01-21-01 Meeting In The Air (Notes Only) Nsb - No C

Not Preached - I think I incorporated this into "Meeting In The Air"

(John 14:1 KJV)  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

(John 14:2 KJV)  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.

(John 14:3 KJV)  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.

The next great event in the prophetic calendar in the Bible is the coming of Jesus of Nazareth for His church.

            The event is imminent

            There are no prophecies that need to be fulfilled

            Righteous dead will be raised and living believers will be translated

Let’s look at some of the things we are talking about in these verses.

            First of all, where is heaven?

                        Jesus has gone there and it is from there that He will return.

                        So, how long will it take to cover that distance?

Isaiah teaches us that the throne of heaven is beyond the stars of this universe.

That being the case, then go to the farthermost known star and count from there.

Travelling at the speed of light (186,000 MPS) it would take the Lord about 500Million years to get here.

But…

Friends the God who spoke this universe into existence is not bound by the limitations of it

            No!  God will arrive as soon as He leaves.

            And when the time comes, the Bible says that we will be caught up.

(1 Th 4:17 KJV)  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.

Now I am not an expert in the original languages of the NT.  But, I do try to pay attention to those men of God who are.

This word that Paul used for “caught up”

Can I talk to you about that for a second because it gives us some important information regarding the rapture.

            The word is harpazo

                        It means to carry off by force – Wuest

                        “Oh, that sounds bad!”

                        No, that is very good.

Satan is the prince of the power of the air and as such his forces of evil inhabit the area immediately surrounding this earth.

But children when Jesus comes to get us, and we get our new bodies and he takes us from here to the place He has prepared for us, there is not going to be one thing Satan can do about it because according to the divinely inspired words of the apostle Paul, we are leaving by force.

We will witness the omnipotent power of Jesus Christ that we have heretofore only read about.

We are gonna go right through the area occupied by the prince of the power of the air and for those of you who are left behind, I need to warn you: This is really gonna make Satan mad.

            Who’s gonna go?

            “The church.”

(Phil 3:20 NIV)  But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

            Does that mean everyone here is going?

                        It most certainly does not.

You have heard it accurately stated that:  “Everybody talkin’ ‘bout heaven ain’t goin’ there.”

            When’s it going to happen?

                        Sometime between right now and the beginning of the tribulation.

The Bible tells us that the church will be kept from the hour of the testing mentioned in Revelation as the Great tribulation.

            That does not mean we will be protected as we go through it.

            It means we will not be here.

            Can’t you be more specific?

                        Yes.  It could be this afternoon.

Some of you are thinking more about where you are going to go this afternoon than you are this message and yet this afternoon may never come for the saints of God.

Then brothers and sisters this message will take on a whole new meaning in your life.

There are some here who have been pilgrims on a journey for Jesus for many years.

            I have good news for you weary traveler.

            When Jesus steps out on a cloud to call His children.

            You journey ends in victory!

What should I do?

As believers we are not to be looking for some sign or event that will signal His coming but we are to be expecting Him at any moment.

The apostles, Paul and Peter and John have all made the appeal that your living should be holy and your service should be diligent in anticipation of His arrival.

Harpazo also has the meaning of claiming for one’s self eagerly.

The great bridegroom is coming from heaven to claim His bride – the church.

            And finally the word means, ‘to snatch out and away’

                        It’s going to be sudden and it’s going to be a surprise.

We are living in the last age of church history as it is laid out in the book of Revelation.

Are you ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?

If you have never seen yourself as a lost sinner and seen Jesus as the Savior of sinners then you are not ready.

If He comes while you are in that state then you will remain on this earth to suffer through the tribulation after the church has ascended to heaven.

But, you can be ready.  The day of grace is not over yet.

            He will receive you if you will come to Him in faith believing.

            You simply need to get on the right road.

            Jesus Christ is that road.

(John 14:6 KJV)  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

“But, I am saved.”

Is there anything in your life that would prevent communion with the Holy father?

            Are you in the center of His will?

            Are you constantly yielding to the Holy Spirit?