Gone Without Warning
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:15-4:18
ILL. While on a South Pole expedition, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton left a few men on Elephant Island, promising that he would return for them. Later, when he tried to go back, huge icebergs blocked the way. But suddenly, as if by a miracle, an avenue opened in the ice and Shackleton was able to get through. His men, ready and waiting, quickly scrambled aboard. No sooner had the ship cleared the island than the ice crashed together behind them. Contemplating their narrow escape, the explorer said to his men, “It was fortunate you were all packed and ready to go!” They replied, “We never gave up hope. Whenever the sea was clear of ice we rolled up our sleeping bags and reminded each other, ‘The boss may come today.’”
I. What Is the Rapture?
A. What is the Rapture? “What is the rapture?”
1. It is one of the most compelling prophetic
events in the Bible yet some claim it is not
taught in the Bible because you cannot find the
actual word "rapture in the Scripture.
2. This is a very poor argument. Actually there are
several words found in the Bible that describe
Christian dictrines which no one would argue are
not taught in the Bible.
3. The word “Trinity” is never actual found in the
text of the Holy Word, but very few people
will fold Godhead of Father, Son, and Spirit is
not taught in the Bible.
4. The word homosexual is not found in the
Bible, but the Bible clearly teaches that a
man is forbidden to lie with another man as he
lies with a woman. The meaning behind that
teaching is pretty clear.
a. In fact the Bible is often made simple
enough that even fools can understand it.
b. Just because the words trinity or
homosexual don’t appear in the text,
doesn’t mean the Bible is silent about these
topics.
B. The word rapture is not found in the actual text
of the Bible. But that doesn’t mean that Scripture
is silent about this subject. It actually describes he
future event quite clearly.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, where the apostle Paul
provides us with most of the available details. Let’s
read this passage:
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep [died], lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.
C. The rapture of the church is when believers will
be taken out of the world to meet their Lord and
Savior in the air.
1. It is when Jesus comes to take His faithful
home.
Jennifer Rast of Contender Ministries describes it this way: “The rapture refers to the sudden removal of all of God’s people on the earth. In the twinkling of an eye, born again Christian will suddenly be transformed out of our human bodies and will rise up into the air to join Jesus Christ.”
II. What Will the Rapture Look Like?
A. A Trumpet and a Shout
1. It says that there is a trumpet that is blown, and
the Lord descends with a shout.
1. So I think we can safely assume that we will
hear both the trumpet and our Savior’s voice
calling to us.
2. But, will every human being on earth hear
the call or just believers? I don’t Think so!
A-1. Personally, (and this is just my opinion so you
can take it or leave it) I think only believers will
hear and know what is going on at this moment
in time.
1.I base this opinion on the fact that the Bible
teaches in John 10:3 that the sheep [the church]
hear the voice of their shepherd [Jesus] “…he calls his
own by name and leads them out.”
B. The Dead First
1. The passage tells us that the dead in Christ will
rise first. Every believer who has ever lived will
be resurrected and will join Christ in the air
a. In any case these words assure us that we will
be reunited with our loved ones who have
passed on before us.
C. Those Who Are Alive
1. Next, our passage says that those who are alive
and remain will be caught up with them.
1. Any person who has accepted Christ as their
Savior, but has not experienced physical death
at the time of the rapture will also be taken
out of this world. That means that some of us
present here today may never have to
experience physical death. Isn’t that an incredible
thought?
2. It says that we will be caught up with the dead
in the air.
3. That means we will be visibly united with Christ
and with our loved ones.
D. In the Air
1. Paul says we will meet them In the air.
When Christ returns to earth to rule and reign, He is going to physically put His feet on this earth and rule the kingdom that God has prepared for Him since before the world began. That event is what we call the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But it should not be confused with the rapture of the church, which we are talking about this morning.
2. At the rapture, or the snatching away of
believers, Christ meets us in the air. He never
sets foot on the earth.
3. That’s how we know the rapture is not the
same event the rest of the world will not see
Christ at the Rapture.
4. Whereas at His Second Coming we are told,
every knee shall bow before Him and every
tongue shall confess that He is Lord.
E. A Great Mystery
In 1 Corinthians 15:50-52 Paul unveils a little bit more about this future event in what he calls a “mystery.”
(KJV)
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed -- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
(New Living Translation (NLT)50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.
1. This “mystery” concerning the rapture of the
Church and the transformation of believers was
revealed primarily by the apostle Paul; it is not
mentioned either in the Old Testament or by
Jesus.
a. However, the man Enoch, in the Old Testament
provides an illustration of this transforming
experience. The Bible says in Genesis 5:24 that
“Enoch walked with God; then he was no more,
because God took him away.” Hebrews 11:5
explains this event even more clearly, “By faith
Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not
not experience death; he could not be found, because
God had taken him away…”
b. Enoch did not die. He was simply taken out of
this world alive. One minute he was here. The
next minute he was in paradise. He never
experienced physical death.
2. A day is coming when all believers of Jesus Christ
will be taken out of this world just like the godly
Enoch.
a. One second we will be here in our physical bodies.
The next second we will receive a new
incorruptible body that will be made to fit our
new home.
b. In Paul’s terms, this happens when “this corruptible
[body] has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on
immortality.” 54 Then, when our dying bodies have
been transformed into bodies that will never die,[a]
this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up
in victory.[b] (NLT) 1 Corinthians 15:54 NIV.
