Latest / Journey Elgin / Sunday Message 8/2/2026- Overwhelmed By Deception

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Sunday Message 8/2/2026- Overwhelmed By Deception · Journey Elgin

• Phillip Thomas: All right. Well, we are continuing our our series ⁓ with the ⁓ provocative creative name. ⁓ and ⁓ we're actually going to read from Matthew twenty four ⁓ today and we're gonna read ⁓ quite a quite a bit. And ⁓ and in fact I'm going to read mainly from the the screen after this first passage, so be be ⁓ be be ready up there. But ⁓ We I I the reason that I've kind of started this series is not to ⁓ not to cause fear. It's actually to recognize what's going on, right? Recognize what's happening in the world around us and so that we can be ⁓ that light in the dark world. But there are things that are happening that are a little different. It you know, there's nothing new under the sun. Where where did that phrase come from? Well, that came from Solomon, right? ⁓ there's ⁓ i I think in Ecclesiastes that there's nothing new under the sun. Well, there's there's not anything new under the sun, but sometimes it looks a little bit different. ⁓ and I do believe that when the Bible s says that Jesus is going to return again, I believe that's actually going to happen. Right? Now I ⁓ you may say, Well, duh, that's a dumb statement. Well, there's actually sadly a lot of ⁓ even churches that do not fully believe in the how literal the Bible is. The Bible is telling us basically what's going to happen. Right. ⁓ and and we can we can get way too focused on that and that's not healthy either of of seeing the end times and everything. Because you you can find reasons to think it's end times nearly in any generation, right? and you know if if you were around leading up to World War II. What do you think people were thinking in times? Leading up to the Civil War, what do you think people were thinking in times, right? ⁓ however there are some some things that that we can learn ⁓ about what's going on around us. And I do believe that the spiritual battle has elevated. I believe we're experiencing things ⁓ that are that are different for us. ⁓ and I believe we're moving closer to that time. I still don't know when it is, ⁓ but there are things that are happening that are kind of laying out, and we need to pay attention to that. Why? So that we go build a bunker and hide? No. So that we actually make sure maybe this is the the kick we need to say, you know what, I need to go tell that person that I have seen every day and talked with every day. You know, I just need to ask them about their faith. Because you know what, it matters. And there is an end date, right? Whether it's when Jesus comes or when you pass away, there's an end date to the opportunity that you have to accept Christ. And we need to be that light in the world. Right. And and I think there's a lot of people that are kind of looking around going, Wow, there's things are weird, right? Think things I mean, I I can't tell you how many people some of it is cause when people find out I'm a pastor, right? But how many people have asked, Man, do you think that we're getting close to the end times? You know? I mean, just random and people that don't have a whole lot of ⁓ of faith. ⁓ there's polling out there right now that this is a a a conversation piece with people, right? So we need to be responsible with it and and look at the signs of the times, right? Kind of be the watchman on the wall. So today we're gonna ⁓ look in ⁓ Matthew 24. ⁓ we're not gonna dive deep into this. ⁓ there's different ways that people interpret Matthew 24. I do believe that it is pointing to the signs of the tribulation. When the tribulation happens, ⁓ Jesus is kind of giving some some signs of what that will look like. All right. ⁓ but we're we're not gonna and by the way, we're we're not there. I do not see, you know There have been people that try to proclaim that in the past, right? ⁓ we are here. Well, no, we still no one will know fully until you start to see the signs that are obvious. And so we just need to be prepared for that. But it starts in verse ⁓ three says As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us when will these things be, and what will be the signs of your coming at the end of the age? And Jesus answered them, see that no one leads you astray, for many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. So it I that that really jumped out to me is the the first thing that Jesus said is that, well, there'll be many people that are going to come that will try to lead you astray. Right? So we have that. It says, and you will hear ⁓ of wars and rumors of wars, see that you are not alarmed. For this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places, all those ⁓ are but the beginning of the birth pains. Then they will de ⁓ deliver you up ⁓ to tribulation, put you to death, you will be hauled by all nations to the n ⁓ to the for any name's sake, ⁓ for his name's sake, and then many will fall away, ⁓ and better one another. ⁓ sorry. And betray one another and hate one another, and many false prophets will arise. Here it is again, and many false prophets will arise and lead many astray, and because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow coal, but the one who endures to the end will be saved, and the gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. All right, now yeah, we're not gonna get deep into this. This is he's talking to the Jewish people. There's a lot of this that it's to the Jewish remnant that that will be here, but he there's some things that are happening there that there is there is now going to be pressure ⁓ to stop believing what is true, right? To be led astray. What does that lead to? That leads to people turning on each other. ⁓ that leads to people's love growing cold, right? Because ⁓ because you just have so many voices that are leading you in so many different directions. ⁓ and and the result of that, if we're not careful, ⁓ is that we fall away. So we need to recognize that so that we do what? We endure until the end. That's that's what we are called to do. ⁓ no matter no matter when that end is. Whether that end is Christ returning or that end is you taking your last breath. You