1Thess 4:13-18
Falling into Heaven

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I. The Connection

This morning \\See 2015Notes on "Matt 24:3"\\, I spoke on the topic
"What In This World Is Going to Happen?".  I mentioned two of the
four things that this world is on track to do:
    1. More of the same \\#Matt 24:3-12\\ - More wars, more earth-
        quakes, more famines, more coldness of heart, more false
        Christs, and so forth.
    2. The continued falling away of the church.

2Thess 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means:
for that day shall not come, except there come
a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition;

Tonight, I want to finish the thought on the church falling away.
Question: How long will it fall away?
Answer: Until it falls into heaven.

That is, the church will continue its falling away until Jesus comes
to get it.
    a. No one knows when that will be.

Mt 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no
man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father
only.

Lu 12:40  Be ye therefore ready also: for the
Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

    b. I do not know that the church’s condition will trigger the
        rapture.  Many things have happened which have not.
    c. I do not know if the church will be revived any between now
        and the rapture.  It could happen.  I hope it happens, but I
        do not know.

Even so, Paul associated the church’s falling away with the return of
Jesus so I believe the condition of the church will be falling away
until it falls into God’s lap.

Let’s consider the text.

II. \\#13\\ The Question

1Thess 4:13 But I would not have you to be
ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are
asleep"

    A. Paul is attempting to teach the Thessalonians on what happens
        to those who have died in Christ.
        1. Jesus had promised a kingdom in which the saints would
            rule.
        2. In fact, He mentions the kingdom 9 times in the first
            three chapters of His ministry as recorded by Matthew.
            \\#Matthew 3:2; 4:17,23; 5:3,10,19,20; 6:10,33\\
        3. \\#Acts 1:1-6\\ It would seem that the disciples were
            surprised that Jesus was leaving.
        4. No doubt, everyone was still expecting that kingdom. (They
            expected a kingdom before Jesus’ death, and they were
            still expecting it after Jesus’ resurrection.)
        5. But now, Jesus had left and some of the believers had
            died and Jesus had not returned.  What happened to our
            loved ones?
            a. 1 and 2 Thessalonians are believed to be the first New
                Testament books written.
            b. 51 to 52 AD
            c. Jesus would have been crucified around 33-37 AD, so
                the believers were wondering where they are!
    B. This section of the epistle was written to answer that
        question.

III. \\#14-17\\ The Answer
    A. To answer that question, Paul taught them about the rapture.
        1. The word "rapture" is Latin I believe.
        2. It is not used in the Bible, but it means "snatching
            away."
        3. While the word "rapture" might not be in the Bible, the
            description of the event is.
    B. Paul taught the order of events within the rapture. There are
        six events mentioned.
        1. The saved death are WITH the Lord.

1Thess 4:14 …even so them also which sleep in
Jesus will God bring with him.

            (a) Although not specifically stated in this text, that
                 would imply the saved dead are WITH Jesus.
            (b) There are plenty of Scriptures that do plainly state
                 this truth.

2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing
rather to be absent from the body, and to be
present with the Lord.

Php 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two,
having a desire to depart, and to be with
Christ; which is far better:

        2. \\#1Thess 4:14\\ The Lord returns bringing the saved dead
            with Him.
            (a) I know that is the same statement; however, it not
                 only means the saved dead are with Jesus, it also
                 means that when He returns, He is bringing them back
                 too.
            (b) This is as the Scripture says.

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a
white horse; and he that sat upon him was called
Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth
judge and make war.
12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his
head were many crowns; and he had a name written,
that no man knew, but he himself.
13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in
blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed
him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean.

        3. \\#1Thess 4:16\\ The Lord himself shall descend (into the
            earth’s atmosphere) with a shout and a sounding trumpet.

1Thess 4:16  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:

            (a) There is the Lord.
                 (1) He is not sending another.
                 (2) This strongly argues for a literal
                      interpretation.
            (b) There is a shout.
                 (1) Who shouts?
                 (2) Either Jesus or an angel, but we cannot tell
                      from the verse which.
            (c) There is a trumpet.
        4. \\#1Thess 4:16\\ The bodies of the dead in Christ shall
            rise before anything else happens.
            (a) It is said to happen "FIRST," giving us the order.
                 (1) Not only are the dead in Christ not to be left
                      out, they will be empowered before anything
                      else happens.
                 (2) \\#1Thess 4:15\\ This is further stated by
                      saying the living will not "prevent" or precede
                      those who are sleeping in Jesus.
            (b) Notice also, it is the dead "in Christ."
                 (1) The unsaved will not be raised at this time.
                 (2) I do not think the saved Old Testament saints
                      will be raised at this time either.
                 (3) I read in the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia,
                      that we fundamental Christians are supposed to
                      believe that all the saints, both those who
                      died before the incarnation of Christ and
                      those who died after the incarnation of Christ,
                      will rise at the rapture.
                 (4) At the present, that is not what I believe.
        5. \\#1Thess 4:17\\ Then the living go.

1Thess 4:17  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.

            a. After the dead are raised, then the resurrection power
                of God works on those who are alive.
            b. We are taken away, caught up.
                (1) The Greek word is used some 14 times in the New
                     Testament.
                (2) It always has the idea of being caught or
                     removed, usually suddenly and with power.
                (3) It is the Latin form of this word from which we
                     get our word RAPTURE, meaning to be suddenly
                     caught up by the Lord.
        6. \\#1Thess 4:17\\ Once "caught up," we will be with the Lord
            forever.
    C. \\#1Thess 4:17\\ Once this "catching away" takes place, all
        of the "then-present Christians" will be removed from this
        planet.
    D. Many have a problem believing in the rapture.
        1. In visiting with Evelyn Burt a few years ago, she told me
            that she had reminded her children of the Lord’s coming
            not too long before.  Their reply was, "Aw, Mom.  People
            have been saying that for years!"
        2. That’s not completely true.  People have been saying that
            for thousands of years, but it is still true.
        3. But what I find interesting is that the world’s reaction
            to the return of Jesus fulfills prophecy.

2Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall
come in the last days scoffers, walking after
their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his
coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were from the beginning
of the creation.

IV. The Effects
    A. It should comfort us.

1Thess 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with
these words.

    B. It should challenge us.  We do not want Him to return and find
        us fallen away!

May the Lord help us to be watching when He comes.
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