The Rapture of the Church

Transcript

GR 1124
4/21/1985
The Rapture of the Church
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Gil Rugh

I Thessalonians in your Bible. The book of I Thessalonians and the 4th chapter. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians the first part of it centered on personal concerns that he dealt with in the first three chapters. In chapter 4 he opened up with a discussion of walking in a manner that pleases God, with a sanctified life, a life that is set apart for God to honor and exalt Him in the way that we live. This meant that we would avoid sexual impurity. It meant down in verse 9 that we would love one another, and continue to grow and increase in our love for one another and then in verse 11 that we would lead a quiet life, and tend to our own business and work with our hands, This is to maintain a good testimony before those outside the body. We, as believers ought to be recognized as those who are diligent, hard workers, and have a desire to lead a quiet life and not to be causing problems and discord.

Now Paul is going to change gears again in this letter, to the subject of prophecy. We think of one subject that characterized Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians it is probably the subject of prophecy. The coming of Jesus Christ, the tribulation that will lead up to His second coming to earth are key subjects in Paul’s Letters and perhaps the basic or one of the two basic passages in the New Testament on the rapture of the church is written to the Thessalonians and that is found at the end of chapter 4 and want to look at this portion with you together.

Beginning with verse 13 the situation seems to be among the Thessalonians that they have come to question what about those who die before Christ comes. It amazes me how much theology Paul communicates to the Thessalonians in a brief time. He talked to them about prophecy, about the coming of the Lord, about the hope they had in His coming, that He would be coming at the rapture to take them to Himself and they would be delivered from the coming time of wrath on the earth, but what about the Thessalonians that died before the Lord comes what about loved ones who pass away or who are martyred? What for them? Those who are alive are anticipating the coming of Christ to take them to be with Himself, but what about those who die before the Lord comes. Now for us who have been believers for awhile, we have studied that word and you say that is not a big question, but you put yourself in the Thessalonians position and it is a real concern to have loved ones who are dying and Christ hasn't come, what is going to happen to them.

Paul writes in verse 13 we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that expression, we do not want you to be uninformed, or as the King James has it, we don't want you to be ignorant, one Paul uses a number of times in the New Testament, as he brings up a new subject with new material. This relates to those who are asleep, asleep being what we would call enthusiasm, referring to those who have died. It wasn't unique to Christianity, used in a variety of religions but it takes on a special significance to us within Christianity. It refers to the temporary activity of the body so sleep is a fitting picture to describe those who experience physical death, their body is simply lying there inactive. Has nothing to say about soul sleep. We'll see some passages that will indicate that is not a scriptural doctrine. The person is not asleep, but there body is because it is inactive and unused. About those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. Paul’s purpose in writing to inform them about the death and resurrection of believers is so they don't have the - grief, or the inner sorrow, or anguish of heart that characterizes the people that are without hope and the whole world can be divided into the two groups, those who have hope and those who have no hope. Those who are outside of Christ have no hope, their life is centered here and now, we might say the ultimately reality which is death, frustrates and brings to an end all the hopes and all the plans they ever had. They are without hope, , when a Loved one dies that Loved one is gone from them for all eternity, there is no way to soften
that blow, they are without hope, but we shouldn't grieve as those who have no hope, now you note here, it doesn't say believers shouldn't grieve, shouldn't have sorrow, in the face of the death of a loved one, but it is a different kind of sorrow than the unbeliever has, for the unbeliever has no hope in his sorrow, but the believer, even though there is sorrow, there is hope that mellows that sorrow. He goes on to explain, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, that is foundational and if you are going to summarize biblical Christianity this is a great summary. A Christian is one who believes that Jesus died and rose again from the dead, that was accomplished to pay the penalty for sin, for those who believe this that Jesus died and rose again even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. What he draws then is a para Lie: i just as Christ has died, so these believers have died and just as surely as Christ has been raised from the dead so these believers will be raised from the dead. So for those who have their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as the payment for their sin, they have the hope of seeing their loved ones again and it is the resurrection that gives this hope beyond this life. Even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. I want you to note how this is put. Christ will bring them with Him, that is where they have been, the ones who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

A couple of passages, in James, just as a review for you. The book of James chapter 2:26 tells us what physical death really is. Averse many map have memorized. For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. Note his physical description of death here. The body without the spirit, the spirit of the person, the person himself is not asleep in that dead body. The person, himself has left that body. That is what physical death really is. Now we define it many ways medically, the heart stopped or the cessation of brain waves or whatever, but in reality what has happened is the person has Left that body and so physical death occurs when the- body does not have the person, the spirit living within it, it is a dead body. Now for the believer in Christ that spirit, that person, has gone into the presence of Christ. Two passages.

