ACTS 1:9-11 | ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE
Notes
Transcript
TEXT: ACTS 1:9-11 | ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE
TEXT: ACTS 1:9-11 | ARE YOU READY FOR THE RAPTURE
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
INTRO
INTRO
EXPLANATION: Jesus had just given His final commission to those that were watching Him.
EXPLANATION: Jesus had just given His final commission to those that were watching Him.
With His powerful promise in v.8, Jesus disappeared into the clouds.
They were shocked and awe struck.
They didn’t live in 2024 when we have the ability to perform incredible things with the use of cables and green screens.
No, they just watched Jesus fly up into the clouds.
So, when the two angels appeared in v.11 and asked that first question, you can really see just how out of touch they were.
“Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?”
Um, hello! We just saw something unbelievable!
But then they go on to tell them a wonderful promise that is just as true for us today as it was when Jesus ascended into the clouds some 2000 years ago.
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
One day, Jesus will come again in the clouds!
And it could happen any day!
ILLUSTRATION: When you know that you are expecting your first kid, it doesn’t seem real.
ILLUSTRATION: When you know that you are expecting your first kid, it doesn’t seem real.
In fact, the baby grew and her belly grew with it, and even still it didn’t seem real.
That baby would move around and kick and I could see the movements and even feel them, but I don’t know why, it still didn’t feel real.
But I can tell you this, on June 4, 2015, when I was holding our little baby boy in my arms, it was real!
APPLICATION: Friend, the next event on God’s prophetic timeline is the rapture of His church.
APPLICATION: Friend, the next event on God’s prophetic timeline is the rapture of His church.
And I grew up in church, and I’ve heard countless messages preached on the subject
We would sing songs about it in church
We say we believe that Jesus could come back at any time, but can we just be honest this morning.
While we say it, most of us don’t live like we actually believe it.
It just isn’t real to us.
We see the days waxing worse and worse
We see the nations lining up against Israel
We see the lessening of the presence of the US as a world power
We can literally see prophecy falling into place, and it looks more and more like it could be at any moment!
But the truth is, most of us don’t really believe in the imminency of the rapture.
Because if we truly did, it would affect the way we live our lives today!
For a few moments this morning, I want to remind us of some truths that we find in the Scripture about this thing called the rapture.
And I hope at the end of the service you will be challenged to do something because of what we look at!
I. WHAT IS THE RAPTURE
I. WHAT IS THE RAPTURE
EXPLANATION: The word “rapture” is never found in our Bible.
EXPLANATION: The word “rapture” is never found in our Bible.
The word is actually from the Latin word “rapti” which means “the catching up/away”
The OT is silent on this prophetic event.
In the ministry of Jesus, He only spoke of this specific event over in John 14:1-3
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
It is v.3 that specifically says that He would come back and receive you.
There is very little clarity on this event until you come to the writings of the apostle Paul.
Under inspiration of God, Paul recorded details about this event in two specific places, 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4.
In 1 Corinthians 15, he calls it a mystery.
Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible says, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,”
The verse is the theme of every church nursery!
The Word of God tells us, there is a generation that will be alive when the calling up of the church takes place!
People will be talking on the phone when suddenly the line will go silent.
The three bubbles on the bottom of the text message will continue, and never lead to a text message response.
Airplanes will crash out of the sky without pilots
Cars will veer into oncoming traffic without drivers
Churches will find themselves mostly empty, aside from the ones who never responded to the message of the Gospel!
Millions of people will vanish off the face of the earth in moment!
ILLUSTRATION: Marvin Clark holds the title for the oldest active missing person case in the US
ILLUSTRATION: Marvin Clark holds the title for the oldest active missing person case in the US
On October 30, 1926, Clark left his home in Tigard, OR on a bus to meet his daughter in downtown Portland.
It was a meeting that never took place.
Clark never arrived
And to this day, he is still listed as missing.
ILLUSTRATION: In what may be the strangest missing person account, On November 29, 1980, 32 year old Granger Taylor left a note for his parents to find.
