What is the Rapture?

SCRIPTURE

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (NLT)

13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 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 believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

Welcome

Title

Introduction

Today we are going to look at a key and very controversial theological issue of Scripture, and that is the Rapture of the Church.

It is a controversial issue because there are theologians who do not believe in a literal Rapture of the Church. There are also theologians who believe that the Rapture and the second advent of the Lord are the same thing.

Suffice it to say that I believe that the arguments offered by these theologians are minor in nature, and rather easily defeated so we will not get into them today. Rather I want to state categorically that I believe the next great event on the calendar of events for the Church has to be the Rapture of the Church.

WHEN

The Scripture shows that there is nothing that needs to be accomplished before the Rapture of the Church. We do not know the time of the Rapture, but we do know what will happen at the time of the Rapture.

The Rapture is the time that believers both in the Old Testament and in the Church, age are looking forward to. Paul speaks of it in

1 Corinthians 15:51–53 NLT

51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 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. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

Glorified Bodies

The Rapture is the “mystery” or secret that Paul is talking about in this passage. He is speaking to Christians here because he uses the word “sleep” to describe death, and he is telling us that all Christians whether living or dead will experience a transformation, where we will receive our “glorified bodies” which are without the infection of sin, and we will be forever imperishable.

Paul is very certain about this coming day of transformation. He knows of the promise Jesus made to his disciples.

Scripture coming day of transformation

John 14:3 3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

This is a promise that has comforted me as I stood beside the grave of loved ones, and I know many of you have experienced that same comfort.

It was this change that the people of Christ’s day were anticipating. Many in the Church believed that Christ was going to come back during their lifetime. They did not believe that they would face death.

Many took this belief to ridiculous extremes. They would quit their work, not plant their fields, all the time expecting Jesus to suddenly come back and transform them.

Many still battled with the false belief that there was no resurrection after death, so when many from their Church died, they wondered what would happen to them. Their bodies were destroyed by decay, or made to ash by fire, how could they be transformed.

Warren Wiersbe describes their thinking by telling us a typical inscription that would be written on a grave.

“I was not, I became, I am not, I care not.”

The sad fact of the matter is that there are many people today who follow this same train of thought. I am amazed at the extent of hopelessness that there is in the world today. Some of the poetry and other writing that I have had a chance to read in school is so negative and dark. There is no hope, nothing from which to find encouragement. It is no wonder that the largest percentage of suicides in the world is under twenty.

Paul addressed this issue in 1 Corinthians and 1 Thessalonians for the people of his day, but he is also speaking to us at our present time as well.

We can find reassurance and encouragement as Paul reveals to us the “mystery” of the Rapture.

Forever with Christ

From Paul’s writing we can know that there will come a time of wonderful reunion, as we are transformed with imperishable glorified bodies to forever live with Christ and with the fellow Christians of the ages.

This is why Paul gives us these words of hope:

Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 (NLT)

54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

When the Rapture occurs can be an important factor to tell people who are saved after the Rapture that they are living in the imminent last days. We are not certain of any dates so just consider these as examples, but if the tribulation period were to begin three years after the Rapture, then the second advent of the Lord would occur 10 years after the Rapture of the Church, with the millennium beginning relatively soon afterwards. The basic formula is Rapture + time after Rapture before tribulation + 7 years (tribulation) = second advent of Christ.

Keep in mind that this information is only useful to those who come to Christ after the Rapture of the Church. All Church-age saints will be taken at the time of the Rapture.

Let’s look at the following points concerning the Rapture:

1. What is the Rapture?

A. What is the difference between the Rapture and the second advent?

2. Who are involved in the Rapture?

3. What are the effects of the Rapture: to Christians to non believers

4. How do we prepare for the Rapture?

Point one: What is the Rapture?

Rapture

The Rapture of the Church can be defined as follows:

At a time known only to God, the Lord Jesus Christ will return in the sky to claim all believers, dead or alive, to this point. He will translate their bodies, changing them in an instant from the corruptible bodies that we now have, into imperishable glorified bodies. We will dwell with Christ and the saints, and fellowship together forever.

Philippians 3:20–21 NLT

20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

At the time of the Rapture the Church will be taken up to be with the Lord in the air. This means all the saints who have died from the Old Testament, throughout the Church age, whether they be buried, cremated, buried at sea, their bodies will resurrect and be glorified incorruptible bodies.

You may want to know what these glorified bodies will be like? It is unfortunate that we don’t have more information on them, but this is all that we can say factually concerning this for now.

Rapture vs 2nd Coming

We know that the difference between the Rapture and the second advent is that with the Rapture of the Church, Jesus comes down in the sky but does not touch planet earth. Jesus does touch the earth with his second advent, thus fulfilling the Scripture of Acts 1:9-11:

Acts 1:9–11 NLT

9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

In the Rapture we see the fulfillment of the Hebrew wedding ceremony. Christ having prepared a place for his bride (the Church), comes to get his Church, and take them to be with Him in His Father’s house.