want to endure. But the thing that really jumped out ⁓ to me is is this idea of of false teachers, of leading people astray, and that that will increase. so I so I I started started thinking, I said, it is that increasing in our day? And see the thing is it's it's nearly It's nearly impossible to measure that, right? Only God knows. So but we can look at evidence, right? And ⁓ you know, we see the warnings of false teachers all throughout scripture. It's all there. ⁓ but in the end, we know that that will increase even more. Well, do we have the capacity now in our culture for Crazy deceptive messages to spread like wildfire much more than they did in the first or second century. Yes, we do. Do we have the ability for lunatic theology to to be connected with certain things that are happening in the world and to just start spreading rapidly all around the world with one click? Yeah. You we didn't have that ability even back at the turn of this millennium. It was just beginning, right? Like so now we are and and not only do we have the internet, but now we have podcast platforms. We have influencers who have who have created their own brands. None of this is wrong in itself. Right? This is just what this is what happens, right? But now you have people who have who have cultivated audiences and have millions of people that follow them. And now they have a message that they can share just like that. And then all of those people who have people that follow them, it just gets that message just permeates rapidly. So is this ripe for the false teacher? ⁓ yes, it is. And and I wish I could give you just like, hey, here's how you navigate it. Just just do this. Just do this. One, two, three. No, I just know it's gonna be hard. The the main thing is recognize the danger. Recognize that we are in a spiritual battle. And there are people that are intentionally trying to lead astray. And then there are a lot of people who are just deceived. And they're just sharing their deception, not in a malicious way, but it's still a deception, right? So we have to navigate all of this. And so I want to read some some passages all through scripture, starting in the Old Testament about ⁓ false teachers. ⁓ this is in Deuteronomy chapter thirteen, ⁓ starting verse one. If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them. You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or the or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God, fear him, keep his commandments, obey his voice, and you shall serve him to hold fast to him. But that prophets Or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery to make you leave the way in which the Lord your gmo God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. Okay, I I wanted to add that last one. Just this is a quick side note. When you read things like that that talks about putting people to death, we actually should not necessarily implement that law. Why? Because we are not under the Sinai covenant. That was a covenant that was given to the people at Sinai. And it was it was to protect them. And they needed to do that. Why? Because because if they were be led astray, it would destroy the what God's people were supposed to do. We are not under that aspect of the law, right? We are under the new covenant of Jesus Christ. Right? Now I'm not talking about death penalty or something, but we are not supposed to go out and find all the false teachers, Tucker Carlson, and put him to death, right? We're not supposed to do that. Right? And it but it but but it shows, it shows how serious God takes this, right? That you need to purge this evil. False teachers are conveying evil, right? And And we don't, again, we don't know the motives of people. They're either deceived, sharing their deceptions, or they are knowingly deceiving. We're gonna leave the consequences of what happens to them to God. We have to pay attention, though, that we don't get sucked in to the false teaching. And man, it it is hard. It is so challenging today. But this has been around for a long time. Deuteronomy 18. Starting in verse twenty. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, How may we know that the word that the Lord has not spoken? When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him. basically dismiss that person. Right? ⁓ I there are there's different theologies and things like that. ⁓ you know, about prophets and and do I believe that there are are prophet prophetic voices today? Yes, I think there there are. I think you have to be real careful saying this is the word of the Lord. Like I feel that I feel God has inspired me and laid this message on my heart. I would never stand up here and say, This is what God told me to say, and this is the word of the Lord. No, no, no. Because I am susceptible to making mistakes. I'm human, right? I I recognize that. There are people out there who portray themselves as prophets. And And maybe this is too harsh, but here's the way that I judge that. If they have ever said anything and claimed it to be prophetic and it doesn't work out, I don't pay attention to them anymore. Now, here's the thing, they may have some really good other things. And and you can still filter through that. It doesn't, you know, but but be real careful if people are proclaiming with 100%. Certainty. Right. Like there's very few things that I will proclaim with 100% certainty. You know, I will proclaim the mighty name of Jesus with 100% certainty. I will proclaim that God is the creator of the universe with 100% certainty. I will proclaim that this is his word that he has given to us. That sometimes we struggle to understand it fully, but this is his word, and I'm going to go by it. I I will Claim that with 100% certainty. I will claim with 100% certainty that it is only through Jesus Christ that you will be saved. It is not through your doing, it is not through ⁓ your actions, it is only through Jesus Christ. But it has to come through him. And without that, there will be some sort of separation. I can actually have conversations on what that separation looks like. But there will, I am 100% certain. That there will be a separation. Those are the things that I can be certain of. Right. All the other stuff, I'm going to be real