1 Thessalonians Series - "The Catching Away a.k.a. Rapture"

       

“The Catching Away A.K.A. Rapture”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Some people mock the idea that God would send for his body, the church, but Paul tells us it is true. He also tells us to take comfort and encourage in this for it is God the Father’s plan for believers whether dead or alive, it is not an escapism mentality from God’s wrath. 

Let’s look at the first portion of the text,  “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For 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.” 

Paul had to address an insight into the biblical view of death, especially those who followed Jesus in their lives and into their death. Paul recalls Jesus’ teaching about Jesus’ return from John the apostle. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:1-3) and Matthew’s words, “But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” (Matt. 22:31-32) And Jesus’ own words on the resurrection, “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Paul realized the grief of having a friend or fellow worker pass on to be with Jesus. He remembered Stephen’s own words as he held the tunics of those who stoned him. “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.” Paul recalled the words “falling asleep.” Stephen wasn’t looking at death away from God, but life in heaven with Jesus. Then when Jesus raised the synagogue leader’s daughter, he said she too had “fallen asleep”, not death. Paul knew first hand the risen Jesus Christ from the Damascus road. He wasn’t a dead man, but a very alive God the Son who is seated at the right hand of God the Father. He wanted the people to know that Jesus is the Lord of the living, and of those even though they have died from the flesh.

Application - It doesn’t take going to too many funerals before you begin to think about the hereafter. But man has come up with unusual and anomalous ideas about what that might entail. God’s Word has taught us that we are dearly loved by the Father and the Son. He has a plan for all those who have believed upon his Son for salvation, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John (3:16-18) In this plan is the catching away of all those who have believed in Jesus Christ for eternal life. Even though it is a mystery how one is alive even though he or she has died, we are assured by grace through faith we will be with Jesus even after death, this is the blessed hope. “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:11-14) So falling asleep is not death away from God but alive in the presence of God even after the death of the body.

Next, Paul encourages the believers in Thessalonica that the coming of the Lord is real and we aren’t to grieve like the world, but be ready for his coming again for the church. Let’s read the last portion of the text, “According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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. 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

Paul had taught this doctrine to many other cities that he, Barnabus, Silas, and Timothy had established churches in during his missionary journeys. He knew this instruction was a mystery in the flesh and the carnal mind, but to those who had their minds transformed and renewed, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Rom. 12:2) this was our blessed hope. This was reassuring and consoling to the spirit. Paul understood that Jesus’ own words were never to be questioned, for they are the very words of God. Those who were still alive wouldn’t be leaving those who had fallen asleep (died) in the grave. As Stephen said of Jesus, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

 Paul and all who are alive and believe in Christ were awaiting the resurrection, and their new bodies (1 Cor.15:35-54) along with all those who have fallen asleep.

Paul gave them the sequence of the “catching up”, the parousia (his coming) that the Holy Spirit told him. Jesus will come down out of the highest heavens (Psalms 115:16), the abode of God, to a place in the sky, “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)  and Paul continues, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet’s call from God. All those asleep, dead in Christ, will arise first, and all those who believe and are alive here on earth, will be caught up to be with them in the clouds to meet our Lord and Savior face to face. It will all happen in the twinkling of an eye, “...in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1 Cor.15:52)

Paul encouraged the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica to be encouraged with this truth from our Lord Jesus Christ’s promise to come back and to take us to be with him in his kingdom. 

Application - It is amazing that our Father in heaven has planned everything, down to the minute details about the place he has prepared for us in his house, to how and when he will take us to be with him into his kingdom. Whether we have lived our lives for him here and proceed to death but alive in Christ or are living as a Spirit filled faithful believer in this life awaiting the coming of our Lord to catch us up to be with him in his glorious heaven. Until then, we are to be still doing the work of God till he comes. Jesus told us many parables about being alert, ready, and at the tasks he has given us to do until his return. We will learn in the next lesson that no one knows when the Son will come for his bride but the Father, so look up as the scripture tells us, for our redemption draws near. Maranatha, CQLJ (come quickly Lord Jesus) 

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. And he wants to empower you with the Holy Spirit. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second, B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis