Why There Must be a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of The Church

well Cheers are gonna ask you to open your Bibles this morning to first Thessalonians chapter 4 1st Thessalonians 4 and I will begin reading out loud in the New King James Version Bible beginning at verse 13 if you will read out loud if you don't have a new King James Version look at the screens and it be up there but you'll pick it up in verse 14 the even numbers and we'll read down to verse 18 and 1st Thessalonians 4 Matthew Mark Luke John keep going to the right and you'll come to first Thessalonians we're looking at part two of our installment of our get ready series messages that just happen they just happen over the years we bring them up as necessary and we thought that it'd be a great kickoff to the new year to revisit the topics of endtime events which by the way we had a gathering if you were here a a few Wednesday nights ago or maybe it was last Wednesday night my goodness I forget Jan Markell was here and so we sat down together and her and I just talked together in front of you in a Wednesday night and it was a tremendous time if you missed it you can go to our YouTube channel I think we have over two hundred and thirty-eight thousand views of that evening together and so we're excited about that but also less Sunday and I apologize for you in advance last Sunday we started part one of this message and we're talking about the Antichrist and who and what is that guy all about and unfortunately I didn't finish with you last week but I did finish with second and third service so if you want to listen to the finish you can go online to listen to that okay so I apologize for that but first service is always an experiment anyway so we'll begin reading in first Thessalonians 4 I'll start verse 13 I do not want you to be ignorant or uninformed brethren concerning those who have fallen asleep lest you sorrow as others who have no hope 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 then we says the Apostle Paul who are alive and remain shall be caught up or raptured the word in Latin together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord Amen father we ask Lord that as we go through this new year as we kick it off father that and everything that we do as a church everything that we embark upon every vision every effort our spending our prayer our activities would always be viewed Lord and energized with a sense of urgency that you could come for us at any time and Lord we pray that as a body of believers that our motives would be that we would be in fact busy about our father's business always looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and so God with that as our fuel in our tank may we affect an unbelieving culture around us maybe we reach out to those that are hurting may we go to the ends of the earth may we bless until we see you face to face we pray it in Jesus name and all God's people said amen you can be seated in church today in our get ready series the end of our message in these last two weeks is this title today why there must be a pre-tribulation rapture of the church why there must be strong statement right a pre-tribulation rapture of the church this is a topic that is greatly debated by people and the debate is not going to end with this service it's going to be something that is going to be talked about until we go up and explain to those who didn't believe that he was coming soon on the way up that Jesus would have us be ready and so right up front I want to make the announcement that as I said it's a topic of debate every Christian doctrine of every listen of every denomination throughout the last two thousand years of believers have they've never debated the fact if you might need to write this down in your notes no denominations of Christianity have ever debated if there's a rapture but they have debated as to what as to when there is a rapture the rapture is taught in the Bible don't let anybody write you tweet you or converse with you saying there is no rapture the rapture is a biblical doctrine the question is when does it take place and to answer when does it take place it is incumbent upon us then as Bible students to study the why the whys of it in other words we would say what's the why for what's the purpose of this thing that in fact pastor Jack the word raptures not even found in the Bible and you are correct if you have an English Bible the word rapture is not in there if you have a Latin Bible the word rapture is in it if you have a Greek Bible the word rapture is the word in Greek as our pods oh it means all the same in whatever language by the way if you have a Russian Bible it appears there in Russian and whatever this situation is the word we use rapture from the Latin Vulgate of the Scriptures is the announcement of the catching up the word means to be snatched away as you'll see soon in a moment and it appears in all languages of the New Testament Bible so you need to know that up front God doesn't speak in English I mean he speaks to us in English I guess right but but God speaks in all languages and so don't get don't get caught up to the thing we can't even find them you can't find the word Trinity in the Bible either you can't yeah you can't find the word Bible in the Bible you can't find the word Sunday the church gather nuts you can't find the word Sunday in the original Bible either so it's a very important thing to remember so Church let's dive into this we got a lot of a lot of ground to cover why there must be a pre-tribulation rapture of the church number one write it down is that the rapture is in fact a biblical doctrine as I said a moment ago and we need to know why we need to see the reasons why this is the case and what on earth is the Apostle Paul talking about to the church at Thessalonica number one it's a biblical doctor of the Bible and will you put this down as an argument first of all that's foundational it's a foundational statement found in the New Testaments the Bible tells us in Titus Paul writes to Titus and in Titus 2:13 it is called the Blessed hope the Bible says here look at it mark it down it says looking by the way that word in the Greek looking is to be looking with anticipation it's something that you to be constantly aware of of what the Blessed hope that's good news friends it's a blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God I love this and Savior Jesus Christ so listen for all of you who believe that Jesus is your great God and Savior it is in coming upon the Christian to be looking for his return why the Bible says so why because it is our Blessed hope mark it down the rapture is a blessed hope and that is when Christ appears for us you'll hear this verse a few times and it's this first Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10 first Thessalonians 1:10 says that we are to be a people who are waiting it's a foundational doctrine to look for the rapture of the church because we are to be waiting for his son from heaven will you mark that down please note this note the stage and how it's set up the believer is to be waiting with anticipation the coming of the Son of God from where heaven he's coming from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come Bible students mark that verse down because don't fall for a very very simple and easy snare when it's mentions to us the wrath to come you can go study this on your own later when you have more time know this for sure when it says from the to come it is not hell it doesn't mean hell Jesus already delivered you a knife from hell that's done you drop dead today you're going to heaven Christian listen if the rapture happens and I hope it happens any moment now you're gonna see him and you have escaped the wrath of God the word wrath is exactly appropriated to the wrath throughout scripture all the New Testament as the wrath of God it's God's judgment upon the earth it's not hell it's God's intervention in an unbelieving Chryslers age to bring his judgment to earth that's coming the Bible talks to us over and over again in old and new Testament regarding that but it's a foundational doctrine the rapture first Thessalonians we saw this a moment ago mark it again verse chapter 4 verse 17 and 18 we just read it then we notice Paul's statement this is a very powerful thing because there will be those who will argue that Paul did not believe that the rapture would happen in his day then if all Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit and men spoke the scriptures as they were possessed by the Holy Spirit then why would Paul say the following then we the word then is a time statement like when or then time statement we Paul didn't say those are those then in the future he says we who are alive and remain shall be there it is rapture harpazo caught up together with them in the clouds we just read a moment ago and in Titus and in first Thessalonians 1 that he's going to come from heaven and we are going to meet him it's the Blessed hope the Bible says here we're gonna meet him in the clouds the Lord that is in the air that is the atmosphere we'll see this in our study as it develops and thus we shall always be I love this with the Lord my goodness friends Bible students what's implied is where Jesus Christ is he's gonna come and get us and we're gonna be with him where he he is not where he's going this is a very important thing in your understanding and you'll hear it again as we go through this especially in John chapter 14 but that verse goes on the verse 17 and thus we shall always be with the Lord look at verse 18 therefore get all upset and debate and get get angry about this promise no comfort one another with it we're to be excited about that and I understand that because of denominational persuasions there are Christians and Christian pastors and churches that say no no we've got to go through the tribulation period that's that's what that's what we have to go through and you ask them why and they'll tell you various reasons yes they'll agree the Jews and Israel become the witness of that seven-year tribulation time but the church needs to be perfected and purified excuse me I don't see that anywhere in the Bible Jesus Christ is our purification Jesus Christ is the one who has made us accepted past tense the Bible puts it in the beloved by his blood if your trust in Christ this morning you are accepted by the Lord Jesus Christ you don't have to go through some boot camp to become worthy in fact I'll show you some verses that are exact opposite of that that by the blood of Christ you are now worthy it's not you it's him and you're different as a church age believer then you are from a tribulation Saint believer as those groups are from Old Testament Saint believers as well but listen that word harpazo caught up in your English Bible I want you to write this down it's so cool of a word it sounds kind of crazy but listen to it it means to be seized or to be extracted by force sounds violent right and there is a sense of violence to it if you think about it I say violence like violence to physics we're gonna go from being physical to being spiritual in a moment and I want to say a nanosecond of time but it's even faster than that you know scholars have argued that scientists have argued that of twinkling of an eye eighteen thousands of a second I don't know if that's true or false but it sounds good to me the Bible tells us and we'll look at it some other time but in first Corinthians 15 it says that when this happens it will happen in the time frame of a twinkling of an eye some by some people the Apostle said will not die but they will be changed in the twinkling of an eye which is a good segue for us to go into the second defense of a doctrinal teaching of the Bible the foundational doctrine that is why this is a good question why does the rapture need to happen anyway when I say that there must be a pre-tribulation rapture for fear of me forgetting let me just tell you let me get the toothpaste out of the tube right now the rapture of the church is a church event it's a church event whatever scriptures you go to it speaks to the church it does not nor does it ever speak to the nation of Israel or to the Jews during the tribulation period we can argue it this way it's predominantly not exclusively but a predominantly a Gentile event the church age of the last days will whether it be born-again Jews go up of course there's some born-again Jews that are here in this church my good friend Amir he's a born-again Jew if you ever heard of Marty Goetz born-again Jew there's others what's his name Zola Levitt born-again Jill others you're gonna go up if you're in the church you're going to go