II Corinthians chapter 5 Paul’s most extensive consideration of the subject of death, verse 6. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord while we are living in this physical body we are not living in the presence of the Lord for we walk by faith not by sight for we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Paul says that for a believer when he goes out of this body he goes into the presence of the Lord. He says I would far rather move out of my body and move into the presence of God. That' s preferable for me as a believer, so death is a blessing for me in a real sense for one who is a child of God, because it means now he is ushered into the presence of God. You note here, no concept of his ceasing to exist, to be absent from the body as a believer, is to be present with the Lord, Paul wrote the same things in writing to the Philippians.

Philippians, chapter 1:21 For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Jesus Christ is what it is all about, for me as a believer but I am even ahead when I die. Why? Paul says I don't know whether I would rather stay on living, and serving Christ in this life, or be free to go with Him because v. 23 I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; but I would also Like to stay and minister to you that you might be more fruitful for Christ, so Paul’s desire to stay wasn't for his own benefit, but for the Philippians, because he says it was much better to Leave this Life and be with Christ. See the difference in perspective for one who is a child of God and one who is not? Even though there is sorrow over separation when a loved one who is a believer in Christ experiences physical death there is joy for them in knowing they are privileged to be in the presence of Jesus Christ in heaven, but for the person apart from Christ there is no such hope. Now the person who has not come to trust Christ at physical death, they too leave their body, they never cease to exist or to be conscious, but they move in the place of torment.

You can look at Luke chapter 16. An account Jesus shares of a rich man and a bigger. The beggar being named Lazarus. In this life the rich man had everything, in this life Lazarus the beggar had nothings but Lazarus was trusting God for his salvation, the rich man was not and so you’ll note. Verse 19, a certain rich man, dressed in splendor, v 20, a poor man in rags, v 22 it came about the poor man died, was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom; the rich man also died and was buried, and that was the end of him. NO! And in hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, being in torment, now as a person he still had the ability to suffer the agony, and anguish of suffering hell even though he had been removed from his body, but you note he didn't cease to exist. The poor man died and goes into glory, I take it into heaven, the rich man dies and he is in torment, so after this life there is continued existence for believer and unbeliever alike. Now with Thessalonians he is talking about, come back to Thessalonians again. What is going to happen in the future? These have died believers in Jesus Christ; their bodies have gone immediately with Jesus in heaven, but what does the future hold for them, what about their physical bodies that are put into the grave, that return to dust. We know that those who are alive at the coming of the Lord will be caught up to meet him in the air, the Thessalonians understood that, what about those that have died, have they missed that privilege having their body glorified, Paul goes on, v. 14 that Christ is going to bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus then how the events will transpire and be brought about.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, the reason Paul knew this was God told him, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. So he sets down an order here so you don't have to worry about the Christian who has died. We who are alive when Christ comes in the air will not be caught up to meet Christ in the air before those who have died. Now those who have died will be with Him, but they have been with Him without their physical bodies, so he explains. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven, Jesus Christ descending from heaven. Three things, 1. A shout 2. Voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God. So Christ descends from heaven in the air, there is a shout, there is the voice of the archangel and there is the trumpet of God and the rapture occurs.

Now the shout, the voice of the archangel and the trumpet. What do all of these signify? We’re not told, in scripture. What is the shout? The word shout here is the word for a military command but we’re not told the content of that shout. Some would take it as the military command to Leave, to move out, because the believers are moving out from this world. We are not told what the content of it is. The voice of the archangel, Is the voice of the archangel the shout which is like a trumpet? It is possible, possibly to interrupt it this way, that the shout given forth by the archangel in the trumpet sound and the trumpet used in effect to give the command as would be done in the military when the Last trumpets sounded for the army to move out in effect gave the command. I think it is simpler to take it as three distinct things that happened, the shout, the archangel. The only angel we know of who is called an archangel is Michael who is called Michael the archangel in the book of Jude. .Only two angels are named in the Bible, Michael and Gabriel and Michael is called an archangel. If there are other archangels we are not told about. He is the chief angel of Israel, interestingly. What he says here were not told.