Point two: Who Are Involved In The Rapture?

Paul says in the Thessalonian passage that only born-again Christians are to Raptured. He does this by using two important terms in this passage.

1. Brother: He starts the passage by addressing “brothers”, but for our purposes we would add the word “sisters” as well. These are people who are of the same mindset as Paul.

Paul was certain of the need of spiritual rebirth by accepting Jesus as savior and Lord. Those who shared that experience with Paul he would sway were part of the eternal kingdom.

Let’s Be Clear

Let’s be clear. Paul here is saying that not all people will be taken up at the time of the Rapture. Those not taken will be all living non-believers, those who have not accepted Christ as Lord and savior. Those not taken will have to live through the tribulation. They will not have the benefit of the Church to assist them, and they will face the full force of the evil one.

The second term that shows that this is for believers is that Paul uses the word “sleep” for death. This is a beautiful description of death for the believer for several reasons:

1. As the sleeper does not cease to exist while his body sleeps, so the dead believer continues to exist.

2. As the immaterial part of man when asleep still functions in that he dreams, and his sub-conscious is still at work, so likewise, the believer’s soul and spirit are not only awake and enjoying the presence of God, but they are at rest.

Philippians 1:23 NLT

23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.

3. All sleep is temporary, so also is the death of the body. It anticipates the resurrection.

Paul knew the people he was talking to had a great fear of death. He knew the desperate grief that they had as they stood at the grave of loved ones, they felt would not share the glory of God because they died.

He sought to encourage and comfort his people then, and the Church of this present day with the words:

1 Thessalonians 4:13–16 NLT

13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 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 believers who have died will rise from their graves.

The Call Into Eternity

As Christians we need not welcome death into our midst. It is still our “final enemy.” But thanks be to God for the resurrection. Because of this we need not fear as God calls us into eternity. We will go to be with the Lord as Jesus so plainly promised the thief on the cross, “today you will be with me in paradise.” Oh, how comforting is that thought!

Point three: What Are The Effects of The Rapture For Believers & Non-Believers?

Paul details the changes for the believers in the Thessalonian passage. This will be the time of glorification for the believer. What we accept now by faith will at that time become reality.

Who Will Be Raptured #1

Paul was speaking in reality to the Christian Church when he said that we would all be transformed. The dead will rise from the grave, their bodies transformed into glorified bodies, reunited with their souls and spirits.

Who Will Be Raptured #2

Those who are alive at the time of the Rapture will be taken up as well. Their bodies will be changed instantaneously into glorified bodies.

All children before they reach the age of understanding about the sinful nature in us, I believe will be taken.

All unborn infants, killed by abortion, miscarriage, or stillbirth will be there, with glorified, perfect bodies.

I believe that those who do not have the mental capacity to understand their sinful condition will be taken at this point as well.

What will happen to non-believers?

For the Non-Believer

For the non-believer this will be one of their worst nightmares come true. Consider Matthew’s account of what will happen on this day:

Matthew 24:36–41 NLT

36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. 40 “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.

Suddenness of the Rapture

First note the suddenness of the Rapture. No one knows the time of the Rapture. It’s just going to happen. Consider what this means:

1. The father or mother who go off to work thinking that this day is just another day, only to find that some of their children, perhaps their spouse has disappeared, without warning.

2. Buses carrying people will crash as their drivers disappear. Massive collisions on the highway as drivers or passengers disappear. Planes crashing, trains derailing. Massive confusion in offices as people mysteriously disappear. Governments thrown into chaos as their heads of state disappear.

3. Those left behind will not necessarily be older people. We don’t know what the age of understanding is as this is a relative term. It would be safe to say though that teenagers will be left behind, certainly those in their later teens.

4. The result for those who remain is that they will have to go through the tribulation. They will face the unmasked power of Satan. Many will be deceived by the anti-Christ, accept the mark of the beast and be forever lost.

Point four: How Do We Prepare For The Rapture?

How to Prepare for the Rapture

How to Prepare for the Rapture

What we must do to prepare for the Rapture is to make sure that we will be part of the Rapture. We must accept Jesus Christ as our savior and make him the Lord of our lives.

Jesus offers us the opportunity to have a relationship with him today. He said he wants to be closer than a brother to us.

Every day that God tarries, and the Rapture doesn’t occur is an opportunity to build God’s kingdom. It is an opportunity to evangelize.

The Church has the opportunity now to take its head out of the sand like the ostrich and realize that it’s our family and loved ones who will be left behind and have to go through the great tribulation. Still more tragic is the fact that so many will go to a lost eternity because we fail to evangelize.

Are You Ready

Are you ready if the Rapture should occur today. You can be by accepting Christ as Lord and savior of your life.

2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT

2 For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.