up but there's a whole different application regarding those of the Tribulation Period so the question is why does the rapture need to happen anyway and so I'm going to give you just a couple reasons please are you guys writing this down I've worked very hard I need you to do the same okay and besides you're gonna go home today and you're gonna tell somebody or next week and some you're gonna say something and your friend is gonna want to argue with you and you need to have your notes which I just realized they're on line you don't need to write anything down you can just print them out which is cheating so write it out but here's some reasons number one reason and I love this fact is that Jesus Christ Himself is the one that welcomes the church into heaven say Amen Jesus does this you say where'd you get that from from where Jesus introduces us to the rapture in John chapter 14 look at verses one two three Jesus said let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me and I have to use my finger to teach this properly in my father's house are many mansions I'm pointing up and if it were not so I would have told you I go now he was on earth when he said this I go now to prepare a place for you that's the father's house and if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there you may be also that is an awesome promise my dear friends if you do not have a pre-tribulation rapture view of the Scriptures then I ask you this question how in the world does the church get into heaven how was the church seen in heaven in the book of Revelation if it doesn't go up it's got to go up some people have the church going up meeting Jesus in the atmosphere that is from sea level zero to one hundred and twenty-eight thousand feet the atmosphere and coming right back down if you've got that happening like a yo-yo effect then pray tell when does the church get to the father's mansions or house in heaven it doesn't happen thank God Jesus would be the first to welcome you and I to heaven and he does it in our own atmosphere that gonna be amazing so that's too fantastic a man yes that seems crazy yes my God does crazy things my god saves loony Bin's like me God loves us that's pretty crazy pretty crazy the Bible says in Revelation chapter four verse one it's the last time that the church is represented on earth before the Great Tribulation Period arrives revelation four it says after these things met at Ulta and the Greek it means after the things that have just been described well what's been described chapter 1 the revelation of who Jesus is chapter 2 and 3 is the seven letters to the seven churches the seven letters to the seven churches are amazing you can analyze them forever it's awesome seven letters to seven churches predominantly of course in the area of Asia Minor during the time of Christ giving this word which is Turkey today those churches not only represent the various hearts of believers at various times but various epochs of or epochs of the church age of the 2000 year period the church has been on earth it is a prophetic statement by Jesus regarding the various stages of a church or the individual believer of where you're at and I'll give you a little clue you don't want to be any of those churches I mean they're saved they're going to heaven I get that but I don't know about you but that's not good enough for me I want to be the Church of Philadelphia I want to be the church that there's nothing that Jesus critiques about them it's amazing but that's a that's not even in my notes it's just for a different study chapter 4 verse 1 after these things I that's John speaking looked and behold a door standing open in heaven now why would someone open a door in heaven and John is being spoken to though let's see and a voice the first voice which I John heard was like a trumpet I find that interesting talking with me saying come up here spoken to John and I will show you things which must take place after this after what after you come up here a tremendous statement and from this point on church there's no presence on earth of the Bride of Christ or the church from John chapter or excuse me Revelation chapter 4 verse 1 the church has never again seen on earth did you know that until Revelation chapter 19 she has discovered to be in heaven how'd that happen come up here with a voice speaking that sounds like a trumpet sound familiar its first Thessalonians 4:13 218 it's John chapter 14 verses one two and three very important that's why the rapture has got to happen and then also this it's got to happen because it is the exclamation point on the finished work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church the Holy Spirit came down and gave birth to the church on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit will present the church to Christ that's his job is to present us the believers to Christ at his appearing the church's work will be completed Jude chapter one verse twenty four and five now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory his revelation with exceeding joy to God our Savior who alone is wise be glory and Majesty Dominion and power both now and forever and all the church said amen how is that going to happen we are going to be I pray it's our generation that if Christ comes today we are going to be transformed instantly by the power of the Holy Spirit we're going to go through that metamorphose which we in a moment we'll go from physical existence to spiritual existence and I assume all that will be left behind will be our clothes or my my cap on my - I don't know what goes up and what stays down but we're gonna be transformed the Bible teacher we're gonna some the Bible says some will not see death but I'm getting ahead of myself the rapture of the church will finish the work of the Holy Spirit in the witness of the church they'll be apparently from most scholars that study this there'll be some form of Adam a domino effect after the church is raptured after the rapture takes place we don't know if it's five minutes five years we don't know it doesn't say but something happens that when the church takes place there's a certain sequence that begins after that that ushers in some key prophetic events that cannot take place until after listen the church steps aside not leaves I'm sorry the Holy Spirit steps aside and the presentation of the