Signs of the End Times Part 4: A Sermon by Pastor Andrew Thurber, Passionate Life Church, Littleton, CO

As Part 4 of the “Signs of the End Times” sermon series unfolded at Passionate Life Church in Littleton, Colorado, Lead Pastor Andrew Thurber delivered a powerful, scripture-saturated message aimed at equipping believers for the final days. Although titled Part 4, it marks the fifth teaching in the series. More than just a theological lesson, the sermon served as a timely wake-up call to the global church and individual believers alike.

Pastor Andrew began with pastoral sincerity and prophetic urgency, stating, “It is very teacher-heavy today,” emphasizing the importance of understanding end-time prophecy not out of fear, but for preparation. Anchored in Matthew 24 and supported by historical and present-day data, Pastor Andrew laid out a comprehensive, theologically sound timeline of eschatological events, including the Rapture, the rise of the Antichrist, and Christ’s Second Coming.

Understanding Jesus' Timeline: The Prophetic Framework of Matthew 24

At the heart of the message was Matthew 24, where Jesus outlines the events that will precede His return. Pastor Andrew emphasized that this passage functions as a prophetic framework, highlighting both global and spiritual events as signs that the end is near.

Jesus’ prophetic accuracy is evidenced by His prediction of the destruction of the temple, which came true in 70 A.D. This initial prophecy validates the reliability of the rest of His predictions, Pastor Andrew pointed out:

“If one thing Jesus said has come true, all of it will come true.”

Jesus begins the list of signs by warning against deception. Pastor Andrew explored how this deception manifests today in world religions that anticipate different messianic figures. He highlighted five major belief systems—including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Zoroastrianism—that await messianic deliverers distinct from Jesus Christ. He noted that these religions, representing over 3 billion people, are "awaiting a different Messiah" and therefore fulfill Jesus' warning:

“Many will come in my name, claiming ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.” (Matthew 24:5)

Pastor Andrew also discussed Islam’s view of Jesus as a prophet rather than the Son of God and the Savior. Similarly, Hinduism and Buddhism await avatars or enlightened beings, such as Maitreya or the Kalki Avatar, to usher in cosmic transformation.

This widespread misunderstanding of Jesus Christ as the sole Savior underscores one of the main deceptions of the last days: the replacement of Christ with counterfeit spiritual leaders.

Wars, Famine, Earthquakes: The Birth Pains of a Dying World

Jesus describes wars, famines, and earthquakes as the beginning of “birth pains” (Matthew 24:8). Pastor Andrew contextualized these events using contemporary data:

• Conflict and War: Over the past 3,400 years, only 268 years have been free of war, equating to just 8% of recorded history. Today, the world sees at least 150 active conflicts per year.
• Famines: Citing the World Peace Foundation, Pastor Andrew noted that over 140 million people have died in famines between 1870 and 2022. The Great Chinese Famine alone killed over 30 million in just four years.
• Earthquakes: According to Statista, the number of earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or greater rose from 1,726 in 2021 to 2,212 in 2022, marking a significant upward trend.

He likened these statistics to labor pains—warning signs indicating something is about to be birthed, namely the return of Christ. Pastor Andrew passionately reminded the congregation:

“Women don’t have birth pains for no reason. Something is coming.”

For encouragement during trials, the church offers resources like Psalm 27 scripture reading.

Christian Persecution, Apostasy, and the Rise of Sin

In Matthew 24:9-13, Jesus shifts the focus to persecution and betrayal. Pastor Andrew backed this with current data from Open Doors, which paints a disturbing picture of Christian suffering worldwide. From October 2023 to September 2024:

• 4,476 Christians were murdered for their faith—roughly 12 per day.
• 55,000+ Christians were physically or mentally abused.
• 210,000 believers were displaced from their homes.
• 7,679 churches and Christian sites were attacked or closed.
• 3,944 Christian women were victims of sexual assault or forced marriage.

“We’re in it today. This is happening right now,” Pastor Andrew said, pointing to real-time data as evidence that Jesus’ words are being fulfilled.

He also touched on increasing apostasy, deception through deepfakes and AI-generated content, and the coldness growing within families and communities. These are signs, he said, not just of cultural decline but spiritual decay.

“Sin is rampant everywhere because it's so accessible now,” he noted, referencing smartphone technology and digital addictions as culprits in the spiritual war.

For believers navigating these struggles, the church encourages reflection on Identity in Christ scriptures.

The Gospel Preached to All Nations: Has It Already Happened?

Matthew 24:14 asserts that “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Pastor Andrew addressed the common concern, “What about the people in remote places like the Amazon?” Citing missionary stories, he provided compelling testimonies:

• A grandmother and her grandson heard a gospel message over the radio in the Amazon and built a hut in faith, waiting for missionaries to arrive.
• Another Amazon tribe claimed that Jesus personally appeared and preached to them, resulting in tribal-wide conversions.

He argued that with modern technology and divine intervention, this prophecy has been or is very close to being fulfilled:

“Let’s not worry about the tribes in the jungle. God’s got that covered. Let’s worry about our neighbors, coworkers, and the people He’s placed around us.”

The Rapture and the Rise of the Antichrist: Harpazo Explained

One of the most pivotal theological teachings in this sermon was on the Rapture—a term not found in the original text of Scripture but widely accepted among many Christian denominations.

Pastor Andrew clarified:

• The word “rapture” comes from the Latin rapturo, a translation of the Greek harpazo, which means to seize, snatch away, or catch up in the nick of time.
• The Rapture is a distinct event from the Second Coming, and it must occur before the Antichrist can rise to power (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8).

“The Antichrist can’t rise while the Church is still here. That’s why Jesus will come and snatch us up just in time.”

Once the Rapture occurs, Pastor Andrew taught, the seven-year tribulation begins. He highlighted Daniel 9:27, where the Antichrist breaks a peace treaty halfway through and desecrates the temple—triggering an unparalleled global crisis. Preparations for a third temple in Jerusalem are already underway, reinforcing the proximity of these prophetic events.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the Final Judgment

While tribulation unfolds on earth, believers will be in heaven experiencing the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and standing before Christ—not for condemnation, but for evaluation.

“What did you do with the life I gave you? With your family? Your talents? Your resources?” Pastor Andrew asked, urging reflection.

After seven years, Jesus returns to earth with His saints to judge the ungodly and establish His 1,000-year reign. Jude 1:14-15 confirms this with the prophecy of Enoch: “The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones.”

The Call to Urgency: Living in Light of Christ’s Return

In his closing moments, Pastor Andrew reminded listeners that urgency is not rooted in fear, but in readiness. With nearly every sign fulfilled, the return of Christ could happen at any moment.

He challenged procrastinators and lukewarm believers:

“We don’t have time to put off our relationship with Jesus. Today is the day of salvation.”

The message concluded with communion, a celebration of Christ’s broken body and shed blood, and a time of reflection and recommitment. Through prayer stations, altar moments, and one-on-one ministry, Passionate Life Church made space for the Holy Spirit to move.

“Our job is to just follow Jesus. Surrender all.”

For anyone ready to take action in their faith journey, the church encourages exploring Next Steps or reaching out directly on the Contact Page.