We know this is going to be a dramatic time for Israel, because with the removal, of the church from earth that will signal again that God is going to begin his program with Israel in the 70th week of Daniel. We’re not told what the archangel says. We'll know someday, but it will be too late to give a sermon on it, I'm afraid. The trumpet of God sounds, and again the significance of the trumpet that calls us to Jesus Christ. The trumpet of God, I take it whatever is involved in what is said and so on the sound is to call us to Himself. An interesting question, Will only believers hear this or will the nonbelieving world hear it as well? I hope the nonbelieving world hears it as well, but I don't know, but there are incidences in scripture where God speaks from heaven and the world does hear. Paul on the Damascus in Acts chapter 9 those with him hear the sound, but they don't understand the words. In John chapter 12 shortly before the betrayal and crucifixion of Christ the Father speaks to His Son from heaven and they hear the sound, but they didn't understand the words, and it may be the world won't hear, the noise of this shout, and the voice of the archangel and the trumpet sounding even though they don't comprehend what that mighty sound is but the believers will because it is the call for them and they will understand and respond. It may be it is simply heard by the believer, we are not told by Scripture, but it would fit Christ's coming in the air, that the sound of this would be heard worldwide, and out of the whole world the believers are summoned by this into God's presence, I really don't know which way it is, either way everyone who is a believer is going to hear it and that is what matters. The order, and we want to be sure about this so we go at the right time, although we won't have to worry about it.

The dead in Christ shall rise first. Isn't it interesting that God saw fit to share this truth with us? Talk about Him being concerned about what concerns us? 'Wouldn’t it have been enough for Him to say don’t worry about them they are going to be raised too, but God condescends to explain to us that our loved ones in Christ who have died they are going to get their bodily resurrection immediately preceding ours, so don't be worried about them, don't feel badly for them, Thessalonians, they aren't going to miss out on one thing, because at the shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God the bodies of believers who are in the grave, those who are in Christ, I take it that it is only the church, the dead in Christ at the rapture, those from Acts chapter 2 down to this point in time in the rapture of the church are resurrected bodily on this occasion. Old Testaments saints are
raised some seven years Later at the second coming of Christ to earth what Christ is doing now is coming to take His bride to be with Himself, and in the pattern of the oriental wedding to come and to gather His bride to Himself, the marriage will occur and then He will return with His bride to earth for the marriage feast of the Lamb, which is really His millennial reign on earth. The dead in Christ shall rise first, then we who are a live and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. Now they are going to go first, but it is not going to be a long gap, just a very instant of time- occurs because we meet in the air. The dead in Christ don't rise and meet Christ in the air and then go to heaven and Christ come back to us, No, we are immediately caught up together with them in the clouds. So you note what happens at the rapture of the church, Christ descends, in the air in the clouds. He does not come to earth itself. He calls the believers from the earth to meet Him in the air so the dead in Christ, their bodies are raised and they move back in those bodies that have been glorified and suited for God's presence in heaven. Those who are bodily alive on the earth will look at them in a moment. They are caught up with them together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and then that great reunion there then we shall always be with the Lord, therefore comfort one another with these words. That is a tremendous hope that the believer has. We don't grieve as those who have no hope. We may weep at the funeral at the passing of a loved one, but it is a sorrow that is mellowed by the great hope we have in Christ that someday we are going to be reunited in the very presence of Christ in glory and then we shall always be with the Lord. No more separation, no more sorrow, no more tears, glorified in His presence, That is the hope of the believer. That is the hope that the believer has in the face of sorrow and death.

Back up to I Corinthians 15. The emphasis in 1 Thessalonians 4 is on what happened to those who have died when Christ comes at the rapture, In 1 Corinthians 15 the other major passage on the rapture the emphasis is on those who are alive when Christ comes to earth, that is comes in the air at the rapture. I am going to say a word about the word rapture, it is from a Latin word and it means to be caught up. The word rapture doesn't appear in the New Testament so some people say you believe in something that is not biblical. The concept is biblical as you can see in the passages we are studying but the word rapture itself comes from the Latin and is just the word that has been used to express this because it means to be caught up or caught away.

In I Corinthians 15 this is the great chapter on the resurrection, The reason we know all of this sis sure, and true, and will come about is that Jesus Christ Himself has been raised from the dead. Paul talked about this earlier in chapter 15 v. 19. If we have only hopped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most to be pitied. Paul sees it as pitiful that people believe in something about eternity and heaven that is not true, but Christ has been raised from the dead, in v. 20 the first fruits of those who are asleep. His resurrection is the guarantee of the bodily resurrection of every believer' who experiences physical death, v. 22 for as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. Then he goes on to discuss the matter of the resurrection, its place and its importance, and so on. What kind of a body will the resurrection body be beginning with verse 35 coming down to verse 50, Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Believers are destined to share in the glorious reign of Christ on the earth, but I as a member of His bride, the church cannot go into that kingdom in an earthly physical body.
We saw this in our study of the kingdom. In my present form I don't get into the kingdom, it is God's plan to prepare me for eternity bodily first, this perishable must be made imperishable, how will this happen? Verse 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery, That word mystery is significant because here is new material that has not before been revealed by God.

