Introduction:

The United States has recorded more than 20,000 murders — the highest total since 1995 and 4,000 more than in 2019. Preliminary FBI data for 2020 points to a 25% surge in murders — the largest single year increase since the agency began publishing uniform data in 1960. The only good news is we rank far behind others cities in the world. Tijuana is the most dangerous city in the world with 138 homicides per 100K people. Almost seven people are killed every day in this city. This city is famous for poverty and violent crime like rape, homicides, and kidnapping.
I can’t image that Paul could of envision the times that we live in. God of course had him pen this because He does know all, as the days of Noah were so shall be the last Days. Gen 6:5 – And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually. Billboards like this one, which reads, “Life is short – have an affair,” make that fact frighteningly real to me. We need God, and we need him desperately.

We need Revival and we need it now. It is the only hope left for America. Daily we see natural disasters and tragedies’ like Surfside, Fl. building collapse and these are occurring on an unbelievable proliferate scale. The economic news is bad and will most likely get worst. Moral corruption, murder, kidnappings to say a few capture the headlines of our newspapers and television daily and yet we witness little to no repentance to God. Sexual assaults and violence not only fill our TV screens it is a reality.

This may all sound depressing but these are the times we live in and it is this culture Paul writes is …

I A Change in the Times 3:1

1. The Apostle Paul, writing from a prison cell in Rome, knowing that his own death was at hand, warns his young protégé Timothy of difficult days to come. What are the last days and what is Paul referring to?

The last days began with Christ’s earthly ministry and will continue until His second coming. The word “Last” comes from the Greek word “e’-skhä-tos” meaning last in time or in place. It is where we get the word eschatology- the study of future events. We are living amidst a culture that stops believing in the last days of what the Bible predicted.
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation. II Peter 3:3-4

2) Since we are living in the last of the last days, the moral degeneration of society should not surprise us because the Bible says perilous times shall come. The Greek word perilous means dangerous and that is an understatement considering what happens on a regular basis.
It is dangerous in some cities to walk the streets. In Chicago as of past Wednesday evening, 693 deaths have been ruled homicides in 2021, that about 4 killed a day since January.
Dr. Warren Wiersbe suggests, “that the violence of the last times will be energized by demons”. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; I Timothy 4:1

3. You say Pastor this is terrible, depressing and difficult to bear. This is what the word “perilous” conveys. It is hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous and in fact they will get worst. Verse 13 says, “Evil men will proceed from bad to worse and imposters will proceed from bad to worse.” It continues to accumulate and escalate as we progress toward the Second Coming of Christ. Paul list 18 characteristics to identify the signs of the last days. The characteristics Paul will describe speak not of bad times, but of bad people. “We should note what the danger of this time is in Paul’s view is not war, not famine or diseases, not any of the other calamities or ills that occur, but the wicked and depraved ways of men. The first few describe …

II. The human condition of the Last Days. (3: 2)

1. Paul writes that men shall be lovers of their own selves (3:2a) or “self-centered.” The word men is anthropos, that’s the word from which we get anthropology, it’s a generic word. The word refers to humanity of both men and women. This is called humanism, which teaches we don’t need God to be good and ethical. When our love for self is over elevated through ego, then our love for God and the things of God is depressed. We experience the total depravity of man. This makes us predisposed to selfishness and that leads to being self-centered.
Application:
My wife and I visited her cousin Jackie for a BBQ last Monday and she showed me an article written by Pastor Brad Hales. It was titled “Toilet paper, gasoline & self”. He explained how selfishness is very bad today we horde and carless about our neighbors. – Romans 12:10
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

2. This is a major problem we face in America today “naraism”. Being self-centered causes us to become covetous or materialistic (3:2b). We horde and cherish possessions and money. The accumulation of assets becomes a means of self-gratification. Why do men and women work long hours at the expense of their family, church, and God?