church to Christ and the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit will then be poured out upon the Jewish believers those who believe in that time John says that from the witness of 144,000 read your Bible carefully you should know this 144,000 Jews they're all men sorry ladies but the Bible says they're all men they're all virgins and they all speak Hebrew and they're all from each of them 12,000 of them from each of the 12 tribes they will be can you imagine they'll be they'll be like 144,000 Paul the Apostles with the internet speaking completely possessed by the Holy Spirit and their message will go out to the ends of the earth absolutely profound but listen another argument this is just a few another argument is under this is that of course Jesus welcomes the church the Holy Spirit's work is finished with the church at the rapture and then it appears that according to the Bible only then and then only can the Antichrist be revealed we studied a little bit about him last week in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 6 and now you know says the Apostle what is restraining notice what it says then he interesting it's not an it that's restraining it's a he that is restraining 4 it says watch this that he may be revealed in his own time that's the reference to the Antichrist look at verse 7 for the mystery of lawlessness is already at work only he that's the Holy Spirit who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way Church listen carefully are you listening never thank for a moment that when the rapture happens that when the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way that he leaves the earth that's impossible God is omnipresent there's no place where God cannot the Holy Spirit never leaves look what it says he's taken out of the way oh for example did you see this is a great analogy actually I just saw it in my head the word is that the Holy Spirit through the life of the church mind you is restraining evil did you know that you're the salt of the earth how are you the salt of the earth how are you the light of the world by the Holy Spirit working in us when the Holy Spirit delivers you and I and that generation of believers up the Holy Spirit steps aside it's like this the Dallas Cowboys could not get to jerem yard golf yesterday couldn't get to golf why because these animal of these Nephilim of men these giants on the front line protected the quarterback are you with me and the relationship between the quarterback and the front line if I was a quarterback I would always take my front lineman out to dinner and pay off their mortgage why because they hold your life in their hands they held back the onslaught of the Dallas Cowboys if they would have been taken out of the way instead of their three and a half four foot wide shoulders going this way they would have turned this way are you with me if they turned this way then the Cowboys would have destroyed the quarterback are you with me it's that same word in the Greek that paints the picture that the Holy Spirit is holding back sin and evil through the life of the church it's not us it's him through us and that when we go up he just simply turned sideways as it were and the wicked one is revealed the Antichrist comes onto the scene and so that one that lawless one verse 8 of second Thessalonians 2 says he will be revealed he's going to be revealed after the rapture of the church next we're looking at what purpose does the rapture serve what are the various purposes number 1 mark it down I hope this is important to you number 1 I'd put down exhortation the purpose of the rapture serves as an exhortation to all generations of believers that's why in the first century of the Apostle Paul said we who are alive and remain every generation you can please you know I'm gonna say this because it's true but if you take a casual internet search you're gonna think I'm lying to you so I want to say this very carefully go back to the founding fathers of the church go all the way back you can go back to Paul himself and you can go back to the very Shepherd of our souls the creator of the church Jesus himself and it is required of every generation of believers to be watchful and ready because you don't know when he's coming that cannot be said about the second coming of Christ did you know that the Bible is very clear about the physical Second Coming return of Christ and you'll see the differences today so number one it should serve you as an exhortation to be alert Revelation chapter 3 verse 10 this is very important the Bible says in Revelation 3:10 because Jesus is speaking to the church at Philadelphia not Pennsylvania Philadelphia Turkey because you have kept my command to what persevere that word means keep moving forward Christian just keep going forward maybe it's not good maybe you can stop and catch your breath from time to time but that's just don't stay there keep moving forward he says I also will keep you from the hour which will come upon the whole world the whole what world to do what to test those who dwell on the earth did you see that now listen carefully as believers you and I according to the book of James and other portions of Scripture you and I go through personal tribulations and personal trials right for the perfecting of our faith they're engineered by God remember this temptation comes from the world not from God trials come from God not from the world your trials whatever they may be in life are custom made by God to perfect your faith temptation comes from the world's from the devil and from this flesh it's very very much different the Bible here tells us in the book of Revelation that Jesus is promising that there's going to be a group of people that will be kept from the hour that will come upon the entire world to test those who dwell on the earth no one escapes that Jesus says I'll keep you from it that's an important statement what's the purpose of the rapture as I said a moment ago consummation the consummation of the church in 1st Thessalonians 2:19 the Bible says for what is our hopes as the Apostle or joy or crown of rejoicing what's our passion I can put that word in there is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming - what that statement means Paul is speaking on behalf of Ministers pastors church leaders and it's this our greatest joy our greatest