says there's the destiny for my life. Hope looks to the future. What I do know for sure is that this world, as crazy, it's temporary. It's temporary. And one day I will be with Jesus. Just like Sue Dawson is with Jesus right now. I will be with Jesus face to face for all of eternity.”

36s

#EternityFocus

“This is just a blip on the radar. This is just a little problem that we're having right now compared to all of eternity. All of eternity? Like, after this life forever and ever ever and ever and ever ever and ever and ever and ever ever ever ever, we're gonna be with Jesus? Can you imagine? This is what we have to look forward to. Don't let this world drag you under. Don't let the enemy drag you under. It isn't worth it. So not worth it.”

58s

#SeedPlanting

“That mean that means this, that something happens even if it doesn't look like anything's happening. No. Something is happening in that person's heart. Something is breaking. Something is cracking. You realize some people have some really, really hard shells, And they need to hear things over and over and over and over. And I just happen to believe that sometimes I get up here and I preach the gospel and there may be somebody in here, they're so far from God and they don't turn to God that day, but I've planted a seed. I've cracked something open. And it and it's the gospel that's doing. It's the power of God. It's certainly not me, but God needs us to speak the word, to preach the gospel. Not only to live a nice life, but to preach, to speak, to pray for people, to lay hands on people, to do what the word of God says.”

42s

#HoldFast

“Great great word, endure, endure, endure. Here's what it means. It means to remain, it it means to abide, not recede or flee. Listen to this, to persevere absolutely and emphatically under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one's faith. So what he's saying is, no matter what's going on, you're going to endure, you're gonna hold on to your faith no matter what comes your way, no matter what happens, no matter what the world looks like, no matter who has done what to you, you cling to God.”

58s

#NeverQuitMission

“Enduring, we must not give up hope, and we must stay on mission. To not give up hope and to stay on mission, that is endurance. not gonna stop. I'm not gonna quit. The enemy may get his punches in, but I'm gonna be rocky. I'm gonna get back up again. I'm gonna hear the music. Eye of the tiger. I'm gonna I'm gonna... I gotta skip the music going today. I'm gonna get back up. I'm I'm not going to allow the enemy... Look, when you get the bad report from the doctor, don't just don't just give up. When somebody comes after you at work or in your family or something, don't give up.”

Ask a question about this sermon

SpiritWord Church This sermon · AI assistant

How does lawlessness cause love to grow cold

What does enduring to the end require

What is the gospel of the kingdom