LOOKING FORWARD 

I THESS. 4:13-18, II THESS 1:7-10

            I have just read two passages of scriptures that to some might appear to be talking about the same event   or the same time period.  However, the first passage speaks of the Rapture of the Church.  The second speaks of the Second Coming of the Lord.  These are two distinct events, separated by a time period.  I would today like to focus on the rapture of the Church and then follow that up over the next couple of Sundays   talking about the events in the time period between the Second Coming   and the rapture, and finally   ending with the Second Coming and events immediately there after.  But this Sunday I want to focus on the Rapture of the Church.  Let me begin first of all by stating that the word rapture is not used in the Bible.  (Holman’s Bible Dictionary defines rapture as the catching up of believers by Christ at the time of His return. The word came into use by way of the Latin rapio used to translate the Greek term of  harpageesometha, used in I Thess. 4:17 and translated in English as caught up. 

ACTS 1:9-11

            We know that Jesus’ followers were witnesses to each of the events from His arrest to His ascension.  Peter followed Jesus to the judgment hall.  John was at the crucifixion and the two Mary’s were at the tomb to receive the news of the risen savior.  In this scripture, the apostles were there to witness the ascension of Christ and to receive the promise of His return.  The angel told Jesus’ followers that this same Jesus, not a new Jesus,   not another baby born into this earth, not a new prophet, not a man who evolves into God, but this same Jesus will return.  Jesus with nail scars in His hands and feet, with a wound in His side.  The Jesus who died for you and I, this same Jesus will come again and He will come in like manner as He left – in the clouds. 

JOHN 14:1-3

Here Jesus told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them where God lives and that He would come back   and receive them unto Himself so that He could take them to be where He was.  Jesus will one day come back to get His followers.  

When will that be?

MARK 13:32-37

            At one point after Jesus had talked about His leaving and returning, several of Jesus’ disciples came to Him and asked Him when was He coming back and what signs should they look for.  Jesus replied to them that no one knew when He would return.  He Himself at that point in time did not even know.  Only God knew.  Let me also mention here that the signs of the end times mentioned in the Bible are signs of the Second Coming of Christ, not His coming to Rapture the Church.  There are no clear cut signs of when that event will occur.

In Rev. 22:12 Jesus said “Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”   The Long waiting period for Jesus to return coupled with our inability to predict when His return will be is sometimes a problem for believers. 

II PETER 3:3-4, 9

            Here in verses 3 and 4 the scoffers remind the believers of Jesus’ promise to return.  They mocked the believers and questioned them saying “so where is he”?  But Peter responds by saying, “don’t worry, He’s coming.  He is just being patient because He does not want anyone to be left behind.”  I want to encourage the believers here today, to not get discouraged, and don’t lose your focus as you wait.  Stay to the task of serving and obeying God, because Jesus will one day return to get us. 

I THESS. 4:13-18

            Since Jesus had not returned, some believers were concerned about those who had already died.  Paul, here in this scripture explains that there was no need to worry about those who died having Christ as their savior.  He explains that at the return of Christ to Rapture the Church, the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then those who are alive and in Christ will be called up to meet them in the air. 

As it relates to the dead in Christ, what we must understand is what happens at death. 

II COR. 5:1-8

            Paul teaches here that when the spirit of the Christian still resides in his flesh that we can not be with God.  But when as Christians, our spirits leave our bodies, then we will at that time be present with the Lord.  James 2:26 says the body without the spirit is dead.  What am I saying?  When we as Christians die, our bodies will return back to the dirt from which it was made, but our spirits go to heaven at that point to be with the Lord. 

Go back to I THESS. 4:14

            Paul says that when Jesus comes to rapture the church He will bring with Him the dead in Christ.  What Paul is saying here is that the spirits of those dead Christians will come back with Jesus when He comes.  Those spirits will again return to their earthly host bodies and those bodies will be change to immortal bodies.  For those who are alive in Christ they will simple be drawn up into the heavenlies and their bodies will be change to immortal ones. 

I COR 15: 20-28

            Before we read this passage let me explain what is happening.  The Christians at Corinth wrote Paul to ask him several questions.  One of the questions they ask was about the resurrection from the dead.  There were outsiders who had come in and told them that there was no resurrection from the dead.  They wanted to know from Paul if there really was a resurrection from the dead.  Paul answers with a yes in the first 19 verses.

I COR 15: 20-28

            Paul says in verse 23 that all will be made alive again.  First Christ, which has already happened.  Then the Christians who are dead at his coming followed we already know by those who are alive at His coming.  Then there is the end time, where almost all of the events in the Book of Revelation occur.  This period ending with Jesus finally taking complete rule over everything on the earth.  When Jesus has finally re-established the Kingdom of God on this earth, He will then present it to God and return back to God the authority over the earth that Adam lost when he sinned. 

            Now this passage only spoke of Christ and the Christians coming back to life.  But we will see in an up coming message that the dead who are not Christians will also get eternal bodies.  However they will suffer forever in the fires of hell because they refused to receive God’s gift of salvation while they were alive. 

I COR. 15: 35-44

            In this passage Paul explains that the dead in Christ will receive immortal bodies.  In verse 42 he says the body that is buried is one that is corruptible or able to decay.  But the body that will be raise will be incorruptible or not able to decay.  If the Christian dies before Christ comes, his natural body, this flesh will go into the ground and decay.  But when Jesus returns, his natural body will be resurrected as a spiritual body. 

I COR. 15:51-58 

            For those Christians who are alive when Christ returns Paul says that our bodies which are able to decay must take on incorruptible bodies, and our bodies that are able to die must take on immortal bodies.  Because this is our promise from God, Paul encourages Christians to be unyielding in working and living for the Lord.  As Christians we do not know when He will return, but we can be assured of this He will come to get us and when He does, we want to be ready.

Most of the New Testament is written to the believer and for the sake of the believer.  However, most of the Book of Revelation is written for the sake of the unbeliever.  If God allows, we will begin to talk about Revelation the next time we meet.  I will tell you now that the Church leaves in 4:1 and it is in chapter 19 when we return again.  Thus the majority of Revelation was written to help those who are unsaved when Jesus comes to rapture the Church.  God in His mercy wanted those who are left behind to understand what they would be facing.