crown our greatest rejoicing is this and it's mine as well that every single one of you will be ready to meet the Lord Jesus Christ that is coming and let's be honest that is coming when he arrives in the atmosphere or ed is coming for you independently listen friend as a Christian get in your lane and stay in it until the end though go back don't stand still move on go forward Christ wants to do amazing things with you what a tremendous promise he's given us also the consummation I love this next verse the purpose of the church rapture of the church should be this and Hebrews 9:28 it says Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many to those who who what eagerly wait for him he will appear a second time apart from sin for what reason salvation what does that mean when Christ appears the consummation of your salvation takes place it's all done your life lived comes to an end at the moment Christ comes for you and there's that amazing finished work and then also what purpose does it serve and it's the fact that it fulfills the promises of God to deliver we've talked about that a second ago but let me elaborate and the announcement when he says and that verse again in Revelation 3:10 he says I'm gonna keep you I like what doctorate Heinsohn says that Jesus Christ is not going to call his bride together as a church having died for her and washed her in his blood of atonement and then ship her off to the Tribulation Period to get beat up by the Antichrist before he marries her in the great marriage of the Lamb I love that it's a great thought but he's going to deliver in 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10 we read it a moment ago but notice this he delivers us from the wrath to come remember that the purpose I'm gonna give you some more of verses in fact this is kind of a fun thing to do if you're taking some notes today first Thessalonians was written to the Thessalonians by Paul after just after some three weeks of him spending time there Paul comes to town establishes a church and leaves he teaches them if you read 1st Thessalonians he teaches them the doctrine of predestination based upon the foreknowledge of God and the rapture of the church can you believe 2,000 years ago he teaches them this they're all excited he leaves the Bible tells us that some bozos came into town and said oh don't listen to Paul in fact too bad for all of you you missed his coming you missed it and they were all upset so he had to write to them second Thessalonians a year later to calm them down you need to remember that first Thessalonians deals with the rapture which comes first exclusively throughout its chapters second Thessalonians deals with the church and the second coming issues of Christ bodily return to earth so in that announcement I want you to write this down and so number one isn't 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10 again we read it a moment ago that we're to wait for his son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come that's chapter 1 verse 10 chapter 2 verse 19 for what is our hope our joy our crown of rejoicing is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ that is coming that's number two argument number three is found in chapter 3 verse 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless and holiness before our God and Father look at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints the word all his Saints is found in 1st Thessalonians are you guys with me verses 13 to 18 remember it says that he's gonna come and he's gonna bring those who died in Christ with him he's bringing the church age Saints my mom's coming my dad's coming my sister's up there do you know anybody up there listen if the Lord was gonna come back today the Bible says that before you and I go up their bodies the dust of their bodies somewhere on earth is going to be reconstituted the the the Dead will be raised that is their bodies have got to be resurrected even if it's dust you say yeah but what if I donated my kidney to somebody you're gonna get your glorified kidney back somehow I don't know how it's gonna work but what about those who got bit by shark and then in the shirt you know deposited them over the Pacific Ocean listen they never cease to exist in the sense the molecules are still there they're just wet just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not gonna happen the dead in Christ will rise first and we are alive and remain will be caught up to meet them in the air and the Bible says the Lord will bring with him those who have died in Jesus we're gonna meet him man that's fantastic it's awesome so that's chapter three chapter four we read it numerous times already 4:17 then we were a library nation shall be caught up together with them in the air or in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air number five chapter 5 verse 9 for God did not appoint us to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ those are awesome verses you can't read those verses about thinking about Enoch in fact I think Josiah today was it just sigh that mentioned that old word that back in the days of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa maranatha I remember that we added on our t-shirts I had it on the back window of my truck maranatha everybody was it was Maranatha these hippies were walking around going maranatha man groovy groovy Maranatha Maranatha what is that maranatha that's what he not did he not walked around in your Bible Enoch walked around and announced Maranatha now the other thing about this man Enoch this is a weird duck he walked around saying the Lord's coming behold the Lord cometh he's coming the Lord's coming that's what Enoch was known for he's like a hippie in the 70s the Lord's coming maranatha how long ago was that thousands of years ago the Bible says Enoch walked with God and it says as he walked with God he was no more because God our Pi harpazo him right out violently took him up off the earth and into heaven Enoch never died that's why we don't know who the two witnesses are but Enochs got to be one of them because it's appointed unto every man wants to die and then comes the judgment Enoch is though Enoch is one Elijah's the other one he didn't die either Elijah went up could it be Elijah and Enoch at the end days that come back in the book of Revelation it says I