No where is this revealed in the Old Testament, now where has this been revealed in the gospels. It is revealed now by Paul through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We shall not all sleep, but we shall ail be changed, Not every believer is going to undergo physical death, but every believer is going to undergo physical change, how will this occur, in a moment, the Greek word atom, here, the smallest particle of time, the twinkling of an eye, referring to that very rapid movement, eye moving so rapidly, that you can't even see it as it blinks or opens or closes. Note again, at the last trumpet, so this going to happen in an instant of time at the last trumpet, that is the trumpet of Thessalonians that he wrote about in Thessalonians. It is not the Last trumpet in Scripture, it is the Last trumpet for believers. The Last trumpet sounded the call for the Roman army to move out as it broke camp but it is not the last trumpet of Scripture so don't get confused on that. The trumpet will sound the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed you note here he doesn't develop the order but the order is the same, the dead raised imperishable first, and we undergo a change. This perishable must put on the imperishable this mortal, must put on immortality, when the perishable will have put on the imperishable, this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, and Death is swallowed up in victory.

Jesus Christ has conquered death by His own death and resurrection from the dead but the realization of that victory for you and I is yet future and so we still may have to pass through physical death. I am hoping Jesus Christ comes first, He may come today. The Thessalonians were expecting Him at any time because they were concerned that some of their loved ones were dying so they expected that He was coming, but it is then that death is swallowed up in victory. So we need to be careful about some of the emphasis that is around that it is not God's will for you to be sick, it is not God's will for you to suffer, here we find it is God's will for believers to die until the rapture of the church when death will be finally defeated. Until that time the processes of physical, death will occur among believers, even among those who have great ministries seemingly in healing. O death, where is your victory? 0 death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and power of sin is the Law; but thinks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, Victory over death and over sin is found only in Jesus Christ, so this glorious transformation is for those who have come to believe in Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Now this process is remarkable, we can read about it here, but it is still going to be overwhelmingly amazing when we experience it, to think that Jesus Christ could come in the next few minutes in that instant of time when we hear the shout»/v the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God sounding and in an instant of time we'd be bodily removed from this earth and just that quickly our bodies would go a change. This same body now, that's important, would experience a change from a mortal body, to an immutable body, from a perishable body to an imperishable, from a corrupt able to an incorruptible. The clearest picture we have of that body is that body of Jesus Christ had after His resurrection from the dead. It was the same body that was buried, bore some of the same marks, but was a body not subject to physical limitations could come and go not inhibited by physical restrictions and limitations, but they did recognize Him in that body when He chose to make Himself known, so I take it we will recognize our loved ones although we might say you look awfully good without all those imperfections; that makes me wonder why I put up with you all those years, the old body, so yes, it is going to be glorious, but you know we’re going to have to look and say that is that really you, isn't it, that’s really you, that’s really me, just touch me, feel this, look at this flesh and bone, but no blood, no flesh and blood can inherit the kingdom of God, but Jesus in His glorified body says hand will be in . Luke 24. I am not just a spirit, be a spirit doesn't have flesh and bone, so my glorified body will have flesh and bone but no blood. The life of the physical body is in the blood, but this is going to be a glorified body, not sustained by the blood which is corruptible, but it will be a tangible body, and I take it we will give each other hugs and kisses in glory. There won't be any spirit, you reach out to hug someone and
all you get is closer. That is not very reassuring, we will really hold on to each other, Christ sat down and ate a meal of fish, think I might have fillet mignon , but nonetheless, I am going to eat in that body. No problem, I don't have a lot of answers to a lot of questions, you might have, I have a lot of my own questions, but I know it is going to be glorious I have some glimpse of what it is going to be Like and it is going to happen in an instant of time, now that affects the way I live.

