The RaptUre: What Is It?
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, [4] and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation."
2 Peter 3:3-4
Background:
Christians were dying, and Christ hadn¡¦t returned. When the gospel was first preached to the Thessalonians, a strong part of the message focused on the expectation of Christ¡¦s return. Several years later, the death of some of the believers raised questions in the church. How long would Christ delay? What about those who died in the meantime? How should Christians live? In response to these questions and other concerns, Paul sent the Thessalonians a letter.
Introduction:
Over the past 30 years, we have seen and experience the rise of a nation Israel. We see the reformation of the Roman Empire. We see the growing power in the East (China). We see the growing tension and the possible peace in the nation of Israel. Are we close, I am convicted that we are very close. We don¡¦t talk about this area of theology enough because during the years the doctrine of the Last Things has been corrupted.
1. THE BASIS OF THE RAPTURE vv 13-15a
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. [14] We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. [15] According to the Lord’s own word,
A. The Death of Christ
„Ã The first basis of the death of Christ, because through his death transformed death into sleep for believers. So in other words, when we die, we just asleep. The foundational work was done at the cross.
2 Cor. 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 1 Peter 2:24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
„Ã When we die (believers), our spirit goes immediately into conscious fellowship with the Lord, while our bodies temporarily sleep in the grave, awaiting the rapture.
B. The Resurrection of Christ
„Ã Christ resurrection proves that He conquered sin and death. God will treat those who died (Old Testament Saints) trusting in Jesus the same way He treated Jesus Himself, namely resurrecting them.
John 14:19 "After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 2 Cor. 4:14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.
C. The Revelation of Christ
„à The reason why we talk about this is because Jesus Himself said that the rapture will happen. We don¡¦t need the news to tell us that Jesus is coming soon, we need to go to the revealed word.
John 14:1-3 "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. [2] "In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. [3] "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
2. THE PARTICIPATIONS OF THE FUTURE v15b
we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
A. Those who are Alive
„à Paul say¡¦s ¡§we¡¨ meaning the he believed that the rapture will happen in his lifetime. So Paul saw signs of His coming @ his lifetime.
Matthew 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Acts 1:7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
„Ã Alive is us because we are not dead yet.
B. Those who are Fallen Asleep
„Ã Sleep is the familiar NT euphemism for death which describes the appearance of the decease. It describes the dead body, not the soul (cf. 2 Cor. 5:1¡V9; Phil. 1:23).
„à Sleep is used of Jarius¡¦ daughter (Matt. 9:24) whom Jesus raised from the dead and Stephen who was stoned to death. Those who sleep are identified in v. 16 as ¡§the dead in Christ.¡¨
Acts 7:60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep. John 11:11 This He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep."
„à The people, in ignorance, had come to the conclusion that those who die miss the Lord¡¦s return and they were grieved over their absence at such a glorious event. Thus the departure of a loved one brought great anguish to the soul. But there is no reason for Christians to sorrow when a brother dies as if some great loss to that person has come.
3. THE PLAN OF THE RAPTURE vv 16-17
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
„Ã There are differing views about whether this taking of the believers and the Second Coming of Christ occur at the same time, as noted below.
1. Pre-tribulationists point to the period of tribulation (described in Revelation) that occurs before the Second Coming of Christ and believe that the rapture of the believers will occur before this time of tribulation. They believe, therefore, that believers will be in heaven while the earth goes through a time of great tribulation. This view sees the believers meeting Christ in the clouds, but places his Second Coming as later.
2. Mid-tribulationists say that the rapture will occur at the mid-point of the time period of tribulation. The believers will be on earth for the first half of that time of tribulation but then will be raptured and will escape the last half, which will be a time of intense suffering. This view also sees Christ¡¦s Second Coming as a separate and later event.
3. Post-tribulationists believe that the believers will remain on the earth during the time of tribulation prior to Christ¡¦s Second Coming. Then, when Christ returns in the clouds, believers will be caught up to be with him.
A. The Lord Himself
„Ã He will not send angels for it, He will come Himself.
Mark 13:26-27 "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. [27] "And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.
„Ã This fulfills the pledge of John 14:1¡V3 (cf. Acts 1:11). Until then, He remains in heaven;
Hebrews 1:1-3 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, [2] in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. [3] And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
B.The Lord will Descend from Heaven
Acts 1:9-11 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. [10] And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. [11] They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."
C. The Lord will come with a Shout
„à The Lord God Himself will appear ¡§with a shout¡¨ (en keleusmati). The word means a military command. The commander-in-chief of the universe will shout louder than any voice has ever shouted¡Xshout even as He did when He was upon earth: ¡§[Believers] come forth¡¨ (John 11:43). The voice of the archangel will cry out. What will He cry? His shout will probably be the rallying cry for all the armies of the heavenly angels to join in the praise of the glorious event. Christ taught that the heavenly angels would be with Him when He returned to earth
D.The Dead in Christ will Rise First
„à The dead in Christ shall rise first. Why will dead believers be the first to be caught up to meet the Lord? Because of the Lord¡¦s great love and care. The first expression of love and care will be shown to those dear saints who had passed through the shadow of death. It is the very nature of Christ to show tenderness and love to those who suffer the most; therefore, they who have suffered the awful fate of death shall be the first to meet the Lord in the air.
E.The Church Rapture
„Ã We who are alive will be caught up right after the dead have risen. There will be a glorious transformation of our bodies just as there will be of those whose bodies have decayed in the earth. The change will be as Scripture declares: the infusion of a totally new nature.
