What is the Rapture?

1. Introduction.

We have some relatively young Christians in our church who may or may not know what God has in store for the church, so I thought I would take this opportunity to dedicate a few sermons to God’s prophetic program, a program that includes the Church, Israel, and the Gentile nations.

The hope for the church lies in the absolute fact that Jesus Christ was resurrected on the 3rd day after His crucifixion.

Titus 2:12–13 “teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

This is incredibly important.

The hope of the Rapture is based upon the resurrection, and the reality that hope should motivate us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

Sometimes we see those terms in the Scripture, and we kinda ignore them without giving them much thought, but wee are going to look at them now.

Soberly in the Bible means having self-control and being mentally clear.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

If we are sober-minded, we will live in the power of our salvation, we will be on guard for Satan, and we will not be prideful. If we are sober-minded, we will not act like a fighting rooster strutting around with our chests puffed out just waiting to lose our tempers.

Righteously in the Bible means living in accordance with God’s will, and living in a way that is just, honest, and faithful. Righteousness will be evident in our relationships with God, others, creation, and according to His Word.

If we live righteously, we will be guided by the Golden Rule because we love God with all of our hearts, souls, and minds.

Godly in the Bible means living in obedience to God and conforming to God’s laws and wishes.

A godly person is obedient, loving, reverent, prayerful, courageous, and humble. A godly person never makes anything about himself or herself. In a godly person, there is no room for pride.

As Christians, you and I have liberty, but in that liberty, we do not have the freedom to act outside of what God expects, and sometimes that means we just need to follow the old Mexican proverb. “Just shutto your moutho.”

It should be obvious that sober-mindedness, righteousness, and godliness are missing from the church today, and the number one reason why is that Christians are not living their lives in anticipation of the return of Jesus Christ for His church.

The hope of the Rapture should make a difference in our lives, and if it does not, you have some issues with God that you need to iron out with Him.

It is obvious that the New Testament Church was looking for the imminent return of Christ, and that hope enabled them to stand strong in the face of terrible persecution.

I think it is very important for us to know what the Rapture is so that we can understand why we are to live with such great hope.

1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 “For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

1 Thessalonians 5:9–10 “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.”

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 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.”

2. What is the Rapture?

The Rapture is a New Testament promise for the church.

Even though the term Rapture does not appear in the Bible, the principle is evident. In the New Testament, the Greek word, harpazo is used meaning caught up by enormous power.

In the New Testament, Paul, Phillip, and John all experienced types of the Rapture, harpazo.

A. Paul.

2 Corinthians 12:2–4 “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

In the New Testament, it was Paul who was chosen by God to reveal the details of the Rapture, and God allowed him to experience it in type.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

In this verse, “caught up” is the Greek word harpazo.

It means to be snatched or taken by great force. Paul knew all about it because he experienced it himself. Paul had been caught up into heaven, and it was such an incredible experience that he could not even write about it.

1 Corinthians 2:9 “But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.””

Romans 8:18–19 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.”

One of these days, dear friend, and it could happen any minute, we are going to see something we have never seen before, and that hope should motivate us to sober-mindedness, righteousness, and godliness.

B. Phillip.

Acts 8:37–38 “Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.”

Acts 8:39–40 “Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.”

Phillip was baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch after the eunuch had accepted Christ in faith, and suddenly, Phillip was caught away, and you guessed it, the word is harpazo. Phillip was caught away suddenly with great force not to be seen by the eunuch again.

One of these days, dear friend, you could be walking down the street talking to a friend, and then suddenly, you are caught away never to be seen again.

C. John the Apostle.

Revelation 3:21–22 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ””

Revelation 4:1 “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.””

I could say a lot here, but I will give you the drive-by version.

John saw the entire Church Age, and at the end of the Church Age, John was caught away to heaven with Jesus Christ telling him that he was going to show John what was to happen since the church age had ended.

The Age of Grace will not last forever, and when the Age of Grace is completed, the Rapture will take place.

Romans 11:25 “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”

The fullness of the Gentiles refers to the completion of the Church Age/The Age of Grace.

3. What are the signs for the Rapture?

There are no signs for the Rapture; it is a signless event that could happen any minute.

As I have said, the Rapture is a promise for the church. The church came into existence on the Day of Pentecost, and the true church will cease to exist with the Rapture.

God has chosen a group of believers that are making up and will make up the body of Christ. When that body is completed, the Rapture will occur.

Ephesians 1:22–23 “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

One of these days, and it could be today, the body of Christ will be complete, and upon that completion the Rapture will occur. Jesus shared an incredible parable that I think explains what will happen.

Luke 15:4–6 ““What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’”

Dear friend, Jesus Christ came to seek and to save. Today, He is actively searching for those who will complete His body, and when that body is complete, He will return to catch away the church. Jesus Christ knows who it is that completes His body, and that one could very well be you if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as of yet.

4. What happens at the Rapture?

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 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.”

A. Jesus Christ will meet the church in the air.

Acts 1:9–11 “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?

This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.””

I believe, if you study carefully, that you can find a type of all prophetic events in the Bible.

At His Ascension, Christ was wrapped in the Shekinah cloud of God’s glory. He will come for His church in the same way.

Just as He suddenly rose that 40th day after His resurrection so will the church. No one will witness the Rapture. By that I mean, no one will visibly see Jesus when He comes to get His church. He meets us in the air. If you read that passage in Acts, Jesus was there, and suddenly, He was not. The same thing will happen to the church.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 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.”

B. The dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

Why do the dead rise first? My theory is that the dead rise first because they have experienced death. As a reward, they are raised first.

It is either that, or they are raised first because they have further to go than those of us who might be living at the time.

C. All the true church are instantly transformed into eternal bodies.

1 Corinthians 15:52–53 “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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

As I have told you before, our current bodies as currently constructed could not exist in heaven for an eternity.

Do you know what the best features of our eternal bodies will be?

(1) Our bodies will be able to serve Christ forever and ever.

Revelation 4:10–11 “the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.””

We will be given bodies that enable us to worship the Lord Jesus Christ forever.

(2) Our bodies will be free from the curse of sin.

Revelation 21:4 “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.””

When we are raptured, we will rule and reign with Christ during the Millennium. We will have the nature of Christ which makes it possible for us to reign and rule in righteousness. We will not longer have our old Adamic natures.

The Rapture is our great hope.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 “and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

We are to live soberly, righteously, and godly in anticipation of that glorious event.

1 John 4:17 “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”