3. The Rapture is not only for those Christians who “are
alive” at the coming of Christ, but it also includes all
believers from all times.
a. Isn't this confusing Pastor?. Because in 2 Cor. 5:8
we are taught that to be absent from the body is to
be present with the Lord. Doesn’tthat mean
believers who have died are already in heaven with
God? How, then, can they rise first? Are they still in
the grave awaiting the rapture?
b. Realize that man is a three-fold being. Man is
made with a body, a soul, and a spirit. Our souls
and spirits are eternal, they will never cease to
exist. And when our physical bodies die and are
put in the grave, our souls and spirits do enter into
the presence of Christ because they were changed
and made acceptable for heaven at the moment
of our salvation.
c. But what is exciting is that at the rapture of the
church, our physical bodies will also rise again.
That is what the apostle Paul is saying in 1 Cor.
That is the mystery.
d. You see when Jesus rose from the dead He didn’t
come back as just a spirit, or ghost. He came
back physically as well. After His resurrection, He
told His disciples to touch Him as He did with
Thomas.
e. He physically ate with them to prove to them that
He wasn’t just a spirit, but that He was physically
alive and present with them on the shore of the
Sea of Tiberias.
f. But His body wasn’t totally the same as it was
before His death and resurrection. We find that
He could walk through solid objects, like doors or
walls. Remember the disciples waiting in a room
after Jesus’ death – the Bible tells us that the
doors were shut and yet Jesus appeared in their
midst. We see that He could also be one place one
second and then totally disappear from sight as He
did when the 2 men from Emmaus recognized Him
in Luke 24.
g. Jesus’ resurrected body was definitely physical,
but it was a body that was fit not only for earth,
but also for heaven.
4. At the rapture of the church, we too will receive
new bodies. They will be physical ones just like
Jesus’ is, but that will also be designed to fit in
heaven.
a. Paul says our corruptible bodies, will become
incorruptible and our mortal bodies will become
immortal. That is the mystery he is revealing.
b. And when the Bible talks about the dead in
Christ rising first, it is the physical bodies of the
dead that are rising and being changed and
transformed and reunited with their spirits and
souls.
Our original text in 1 Thessalonians 4 even says that the souls of those who have died will return with Jesus.
(Read it again) Why? So that they can receive their new incorruptible bodies.
5. What a great day that will be.
a. Not only will we leave this world behind, we will
be in the presence of our Savior,
b. we will go to live in heaven,
c. and we will receive incorruptible, immortal
bodies.
d. Bodies that will finally be proper homes for our
immortal souls and spirits.
III. Why the Rapture?
1. So, now that we know what the rapture is and what
it looks like. Let’s try to understand why it is
necessary.
2. Why does the Bible teach that the Lord will
rapture His church
3. Why doesn’t He just let the world continue on as it
has for thousands of years?
4. Why is He going to come and take His children out,
and why just His children? What about everyone else?
5. I believe the answer to these questions can be found
in several places in the Bible. Let’s read them
together.
Revelation 3:10, “Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”
1 Thessalonians 1:10, “…Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”
Romans 5:9, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.”
1 Thessalonians 5:4-9, “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who dies for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.”
6. We serve a loving and patient God. But He is also a
righteous and just God who will bring judgment upon
those who reject Him and His Son.
a. There is coming a Day of Judgment. God will not
let evil and sin reign forever. He has promised to
make all things right. That time is what is known
as the Tribulation Period or the Time of Jacob’s
trouble.
7. But just as He has promised to judge those who have
rejected Him, He has also promised to save those
who have accepted Him.
1. The rapture of the church is His fulfilling that
promise to His children.
2. That is why the rapture of the church is
necessary. And that is why, we should look for it
with great expectation and thanksgiving. Because
we won’t have to face the wrath of God that
follows.
IV. When Will the Rapture Take Place?
A. When will the rapture take place? Jesus answers
this question in Matthew 24:36 King James Version (KJV)36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
1. When the Father says it is time.
2. Many people have tried to predict the Second
Coming of Jesus only to fail in the attempt.
3. God will come for his Church suddenly at a time
4. God Reminds us that we should always to looking and ready because we do not know the day or the hour when we least expect it. For this reason, He instructs us to be ready, always prepared, and on guard for his coming.
Luke 21:34-36 “Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on those who dwell on whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
God felt it was so important for us to be alert and watchful for his coming that he reminded us several times to be ready.
Matthew 24:42 “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”
Matthew 24:44 “For the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”
Matthew 25:13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”
It is for our benefit that God didn’t tell us the hour of His coming. It encourages us to live righteously as Christ may return any time, and it encourages believers to work diligently for the souls of friends, family, and the lost of this world. It reminds us that we have much work to do and may not have much time in which to do it. If there was ever a time to be an example, share your faith, and make sure that everyone you know has heard the name Jesus, it is now.
You know, many Christians are afraid to talk about the rapture of the church. Deep down they feel an excitement about the prospect of being snatched away in the twinkling of an eye to be with the Lord and Savior they love, worship, and have given their lives to. However, they fear being labeled or criticized for a hope that many through the ages have had; a hope that God fully intended for us to have. God warned us against ignoring the hope that end-times prophecy gives us in 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 when he said, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
There is a reason Christ warned his end-times followers 13 times in the New Testament to not be deceived, and to watch and be ready. He wanted us to be excited about His glorious appearing.
After the rapture of the Church, the tribulation will fall upon the Earth. For those of us who have received Christ and are prepared for His coming, we can shout for joy. The Lord has prepared a place for us and we will be with him always.
