On October the 30th 1938 a radio network music program was suddenly interrupted and it was a breaking news flash saying that strange activity was being observed on the planet Mars. The music program then continued for a while longer until there was another interruption and more breaking news flashes of strange activity.
What sounded like a legitimate newscast was in reality nothing more than a unique one-hour drama presented by Orson Wells on the Mercury Theater of the air.
Millions of people that were listening to the program in the United States actually believed that planet Earth was being invaded by Martians.
Let me give you one of these news flashes. First the announcer said that a meteor had crashed to the earth near Grovesmills, New Jersey. Next an on site report came from New Jersey that said thousands of people had been killed not by a meteor as had originally been reported but by death ray guns that were brandished about by an army of space invaders.
An eyewitness described the scene as weird creatures streaming from a huge silver cylinder and burning everything in their path. Martians it seemed had landed on the earth.
Right in the middle, this terrifying report was cut suddenly due to circumstances that were out of their control. Now other parts of the country began to report. One after the other the reports were much the same as in New Jersey.
News flashes said that:
∑ The National Guard had been called out.
∑ The Secretary of War was mobilizing the army.
∑ The White House had declared a state of national emergency.
Keep calm, keep calm the reports urged the public. The same voices that told of weird space creatures burning their way to New York City and had incited fear were now calling for composure. That was taken from Curtis Mitchell’s news broadcast.
Despite assurances that this was only a broadcast drama Americans believed that we were under attack from outer space.
∑ Switchboards were swamped.
∑ Churches were filled to capacity.
∑ Highways leading out of New York City were jammed with the cars of people trying to escape the terror of it all.
∑ In the state of Washington a small town experienced a routine power failure (What a bad time to have a power failure). That power failure was the last straw for the frightened citizens of that town and they believed despite assurances that we were under attack.
∑ Police stations were visited by people who claimed to have seen with their own eyes creatures from outer space.
But it was all make believe.
∑ There were no Martians.
∑ There was no invasion.
∑ There were no death ray guns.
∑ There was no slaughter of innocent people.
But the panic of this nation brought on by a fake broadcast was unbelievable. Even though they constantly reminded the listeners: This is not real it is only a drama.
Almost sixty-two years have past now since that infamous broadcast of the “War of the Worlds.” But I want to tell you today of an event on Gods timetable that is not a drama of man’s imagination and skilled presentation. This one, brothers and sisters, will be true. This one will be real. It will make the “War of the Worlds” and its traumatic impact on society look like child’s play. That day will be when Jesus Christ removes his church, the bride that is called by his name, from planet earth.
That whole scenario will happen suddenly. It will take place in a split second or the Bible calls it a twinkling of an eye event.
∑ Some call it the rapture
∑ Others call it the catching away of the bride.
∑ While others call it and the Bible calls it the first resurrection.
Whatever you choose to call it is irrelevant to this preacher. The bottom line is that this event will impact the entire world like no other event has impacted this world in human history. There has never been anything that can compare to the rapture of the church.
∑ Millions and millions of people will suddenly disappear from the earth.
∑ Untold numbers of graves will without warning burst open.
∑ The sea will instantly give up the dead that is in it.
∑ From every nation and island around the world there will suddenly be chaos and confusion.
∑ Cars will lose their drivers
∑ Airplanes will lose their pilots
∑ Trains will lose their conductors
∑ Buses will lose their drivers
∑ There will be mass destruction and confusion everywhere
∑ Telephone lines will be down for days because of the volume of calls that will be made of people trying to figure out what is going on
∑ People will be trying to find their loved ones and panic will set in on them when they can’t be found
∑ Roads and highways will be obstructed because of the number of accidents that there will be and it will take weeks to clear the debris from the roadways
∑ Hospitals will be overflowing because of the abundance of casualties that there will be from the accidents and commotion
∑ Heart attacks and suicide will be order of the day because of the fear that will be in the hearts of mankind
Oh yes there is coming a day when all of this will take place and it can’t be too much farther away.
I’m preaching this morning “This Is Not A Game.”
You won’t hear this kind of preaching in many pulpits in this day and age but this is one Pastor that is going to preach that there is coming a day when Jesus will return for His church. The only way that you can get in that number is to obey the gospel message and get your heart right with God.
I’m preaching this morning that this is not a game.
The apostle Paul foretold this great day in his letter to the Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
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:
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.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
There’s a rapture getting ready to take place and I plan on being a part of it.
I’m preaching this morning that this is not a game.
This is no drama that is going to be staged. This is not something that is make-believe. But this is a fundamental Christian doctrine. This doctrine was taught by:
∑ Jesus Christ
∑ Paul
∑ Peter
∑ Early church fathers
And it will happen very soon. The song says that soon and very soon we are going to see the king.
There are those around that will tell you that it is not going to happen. There are those that will tell you that someone has just made it up and it’s not for real. There are those that will tell you that this is a new doctrine. But I want you to know that there is coming a day when almighty God is going to catch away his bride and I plan on being in that number. He is going to catch away the dead in Christ and those of us who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
I’m preaching this morning that, “This is not a game! But this is just as real as anything that is ever going to happen. This is not a game – Jesus is coming soon.
