Last Days Signs
Pastor Scott Uselman
Psalm 139:1-14, Acts 2:1-21, Joel 2:28-32 · May 24, 2026
Scripture
Psalm 139 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. [1] You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. [2] You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. [3] You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. [4] Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. [5] You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. [6] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. [7] Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? [8] If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. [9] If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, [10] even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. [11] If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” [12] even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. [13] For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. [14] I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost [1] When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. [2] Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. [3] They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. [4] All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. [5] Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. [6] When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. [7] Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? [8] Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? [9] Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [10] Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome [11] (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” [12] Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” [13] Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” Peter Addresses the Crowd [14] Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. [15] These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! [16] No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: [17] “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. [18] Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. [19] I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. [20] The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. [21] And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
The Day of the Lord [28] “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. [29] Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. [30] I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. [31] The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. [32] And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.
The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
Pastor Scott explores the signs of the last days in Acts 2, reminding us that the church, the fullness of the Spirit, and prophetic voices are signs for our time.
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
- Where do you see signs of the Spirit at work in our church family today?
- When you hear about strange or unsettling events in the world, how does this sermon shape your response as a follower of Jesus?
- What would it look like for you to participate more fully in the Spirit’s work and mission, especially in times that feel uncertain?
This Week’s Devotional
A Sign in the Ordinary
4 min read · Pastor Scott Uselman
When the Signs Are Not in the Headlines
The story Pastor Scott shared about being terrified as a child, windows rattling, storms outside, the dark full of things you could not see, might call up moments from your own memory. Perhaps you have your own version: a newscast that made your chest tighten, a dream that left you unsettled, or simply the slow pressure of bad news after bad news. We all, at some point, ask: what does it mean to live when it feels like the last days?
You might want assurance in the form of certainty, or proof that your fears won't come true. But in Pentecost's story, the promise is not a total explanation or a list of ways to tell exactly when or how the end comes. Instead, it is the assurance that, even in the most ordinary house, among a group no bigger than this church, God pours his Spirit out. And that Spirit does not drive you to panic or isolation. He draws you back into the ordinary life of the church, a life animated by love, courage, and a calling to bless your neighbors.
This week, if you find your mind pulled toward what might go wrong or what strange signs you cannot explain, pause. Ask yourself: what sign is God giving me right here, in this moment, among these people? Perhaps the presence of the Spirit in your ordinary week is the sign to watch for. The moment you sit with a hurting friend, the courage to tell a hard truth, the urge to sing even when the world outside seems heavy, these are portents, too, though quieter than the headlines.
Meditation Focus
God’s Spirit poured out is a sign, not of fearful endings, but of belonging and hope in the middle of uncertain days.
Practical Step
Reach out to someone in our church family this week. Share a meal, pray, or simply check in and listen, not to teach or solve, but to show up. Watch for how the Spirit works in those ordinary moments.
Prayer
God who searches us and knows us, you are always present, nearer than any fear or darkness that the world brings. We stand in awe of your wisdom, for you see the whole road behind and before us. There is nothing outside your care. We ask for the strength to trust you when signs are confusing, to remember you have not left us alone. Shape us by your Spirit to do what you set before us today. Provide for our needs, give us peace when anxiety rises and courage for the simple good we can do. Forgive us when distraction or panic keeps us from caring for others or clouds our hope. Keep us from the temptation to despair, from any voice that tempts us to harden or withdraw. Lead us instead into the light of your presence, hearts open for the next step with you. Amen.
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