In his sermon, Don Stubblefield elaborates on the concept of the Vicar of Christ, asserting that the true vicar is the Holy Spirit, not the Pope, as claimed by the Roman Catholic Church. He references John 14 and 16 to support this view, emphasizing the sufficiency of Christ's priesthood. The sermon critiques the Catholic Church's doctrines, including the sinlessness of Mary, calling them heretical. Stubblefield discusses the potential emergence of the Antichrist, suggesting that a confederation of Islamic nations against Israel might be a sign of the end times. He cites biblical passages from Daniel, Revelation, and 2 Thessalonians to explore the characteristics and coming of the Antichrist. The sermon stresses the importance of perseverance and readiness among true believers, likening them to wise virgins with lamps filled with oil, symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 6 is referenced to encourage believers to put on the full armor of God to withstand spiritual challenges.

If any of the men have a word on what we've heard from the London Baptist confession or scripture, we will hear those at this time. I'd like to read a commentary from the website called Got Questions Concerning Roman Catholicism. Quote, Jesus does indeed predict a vicar of which is a root for the word vicarious, which means a substitute in the sense of a replacement for his physical presence on earth. However, the Vicar of Christ is not a priest, a high priest, a bishop, or pope. The only Vicar is the Holy Spirit, the only Vicar of Christ.

And John 14 verse 26, but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you." And then in John 14, 16 through 18, and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you forever even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth them not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you so the true Vicar of Christ is the Holy Spirit and then in John 16 verse 13 how be it when he the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you unto all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he shall show you things to come." And claiming that the Pope is the vicar of Christ, the Catholic Church rejects the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ's priesthood and grants to the Pope roles that Christ himself declared would belong to the Holy Spirit.

It is therefore blasphemy to ascribe to the Pope the title of Vicar of Christ. A close quote from God questions. In thinking of this the Roman Catholic Church also espouses the sinlessness of Mary which is another grave heresy. Only Christ, the sonless son of God, perfect to the nth degree, was qualified to pay the immeasurable debt of sin for the fallen race of the first item, shedding his innocent blood for those whom the Father gave him from from all eternity. Ephesians 1, 4, and 5.

And then another verse comes to mind, Isaiah 42 verse 8, I am the Lord that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Roman Catholic Pope is a type of the Antichrist to come, though he may not be, the Antichrist himself has taught in the London Baptist Confession. I'd like for you to maybe read these following passages, which I don't think we'll have time to cover today, but it describes the coming of the Antichrist of Daniel 7, verses 7 and 8, verses 19 and 24 of Daniel 7, Revelation 13, 1 through 10, and Revelation 17, verses 3 and 12. And thinking of this, another possibility which some have suggested is a confederation of Islamic nations which are going to gather against Israel in the last days and it will be headed by the Antichrist which I believe is a good possibility. We cannot be dogmatic about these things we do not know but I'd like for you to turn to Psalm 83 verses 1 through 8.

Keep not the silence, O God. Hold not thy peace and be not still, O God. For lo, thine enemies make a tumult, and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people and consulted thy hidden ones. They have said, Come and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

For they have consulted together with one consent. They are confederate against the the Tabernacles, the Zavedim, and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarenes, Gebel and Ammon and Amalek, the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre. Asher is also joined with them. They have helped the children of Lot, Sila. So this is really today's headlines.

Israel has been under complete assault from the followers of the idol of Islam for years and I think they have reached the point where they're almost ready to sign a peace treaty with the those who are trying to destroy them from Islam. And it's a good possibility that the Antichrist may be from these worshippers of Islam and he will strike them peace treaty or try to strike a peace treaty with Israel and they have been under assault from these worshipers of Islam for years and they may have reached this point where they're ready to come to an agreement. This is just a possibility. I'm not saying that this is what is going to happen. We do not know who the true Antichrist is.

We do not know when he's going to appear. We do not know what his background will be. We have several warnings though about a falling away which will precede the coming of the Antichrist. Let us turn to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 1 through 12. Now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word, nor by letter as from us, that the day of Christ is at hand.

Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling way first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes it and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he is God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I told you these things and now you know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time for the mystery of inequity that's already work only he who now let us prevent us will let or prevent until he be taken out of the way and then shall that wicked be revealed that is a reference to the Antichrist as I understand it whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Even him who's coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, and them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned to believe not the truth, but had pleasure and unrighteousness. And then let us turn to Matthew 24, Verses 3 through 14. As he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Take heed that no man deceive you, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, see that ye be not troubled, for all these things must come to pass.

But the end is not yet. For nations shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, and divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and you shall be hated of all nations for my name sake. And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another and many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many and because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold but he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved." And then verses 23 through 27, there then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not, for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, and so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect behold I've told you before wherefore if they shall say unto you behold he is in the desert go not forth behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not for as lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the West so shall the coming of the Son of Man be." And there's a passage in Revelation I didn't mark down, but it says when the man comes, Christ, the unbelievers will be screaming.

They will be running and trying to hide from Christ when he comes but they won't be able to hide. As the old saying is, you can run but you can't hide from God. He's gonna bring it all to account on that day and I believe it's getting closer every day. I don't know, it may not be in my lifetime, but I believe from all of these signs that we're given here, nation rising against nation, and the Islamic nations trying to wipe out Israel. I believe it's a key sign that the end is coming is near and we're to be prepared.

Those who belong to Christ will be as the wise virgins. They will have their lamps filled with oil ready for his coming again and not as the foolish virgins whose lamps were empty. The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit covered in Matthew 25, 1 through 13. And as I said, we do not know with certainty who the Antichrist will be, but we are to be prepared for his coming. And we will be, if we're a true child of God, we will persevere whatever is coming.

One of the key signs of true regeneration is a perseverance. Whatever comes, we will persevere. Those who are not true children of God they will fall away when the going gets tough. There is an old saying that when the going gets tough the tough get going which is very applicable to this situation. We are to be prepared.

We are to put on the full armor of God. Let's turn to Ephesians 6, verses 10 through 18. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wilds of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand. Stand therefore having your loins gird about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all taking the shield of faith or with you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayers and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. And with that I will wrap it up.