Personal debt is the number one contributing factor to divorce in the United States. Because people love money and the things and pleasures it can buy. When people direct their affection to money and material pleasures, there is no affection left for others or God. Paul gives a solemn warning about the love of money in I Timothy 6:10.
When people become lovers of their own selves and covetous, there will be a change in the affection of what they love, followed by…

III A Change in Attitude (3:2c-e)

1. In the last days people will become boasters, which means braggarts (3:2c). They are always the heroes of their own stories. This is just a manifestation of self-love. It is bragging about one’s accomplishments, acquaintances, or assets. Boastful people love to be in the spotlight or the center of attention. As God children we should heed His wisdom: Pro 27:2
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

2. People in the last days will also be proud (3:2d), which means they put themselves above others and their opinions above the Word of God. It means they are arrogant or haughty and full of pride. Proverbs 16:5 declares, “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: Pride begets contempt and contempt begets a wicked tongue. We live in the Laodicea era. It is that tepid biblical church and has become a general term for any half-hearted or wavering follower of a religious faith. It means place of the people or rule of the laity. It denotes an attitude of pride and liberal positions expressing freedom to act as one desire. The church of Laodicea was overrun by the desire of the laity.

When the Israelites were on the border of the Promised Land, Moses warned them of their arrogant and pride.
And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; (Deuteronomy 8:13 & 14).

3. Blasphemy defines the last characteristic of a change in attitude that the Apostle Paul foretells us will be the sign of the latter days. Jesus Christ cannot be mentioned in prayer but it’s ok to blaspheme his name. Blasphemy means to slander people or God. People who have an over inflated view of themselves are always verbally abusive and irreverent. Let’s not join the culture and use our tongues to blaspheme Christ or abusively slander others.

In the last days there will be a change in affection; people will become lovers of their own selves and covetous. There will be a change in attitude; people will become boasters, prideful, and blasphemers / aggressive. We finished five signs with thirteen more seen in this third and final point there will be in the last days…

III A Change in Actions (3:2f-5)

1. Change will be seen in the basic institution of society “the home”- for children will become disobedient to parents (3:2f). Some believe that the absence of parents from the home and a generation of “latchkey” children led to rebellious children.
The love of self and money in our generation is doing its greatest damage to our children. Today, money is more important than mothering, and finances are more important than fathering. Parents need to do a better job at being responsible people. Proverbs 30:11-13

A Harvard University study found that 6 of every 10 juvenile delinquents had fathers who drank to excess; many had mothers who did the same; 3 out of 4 lacked parental interest or discipline; and 4 out of 5 had parents who took no interest in their friends or amusements. Many wayward children came from broken homes, and few had religious training of any kind.

2. But even when parents are not perfect or even close to perfect, God give us this command in Exodus 20:12a Honour thy father and thy mother: One of the 10 commandments! This command was given because God knows the importance of strong families. The Hebrew word translated honor (KABAD, kuh-bod) means to esteem or respect. Remember boys and girls: “Who chose your parents?” This command also implies that parents are to teach their children such respect.
We risen a generation of young people who are disobedient to their parents. We also have that in the church. It’s the sin of a society’s demise, – a rebellious generation of children will wipe out the unit of solidarity of our nation “the family”. The family is the basic point of society’s preservation. Too many young children speak disrespectfully to their parents and grow up with a sense of entitlement. Which leads us to the next change in action …

3. In the last days people will also be unthankful (2 Timothy 3:2g), which is the result of pride and arrogance. People think they deserve everything and therefore feel gratitude for nothing. Unthankful people are always miserable, regardless of what they have. Our society, is absolutely selfish and it all flows out of the lie that the deepest problem of the human heart is the lack of self‑love therefore we give a premium to self‑love and the result is an ungrateful society…ungrateful people…thankless people.

We know that people with meager possessions can be happy if they are thankful for what they have. God wants us to be happy. 1 Thessalonians 5:18..In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. To be thankful in everything is the result of focusing on what we have, rather than on what we don’t have. It is to give praise to the creator for all things. Ingratitude to God had led to an immoral wicked society. Romans 1:18

3. Paul also describes the last days as unholy (2 Timothy 3:2h). This translates a Greek word that literally means “profane” or “gross indecency.” It refers to people who gratify every immoral lust and passion. This is the blight of homosexually on our society today.

Conclusion:
In the last days there will be a change in affection, attitude, and actions. Too many Christians are like the pilot who informed his passengers, “we are lost, but we are making great time.”
We must burn our lamps brighter than ever before to show the lost people of this nation the hope that can only come in Jesus Christ.