ILLUSTRATION: In what may be the strangest missing person account, On November 29, 1980, 32 year old Granger Taylor left a note for his parents to find.
The note read:
“Dear Mother and Father. I have gone away to walk aboard an alien space ship. As reoccurring dreams assured a 42 month interstellar voyage to explore the vast universe, then return. I am leaving behind all my possessions to you as I will no longer require the use of any. Please use the instructions in my will as a guid to help. Love, Granger.”
And with that he disappeared and has never been seen again.
EXPLANATION: Now, I don’t think Granger was abducted by aliens, and there is much suspicion that Marvin Clark met fowl play.
EXPLANATION: Now, I don’t think Granger was abducted by aliens, and there is much suspicion that Marvin Clark met fowl play.
But when millions upon millions of people go missing in an instant, the explanations will vary from foul play to alien abduction and everything in between.
But the truth is, those people, both dead and alive, will have been called up to meet their Savior in the air.
Just as Jesus promised in John 14.
Over in 1 Thessalonians, the apostle Paul gave more details about this coming event.
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.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
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.
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:
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.
Paul was dealing with a fear in those Christians in Thessalonica that their loved ones who had already died would miss the rapture of the church.
You have to remember, when Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples believed Jesus was going to come back at any day.
I mean they had watched Him die on a cross and they thought that was permanent only to have Him rise from the grave 3 days later!
They preached and taught that it could happen at any moment!
But as time went on believers began to die.
So what was going to happen to those who died… the ones who were asleep?
That is the premise the Paul is working from here in these verses.
He is giving them hope through the promises of God.
What were those promises?
That those who died in Christ, would be called up to meet the Lord in the air at the rapture.
But here in lies a problem.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
We know that according to the word of God, that those believers who have passed away are at this moment in the presence of God.
So how can they be raptured if they are already with Christ?
The answer is found there in v.14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
The Word of God tells us that when Jesus comes back to rapture His church, He will bring those who are saved and have died with Him.
When He stops in the clouds, they will continue down into the grave, and then they will hear the shout from the Lord, the voice of the archangel, and the playing of the trump of God!
And according to v.16, the dead in Christ will rise first.
I heard one preacher say, “that makes sense, because we have a 6 foot head start.”
And then v.17, those believers who are still alive will be called to meet the Lord in the air!
And for the rest of time, we will be with the Lord!
What an incredible event!
We have so much to look forward to, and the rapture should bring us so much comfort!
So that is what the rapture is… but let’s answer the next question:
II. WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN
II. WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN
EXPLANATION: When is the rapture going to happen
EXPLANATION: When is the rapture going to happen
Notice I didn’t say when is the 2nd Coming
These are two different events
In the rapture Jesus stops in the cloud
In the 2nd coming He comes all the way to the earth
In the rapture no one left on earth will see see Christ
In the 2nd coming everyone will see Christ
The rapture will come shortly before the start of a period known at the tribulation
The 2nd coming will take place at the conclusion of the tribulation.
Later on will will talk about the 2nd coming, but this morning, we are talking about the rapture!
And the question that has consumed theologians and Christians for centuries has been, “When will it happen?”
ILLUSTRATION: In 1988, Edgar Whisenant published his book “88 Reasons Why the Rapture is in 1988”
ILLUSTRATION: In 1988, Edgar Whisenant published his book “88 Reasons Why the Rapture is in 1988”
It predicted that the rapture would take place between September 11-13, 1988.
Spoiler if you were thinking of reading the book… It didn’t happen
So he wrote another book in 1989 that predicted the rapture would happen in 1989.
He must have been a little discouraged after that one… because it wasn’t until 1993 that he wrote his next book, “23 Reasons Why a Pre-tribulation rapture look like it will occur on Rosh-Hashanah 1993.
His final prediction was for 1994.
And yet again, he was incorrect.
EXPLANATION: We have all heard of people who have predicted the rapture.
EXPLANATION: We have all heard of people who have predicted the rapture.
It was only a few years ago that Harold Camping predicted the rapture was going to take place on May 21, 2011.
