g. In his letter to the Corinthians Paul spoke of the Rapture a mystery.

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1 THE RAPTURE, PART TWO 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 I. INTRODUCTION- a. Of the three passages in the New Testament that speak of the Rapture this passage presents the most concise truth about the Rapture. b. Paul said it was the Lord who gave him the truth about the Rapture this was a special revelation that God gave to the apostle Paul. c. Let me assure you the Lord will not impart to you or me or anyone else any theological and doctrinal truth that is not already found in the Bible. d. For us today the Bible is a closed and completed book nothing else will be added to the Bible. e. The Bible is God s full, complete and sufficient revelation to man. f. But as Paul was being used by God to write part of the New Testament God gave him truth of the Rapture this was a special revelation given to Paul. g. In his letter to the Corinthians Paul spoke of the Rapture a mystery. h. The Rapture was a divine truth that had not been previously revealed it was a mystery that was unveiled for the first time as the New Testament was being written. i. Paul delivered this special revelation about the Rapture in response to some questions that had been raised by members of the church at Thessalonica. j. Paul and his companion Silas had spent time with the church at Thessalonica earlier.

2 k. It is clear from the content of both 1 and 2 Thessalonians that Paul and Silas had instructed the Thessalonian Christians them about the second coming of Jesus Christ. l. When persecution forced Paul and Silas to leave Thessalonica the new believers in Thessalonica were left with troubling questions on a variety of subjects. m. One of those questions included the fate of their believing loved ones and fellow Christians who had died before the Lord's return. n. It was in response to this question that Paul wrote his explanation of the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4. o. So what can we know from this passage and the Bible about the Rapture? II. THE RAPTURE IS AN EVENT FORETOLD BY SIGNS- a. Matthew give us many signs that tell us that the Rapture and the second coming of the Jesus Christ is drawing near. b. Those signs include spiritual deception, war, famine, pestilences, and earthquakes. c. All of these things will grow and increase in intensity and scope as we approach the Rapture and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. d. Here is the important thing for us today to understand all of the signs that point toward the soon return of Jesus Christ to this world have already been fulfilled. e. What that means is this the Rapture could happen at any moment the Rapture of the church is imminent. f. At any moment on any day Jesus Christ could return to rapture His saints and take them to Heaven.

3 g. That means that believers should always be living for the Lord and ready for the Rapture. III. h. As Paul urged his protégé Titus believers should always be looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13) (Foretold by Signs) THE EXACT TIME OF THE RAPTURE IS UNKNOWN- a. While the Rapture is imminent the exact time the Rapture will occur is unknown. b. Throughout history there have been those who have tried to set a time for the Rapture of the church. c. You might remember some years ago that radio evangelist Harold Camping gained a lot of attention when he publicly predicted that the Rapture of the church would happen on May 21, 2011 which of course did not happen. d. In Matthew 24:36 Jesus said no one knows the exact time the Rapture will occur. e. The angels in Heaven do not know when the Rapture will happen even Jesus when He was on this earth did not know the time of His return. f. Jesus does know the time of the Rapture now but He did not when He was on the earth. g. Being aware that Jesus could return at any moment encourages us to always be ready for His return. IV. h. St. Augustine said God has hidden the last day so that every day may be regarded. (Foretold by Signs Exact Time Unknown) THE RAPTURE WILL HAPPEN SUDDENLY-

4 a. Paul emphasized the suddenness of the Rapture when he said in 1 Corinthians 15:52 it will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. b. To put those phrases in modern terms Paul said that in less than a nanosecond the Lord will call all believers to Himself and we will be gone from the earth. c. In his book The Rapture Dr. Tim LaHaye vividly imagined what the unexpected suddenness of the Rapture will be like. d. When Christ calls His living saints to be with Him, millions of people will suddenly vanish from the earth. An unsaved person who happens to be in the company of a believer will be startled when his friend suddenly vanishes. When the Rapture happens more than onehalf of a billion people will suddenly depart this earth, leaving their earthly belongings behind. A million conversations will end midsentence. A million phones will suddenly go dead. A woman will reach for a man's hand in the dark and no one will be there. A man will turn with a laugh to slap a colleague on the back and his hand will move through empty air. A basketball player will make a length-ofthe-floor pass to a teammate streaking down the court and find there is no one there to receive it. A mother will pull back the covers in a bassinet, smelling the sweet baby smell one moment but suddenly kissing empty space and looking into empty blankets. (Foretold by Signs Exact Time Unknown Happen Suddenly) V. THE RAPTURE IS A SELECTIVE EVENT- a. All three of the major passages that teach the Rapture make it clear that only those who have truly believed in the Lord Jesus Christ will be taken up into Heaven in the Rapture. b. All those who have rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be left behind. c. Sadly, among those left behind will be many unsaved church members who never truly gave their life to Christ.

