Rapture Ready - Part A

One moment we're going to be going about our life here on earth, going to church, getting tacos after church, watching some sporting event. And then in the twinkling of an eye, we're going to be the next moment, hurtled into the presence of the Lord and our departed loved ones. Now this is a statement of great encouragement. This should encourage your soul to know that there's coming a day when you're going to not only see the Lord, but you're going to see those who you miss, those who you care about, those who you love.

Imagine one moment being in the thick of messy life and the next being in heaven with Jesus and all your loved ones who trusted Christ. That's the encouraging picture Pastor Nate Heitzig shares with you today on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Now here's more about this month's resource. It is a new study guide that goes along with Skip's series, The End is Near. Is the end near?

That's a question on many minds and that's why Pastor Skip Heitzig spent many months in 2023 presenting 26 full length messages in his The End is Near series. The second coming of Jesus Christ dominates the Bible next to the subject of faith. The coming of Christ in the future is the most discussed topic in the book. To complement this excellent series, a study guide from Skip is now available. This study guide is over 100 pages in length and covers all 26 messages in the series. The End is Near study guide includes notes, summaries, and questions for group or personal study.

We need to understand the times and this study guide will aid in this effort. With your gift of $50 or more to connect with Skip Heitzig, you will receive a copy of the End is Near study guide from Skip's in-depth 26 part series. Your gift will support the production and expansion of the Connect with Skip broadcast. Call 1-800-922-1888 or go online to connectwithskip.com.

That's 1-800-922-1888 or connectwithskip.com. All right, we're in 1 Thessalonians 4 today. As Nate gets started with his message, Rapture Ready. Hey, we are living in crazy and critical days, aren't we? There's so many people in our day and age who are filled with anxiety, wondering what is the world coming to. And not just Christians, non-believers are looking at the news. They're looking at the headlines.

They're looking at what's happening in society. And non-believers are wondering, is this the end? Is the world gonna come to an end? Is this Armageddon?

Is the return of Christ at the door? Can we know the future? You know, so many people in desperation will grab at straws, being either super excited or extremely depressed at the latest forecast of some expert on the economy, the environment, or the hopes of peace. I don't know about you, but I got to a point in 2021, 2022, where I just stopped reading the news because I found so much of my joy and peace was wrapped up in what people were saying.

When I realized when I wasn't reading all that stuff and I was just enjoying my family and my people and my community, that that level of anxiety and stress wasn't there. Others will turn to psychics or the latest predictions of some new YouTube conspiracy theorists. And there's a ton of conspiracy theories on YouTube, isn't there? It's like a rabbit hole.

Once you start watching one, you go into like a six hour spiral of conspiracies on YouTube. Yeah, all the while there's been someone who knows exactly what the future holds and he tells us all about it in his book, the Bible. Who brought their Bibles today? Hold your Bibles up. We're gonna be reading those. If you didn't bring one, we're gonna have the verses on the screen. There's also Bibles in front of your seat, but I hope that you're rooted in that book throughout the week.

Not just when you come to church once a week, because God has the answers that you're searching for in that book. And throughout this series, The End Is Near, we've been looking at the events of the end times. And in this series, we're gonna look at the tribulation period. We're gonna look at the Antichrist. We've looked at briefly the second coming. We've looked at the millennium and we're gonna continue unpacking these topics, but there is no doubt that we are living in both exciting and frightening times, right?

We're living in, yes, frightening times, but they are exciting times. Now, if you're not a believer, they're just frightening. If you're not a believer, you're looking at the news, you're looking at the world, the constant threat of war, the talks of pandemic, spy balloons floating over the country, the fear of nuclear warfare, and a society that is only going from bad to worse.

Things keep on getting worse and worse and worse. And this isn't just believers that notice this, non-believers notice this as well. I was talking to a principal of a large Christian school and I was asking him about what percentage of the people who go to the school are Christians versus non-Christians.

And he said the percentage of non-Christians who have come to the school has skyrocketed in the past few years, because you don't have to be a Christian to look at what's happening in the world right now and realize stuff is not happening the way that it should be. All you have to do is be a sensible human being to look at what's happening in society and say, this is not good. And so non-believers are seeing what's happening in society and they're scared. We have excessive violence. Streets that were once safe in cities are no longer safe. There's violence in every major city across America. We have anti-Christian sentiments that are through the roof. There's a war on the unborn.