Verse 58 of I Cor. 15 Therefore, by beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, these words both carry the same kind of idea of firmly planted we as believers are to be. We are to be seated firmly, always abounding, means to be overflowing in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. You know what the study of the rapture of the church ought to do for me? It ought to excite me about doing the work for the Lord. I want to be overflowing in serving Him. Some Christians have gone into semiretirement, well, I know the Lord is coming and He is in control and I am just Leaving it up to Him, you know I taught Sunday School for a while, now it is somebody's else’s turn, I worked in the nursery for a while and it is somebody else’s turn, I am just sort of going to take it easy, have a few evenings to myself and relax, don't understand the doctrine of the rapture at all do you. The impact of the coming of the Lord hasn't been felt in your Life, has it? Because for those it has he says, be steadfast, immovable, always overflowing in the work of the Lord, our toil, this is hard work he is talking about, but that drives me on, I don't mind the hard work,

I don't mind the sweat, because I know it really matters in the light of eternity and my service for Him. You know we have so much emphasis in the world on don't be a workaholic that some Christians are bailing out. We have so much emphasis on people getting to busy in the work of the Lord that some Christians are trying to pace themselves. I don't know that Paul would identify with that quite frankly, Now, I don't ever believe that in service for the Lord you sacrifice your family, and so on, so don't push this to where I am not taking it, but I do find as I study the scriptures that believers are to be driving forward all out, you can't be overflowing in the work of the Lord when you’re only going at half speed because your saving yourself--for what? I don't need this body in the present condition in glory so I don't need to save it, when God is ready to take me to heaven He will glorify it in the meantime I am going to use it up. Overflowing. You know if Paul were living today there would be Christians sitting down giving him counsel, "Paul your working too hard, Paul, you just can't keep driving Like that, Paul, you know there is a balance in life, now you know one or two evenings to serve the lord, , you know, well, you have to take care of this body, Paul says what do you mean, take care of this body? I had it beat up a Little bit, but took care of it, took care of it in using it for the Lord, that is what it was all about.

This doctrine the coming of the Lord is to give comfort to the believers in the face of sorrow, and it is to motivate us as believers. I have to be busy about the work of the Lord. I don't have time to sit and idle. Jesus Christ is coming and it may be today and you want me to prop up my feet and relax. I am not saying it is wrong to take time off to relax, but I am to be overflowing in the work of the Lord. I wonder if we were going to write descriptions of one another how many of us would be described as other believers as they see us, as those who are overflowing in the work of the Lord. Toiling for Him.

Turn over to I John , also has an effect on the purity of our life, which is what Paul, talked about earlier, in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 he was talking about purity, living our lives sanctified, set apart for God. 1John 3:1, See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are, we are, we are not just called the children of God. We really are the children of God. For this reason the world does not know us, because it does not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, see that word? We are going to have a glorified body like He has for we shall see Him as He is. V. 3 and everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, note the standard, just as He is pure. That recognition that I am going to see Him face to face, I am going to be like Him, motivates me in this life, to live my life purely, just like He is pure. Important for me to be fixed on the coming of Jesus Christ.

In Titus chapter 2 Paul says in verse 11 for the grace of God that brings salvation for all men has appeared instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age. That is what God's grace tells you, and teaches you, looking, now how do you live this kind of life? You live it looking for the blessed hope. What is that blessed hope? It is the appearing of the glory of God who is our Savior, Jesus Christ. I take it that is the emphasis grammatically here, that Jesus is the Great God and Savior. He is going to appear. I live my life with that hope fixed on Him. He is the one who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us, that He might purify us, as a people for His own possession. We are people for His own possession. He is going to come and take us to be with Himself. He said in John 14, In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

So that is the hope. Jesus Christ is gone to glory, prepared a dwelling placed for us as His children. At the rapture of the church He comes to fulfill His promise to gather us together to take us to be with Himself. Now He has already taken some in physical death, they are enjoying the glory of His presence right now. That boggles my mind when I think of friends and Loved ones that I know who have died, believers in Christ and they right now, are enjoying all the splendor, of the glory of heaven, remarkable, There is coming a time when Jesus Christ is going to come and gather us all together as believers into His presence, in the air and then take us to be with Himself. I wonder is that the way my life was lived this past week? One driven and motivated by the awareness that Jesus Christ is coming. Wonder what my life will be like this week if He doesn't come. Every day do I face it with the recognition, this may be the day that Jesus Christ comes. It effects the way I live, Every time I come to preach I tell myself this may be the Last time, so it is not just another sermon in a series, this may be the Last time, this is not just another day, this may be the last day that am privileged to serve Jesus Christ. I get up in the morning and it is not just another day, it may be the day Jesus Christ comes. That awareness is a motivating factor for me I am not just going to plod along through this day, this is not just another day in the string of days, this may be the last day just before eternity, and what I do with it will count in eternity, because our toil in the Lord is not in vain. That is a motivating factor in the way we live. I pray that we as a body of believers will be characterized as abounding in the work of the Lord, overflowing in our service for Him because we live driven, motivated, by the awareness that Jesus Christ is coming and it may be today.

Let's pray