don't know we'll see actually we'll see from above wheels look down at it and think about Enoch and here's the reason why this is my Enoch verse it's Luke 21:36 Luke 21:36 Jesus is watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy stop right there I said it earlier today how in the world could you possibly ever be worthy enough there's only one way to be worthy the Bible makes it clear you'd have trust in the Lord Jesus Christ put your faith in Him and believe what he did for you at the cross was all sufficient that he died on that cross for you was buried and on the third day rose again from the dead and ascended back to heaven exactly as the Bible prophesied and as the Bible records the accounts Christ died for you and by you putting your trust in him he applies to you his righteousness can I put it this way his worthiness is placed on you why is that important because it says worthy to escape look Church some of the things that are gonna come half the things that are gonna come no what does the verse say all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man that answers to the promise that Jesus is saying I'm gonna come get you I'm gonna pick you up and meet you in the air it answers to what the Apostle Paul says there's gonna be a trumpet blast the shout of the Archangel and the voice of God and we'll meet the Lord in the air it's awesome it's exciting why wouldn't why would anyone fight against this I don't get it so don't believe it okay that's your problem but here's the deal isn't it cool I mean let's be honest yeah yeah but it's wishful thinking not for me it's my hope and I got to tell you I mean I don't know about you but there's a lot of reasons why I want to walk the straight and narrow there's a lot of reasons why I want to finish my course and one of them is Jesus could come back today he said well what what does that matter if you're saved you're not only for this reason the Bible says I'm paraphrasing this the Bible announces to us don't be goofing up so that when he comes you'll be ashamed at his coming look if you're messing up today it doesn't mean you're not going up it means that you're gonna be ashamed that is coming it's like oh look you're gonna go up but by wood hands stubble you know I'm saying I want to go up being busy about my father's business such an awesome reality for us point number two and yes I have to hurry point number two what will be the characteristics of the rapture what's it going to be like what's that all about often overlooked fact about the rapture as I mentioned earlier it's the final act of God's redemptive work so keeping that in mind the Bible says in Colossians chapter 3 verse 4 when Christ who is our life appears then you also will appear with him in glory whoo characteristic is I'm going to be perfected you're gonna be perfected the redemptive work of Christ will be completed so well that's this question how will the rapture happen how is that going to be and according to the Bible it's this immediate event first Corinthians 15:51 this is awesome first Corinthians 15:51 says behold I tell you a mystery the word mysterion and Greek means something that has been has always been but it's now revealed in other words this is amazing hold on to your seats according the Bible there are things that God reveals that our eternal truths but it reveals them in his time he leaves that up to his prerogative and so behold I tell you a mystery we shall not all sleep the word sleep in reference to the believer is to the body you're not we're not all going to die but we shall be changed verse 52 in a moment and a twinkling of an eye how cool is that it's gonna happen number two what will happen to those that are left behind I mentioned this last week and it generated some angst in people's lives and it should it should what's going to happen to those when the character is just of the rapture takes place if we're gonna be transformed instantly in this event that we pray as aren't in our lifetime even today I hope what's going to happen to those that are left behind we should ask this question and as you know almost a irreverent sarcastic manner is anyone left behind well yes we know people are left behind so then when the rapture separates the church from the non-believer what characteristic will transform if we're changed what becomes of them and I mentioned this last week and it generated a lot of mail and yet I just I'm gonna say what I said last week go study it and get your answer when the rapture takes place and the separation happens between the church and the non-believing world remember this 2nd Thessalonians 2:11 and for this reason God will send them do you remember last week who are those that are the VINs it's those who did not believe listen he will send them notice God will send them not Satan God will send them strong delusion that they should believe V lie how come that they all may be condemned who this is the reason this is why they're condemned by the way it's found in John chapter 3 verses 18 19 and 20 same statement that they all may be condemned why who did not believe in the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness this is a terrifying verse to remember me saying this last week the verse means that those imagine this right now I'm just saying and I can just feel someone gonna manipulate the internet now and change the voice and I mean the verbage around this is a danger in this modern age they they have stuff coming out of your mouth that you never said but I'm gonna trust God on this one let's imagine for a moment if the rapture were to happen today I'm not saying that's happening today it could but I'm not saying it is if it did from second Thessalonians 2 it appears that every believer I mean every non-believer who's heard the gospel and they understand it zero I said they're there they're not saved there may be very religious they may go to church I don't know but they can tell you the gospel but they don't believe it they did not receive the love of the truth when that moment happens they like I mentioned last week they're done they will not have a second chance because they were expected to be watching and waiting and truly believing which a true believer watches and waits they know the gospel to the point they can regurgitate it back to you but they don't believe it the rapture takes place God