Go! And Be Ready: The End Times And The Rapture - 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 Series

Go! And Be Ready: The End Times and the Rapture - 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17

Introduction: A Call to Readiness

We live in days of urgency. The headlines scream with wars and rumours of wars. Morality collapses, society drifts further from God, and people are searching for answers in all the wrong places. But the Word of God is not silent about what is to come.

The Bible declares with certainty: Jesus is coming again. The end times are not a fairy tale, they are a divine reality. And the rapture – the catching away of God’s people – is not a theological curiosity, but a glorious hope and a sobering warning.

Let us turn to our main text:

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (NLT): “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up (harpazo) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.”

This is the blessed hope of the believer – to be with Jesus forever. But are we ready? That is the question today.

1. The Certainty of Christ’s Return

The first truth is simple yet profound: Jesus is coming back.

The New Testament mentions the return of Christ over 300 times – that’s once every 13 verses.

In John 14:3 (NLT), Jesus promises: “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

This is not wishful thinking; it is the word of the Saviour Himself. The Greek word parousia means “coming” or “arrival” – it is used to describe the official visit of a king. Jesus will return, not as the suffering Servant, but as the conquering King.

The Thessalonians were grieving their dead, wondering if they had missed out on Christ’s return. Paul assures them that both the dead and the living in Christ will be united with Him.

When we stand at a graveside, when we see the decay of our culture, when we feel the frailty of our own bodies – we do not despair. We cling to the promise: He is coming again.

John Piper: “Hope is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of Christ in the suffering.”

Church, the hope of Christ’s return is not escapism – it is endurance fuel. It helps us press on when life is hard, knowing Jesus will set all things right.

Illustration: A child waiting at the window for their father to return from a long trip doesn’t question if he will come – they are filled with expectation. So should we watch for Jesus with eager hearts.

2. The Mystery of the Rapture

Paul speaks of believers being “caught up” (harpazo – seized, snatched, suddenly taken). This is where we get the word “rapture.” It speaks of an instant, dramatic, divine event.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 (NLT): “But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.”

Paul calls this a mysterion – a mystery once hidden, now revealed. The resurrection and transformation of believers is the final step of redemption – glorification.

In a world obsessed with upgrading phones, cars, and houses, the greatest upgrade is coming – a glorified body, free from sin and death, in the presence of Jesus forever.

Charles Stanley: “The best way to live is to be ready at any moment to meet God.”

Are we living ready? Or are we living distracted?

Imagine a bride on her wedding day, distracted by her phone, her chores, her hobbies – and not prepared when the groom arrives. That would be unthinkable! Yet how many of us treat the coming of Christ the same way?

3. The Urgency of Repentance and Readiness

The end times are not just about prophecy charts, but about urgent decisions.

Matthew 24:42 (NLT): “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.”

The Greek gregoreo means “stay awake, keep alert.” Jesus warns us to be spiritually awake, not drowsy in sin.

2 Peter 3:9–10 (NLT): “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief.”