The Mystery of the Rapture

The Second Coming of Christ  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  28:21
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Intro; Last week we looked at the Rapture being a comfort in a time of crisis from John 14. Tonight we are going to look at what Paul calls “The Mystery of the Rapture”.
Text; 1 Cor. 15:50-58
1 Corinthians 15:50–58 NKJV
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will 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 has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
In this entire chapter Paul speaks of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In doing so he begins to make clarification between the celestial body [heavenly] and the terrestrial body [earthly].
The earthly body is one of sinful flesh and blood [Adam/corruption/mortality]
The heavenly body is one of spirit and holiness [Jesus/incorruption/immortality]
[v. 50] This present body of the believer cannot enter into the glory of heaven!
Why can’t a believers body that has been forgiven of sin by the precious blood of Christ, not enter into the glory of God? Because the flesh is still susceptible to sin!
Susceptible- likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing: easily influenced by feelings or emotions [lust of the flesh]
Romans 7:18–19 NKJV
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
There is a change that will take place in the Rapture to our earthly bodies [those who have passed and those alive] that will fit us for heaven!

1. A Mystery; 51-52

Mystery- [my ste rion] hidden truth, learn a secret, reveal
The Rapture of the church was a mystery to those in the Old Testament, but is now revealed to us in the New Testament.
Enoch and Elijah were types of the coming rapture but they weren’t understood by those in the Old Testament in that way. That hidden truth, “mystery”, is now revealed in Christ.
Two fold understanding of this mystery; All believers aren’t going to die, and there will be change.
At the moment of the Rapture, when Christ comes back in the clouds and the trumpet sounds to call His children home, some saints will not experience a physical death as others have.
Sleep- death
The power of death is broken in the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ and Satan can’t change that fact [v.55-57]
Last Trumpet- this includes the resurrection of the bodies of those who come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation time.
Revelation 6:9–11 NKJV
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
Revelation 14:12–20 NKJV
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” 14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.
Revelation 16:15 (NKJV)
15Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.

2. We Shall Be Changed;

This statement is used by Paul twice in these 2 verses, being emphatic that there must be a change in us before we can enter into heaven.
What is going to change? Corruption and Mortality
Corruption and Mortal;
The body and nature we presently have is corrupted with the seed of sin, it ages, decays, deteriorates and eventually dies. It cannot be in the presence of a Holy God. It must be changed!
Genesis 2:16–17 NKJV
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Romans 8:5–8 NKJV
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Incorruptible and Immortal;
In the twinkling of an eye all believers will be made heavenly, transformed and given a spiritual body and a perfect nature that will never age, decay, deteriorate or die!
Spiritual body- it will be one like Christ
Matthew 17:1–3 NKJV
1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
Perfect Nature- There is not a whole lot of difference between ones personality and nature. While personality deals with the emotional side of character, a persons nature is the innate psychological characteristics and behavioral traits.
Our mind and our thinking will be changed from earthly to heavenly. It will mirror the nature of God [love, light, holiness, truth/spirit]. It will not be consumed with the things of the flesh!
Romans 12:1–2 NKJV
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
A perfect body and a perfect nature will not have the ability to remember things here on earth as they were before entering heaven. If that would be the case, there would be much sorrow, suffering and tears in heaven.
Revelation 21:4 NKJV
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Close;
In the New Testament, a mystery is not something eerie or inscrutable, but rather “a truth that was hidden by God in times past and is now revealed to those who are in His family.” A mystery is a “sacred secret” that is unknown to unbelievers, but understood and treasured by the people of God.
Warren W. Wiersbe
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