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John 14 1 - 3
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

When Jesus said, "I will come again," He spoke of the rapture of the church. There is coming a day when Jesus will come for His church and take her back to heaven.

Many predictions of the past have ended up sounding completely ridiculous:

British surgeon Sir John Eric Erickson said in 1873, "The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon."

Ken Olson, president, chairman, and founder of Digital Equipment Corp. stated in 1977, "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."

Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology said in 1872, "Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction."

If so many predictions have failed, why should we put any trust in the prediction of the rapture?
Because Jesus said it would happen.

He will also return unexpectantly. It's what we refer to as the imminent return of Christ. He could come at any time. On Thursday, October 29, 1992, an estimated 20,000 South Koreans waited for the return of Jesus. Many believers sold their homes, quit their jobs and even underwent abortions to prepare for the Second Coming. And Thursday came and went. In the same way, Jehovah's Witnesses predicted and now believe that Jesus returned in 1914.

But Jesus warned in Luke 17 that there would be people who will say "here it is" or "there it is" and many will be compelled to follow after them. Be careful. Because there will be no warning to Jesus' return. The Bible states that it will be like a trap which catches an animal completely unaware. He will come like a thief in the night. Be wary of those who predict the day of the hour. Expect that Jesus will come unexpectantly.

The greatest passage on the rapture is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. In the next three verse we see five components of the rapture:

1. The return of Christ: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God" (v. 16a).

The Lord Himself will return for His people, accompanied by all the grandeur His presence deserves. There will be a shout of command (whether uttered by the Lord or an archangel is not stated), and the trumpet of God will summon the dead in Christ to their resurrection as well as sounding a warning to those who have rejected Him and thus have missed the Rapture.

2. A resurrection: "and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (v. 16b).

The dead in Christ will be raised just before the living are changed. Now why are the dead raised first? Well, the Bible doesn't say, but it's are custom to bury bodies in the ground, and they have a little farther to go.

3. A rapture: "Then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds" (v. 17a).

Strictly speaking, only living believers are raptured. The word "rapture" comes from a Latin word which means to be carried away in spirit or in body. Both the believer's spirit and body will be carried away at the rapture. We will be "caught up . . . to meet the Lord in the air."

Several years ago, a church in Rome, Ga., was building a new Church and they put a sign out where they were building. The sign announced the name of the Church and also on the sign were the words: "Rapture Preparation Center. Get right for flight."

So when Jesus Christ comes for His church, there will first be a resurrection and then a rapture. However, we use the term "rapture" to describe the entire event.

Keep your finger in 1 Thessalonians 4 and turn back to 1 Corinthians 15.

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery [What Paul is going to share is something that was never revealed before. It was a mystery, and here is the mystery . . .]; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

The Bible tells of only two other people who ever went to heaven without dying: Enoch and Elijah. But when Christ comes, there will be an entire generation of Christians that will never know physical death.

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

At the rapture, every Christian will receive a new immortal body. The dead in Christ will receive theirs through resurrection, and the living will receive theirs through rapture.

4. A reunion: "to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (v. 17b).

The reunion will be with the Lord and with loved ones who have died.

5. A reassurance: "Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (v. 18).

II. When will the rapture happen?

We don't know the date of Christ's coming, and we are not to predict dates. Let me share with you three reasons why I believe the rapture will occur before the Tribulation.

1. The church is not appointed to wrath.

In Revelation 6:17 the coming Tribulation Period is described as a day of wrath.

Paul states in 1 Thessalonians 3:10 that Christ has "delivered us from the wrath to come."

"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 5:9).

". . . we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Rom. 5:9).

2. Jesus mentioned the possibility of a believer escaping the Tribulation.

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36).

3. No Scripture passages on the Tribulation mention the church.

In Revelation 4-18 the church is never mentioned.

III. Why did God tell us about the rapture?

What good does it do us to know about the rapture?

1. It is an encouraging hope.

We read John 14:3 earlier: "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." It's encouraging to know that no matter how discouraging things may get down here, Christ is going to take us to heaven one day."

2. It is a comforting hope.

After Paul described the rapture he wrote these words: "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

3. It is a purifying hope.

In 1 John 3:2-3 we read these words, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure"

There is a story told by Dr. Joseph Stowell, President of Moody Bible Institute, as he visited a home for mentally handicapped children. While walking through the corridors, he noticed that the windows were covered with tiny little hand prints. He asked the director, what they were all about. The director replied, "The children here love Jesus and they're so eager for Him to return that they lean against the windows as they look up to the sky." When we face the difficulties of life, lean against the window and look up to the sky. Jesus is coming back. Encourage one another with these words. . It is a purifying hope.

In 1 John 3:2-3 we read these words, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure."

4. It is a motivating hope.

Following Paul's words on the rapture in 1 Corinthians 15, he writes in verses 57 and 58, "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

Our labor isn't fruitless. We should be steadfast in commitment to Jesus Christ and diligent in service for Jesus Christ.

While on a South Pole expedition, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton left a few men on Elephant Island, promising that he would return. Later, when he tried to go back, huge icebergs blocked the way. But suddenly, as if by 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 the m. 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'."

Are you ready to meet the Lord in the air?

Or are you unsure you will get off the ground?

You are either on the road to glory, or you are on the road to Armageddon.

You either have a wonderful hope in Jesus Christ, or you don't have any hope at all.