There's a rapid progression of indoctrination in schools. We have drugs, terrorism, depression is at an all time high. People feeling hopeless like there's no answer for them are taking their lives. It's frightening to look at society, but if you're a believer, though these times are dark, though these times are frightening, they're also exciting.

Why? Well, because we as believers have hope. We have hope. Not hope in world leaders to solve all of our problems, but we have hope that Jesus Christ is going to return again.

We have a hope that is fixed on things above, not on things below. And all these things that I've just mentioned are just a few of the signs of the last days. And the headlines on your phones, we are seeing Bible prophecies fulfilled right before our very eyes at a more rapid pace than ever before.

Jesus said, when you see these things begin to happen, look up for your redemption is at hand. Well, I think we could all agree that these things have begun to happen. We can all agree that we're seeing these happen at a quicker pace. We've watched dramatic changes take place in Eastern Europe in just the last few years.

We've seen the emergence over the past several decades of the European common market in China as major economic powers. And during that whole time, we've seen a fading of the United States as one. We see the isolation of the nation of Israel and the hostility of the nations around her. And we see the prevalence of the very sins that were predominant in Noah's time alive and well in our society today, just as Jesus said they would. The writing is on the wall for all to see. The writing that is on the front pages of our newspapers is telling us what scripture has told us for thousands of years. And that is that Jesus is coming back very soon. If you believe that, give God a shout of praise that he's gonna come back for his church. According to the Bible, there is a generation that will not see death. Instead, this generation will be removed from the face of the earth and what is known as the rapture of the church.

And that's what we're talking about today. We're gonna discuss this idea of the rapture. Now, the purpose of today's message is not to go super in-depth into the doctrine of the rapture, into why I believe it exists, why others believe that it doesn't.

Last week, Pastor Skip did a phenomenal job talking about the millennium and the different views, the premillennial, the amillennial, and the post-millennial. And at another point in this series, he's gonna go deeper into the doctrine of the rapture. But instead today, we're gonna look briefly at the idea of the rapture in our first point.

And then we're gonna spend the majority of our time looking at how we as Christians should be spending our time on earth. With the rapture coming at any time, our focus today is how can we be rapture ready? Who in here wants to be rapture ready? That when the day of the Lord comes, we don't know when, we don't know how, we don't know what point that's gonna happen, but when it comes, I wanna be ready on that day, don't you?

I don't wanna be caught with my pants off. I wanna be ready for the Lord's return. I wanna be eager to greet him in the sky. I wanna be ready for what God is going to do. Well, let's look at 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 13 to 18.

We're gonna see our first point, and that is caught up. Look at verse 13, it says, but I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in heaven. To meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Therefore, comfort one another with these words. Now, I wanna point out this text that we're looking at, Thessalonians, it is not an allegorical book. So when we talk about the millennium, an issue a lot of people have with things that are in Revelation is the belief that Revelation is an allegorical book. Thessalonians is not an allegorical book.

It doesn't make a premise to be an allegorical book. It is an applicable book that applies to our lives and the things that Paul says in it, he means. So therefore, that should cause us to believe that what he's talking about here in 1 Thessalonians is not an allegory for something that's gonna happen, but it's actually something that is going to take place literally. The Lord will return, he will come down with the trumpet sound, the dead will rise first, and then all those who remain will be gathered together with them and meet him in the air. Look at verse 17. Verse 17, it says, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And this is our first point, caught up. See, the idea of the rapture is an idea that's not just found here in 1 Thessalonians. The idea of the rapture is an idea found throughout all of scripture.

Now, some critics will say the word rapture isn't used, but just because the word rapture isn't used, it doesn't mean that the idea isn't there. The word rapture is actually a Latin word that has many different meanings that we're gonna get into here in a second, but the word that we get this word from is the word that we find here in verse 17, caught up, and that's the Greek word harpazo, harpazo. We're also told of the rapture in 1 Corinthians 15, 51, when it talks about in the twinkling of an eye being caught up together. In Matthew 24, 40, we hear that two men will be in the field.