I’ve never made a prediction of when Christ was going to rapture the church, but I was pretty confident back on May 21, 2011 that it wasn’t going to be on that day!
The predictions have been many and frequent, but none have correctly predicted the rapture.
Because the reality is God tells us no one is going to know when Christ is coming back.
The disciples believed it was going to happen in their lifetime.
Paul believed it would happen while he was still alive.
That’s why he wrote about the events of the last days.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Just to help with our Bible interpretation, when the writers talked about the events of the last days, they were talking about all the days since the ascension of Christ back to heaven.
And just as Paul said, things are just getting worse and worse!
Peter dealt with this at the end of his writing in 2 Peter 3:3-4
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Peter said there were and would be people who would question the return of Christ!
Friend, no one knows when the rapture is going to happen!
Growing up, I heard many pastors stand and preach messages declaring that Jesus was coming back soon!
“Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King”
And I believe that it very well is going to be soon!
But truthfully the Bible never says that it is going to be soon.
But what the Bible does tell us is that when it happens it will be quickly!
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Over in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
It has been estimate the twinkling of an eye is roughly 11/100th of a second.
In less than a second, the shout of the Lord, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet will sound, and all those who have accepted Christ will be in His presence!
And it could happen at any moment!
What is the Rapture, When will it Happen
What is the Rapture, When will it Happen
III. WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT IT
III. WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT IT
EXPLANATION: In light of the Scriptural truths about the rapture, it should provoke a response in each of us.
EXPLANATION: In light of the Scriptural truths about the rapture, it should provoke a response in each of us.
Friend, there is no prophecy that must be fulfilled before the rapture can take place.
That is why the writer of Hebrews told us that we should be “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”
If you know Christ as Savior, you should be looking up.
ILLUSTRATION: I was talking to someone who said they heard someone say they were practicing their “rapture jump” because they wanted to beat everyone else… they hated waiting in line.
ILLUSTRATION: I was talking to someone who said they heard someone say they were practicing their “rapture jump” because they wanted to beat everyone else… they hated waiting in line.
APPLICATION: I doubt that is how things work, but we ought to live like Christ could come back at any moment!
APPLICATION: I doubt that is how things work, but we ought to live like Christ could come back at any moment!
You see for those that don’t know Christ at the moment of the rapture will be left to endure the worst period in all of history.
A time of more death and suffering than we could ever imagine.
In the coming services we are going to dive into the events of that time, but I can tell you right now, you don’t want to be there for it!
And you don’t have to be!
You can trust Christ as your Savior right here this morning.
The Bible tells us:
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
There is nothing that you can do to get to heaven on your own
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
If getting to heaven was based on what you could do, then that means God would owe you.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Friend, if you haven’t accepted Christ as your Savior, I beg you to accept Him today.
Jesus could come back before the end of this service and you would be left behind.
You could go out of the doors of the church today and your heart could stop beating and you’d be in eternity
Don’t take a chance, accept Christ today!
If you are a Christian this morning, do you truly believe that Jesus could come back at any moment?
If you do, it will affect the way you live your life!
What a tragedy to think that there will be Christians involved in sin when Jesus comes back at the rapture.
One second your eyes are viewing some wickedness on a screen
Or you are involved in immorality
Or you are yelling at your parents
And you blink your eyes and you are in the presence of your Savior.
Friend, if there is sin in your life, get things right this morning.
And then get busy telling others about the wonderful Gospel that will save their soul and preserve them from that tribulation period to come!
This morning, are you ready for the rapture?
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
ILLUSTRATION: When I come home, my kids run and hide, I’ll have to go and search for them.
ILLUSTRATION: When I come home, my kids run and hide, I’ll have to go and search for them.
Jaxon is still pretty easy
Kynoa is getting a lot better
Jayce has caused us to question if we actually had another child a couple time because he hid so well!
But before I go searching for them, I’ll say those familiar words, “Ready or not here I come.”
APPLICATION: Friend are you ready for the rapture?
APPLICATION: Friend are you ready for the rapture?
Because it could be today that Jesus says, “Ready or not here I come.”
