We Hope You Have a Evacuation Plan, because Jesus is Coming Soon

To Evacuate means to move out, be taken away, or to escape.

As a child, I would see signs about Jesus’ coming on barns, on sign along the road. You would hear folks taking about waiting for Jesus’ return. But we don’t see signs or hear talk so much anymore about Jesus’ return.

We also used to notice the signs and the Yellow sirens for the evacuation plans for the Sheron Harris Nuclear Plant. When the nuclear plant first opened, evacuation plans and 83 sirens were put in place for all residents living within a ten mile radius of Sheron Harris. Once a year they would test the sirens and folk would panic—calling each other wondering if it was a test.

I always wondered how the radiation would know were then ten mile line was drawn. But, in the 30 years of Sharon Harris’ presence and no need to use the evacuation plan, we have grown indifferent to value of having a plan in case of an emergency.

If the sirens, surrounding the nuclear plant sounded today, do you know what to do?

What would you tell you family and friends to do?

Do you have a plan of escape?

Do you have a evacuation plan that you can place your hope and the future hope of your family in?

This should be a concern for those who live near the nuclear plant.

Paul was concerned about an evacuation plan for the church at Thessalonica, as well as for us living today.

For Paul, the rapture is the believers’ most important evacuation plan. The rapture not only gives us hope of escaping the evils of this world but also of being evacuated from the coming of God’s wrath upon evil. 1 Thessalonians 4:18 commands to comfort one another with our hope in the rapture evacuating believers from the coming wrath of God and transporting us into the permanent presence our the Lord Himself. The rapture not only removes us from the evils of the world but the rapture also spares us from being present during God’s wrath against evil.

Paul’s purposefully teaches about the rapture, so that the Thessalonian believers could comfort one another.

Paul’s concern is that the church has hope. Paul does not want believers to grieve, as unbelievers do. We have a confident hope and His name is Jesus. Placing our hope for the future in Jesus’ return will not only benefit us in the future, but that hope is also for our good now. God gives us hope in Jesus’ return so that we can comfort one another in our present situations.

Hope (ὲλπιζω) means to look forward with confidence to that which is beneficial and for our good. David Jeremiah reminds us that the early church adopted this concept and used the word κοιμετεριον when referring to the burial places of believers. κοιμετεριον means “ a rest house for travelers” or a “sleeping place strangers.” It describes a Hotel, motel, Holiday Inn. κοιμετεριον is were we get our word cemetery.

There was a time when we purposely buried believers facing east. We anticipated them to stand to their feet, when Jesus raptured them. When we died we are checking our bodies into a place of rest awaiting Christ to reunite them with our conscious spirit.

The Thessalonians had watched loved ones serve Christ and die before His return. Believers had died without receiving the rewards of the promised life in Christ. what is the use to serve God is you are going to just die and miss out on Jesus’ Victorious return. Why remain in a state of readiness, when we have time?

What comfort can we give those who grieve if they are going to miss out on some of the benefits of Jesus’ return.

Paul gives the Thessalonians and us today 3 reasons we should comfort one another with our hope in the rapture.

First reason we can comfort one another with our hope in the rapture.

Our hope in the rapture is based on the personal death and resurrection of Jesus.

Fallen asleep (κοιμαω) means to sleep in death. In the NT, Sleep describes bodily rest, while our spirit consciously enters into the presence of the Lord Jesus. This in no way teaches soul sleep—the unconscious existence of the soul after death.

2 Corinthians 5:8 NASB95

we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Philippians 1:23 NASB95

But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;

We have been made acceptable to God, through the death of Christ. The resurrection of Christ proves that, by faith, we are acceptable for the gathering together with Christ in God’s presence.

Second reason we can comfort one another with our hope in the rapture.

Our hope in the Rapture is based on the personal teachings of Jesus.

Third reason we can comfort one another with our hope in the rapture.

The rapture and Jesus second coming describe to separate end time events.

Our hope in the rapture is based on the ultimate effect caused by Jesus’ personal return.

The personal return of Christ causes an escalation in the effects of the Rapture.

The ultimate effect of the is the rapture is our permanent residence with Jesus.

Paul concludes by commanding us to use our understanding about the rapture to encourage and comfort one another.

Comfort one another with our Hope in the rapture.

We need to create a plan for sharing comfort and encouragement to the next four generations. Illustration: Yesterdays VBS and sharing the story of the Bible.

Do confuse the second coming with the Rapture. The rapture make the gospel message urgent. The rapture is next on God’s timeline of salvation history.

Comfort the sick and dying. Make it a point to share the gospel with their loved ones so that they can meet the Lord together. Make sure they have a plan of escape.