Transcription
We share this morning on the most important topic for every Christian, and it is the ultimate goal, the direction of the ultimate goal of every believer. So this morning, we share on the imminent rapture of the church. The imminent rapture of the church.
Our text is taken from 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verses 13-18. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 to 18. I read from the Easy to Read Version. It says, "Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those who have died. We don't want you to be sad like other people, those who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died. We also believe that he rose again. So we believe that God will raise to life through Jesus anyone who has died and bring them together with him when he comes. What we tell you now is the Lord's own message. Those of us who are still living when the Lord comes again will join him, but done before those who have already died. The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with a voice of the archangel, and with a trumpet call of God, and the people who have died and we are in Christ rise first. Verse 17, after that, we who are still alive at that time will be gathered up with those who have died. We will be taken up in the clouds and meet the Lord in the air, and we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words."
Brethren, events in the world today are showing more than ever before the imminence of the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He's surely coming again, and we shall soon hear the sound of the trumpet. The sound of the trumpet.
However, it is worthy of note that his second coming shall be in two phases. So we look first at the first phase of his coming, and that is the rapture. Under this path, the Lord Jesus Christ will be coming for the saints to remove them from the world and take unto him unto himself, so that they will not partake in the Great Tribulation, which will unfold itself immediately after the rapture. The stage is already set. Every pre-rapture prophecy has been fulfilled. The stage is set.
There are some major events that will happen in this first phase. And so I will share with us some notable points. And the first notable point is that the Lord Jesus shall appear in the sky to take home his own. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4:16, Easy to Read Version, it says, "The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with a voice of the archangel, and with a trumpet call of God, and the people who have died first, who have died and we're in Christ, we rise first."
So that is the first notable thing you should have in mind concerning the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. On the very day it will happen, at the command of God the Father, an archangel of God will sound the trumpet. And at the sound of the trumpet, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will descend from the presence of God down to the earth. But he's not going to come down physically in this first phase of his second coming. That will be seven years after he will descend to the sky, to the sky, to the sky. You need to be very familiar with every aspect of these details. It's something you should be able to instantly share with your friends, with your family, loved ones, and people that may ask you questions.
So the moment he descends, something will happen. All the dead in Christ, all our fathers, our mothers in the faith, our fathers, our mothers in the church family who had already passed on to glory. All our brothers and sisters, young, very young, that painfully left us at some time in the past. On that day, they would all be taken up. And this will happen in a split second, at the same time, all over this earth. They'll be taken up to meet with Jesus right in the sky.
And that brings us now to the second notable point. And what next? The saints who slept shall be resurrected, and the living ones, the saints, shall be transformed and translated to meet the Lord in the sky in an event referred to as the rapture. The rapture of the church is what will immediately follow. All those who have received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and who are standing right with God at that moment would be taken up all over the world at the same time to meet with Jesus right there in the skies. The rapture, this is what is called the rapture of the church. Every prophecy that God said, events that God has prophesied will happen before the tribulation, before the rapture, have all been fulfilled. The stage is set.
So 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 shows us, among other scriptures, clearly how the rapture will happen. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, he said, "The day is coming." Uh, in summary, that day is coming when there shall be bold headlines. Take note of this, bold headlines on the pages of the news media concerning hundreds of millions. But we are praying that it will be in the billion bracket. Can the Lord hear your amen? Name. So that day is coming, and it is closer than ever before, when there shall be bold headlines on the pages of the news media concerning hundreds of millions of people who are suddenly missing, who have suddenly disappeared. The same time, the same day, all over the earth, the rapture of the church. And what will follow there will be unprecedented confusion. If you have ever heard of tragedy, chaos, commotion, that day it will happen on an unprecedented magnitude. And for those who have had full knowledge of this event, just like we are hearing this now, but missed the event, they missed the rapture. It will be a very sad day, very sad news.
