Text: John 14:3 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.
We preach about many things.
As ministers it is our job to help you with your walk with God.
We council.
We warn.
We encourage.
We want you to have the best life possible.
We want you to have a great relationship with God.
Today I will talk about The Rapture.
The popular teaching today is that the church will be caught up from the earth. They will meet the Lord in the air and then be with the Lord forever.
This is just half of what they teach will happen when Jesus comes again.
The other half they teach is the LEFT BEHIND teaching.
There are some that teach the RAPTURE is a different event than the second coming of Christ. There isn't any place in scripture that teaches this.
After the rapture the unsaved will live through a seven year period of great tribulation.
Check it out
It is very important that we check scripture to see if these things be so.
Does the scripture say that when the church is received up to meet the Lord in the air and the unsaved will be left behind?
The bible says the resurrection will include the just and the UNJUST.
Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation
Acts 24:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
Also look at Matthew 25. The parable of the sheep and the goats. Both sheep and goats were brought before him at his return. The goats are judged first. Not the church.
Matthew 13. The parable of the tares. The tares (followers of satan) are taken out first. This is the opposite of the popular teaching.
Following is the scriptures used to teach the popular view.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 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.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 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.
16 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:
17 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.
This passage appears to support the popular view. Actually Paul is not dealing with the Just and the Unjust.
Here he is answering the question "What about those Christians that have died before the Lords return?"
The unsaved are not mentioned here. (The left behind).
Is the rapture a different event than the return of the Lord?
The most important thing is that you be prepared for eternity.
When Jesus returns to this earth there will be no time for preparing. You must live a life as if he is going to come right now.
What will happen when Jesus comes?
Resurrection
1Thess.4:16-17 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:
17 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.
Separation of saved and sinners
Sheep and goats Matthew 25:31-46
Matthew 25:1-13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Judgment of sinners.
Jude 1:14-15 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.
New heaven and a new earth
2 Peter 3:7-13 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
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