The Rapture

Rev Gideon Lee

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

The Coming of the Lord

13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

This morning I want to talk to you about the Rapture. For the last three weeks I have been conducting funerals. It started with Sis Varinda's grandmother. Then Sis Julie's mother and this week our dear Bro Moses' sister in law.

It's not easy to lose a loved ones. We see how before a person pass, the body deteriorates. Even to gasped for the next breath is so hard.

As Christians although we will be sad we have this blessed hope. The Rapture is often associated with the end times. People like to know what happens in the end. Like Korean dramas. We all want to know the end.

When we talk about the Rapture we confuse it with another event called the second coming. The Rapture happens when Jesus comes mid air and the dead in Christ will rise first and all those of us who are still alive will be caught up. The second coming is when his feet touch on Mount Olives. Jesus is coming for the Saints and it's a joyous occasion but the second coming is for judgement of the world.

Some people say there is no such word Rapture in the Bible. We call it the Rapture but just because the word is not in the Bible does not mean it will not happen. Like the word Trinity. It's not in the Bible but we believe in the Trinity.

Another word not found in the Bible is pornography. Just because it's not in the Bible does that mean it's okay?

The Rapture has been described even since the book of Genesis.

Genesis 5:24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

One moment Enoch was here in earth and in another moment he is no more and is with God.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

It will not be a silent event. The trumpet and the voice of the archangel will be heard by all. Because we are his sheep and we know the shepherds voice, it is only those who are saved that will meet him in the air.

The Saints that have passed on will be the first. We are not people without hope. Even as I conducted funerals we do not grief like those without hope. We are sad but not hopeless. One day I dreamt of meeting my father in heaven. He never saw all my children. Only Elisa at one years old. I'm sure he will love all of them. One day I want to see my father.

We who are still alive will be caught up. But as Christians all is not lost. We have the blessed hope. The church talks about the Rapture but Jesus have not come yet. It's been more than 2000 years.

One day this man was on a long distance travel. He was driving his car and he brought his dog along with him. As he was halfway he needed to make a stop at the petrol station. He was filling his car and saw his dog inside. He opened the door for the dog to go out a while. The dog happily went out and sniffed around.

The master got into the car after he finished he drove off. The dog didn't chase because he knew the car was too fast for him to chase. The dog decided to just stay put because he knows when the master realised his dog is missing he will turn back.

But the dog thought, don't know how long. So he thought while waiting he might as well be useful. So he thought he might as well help guard the petrol station.

Sometimes we are like that dog. We get so used to doing things that we forget Jesus is coming back. Sometimes people ask me when is the date and time Jesus is coming back? The Bible say no man knows. September has come and gone and Jesus is not coming back yet.  I'm not belittling prophesy but my question is are you ready when Jesus comes? It's not about the blood moon. The Bible says he comes like a thief in the night.

No thief tells you when he is coming. We know only the season and if you look around us the season is ripe for Jesus to come back. If Jesus will come in the next 5 minutes are you ready? Don't say, Jesus come in another three months because I'm not married yet. Or that you have not made your  first million. The only way you can be ready is if you have Jesus in your heart as Lord and Saviour.

I want to see my loved ones there, not just my father. I hope to see all of you there. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian. It's walking with God and having Jesus in your life. Are you ready if Jesus comes back?

The second is are you ready and can you get others ready. That is our responsibility. His last commission to us is to go into all the world and preach the gospel. This December we have 400 seats. I hope we have 200 non believers. Everyone just bring one non Christian. One. TOP boleh? Bring them. Jesus is coming back soon.

Are you ready? Let's gets others ready.

Some people ask me, we will have a glorified body, so will I look 25? Did the disciples recognise Jesus? Yes. I will know we can recognise each other. No more pain and sickness. The mark of a Christian is faithfulness. It's in the faithfulness in all.you do.

So church, are we ready?