So what is the rapture? The exact word "rapture" is not actually found in the Bible. Just like "demon Bible," "animal demon Bible," these are things you won't read in the Bible. You won't see. But certainly, it is descriptive of what exists in the scriptures. The word "rapture" is derived from the Greek word "harpazo," H-A-P-A-Z-O, which means "caught up," to be caught up.
Now, there are two practical examples of the rapture, and what is going to happen is very, very identical to what had happened before. And now, the first one was the translation of a man called Enoch, and the second one was the translation of the man called Elijah. In Genesis chapter 5, verse 24, Genesis chapter 5:24, New Living Translation, it says, "Walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared." So for you to just understand what the rapture would look like, study the scripture and see how the translation of Enoch happened. The translation of Elijah said, "Then one day, the same way too, it's not going to be a prolonged event. It's not going to take an hour. It's not going to take several minutes. Instantly it will happen. One day he disappeared because God took him." Then the second person was Elijah. And you see this in 2 Kings chapter 2, verse 11, in the New Living Translation, it says, "As they were walking along," that is, uh, he was walking with, uh, Elijah, as they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. He drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by whirlwind into heaven." By the grace of God, you will make heaven. By the grace of God, your family will make heaven.
How will it happen? Read it once, read it a second time, from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. And according to this text, which is one of the detailed, uh, descriptions in the scripture of the event of the rapture, the rapture will begin with the resurrection of all Christians who have died since the founding of Christianity. So they are not really there. They are not gone forever. That is why we are encouraged to be consoled when we lose a believer. Their souls and their spirits have been absent from the body are dead and present with the Lord. This is what is meant by "asleep in Jesus." And this will go on. They remain in that state until the day of the rapture.
Now let's look at another scripture. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 51-53. 1 Corinthians chapter 15:51-53, New Living Translation. It said, "But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed. It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. But when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die. Our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies."
So the Bible teaches that our present body, our flesh, is corruptible, that it is human, it is natural. And that is one of the reasons why human vessels, when they give their life to Christ, they can still sometimes commit sin, even after being born again, because we are still in the flesh. But at salvation, God's Spirit comes into our heart. So that at the time of death, our soul, the eternal part of our being, and our new nature or spirit departs to be with Christ, and where it remains until the resurrection rapture. Then when Christ descends from heaven with a shout, the sound of the trumpet, the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to be with them in the clouds, in the clouds, in the skies. Praise ye the Lord.
So this is what will happen on the day of the rapture. I have shared two notable points and then shared now the third notable point that you should take note. There are seven of them. Number three, the church, the undefiled brethren, shall not partake in the Great Tribulation. What you hear as the Great Tribulation is a 7-year period. It will not be more than seven years. It will not be less than 7 years.
In Luke chapter 21, verses 34-36, Luke 21:34-36, Easy to Read Version. It says, "Be careful not to spend your time having parties and getting drunk or worrying about this life. If you do that, you won't be able to think straight, and the end might come when you are not ready. It will come as a surprise to everyone on earth." Verse 36, it says, "So be ready all the time." Can somebody say, "I will be ready"? Let the Lord hear you say that. Pray that you will be able to get through all these things that will happen and stand safe before the Son of Man.
Who will be raptured? Very important question. Who will be raptured? One, those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. John chapter 3:16. And please take note, any message about end times, especially the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, any message about the rapture, please always take note of the supporting scriptures. Very, very important. In John 3:16, New Living Translation, it says, "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone, everyone, no matter their past life, everyone who believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life." And in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, it said, "For the Lord," New Living Translation, "The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with a voice of the archangel, and with a trumpet call of God." First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. The believers who have died, we are asking the question, who will be raptured? The belie said, "First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves." Verse 17, he said, "Then together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet with the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever."
Who will be raptured? Number two, very important, and this number two is very, very key in these times of deception and corrupted gospel. So what is the criteria number two? Those living a pure and holy life. Those living a pure and holy life. Hebrews 12:14, Hebrews 12:14, New Living Translation, it says, "Walk at living in peace with everyone. Be intentional. Do all you can to live at peace with everyone and work at living a holy life." I'm reading scripture here, so please take note of what the scripture is saying. What next? He said, "For those who are not holy," he's speaking to believers now. He said, "For those who are not holy will not see the Lord."