sends them strong delusion so that they will believe the lies of the Antichrist coming the generations that are saved are the people that are saved after the rapture are those who are given the gospel by God's provision through various means the 44,000 I mentioned earlier evangelist of the world that the Holy Spirit's using and twice the Bible tells us God will send this is freaky God will send at two different occasions angels through the atmosphere announcing to the earth the everlasting gospel because you know the bots Jesus said this gospel will be preached in all of the world and then the end comes it's going to happen through an angelic manifestation the angels will preach the gospel it says to all people on earth and then the end comes this is a terrifying passage that should motivate you to witness to people that you know somebody asks and so I thought I'd put it in here will the rapture hurt that's a cute one it's not going to hurt it's just going to be quick it's gonna be awesome and it's gonna be your blessed hope imagine how quick could that be where we're just in a twinkling of an eye so anyway I was thinking now we just watched the new Mary Poppins that's out have you seen it and it's so cute and we rewound it the other day we rewound it and you could see I was sorry we watched the new one at the theater and then we then we watched the old one and so we rewound the old one because you know Mary Poppins comes down out of the sky and she lands there in jolly old England and if you rewind it she goes up kind of cool you see her go to moon but she just kind of goes that is not how the rapture is gonna be that'd be kind of cool if you think about it like Earth gets smaller and smaller and smaller but in an instant we're gonna be in the atmosphere meeting Christ how much fun and then so finally we end with this it's our third and final conclusion on this is how close are we to the rapture well nobody knows that's the fun thing about it yeah but you know there's somebody didn't somebody say the rapture is happening this month of course there's always crazy people saying that I always get upset when somebody says the rapture is going to happen on January 23rd well doggone it now they just blew it for the 23rd now it can't happen on that day because Jesus announces no man knows the day or the hour I'm kind of joking a little bit but you don't know oh no pastors the Lord I'm a prophet and the Lord showed me no he didn't you're the burrito you had the night before showed you nobody knows you're not gonna know thank God we don't know do you know how messed up the world would be if we knew that Jesus was coming back on a certain day of a certain year it would be so messed up the church would be so messed up it's messed up enough but it'd be messed up so how close are we well will there be warning signs to the rapture the Bible makes that very clear there will be no warning signs whatsoever it's imminent it could happen at any moment the way the Word of God is structured from the first century every generation of believers were challenged to be ready at any moment I don't want to be labor it we talked about it but those we statements of Paul in 1st Thessalonians 4 we we 5 times he says we not those not them he did not surrender his hope of the imminent return of Christ until 2nd Timothy chapter 4 when it's revealed to him that he's going to die in Rome and that's very important how should we be living in light of the rapture well we should be ready 1st Thessalonians 5 verse 1 says but concerning the times and the seasons brethren this is also you have no need that I should write to you you know that have you ever stopped to study that that means it's amazing Paul says concerning that time not that day or the hour concerning the times in the seasons you won't need me to remind you about it for you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief and the night don't let anyone tell you that oh you know he's gonna come like a thief in a night well for who let's see what the Bible says for when they say peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman they shall not escape but you brethren are not in darkness so that that day should overtake you as a thief you are all sons of the light and sons of the day we are not of the night nor of darkness therefore let us not sleep as others but let us watch and be sober for those who sleep sleep at night for those who get drunk get drunk at night but let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation notice that for God did not appoint us to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ that's all important very important and then finally here why should you and I know the difference between notice listen the rapture which is imminent always imminent without warning and the second coming of Christ which has many prerequisites before Christ returns to earth you should know the difference are you ready are you ready listen I've got two minutes and I don't even care if I go over because this is too important get your pen ready if not I'll post this online you can look at it you should know the biblical differences between the rapture and the second coming now look look at me first imagine I have an umbrella I should have brought one imagine if I had an umbrella if I open it up you would see this umbrella over my head labeled in the front of the umbrella it would be labeled the coming of the Lord we'll just put that on there the coming of the Lord now on one side of the handle underneath the umbrella you have one column and on the other side you have a second column or can I put it this way under the umbrella of the coming of the Lord you have phase 1 and phase 2 or aspect 1 an aspect to all or under or both are under the umbrella watch it depends on where you're at regarding the church on this side is it isn't an imminent event with no prerequisites on the other side by the way that this church side applies to the church age believers and on this side it would apply to the tribulation age believers by the way once called tribulation Saints and the other one is called the Bride of Christ total difference did you know that please write that down if you don't know the saints of the tribulation are not members of the body of Christ the church you cannot make that fit they are tribulation Saints so watch this we're gonna put