The Lord himself taught us this in the book of John. Jesus taught that we are going to be judged for every work that we have ever done.
∑ We will be judged for everything that we have done that people know about.
∑ We will be judged for everything that we have done in secret.
John 5:28-29
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
The message of the rapture of the church must be proclaimed in every:
∑ Pulpit
∑ Church
∑ Sunday school classroom
It must be proclaimed in every:
∑ Home
∑ Family
Every human being has the right to know that one day Jesus Christ is going to take his bride that is called by his name, that blood washed born again body of believers, to himself and so shall we ever be with the lord.
He is taking us to a city whose builder and maker is God. There will be walls of jasper and streets of gold and gates of pearl in that beautiful city, the New Jerusalem, where the Lamb is the light.
There is a day coming called the rapture and this is not a game. As sure as you are drawing a breath right now the Lord is coming one day for his church.
The Bible tells us that no man can know the day or the hour that the Lord is going to return. It says if the house owner had known the time that the thief would break in and steal he would have prepared and not allowed his house to be broken up. But the Bible also says that we can know the times and the seasons of his return.
All the signs right now are pointing to the soon return of Jesus Christ and I am not going to play church anymore. As long as there is breath in this body I am going to live for him with everything that is within me. I will die living for Jesus with everything or I’ll live for him with everything until the rapture.
∑ I am not going to have a fling in this world because his coming is too near.
∑ I am not going to have just one last encounter in the lust of my flesh because he could come today.
∑ I am not going to mess around with adultery and fornication and what gives this flesh pleasure because this is not a game. He is coming soon.
When it comes down to it there are really only two kinds of people here today. There are saved people and there are lost people. Beyond ethnic, racial and social backgrounds and differences it really comes down to only two groups – saved and lost.
There are those here today that if the trumpet would sound this morning they would say Halle here and lujah over there. And there are those who are here this morning that would be left behind and Hell would forever be your portion. There are just saved people and lost people.
But this morning I have good news for you because you can obey the gospel message today. The gospel is:
∑ Repentance
∑ Baptism
∑ Holy Ghost
You can be saved today.
If you have drifted away from God and your heart is not right with Him, you can make things right today. You can get back in good standing with God this morning before you leave.
There are some here today that no doubt have everything all planned out. You say:
∑ I’ve still got some time left
∑ There are still some things in the world that I want to do
∑ I’ve got some desires in the lust of the flesh that I want to partake of
∑ I’ve decided that I want to do this and then I will come back to God
Let me warn you today that this is not a game. Listen to this preacher this morning. The rapture of the church is soon to happen. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God. The dead in Christ are going to rise first and then those who are ready will rise to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. It is going to happen just like that. This is not a game.
You say preacher I don’t believe that. I don’t believe that is going to happen. Oh really? I think you do believe it.
That’s why you’re so uncomfortable today. That’s why you’re squirming around in your seat and you’re trying to find anything to distract your mind away from the word of God. That’s why your heart is about to beat out of your chest. You feel conviction as the Holy Ghost is driving this message home today. The fact is you do believe it. You’re denying it. You’re procrastinating doing anything about it. But you believe it.
I believe in the coming of the Lord. I believe in the rapture of the church and I believe it to be so near. I believe it so strongly that if I were you and I was sitting where you are and my heart was not right with God, this preacher would never get through preaching before I made my way to the alter and got right with God. That’s how strong I believe it.
This is not a game. This is not a drama that will be put on. This is for real. It’s the rapture of the church.
Just this past year Dr. Billy Graham was interviewed by Larry King. During the course of the interview Larry King asked Dr. Graham what his biggest disappointment in life was. Dr. Graham said without question it was when President Kennedy called and asked me to come to the Oval Office. He asked me if I believed in the rapture of the church and I told him that I did. He said, “As you know I am a catholic. Does my church believe in the coming of the Lord?” Dr. Graham said yes they do believe it. It is in their creeds and catechisms. President Kennedy said then why don’t they talk about it. Why don’t I ever hear anything about it from my priest. He said Dr. Graham I want you to come to the Oval Office and talk to me about the rapture. Billy Graham said I’ve got the flu and I’ve been sick and under the weather, just give me a couple of days and I’ll come. He never got another opportunity to speak to the President because he was assassinated just a few days later. Dr. Graham said that was my biggest disappointment in this life. There was a man that was hungry for God and I put it off.
∑ Don’t put it off today.
∑ Don’t shrug your shoulders and say not now.
∑ Don’t turn off that conviction that you feel.
∑ Don’t say I’ll get right with God during the next service
∑ Don’t say I’m not ready to make a commitment to God
Don’t turn God off because no one is guaranteed tomorrow. The only time that we have is right now. You might not have a tomorrow. Life is so frail and fragile. We think that nothing will ever happen to me. But it could happen to any one of us and our tomorrow would be gone.
The Bible says that today is the day of salvation.
Two will be in the field working, one will be taken and the other left.
Two will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken and the other left.
Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
This is not a game!