careful. And especially when it comes to predicting the future. Right. Now, I that doesn't mean we can't see trends. That doesn't mean that I can't look around at what's going on in the world and say, you know, this isn't a real positive step. You know, I J just yesterday, the the United Kingdom is now opening trials, which this well, talk about the anger that can rise up within you. You know, we we've been giving children puberty blockers and things like that for a while. And then the UK over there, they they've kind of backed off on it because they're realizing, ⁓ you know, maybe maybe we need to reconsider how we're handling this. Well now they're doing a Official trials on puberty blocking drugs with ⁓ kids aged 14 to 17. So to see what the r ⁓ effects are gonna be. What the hell is going on? I can look at that and I don't have to be a prophet to go, that's a problem. That goes against the word of God, that goes against humanity, that goes against. Caring for your neighbor. That goes against loving the children. That goes against the principle of let the children come to me. Right? That fully fits with there should be people with millstones around their nets. That that I I I can say that. Right. But we are in this weird place. So we can call those things out. But no, we're in a place where people are going to try to deceive. And There will be churches that will that will try to convince you that that kind of thing is okay. Be very careful. Jeremiah twenty three, verse sixteen says Thus says the Lord of hosts, do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, it shall be well with you. Is that interesting? They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord that, hey, it shall be well with you. And to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, so people who do what is right in their own eyes, right? What do they say to them? No disaster shall come upon you. This is that Who this is that seeker sensitive message. Taken to an unhealthy extreme, right? Telling people what they want to hear, telling people what will make them feel good, right? And and man, I know it's it's hard because you can come across as a complete jerk, and sometimes that's how things have have happened, and and this is the backlash to that. ⁓ but we cannot give up standing for what is true and saying, no, this. This is going to be the consequence. If you choose to live your life that way, this is going to be the consequence according to the word of God. Right? And we live in a world where everybody has their own truth. It's my truth. Right? Yeah, but there's going to be consequences to your truth. And we can say that in love. We can say that because we actually care about the people. But what a dangerous deception that. And I love what it says, those who despise the Lord, right? The despise the word of the Lord, they say, It will be well with you. So there are lots of people today that believe that they're following Allah and they're going to end up in heaven. Or they're following Buddha. They're following one of the few thousand Hindu gods, right? And they're going to be okay. And most Christians in a setting will say something to the effect, well, it it'll it'll be well with you, right? Because we don't want that confrontation. Right? And listen, don't do it in a confrontational way. But man, if you care about people and you have a conversation, say, Well, you know, dude, I you I I I love the way that you love your family, I love the way that you're doing good. I love the way that you're serving your community. But man, I'd I'd love for you to consider this Jesus guy because I believe that he's he is the way, the truth, and the life. I would like for you to at least give him an opportunity. Don't tell them, ⁓ yeah, you're gonna be fine. I sat in seminary classes with lots of really big books with words that I didn't fully understand because they just try to make it confusing. That we're trying to make the case that there are more than one way to heaven and that is it is not just through Christ, and trying to use scripture to justify that. And man, the mental gymnastics that you have to do is tough. And And listen, if they are right, I can handle getting up and standing in front of my Lord and Savior and him saying, Hey, why were you so strict on how people could get to heaven? Why did you tell people ⁓ that it was only through Christ? I I had it I had it all planned out anyway. I'll say, My bad. I'm I'm fine with that. But if I go to the Lord and I take what many people are pushing. As hey, everyone, it's everyone's gonna be there. It's just it's just different ways. We see elements of God in all religions, right? And I go up and I've and I standing before the Lord, and the Lord tells me, Hey, why didn't you tell people that it was only through me that they could get here? And I'll say, Well, Lord, did you not read those really awesome books that were hard to were they too hard for you to understand too? Right? I I Lord, I I I I loved people. I didn't want people to feel bad that they believed something different. I didn't I didn't want to get into maybe a a verbal ⁓ argument with someone and and make someone upset with me. I didn't want to break someone's relationship just because they believed that there was another path to heaven. So I just showed your love to them. And Jesus would look at me and say, How is it my love that they are now separated from me for eternity? Be careful of the false teachings that are out there. Then we see in Matthew in in the New Testament, we see Jesus Matthew seven, fifteen, beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits, are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles. Be looking at fruits. No one's going to be perfect. So you can take that too far, right? You can say, ⁓ I'm never going to listen to that person because you know, look at what he dresses to preach in. Right? Okay, that's probably going a little too far. But we can look at the fruits, right? We that that is part that's and that's true for all of us. But that certainly applies to teachers. And and this is this is the dangerous and subversive thing. False teachers. are going to look like pleasant little sheep. Right? This that thing continues in ⁓ the New