them up on the screen fact guys go ahead and put it up the rapture Christ appears in the air for his church ah but the second coming Christ returns to the earth with his church the catching up of all believers takes place at the rapture no one is caught up at the second coming nobody goes up the church age believers are taken to the father's house in heaven Second Coming believers are not taken to the father's house in heaven there's no and there's none of that in fact Jesus Christ comes back with the church and how long are we on the earth ruling and reigning with Christ thousand years the politics of God will take place then next there's no judgment on earth that takes place at the rapture Second Coming Christ judges all the inhabitants of the earth it is Second Coming the rapture the church is physically gathered together to Jesus second coming Jesus Christ Gaza gathers the nations on the earth to be judged only the rapture is taught as being imminent Second Coming happens for it for at least seven years seven year period of time Second Coming Second Coming is at the end of the seven year period which by the way must happen because it's Jewish it's Jewish it's clearly revealed in Isaiah and Daniel specifically that's why you read about Israel in the book of Revelation and the Jews rapture there's no science preceding it Second Coming there are hundreds of signs preceding the second coming rapture will involve only the believers Second Coming affects all of humanity rapture it is a time of great joy and rejoicing Second Coming it is a time of violence in fear rapture it happens before the tribulation period Second Coming it happens immediately after the tribulation period next slide their rapture there is no mention of Satan in the rapture second coming Satan is bound for thousand years rapture only those looking for him will see him second coming every eye will see him rapture the tribulation begins second coming the tribulation ends rapture takes us to the marriage of the Lamb and his bride second coming Jesus Christ and the bride are seen descending that's revelation 19 rapture you guys okay rapture there is a metamorphose to all believers second coming it happens immediately after the Tribulation Period there in other words there is no metamorphose for the believer next that's it next rapture no so church there's great scholars on both sides of the fence there's great Christians on both sides of the fence now I know listen I know that this topic and endtime topics people don't like to talk about it anymore I wish my church wouldn't talk about this stuff it's so funny we get not thousands we get we've gotten tens of thousands of comments from people saying these chapters of my Bible in my church have never been opened people wrote me and said I talked to my pastor and asked him why and I encouraged them to go to your website and view the message from last week and I'm gonna have them I'm gonna ask them to view the message this week and they said it's too controversial excuse me all you have to do is mention Jesus that's too controversial don't let anyone rob you of your joy and of your hope that you are living not for retirement have you notice I mentioned in a lot that now in my age it's look I don't get to retire right I don't think Christians retire we might move to places yes the Lord's moving me to Florida why to witness the people in Florida it's not the Gulf it's the witness we don't retire until we hear the trumpet or until we drop dead and just encourage you about dropping dead a second time I mentioned it today the Bible says to be absent from those bodies to be present with the Lord so it's a it's a good thing and I'm not a prophet I'm not prophesying your demise I'm hoping you have a wonderful year but keep one eye up one eye on the path have head ahead of you that God has set you on and know this a lot of people will and have said to me pastor Jack I know the rapture can't happen because God told me that I'm gonna be married in two years pastor Jack I know the rapture can happen because I just got my law degree and God wouldn't have given me my law degree unless he wanted me to practice law you need to remember something God can say anything he wants like hey Jonah go preach to those people the Ninevites and tell him I'm gonna fry him what a message huh this is this was this message to Nineveh forty days and you perish God loved you didn't even say that he just said forty days and you perish Jonah walks around preaching forty days you fry he hated them they took the message seriously seriously and they repented and God stayed his hand listen God reserves the right to interrupt any regularly scheduled program to execute his will father we thank you for your truth and we thank you for your word we thank you Lord that we're living in a day in an age that your Bible said we'd have many mockers and those that would make light of your coming and when we hear those people today we get all excited makes us even look up more because that would be the atmosphere that would be in the last days but please Lord may it not be of us may we be watching may we be ready may we be living Christian lives that honor your name if we go up today or if we die of old age to you be the glory and so lord this is a great moment for all of us this week to reconsider what are our priorities and how are we living we thank you lord may we please you when you receive us by the blood of Christ okay thanks for watching real life youtube channel and if this message has been a blessing to you then just click the subscribe button because we'd love to keep you up to date on what we're teaching on and what's coming next and if you'd like to help us increase our reach and getting out these messages to a greater audience then you can help support us by becoming a partner by simply clicking on the link in the description box below so listen we want to thank you for helping us get the Word of God out to the ends of the earth

Channel: Real Life with Jack Hibbs

Views: 383,282

Keywords: Rapture, tribulation, jesus christ, rapture of the church, jesus, last day, end times, bible, bible prophecy, revelation, antichrist, pre-trib, christianity, the bible, god’s word, pastor jack hibbs, real life, calvary chapel

Id: 8yBfHgx8d88

Length: 61min 42sec (3702 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 13 2019