One will be taken, the other will be left. In John 14, 2, Jesus says, I go to prepare a place for you, and I will come back and take you with me. In 1 John 3, 2, this idea is reinforced. Now, this word rapture carries many shades of meaning, each giving a deeper insight into its significance. The first one I already mentioned, and that's harpazo, and that literally means to catch away speedily. This is the translation where in Acts 8, 39, the spirit caught away Philip after he had led the Ethiopian to Christ.

You remember that story. He leads the Ethiopian to Christ, and the spirit comes and catches him away and takes him away. That's this word used, harpazo. Now, when the Lord returns in the air, we who are alive will be caught away quickly. We're gonna be taken away in the blink of an eye, in the twinkling of an eye. Another definition of this word is to seize by force, to seize by force, and I like this one because in Genesis 19, 16, you remember the story of Lot, and there's some angels who come and visit Lot and tell Lot that God's gonna judge Sodom and Gomorrah, and they take Lot and his family, and they take them out of the city, and it says in Genesis 19, 16, when he hesitated, speaking of Lot, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughters and led them safely out of the city. This is the idea of forcefully removing someone, which leads me to question, when the Lord returns, does this suggest that Satan and his armies will try to keep us from leaving the earth?

I don't know. I can't accurately say that, but I do know that like Lot being delivered from Sodom, the Bible says that there will be those who will be saved scarcely as though from the flames of hell, and so there's this idea of being forcibly removed, seized by force. Another definition of this word rapture is to claim for one's own self, and I love the imagery here because it shows the imagery of the rapture from our Lord's point of view as a bridegroom coming to receive his bride, coming to claim what is his and be reunited.

Another definition is to move to a new place. Paul used this word when he described his visit to heaven. See, we are all pilgrims, we are all strangers in this world, and our true citizenship is in heaven, and when the Lord comes to receive us, he is doing it to move us to a new place, our permanent place, our actual destination in the place that we have citizenship in, which is heaven. In 2 Corinthians 12, two, it says, I know a man in Christ who, 14 years ago, was caught up to the third heaven, whether it was in the body or out of the body, I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man, whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know, but God knows, he says that twice, it must be important, was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.

You know, really quick, I just wanna pause there and mention something. I love that Paul says twice there. I don't know, but God knows.

And why do I love that? Because I think a lot of Christians can stand too firmly and strongly on non-essentials, things that the Bible isn't super clear about. They can stand really strongly on those non-essentials, but Paul, the author of so much of the New Testament, there's things that even he admits, hey, I don't know, but God knows. And I think that should be our response to some of these non-essentials, like, hey, if salvation isn't hinging on this, I don't know, but God knows. Let each be convinced according to his own mind. I love that Paul says that has nothing to do with the rapture.

I just thought that it was interesting. The fifth and final definition of rapture that we get is to rescue from danger. And I love this one because I believe this is the definition that Paul is referring to when he says, comfort one another with these words. This suggests that the church will be taken home before the time of the tribulation that will come to the world from God. Now I'm gonna explain a bit more of that in a second, but the gospel, the gospel at its core is a rescue mission.

The entire Bible at its core is a rescue mission that what was lost in Genesis, that the entire narrative of scripture was that God was out to restore that which was lost. And to do that, he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins so we could be reunited with him and we could be rescued from the desolation of our sin and our shame. But what God began by coming into our hearts and forgiving us of our sin, he's gonna seal on the day when he comes and delivers us from the tribulation, when he comes and rescues us from danger.

Look at verse 17. It says, once again, then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord. Now I love this because not only when we are raptured, will we rise up together to meet the Lord, but we're gonna be reunited with our friends. We're gonna be reunited with our family. We're gonna be reunited with our loved ones who knew the Lord and have already gone on to meet the Lord. One moment we're gonna be going about our life here on earth, going to church, getting tacos after church, watching some sporting event, and then in the twinkling of an eye, we're gonna be the next moment, hurtled into the presence of the Lord and our departed loved ones.