Testament, Second Corinthians chapter eleven, starting in verse twelve. And what I am doing, I will continue to do in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that their boasted mission, they work on the same terms as terms as we do. So this these are com competitors to Paul that are twisting the gospel. And so this is Paul writing. He says, For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. So again, they're God's going to handle the end, but but recognize People are going to look righteous. They may even believe they are doing righteous things because they are deceived. Right? And and we have to be on guard against this. Second Peter chapter 2. But false prophet prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the master who brought them, bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed, and in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, their destruction is not asleep. There's a a couple of things that we see that are connected with false prophet. One, greed, right? ⁓ I I can remember in college we were ⁓ up late watching television and ⁓ We were told that if we gave a donation of like five dollars that the we would be sent a prayer cloth, you know, that ⁓ that whatever was on our heart that it would be answered. ⁓ we we called, we did not send the money. They did send the prayer cloth though. I w I was impressed. But then we got calls on a regular basis. That was when you still had these things called landlines. Yeah, you remember it? Yeah. And and you pick it up and Hey, would you like to give to this ministry? No, I just wanted the free prayer. But but we see we see how greed can be a sign. Again, that doesn't mean when pastors or ministers ask for money that they're immediately evil. We have to have wisdom with this, right? understand. But the people can do this for for money. Sensuality, very interesting. The The cozying up by the church to the LGBT movement is all about sensuality. It's about ⁓ it's about trying not to hurt people's feelings, trying to show that you're loving, but it's actually elevating personal pleasure and physical acts above what is true and right and what are the standards of God. Right? ⁓ and then Jude ⁓ chapter one, starting in verse three. Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, for certain people have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were designated for condemnation, ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only master and Lord, Jesus Christ. All right. You see, this has been a problem for a while. Right? So it's not a sign of the end of the times in itself. But we know that at the end, this will be increasing. So we need to pay attention. There are so many voices out there. So you may say, well, how do we how can we even start to navigate? Well, in first John four, says, beloved, Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ, listen to this, not confesses Jesus Christ, but confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh from God. And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Right. So d here he's not talking about the specific Antichrist, but he's talking about the spirit of the Antichrist is a spirit that denies who Jesus really is. Right? Which again You have to really do some gymnastics to think that you can believe in Buddha and be okay when this specifically says you have to confess in the name of Jesus and that he came in the flesh. And it and it's it's interesting that John wrote that too. Because, and you'll hear Christians who are trying, you will hear, you will hear popes who are trying to. To bring us together in in humanity and talk about our Muslim neighbors, right? Which, by the way, if you have a Muslim neighbor, be nice to them. Share the Lord with them. They're probably pretty good people, actually. But we we have this thing that's starting to say, wait, Islam, they actually believe in Jesus. And they technically do. They will they will claim the name of Jesus. But they do not believe that Jesus came in the flesh and is God. They do not. That and I think it's it's just interesting to me that John decided thousands of years ago, before Islam came around, by the way, that that specifically repudiates the what will be the largest religion in the world very soon. Repudiates them as being false. We we live in challenging times. But we have not been abandoned. God has given us the truth. He has given us the true message of the gospel. It begins with sin, our sinfulness. The need for repentance and accepting of the free gift of grace that comes from Jesus Christ because of what he did on the cross. And then it leads to sacrificial living, living in response to what God has done for us. That's the heart of the gospel message. If pastors and ministers are not preaching repentance, are not preaching the effects of sin. Are not preaching sacrificial living in response to what Christ has done for us. They are walking down a path of being deceptive. Make sure you are wise. We live in a world right now where there are lots of voices, and what I am seeing is that a lot of influencers are starting to use faith. in their messages, whether it's a political message, whatever it is. And that's okay as long as it's still true. and I didn't mean to under my breath call out one of those podcasters, but But he he is going down this path of of trying to incorporate faith, and now all of a sudden he is elevating Islam and constantly talking about the positive aspects of it's Islam. It's easy to be deceived, and then all of a sudden you're going down a dangerous path. Right? And we all are susceptible to it. So we have to seek wisdom. We have to make sure that the people we are listening to, that they are seeking the truth from Scripture. Doesn't mean you're always going to agree with them. There's going to be things that we disagree with, right? But you need to know the heart of the people that you're listening to. Because there are more and more voices out there right now that are trying to lead us astray. But thankfully, God is preparing you to be a voice of truth. So that you can minister to those who are deceived, and you can bring your light into the dark world. Let's go to him in prayer. Whoa. Impacting his kingdom and loving. Sing to him.