Last Days Signs

A Psalm That Grounds Us

We began this morning by lingering in Psalm 139, where David prays with an honesty we need in our day: God, you have searched me, you know me, darkness is as light to you. It is a grounding reminder that even when it feels like the world is turning upside down and shadows are lengthening, each of us is known and loved completely by God.

Pastor Scott prayed, "Help us to understand how wide and deep your love is for us. There’s nowhere we go that you’re not there." This love, not fear, is where our attention is meant to start.

The World Feels Uncertain, And That’s Not New

Memorial Day called us to remember sacrifice and loss. Pentecost called us into the fire and promise of the Spirit. But before turning to the book of Acts, Pastor Scott shared a story of watching politics as a child, haunted by nightly news of missiles and war:

"I was terrified every night I was terrified because that was one of the top stories on the news, the national news, and I would be terrified that the world was going to end."

And when his family was gone, a well-meaning babysitter preached about the end of the world:

"She started talking to me about demons and God's going to burn the world... and man, I tell you, I got saved."

He remembered what it felt like to be afraid into faith, only to realize years later that fear is not a healthy motivator to follow Christ:

"I don't want you to serve Him because you don't want to go to hell. I want you to serve Him because you love Him back. And that's really what I want you to take away from all this."

Why Talk About the Last Days?

Often, Pastor Scott said, the American church doesn’t really expect Jesus’ return. We focus on building good marriages and financial security, but we've "neglected Advent," and "neglected the ascension." The sermons and conversations he hears suggest we think the last days are always far off, not present. Yet, Pentecost and Ascension, both just commemorated in the Christian year, offer signposts: we are to live watchfully for the return of Jesus, not just as a historical fact but as an expectation.

"I think the biggest challenge that the American church has right now is convincing Christians we are in the last days."

Acts 2, The Church as a Sign

We walked with the disciples into the upper room after Jesus ascended. There, waiting as He had instructed, the Holy Spirit fell with the sound of rushing wind and visible tongues of fire. Jews from every nation heard the wonders of God spoken in their languages. Peter stood and declared, quoting Joel, that this was what had been promised for the last days.

"In the last days, God says, 'I will pour out my spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy.'"

This is a sign, Pastor Scott reminded us, that the last days are underway, not just future tense, but present. The very existence of the church, animated by the Spirit, is itself a sign that God is moving in these times.

"The church is who the instrument is that God uses to do these things. The fullness of the Holy Spirit is going to be experienced in the church setting that goes out into this world because we all don't have the same gifts."

What happened at Pentecost still happens: the Spirit is being poured out, gifting all kinds of people as God chooses, for the sake of the church’s witness.

Prophecy In the Lips of All Kinds

Pastor Scott stayed close to Peter’s words: "Your sons and daughters will prophesy." He pressed here, addressing the debates that split the church over who may speak and lead. In the culture of the first church and ours, God’s statement that women and men alike would prophesy was and is a sign of these last days:

"What I'm saying to you this morning is the fact that the church argues over whether or not women are able to speak on behalf of God, that's a sign."

He clarified, prophesy here means not only foretelling but also the Spirit-given ability to understand and proclaim God's word, to edify and turn hearts toward Jesus. This is not exclusive to a few; it is the outpouring of the Spirit on all believers. He acknowledged disagreements:

"If you're somebody this morning that is saying, 'Preacher, I don't believe in women in ministry.' Well, I don't I don't really care. I'm just telling you right now, the fact that we're even discussing this, it's a sign."

The Spirit’s gifting is not limited by status or background, but given freely, and the debates themselves point to the days in which we live.

Strange Signs and Portents

Acts 2, quoting Joel, promised not just prophecy but "wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below." Pastor Scott paused on the Greek word translated "signs", portents, or omens, signals that God is intervening.

"In other words, if you see this sign, this means that the God of the universe, the supernatural being of God... is getting ready to intervene into humanity's history."

He noted anxiety across the world, the rapid rise of bewildering news, from talk of aliens to natural signs. He called the church not to get lost in speculation, but to hold fast to Jesus and the witness of scripture:

"You believe the word of God over scientists, the news media, and anybody else. You better believe the word of God. This is where your faith is going to be tested."

Ominous or bewildering events are not reasons for the church to panic or chase conspiracy, but opportunities for steady hope and witness. The church’s role in the last days, Scott reminded us, is not to retreat or only seek its own security, but to seek the saving of our neighbors and the world.

Living It Out

Many come to faith out of fear, but these last days are, above all, marked by the presence of the Spirit, grace, not terror, is our foundation. We are each called to surrender, to plead for the fullness of the Spirit, and to participate in the church’s mission, not as a shrinking or fearful community, but as those convinced that now is the time to be bold in hope and in witness.

"If you're not experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit in your life, there's a few things that you need to tweak. First of all, you need to be coming to church. ... You have to surrender yourself to Jesus Christ. ... This is something that will require you to be on your face and to plead with the Lord to save you."

We are a people invited not just into safety, but into love and courage. The call is simple: cling to Jesus, test everything by the word and Spirit, and in the strange days ahead, help rescue our neighbors and let our light shine in the darkness. The Spirit did not come to make us afraid, but to make us witnesses until Christ appears.

Living It Out

• Ask God to search your heart. Are you acting from fear or from love? Bring honest doubts and anxieties to Him.
• Get around the people of God, gather for worship, pray together, and trust that the Spirit works most fully in and among us.
• Speak truth with Spirit-given courage, but let love lead.

Discussion Questions

1. Where do you see signs of the Spirit at work in our church family today?
2. When you hear about strange or unsettling events in the world, how does this sermon shape your response as a follower of Jesus?
3. What would it look like for you to participate more fully in the Spirit’s work and mission, especially in times that feel uncertain?