Now this is a statement of great encouragement. This should encourage your soul to know that there's coming a day when you're gonna not only see the Lord, but you're gonna see those who you miss, those who you care about, those who you love. Death is a great separator, but Jesus is the great reconciler. Death is a great separator, but Jesus is the great reconciler. And the power that Jesus Christ holds is stronger than the power of the grave. And that's what Easter's gonna be all about this year is that God robbed the grave of sin and death. And Jesus robbed the grave. He stole sin and death.

He holds the keys to Hades. Death has a hold on humanity, but we are held in the hands of Jesus. And when we are held in the hands of Jesus, he removes the hold that death and sin have upon our lives.

Romans tells us that just as Jesus is through one man, death and sin enter the world and spread to all men. So through one man, Jesus, the gift of grace is given to all. Finally, it would appear that we're not only gonna be reunited with the Lord and with those who we love and care about, but we'll also be reunited with those that we led to Christ.

And I love this. It doesn't share it here in our text that we're reading today, but in another part of 1 Thessalonians, speaking to those that Paul had ministered to and led to Christ, he says this, for who is our hope or joy or crown of exaltation? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Paul says that these spiritual children of his will be the crown of exaltation in the Lord's presence when he comes. So it would appear that each of us will have grouped around us on that final day when we rise up to meet the Lord, those who we have helped to believe in Jesus. Now, I don't know about you, but this makes me wanna redouble my efforts to lead more people to Jesus Christ. This makes me wanna double down on sharing the gospel with my friends and my family, because to see even one person standing there before our Savior in a glorified body because I was faithful to preach the gospel to them would be worth it all.

Don't you agree? To see that person that you've been praying about that you love and care for on that day where the Lord returns and to look them in the eyes in a glorified body and know that they're not gonna have to experience the penalty of hell for all of eternity, but they're gonna experience the joy and blessing of heaven alongside you every day for the rest of eternity. That's worth it all, isn't it?

That's worth that awkward conversation. That's worth that little bit of awkwardness when you're trying to bridge the gap and, hey, can I tell you about Jesus? All of that is worth it when you see that person on the day the Lord returns. All right, I said we're gonna do the rapture quick, and now we're gonna move on to our next point, really the crux of our message, and that is that we need to wake up. Our second point is wake up, and let's turn to 1 Thessalonians 5, one through nine, and continue what Paul is saying. Keep in mind that we have a big five before this next section of text, but when the letter was written to the Thessalonians, they would have read this all the way through. So what we just read would have led right into what we're about to read, and it says in verse one, but concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. This would also indicate that the early church very much believed and didn't need Paul to explain to them that their belief that the Lord's gonna return for the church. They knew it. He says, I don't even need to explain it to you.

I don't even need to write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. Verse three, for when they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape, but you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day.

We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night, but let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet, the hope of salvation, for God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need to wake up. If we want to be rapture ready, if we want to be prepared for the return of the Lord, the day of the Lord, we need to wake up. I want you to look back at verse three. Verse three tells us what the world is craving. It says, for when they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them. Today, peace and safety is the great cry of humanity. People want peace. People want to be safe. People want to be happy.

People are desperate to find a way to get to this place. But well, the world is saying peace and safety, we as believers have a very unpopular message, don't we? And that's that judgment is coming. The world is saying peace and safety, peace and safety, love each other, get along, end your life, get along, end to wars. And we're in the corner saying, judgments coming.

But we're echoing what Paul is saying, aren't we? The world cries peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them. That's Nate Heitzig with a message from the series, The End is Near. Find the full message, as well as books, booklets and full teaching series at connectwithskipp.com. We're glad you've joined us today. Connect with Skipp Heitzig exists to bring more people into God's family and connect listeners like you to his unchanging truth. That's why we make teachings like this one today available to you and others on air and online.

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That's connectwithskipp.com slash donate. Thank you. Join us again tomorrow as Nate Heitzig concludes his powerful message and asks you to consider the question, are you rapture ready? Remember, there will be those that are left when Jesus comes for his own. So my question as we wrap this to a close is what about you? Are you ready? Are you rapture ready? The only way that we can be salt and light is to let him who is the light work in us. We can't sting the world's conscience if we're continually going against our own. . Connect with Skip Hyten is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.