1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
At the Rapture
This passage is one of my favorites—not just for funerals where I
usually use it, but for everyday life. It describes the next major
event on God’s calendar. We call it the "rapture." The word comes
from the Latin meaning "caught up."
What happens at the rapture?
I. The rapture will transform the saved.
A. Two groups of saved: the living and the dead.
1. The rapture impacts both groups in similar ways.
2. That means there isn’t has much difference between the two
as we’d like to think!
3. Both the saved living and dead will be changed.
4. The main difference is that the saved dead will know about
it before it happens.
a. \\#14\\ The saved dead are already WITH Jesus.
(1) They are coming back because some remnant of
their old bodies will be used to fashion the
new bodies.
(2) The dead in Christ are alive and alert and will
know what is happening when they head this way.
b. The saved living will not know what is going to
happen until it happens.
(1) \\#16\\ A voice will shout, a trumpet will sound,
and Jesus will descend.
(2) We will be changed so quickly from the physical
to the spiritual that we will hear and see that
happen.
(a) Have you ever heard something and woke up
hearing the noise?
(b) You were asleep but you know you heard the
noise.
1Cor 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
(3) However, the change will not be just skin deep.
(a) We will be changed through and through so
that even our nature is changed.
(b) 1 Corinthians describes what our glorified
bodies will be like.
1Cor 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the
dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in
incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in
glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in
power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a
spiritual body. There is a natural body, and
there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was
made a living soul; the last Adam was made a
quickening spirit.
(c) We will be incorruptible—incapable of doing
wrong.
(d) We will be glorious—finally capable of
giving God glory by our very existence.
(e) We will be powerful (for God and good).
B. Interestingly, our bodies so far have not experienced any of
salvation’s power, but our nature is already experiencing it.
II. The rapture will be the completion of the body of Christ and
begin the time for the marriage of the bride.
A. We sometimes refer to the New Testament believers as the bride
of Christ.
1. We really aren’t—yet.
2. We will be the bride of Christ, but presently, we are the
body of Christ.
3. In our world, a bride is not a bride for years. She is
only a bride for a day. Before that day, she may be a
fiancée. After that day, she is a wife. But she is
only a bride for a day.
B. What is the difference?
1. The body is what we are. The bride is what we will be.
2. The body is earthly. The bride is heavenly.
3. The body is the instrument of service, our main earthly
role. The bride is the recipient of honor, our main
heavenly role.
4. The body is our image used while we are being gathered.
The bride is our image used once we are gathered.
5. The body has a Head to rule over it.
The bride has a Husband to love and protect it.
6. The idea in being called the bride is that even though we
have been greatly honored and loved as the body, we will
we will be much more honored as the bride.
C. By the way, the term "bride of Christ" does not apply to all
that are the Lord’s.
John 3:26 And they came unto John, and said unto
him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan,
to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same
baptizeth, and all men come to him.
27 John answered and said, A man can receive
nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said,
I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before
him.
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom:
but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth
and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of
the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is
fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
1. John the Baptist was describing his role in the work of
God.
2. John was Old Testament. He lived and died before the
cross of Jesus.
3. His role—as important as it was—was as the friend of the
bridegroom.
a. The Old Testament saints will be at the Marriage
Supper of the Lamb, but they will not be getting
married.
b. Old Testament saints were married to the Jehovah God
in the Old Testament. So they don’t need a mate.
They already have one. They just need to be faithful
to their Mate, as do we.
III. The rapture will mean the beginning of the tribulation.
A. I no longer believe that the tribulation will start at the
moment of the rapture.
1. \\#Daniel 12:11, 12\\ mention some "extra days" beyond the
7 years of tribulation.
2. The total number of extra days is 75.
3. \\#Dan 9:27\\ also indicates that the 7 years start with
his signing of the treaty with Israel.
4. Once the rapture occurs, the anti-Christ must ascend to
power and the treaty must be written and suggested. That
will take some time.
5. So it MAY BE, that the tribulation does not start until as
many as 75 days AFTER the rapture.
6. But the rapture of the church will still be the cause that
triggers the beginning of the tribulation.
B. What can I say about the tribulation of the church except it
will be the most horrible time this world has ever seen.
IV. The rapture will mean a stop to public worship.
A. As I mentioned, the church will be gone.
B. Public worship has reached its zenith during the age of the
church.
1. Israel had some public worship but not much.
a. Most of what the Jews did was to offer sacrifices -
one sinner with one priest.
b. There were seasons when all of the Jews were required
to be at Jerusalem and it is logical to suppose
there was some group worship then.
1. feast of unleavened bread
2. feast of harvest
3. feast of first fruits
c. In the days of King David, singers were appointed to
lead in worship of God so there had to be some times
when the people gathered for group worship.
2. Once the church is gone, we know of no gathering for the
tribulation saints.
a. People will get saved but they will have little if
any opportunities to do what we are doing today.
b. Perhaps during the first half of the tribulation, the
newly saved will meet in some church buildings to
worship; but there will be so much death, hunger,
and disease, I doubt many will be able to do so.
c. If there are any gatherings by the second half of the
tribulation, they will most likely be underground
C. We do not realize what a privilege we have to go to a building
dedicated to God to sing, pray, preach, and worship as we do.
D. With the rapture of the church, that will mostly end.
V. The rapture could mean the damnation of Christ-rejecters.
2Thess 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be
revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the
spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the
brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness
in them that perish; because they received not the
love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not
the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
A. As more study has changed my views on when the rapture may
start, so it has changed my mind on what this verse means as
well.
1. I have preached that anyone who had heard the gospel
before the rapture of the church would not be able to be
saved after the rapture of the church.
2. That may still be true. If I were you, I would not want
to chance it.
(a) \\#11\\ clearly states that God is going to send a
strong delusion \\#12\\ upon those who "received
not the… truth \\#10\\and that "all" will
"believe a lie" \\#11\\ "that they all might be
damned" \\#12\\.
(b) That is Bible and it cannot be denied.
3. However, in studying this passage, I notice it does not
say when God will send the strong delusion.
(a) \\#9\\ It may not be until the anti-Christ is
completely revealed "with all power and signs and
lying wonders."
(b) The anti-Christ will be revealed AFTER the rapture
of the church—although we do not know how long
after; but even then, he will not be revealed "with
all of his power and signs and lying wonders" until
the last half of the tribulation.
4. So I don’t question that the strong delusion will be sent
and I don’t question that all who are influenced by it
will believe the lie, but I am not certain from the text
WHEN God will send it.
5. It could be at the rapture, but it could be when the
anti-Christ is completely revealed.
6. If the latter is the case, some of those who rejected
Jesus before the rapture might be able to be saved after
the rapture, but I would not try it.
B. Regardless, the rapture will definitely places the Christ
rejecters in a more dangerous place.
1. As I have said many times before, "If a person will not
receive Christ in grace, it is not very likely they will
receive Him in judgment."
2. And why would you want to take any risks?
Friend, the rapture of the church is the next event on God's major
calendar of events. Are you ready?
<OutlineIndex>
<Close Window>