Now, as a confirmation of what we are reading in Hebrews 12:14, you go now to Matthew chapter 7. Matthew chapter 7, verses 21-23, New Living Translation. It says, "Not everyone," and this was our Lord Jesus Christ speaking here. It says, "Not everyone who calls out to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. Only those who do the will of my Father in heaven will enter on judgment day. Many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me. You who break God's laws. You who break God's laws.'"
Then please take note, very, this is very, very critical. Galatians chapter 5, verses 19-21. Galatians 5:19-21. This is, you know, the whole essence of our Christian life. In Galatians 5:19-21, New Living Translation, it says, "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like this." He said, "Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Now, if you're still as having some, um, thoughts in your mind, look at Revelation 21. Revelation 21, verses 7 to 8, New Living Translation. It says, "All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children." Verse eight, he said, "But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshippers, and all liars. Their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." You are reading that from Revelation 21:7-8. So it's clear, two principal conditions to make the rapture and be with the Lord forever. First, you must give your life to Christ. And number two, you must live a godly and righteous life, and you must sustain it until the very day, until the very day of the rapture or the day of transition.
The fourth notable point, there are seven of them. The raptured saints will remain in the skies with Christ for seven years. As a fourth notable point, the raptured saints will remain in the skies with Christ for seven years. So what would be happening up there? They shall be treated to such events as the judgment seat of Christ, being the period of accountability. Now take note. Once you make the rapture, forever and ever and ever, you will be with the Lord. Once you make the rapture, forever and ever and ever, you will be with the Lord.
On the day of, uh, the judgment seat of Christ, the goal is actually for the purpose of rewards. It's for the purpose of rewards. You are like, you are looking at those who have successfully graduated from school, but from amongst them, many have won prizes and won awards, and they are going to be honored, but everyone has graduated. Everyone has graduated. In Romans 14:10, Romans 14:10, King James version, it says, "But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set at naught thy brother?" He said, "For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ." The judgment seat of Christ. Then in 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10, King James version, it says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he had done, whether it be." Take note of this, we will be assessed based on what we have done from the time of salvation.
In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verses 11-15, 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, Easy to Read Version, it says, "The foundation that has already been built is Jesus Christ, and no one can build any other foundation. People can build on that foundation using gold, silver, jewels, wood, grass, or straw. But the work that each person does will be clearly seen because the day will make it plain. That day will appear with fire, and the fire will test everyone's work. If the building they put on the foundation still stands, they will get their reward." Can somebody say, "Reward"? So the, the judgment seat, um, uh, seat of Christ is, is about kingdom rewards. In 15, it says, "But if their building is burned up, they will suffer loss. They will be saved, but it will be like someone escaping from fire."
So this brings us to the issue of motives. It brings us to the issue of motives. Even in our Christian life, secret achievers, there is a place for secret achievers. If I ask you today, name one or two gospels, you know, ministers from a particular, very big denomination, you would successfully mention one or two. But if I ask you to name one, just one worker or minister from a very big ministry that has been making impact in the children's church, you may not be able to give any name. The only name you can volunteer is the name of a children's church teacher in your very church, the very parish where you even worship. Not even in other branches. If the ministry has branches, there are people that God has restrained, God has told them, "I have not called you to start a church." People wanted them to start a church, but God told them, "I have not called you to start a church. Join this ministry and serve there." On that day, you are going to see many of such people getting the highest reward, getting the highest reward.
So we need to be very, very careful because, you know, there is so much, so much, uh, focus on visibility, visibility, visibility, and people define success based on visibility. So if you are the type that likes to, you know, just hide yourself but make impact, you may never be known. You may never be reckoned with. So the Lord says I should remind everyone of us that He has a place for silent achievers, secret achievers. At the end of the day, it's not about who knows you and how many people know your name. It's about your impact, and especially your impact that was done with the right motive, with the right motive.