5 VI. d. There will be some churches in America who will hardly notice that the Rapture has happened! (Foretold by Signs Exact Time Unknown Happen Suddenly Selective Event) THE RAPTURE WILL BE A SPECTAULCAR EVENT- a. As described by Paul in this passage the Rapture will be a spectacular event. b. In this passage Paul said that the Rapture of the church will be initiated by the descent of Jesus Himself into the sky above the earth. c. Paul said when Jesus appears three sensational and stirring sounds will reverberate through the heavens like rolling thunder. d. There will be a great shout the voice of an archangel and the blast of a trumpet. e. The Greek word used to describe the Lord s shout is that of a military leader who comes out of his tent and loudly issues a commanding order. f. One day the Lord will come out of His heavenly tent and give a shout a command for the Rapture to occur and it will commence and happen. g. The Lord s shout will be followed by the thundering voice of an archangel most probably Michael the archangel. h. As the general of Heaven s angel armies Michael s shout at the Rapture will be his order to the angels to defend believers from Satan s forces and escort them safely into Heaven. i. The third sound heard at the Rapture will be the trumpet of God. j. The Rapture trumpet will call all living Christians to rise from the earth to meet the Lord in the air and from there they will go to Heaven.

6 VII. k. Yes the Rapture will be a spectacular event! (Foretold by Signs Exact Time Unknown Happen Suddenly Selective Event Spectacular) THE RAPTURE WILL BE A SEQUENTIAL EVENT- a. In these verses Paul identifies four major aspects of the Rapture in their sequential order. b. #1, The descent of Jesus the Rapture begins with the descending of Jesus into the sky above the earth. c. #2, The resurrection the deceased body of every believer who has died to that point will be raised from the dead. d. At the Rapture God will miraculously assemble the necessary molecules and reconstruct the physical bodies of those believers who have died. e. All genetic flaws will be corrected all illnesses will be healed all damage will be repaired to perfection. f. The body that was sown in the grave in corruption will be raised in incorruption the body that was sown in dishonor will be raised in glory the body that was sown in weakness will be raised in power the body that was sown a natural body designed for this earth will be raised a spiritual body designed for the glories of heavenly living. g. You and I set our alarm clocks every night expecting to awaken in the morning if we die before Christ's return we know that one day our bodies will be awakened by the alarm clock of our Lord's coming in the clouds. h. #3, The transformation those believers who are alive will be miraculously changed and glorified and made ready to live in Heaven

7 i. #4, The Rapture when the bodies of believers have been raised and glorified when living believers have been changed and transformed then we will all be caught up to meet the Lord in the air! j. #5, The reunion the Rapture sets up a delightful series of meetings or reunions. k. First the souls that descend with Christ will be reunited with their resurrected bodies. l. Second there will be a great family reunion of all believers in the sky! VIII. m. Third there will be a joyful reunion with our Lord. (Foretold by Signs Exact Time Unknown Happen Suddenly Selective Event Spectacular Sequential) HOW TO LIVE IN LIGHT OF THE RAPTURE- a. #1, We can live in consolation when it comes to death believers are not to fear death and when a believing loved one dies we are not to sorrow as they who have no hope. b. For the believer in Christ death is not the victor Jesus has conquered death and He shares that glorious victory with those who believe in Him. c. The believer has a home in Heaven and as the body of Jesus was raised from the dead the body of every believer will be raised too! d. Paul said believers are to continually comfort one another with these truths. e. #2, We are to live in expectation of the Rapture and the second coming of Jesus Christ. f. Charles Haddon Spurgeon the great English pastor believed that the Lord could return at any time.

8 g. He repeatedly urged his people to cultivate an attitude of continual expectancy Oh, Beloved, let us try every morning, to get up as if that were the morning in which Christ would come! And when we go to bed at night, may we lie down with this thought, "Perhaps I shall be awakened by the ringing out of the silver trumpets heralding His Coming. Before the sun arises, I may be startled from my dreams by the greatest of all cries, 'The Lord is come! The Lord is come!'" What a check on how we live such thoughts as these should be to us! Take this for the guide of your whole life act as if Jesus would come in the act in which you are engaged and if you would not wish to be caught in that act by the Coming of the Lord, let it not be your act. h. #3, In light of the Rapture we should live lives that are consecrated to the Lord. i. Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. j. #4, In light of the Rapture we should continually examine our lives. IX. k. If the Lord Jesus came today would you be ready?... have you truly committed yourself to Jesus Christ and submitted to Him as your Lord and Savior?... if you have are you living for Him as you should? (Foretold by Signs Exact Time Unknown Happen Suddenly Selective Event Spectacular Sequential Light of 2 nd Coming) CONCLUSION- a. Give your life to Christ today don t be left behind!