Sermon Central
-
Rapture Ready - Part 1 Series
Contributed by Pastor Dre on Jul 29, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: This sermon is part 1 of a 2 part series explaining why the rapture of the Church is near.
"Rapture Ready"
This Morning I would like to speak a message that I believe the Lord has placed on my heart.
The title of the message is "Rapture Ready"
How many here this morning has heard of the Rapture?
I would like to start off by giving you the definition of the word rapture.
The word rapture doesn't actually appear in the Bible, but it comes from the Latin word rapturo, which is a translation of the Greek word "caught up"
The scripture that refers to you and I being caught up is in
16 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 - Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
I remember when I first got saved we used to watch movies at our youth nights that talked about the rapture.
It was movies like "A thief in the night", "A distant thunder", "the image of the beast", and "the prodigal planet" and these movies made you want to be right with God.
The film deals with Patty, a young woman who knows and has heard the Christian gospel but dismisses it, believing that doing good works, going to church regularly and trying her best to follow the Ten Commandments is all that is necessary.
Then one afternoon her husband who was a Christian and millions of others disappear.
Little by little Patty realized that the Rapture has taken place.
This movie had songs in it like:
Life was filled with guns and war, everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died the days grew cold, a piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
Chorus
There's no time to change your mind, the Son has come and you've been left behind
Now a days you don't hear too much about the rapture or too many Christians talking about it, but how many know that Jesus is coming back for His Church?
The question is, are we ready?
You say Pastor Dre I come to Church every Sunday ok that is good, but the question is are we ready?
You say I give in the offering all the time, yea but the question is, are we ready?
You say I pray before I eat - the question is, are we ready?
You say I do this and that for the Church, the question is are we ready?
King Agrippa heard the Gospel as a matter of fact, he almost gave his life to God.
New International Version
Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
Acts 26:29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
King James Version
Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
Imagine someone who almost gave your life to God and then missing out on the rapture.
The rapture has taken place and to be left with the thought of:
I was in Church and heard the preacher, but I wanted to play games so I almost got saved.
I went to Church faithfully, but I wasn't ready to commit to God so I almost got saved.
I seen Altar call, after Altar call, after Altar call and I didn't go, but I almost got saved...
Imagine missing the rapture thinking to yourself I almost got saved...
I hope we have no one that is in here this morning, that is almost saved. I hope all of us here this morning are "Rapture Ready"
Jesus is coming back soon and I hope you and I are ready.
Ask your neighbor are you Ready?
Lets take a look at some of the things that will happen before the Rapture and what is happening in our world today.
I believe taking a look at these will show you and I how close we are to the Second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ...
What are some of the signs of the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ..
1. Increase of knowledge and travel:
Daniel 12:4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."
