In The Twinkling Of An Eye | Part 2

Scripture says that when Jesus returns, He'll come in the twinkling of an eye. Somebody said that the average person blinks his eyes 20,000 times a day. Now who counts those kind of things?

How do you figure that out? But I thought that's so interesting. That's how quickly you blink your eyes. That's how quickly the Lord Jesus Christ is coming. In a moment, in a split second, in an indivisible time, Jesus Christ is coming.

Welcome to Love Worth Finding, featuring the insightful lessons and teaching of Adrian Rogers. This month we're learning how we can live in hope on the edge of eternity. In part one of today's message, we began learning what will happen when Jesus returns and raptures His church. Now rapture means to be caught up or snatched away speedily. First Thessalonians chapter four explores the sacred mystery of the rapture, which is prophesied in the book of Revelation. If you have your Bible, turn there now.

We'll begin in verse 13 as Adrian Rogers delivers part two of In the Twinkling of an Eye. The Christians at Thessalonica were having some problems, and here were the problems. Jesus had come, He had taught, He had ascended, and He said, I'm coming again. They took Him literally, they expected Him to come, and they were expecting Him to come in their lifetime. But in the meanwhile, some of the members of that flock had died, and so they were perplexed and disturbed and worried, and they were saying, but wait a minute, where's Jesus? Did our loved ones miss His coming?

Will they miss their part in the kingdom? Now we're going to ask and answer some questions today concerning the rapture of the church that will take place in the twinkling of an eye. The title of our message, In the Twinkling of an Eye. And we'll let all these questions begin with the letter W so we can help keep them in track and understand them.

First of all, the word what. What do we mean when we say the rapture? Well, the what is the sacred mystery of resurrection and rapture. You'll find that in verses 16 and 17, that those of us who are alive when Jesus comes, and we may be alive, are going to be transformed in the twinkling of an eye. Now, this rapture is a mystery. That's the reason why I called it a mystery. Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 51, Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump.

For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. So it is a mystery. So first of all, we've asked the question what. Now let's ask the second question that we want to answer, and that is who? Who? And there is not only a sacred mystery, but there is a select multitude of the Savior and his saints.

Put it down in your notes. This is not a general resurrection. Some people teach a general resurrection, but there is not a general resurrection. There is a first and second resurrection. This is the first resurrection, and it is for the saved. And an ancillary note, our scripture would be Revelation 20.

Put it down, verses 5 and 6. The apostle John said, But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished, that is, until after the millennium. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. On such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. We're going up in the first resurrection and we're going to enter into the millennium and reign with Jesus a thousand years.

The rest of the dead won't be raised until the millennium is over, a thousand years from the time Jesus comes at the rapture. Now, let's talk thirdly about the wind. The wind, W-H-E-N. It is a sudden moment, a sudden moment that is both close and certain. Now, you say, Pastor, you say it is close. How do you know it's close? It may be a hundred years from now.

It doesn't make any difference. It's still close. We are living on the edge of eternity. When I say it is close, I'm saying what the Bible is saying, the time is near. Even the apostle John before he left this earth said, little children, it is the last hour. Christians always are living on the edge of eternity.

The time is always near. The apostle Paul in this passage of scripture said, then we which remain in our lives. Paul was expecting Christ in his lifetime. Was he wrong?

No, he was absolutely right. Nobody can set that date, but we know the date is coming in the twinkling of an eye. Put these scriptures down. Matthew 24, verse 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. Now, if any Bible teacher comes along and sets a date, you have a right to say he's a heretic. If one of them guesses the right date, if I were God, I'd change it.

Nobody knows that day and that hour. Matthew 24, verse 33. For as the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And then Jesus says, and likewise, it will be in the day of the coming of the Son of Man. Now in the days of Noah, eating, drinking, marrying, they didn't know until it started to rain.

A regular round of life. Some teachers erroneously teach that the church is going to go through the great tribulation. If that were true, then we would have some ideas to when Jesus Christ is coming.

We wouldn't be eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage. No, this is speaking of the normal round of life, a day like today that Jesus may come. And so Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24, verse 42, watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. And Jesus said in Matthew 24, verse 44, therefore be ye also ready. For in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh. Question, are you ready now? Jesus said you are to be ready.

Now He's coming, as we said, 1 Corinthians 15, verse 51, in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. Somebody said that the average person blinks his eyes 20,000 times a day. Now who counts those kind of things?

How do you figure that out? But I thought that's so interesting. That's how quickly you blink your eyes. That's how quickly the Lord Jesus Christ is coming. In a moment, in a split second, in an indivisible time, Jesus Christ is coming. People say, well pastor, you're talking about the wind. Don't you think that the signs of the times mean that Jesus is getting closer?

Yes, I do, but that's not proof. Jesus could have come at any time. We're not waiting on any sign to be fulfilled. You see, these signs of the times are really for things that will take place primarily after the rapture. And the second coming of Jesus is yet to come after the rapture, at the rapture Jesus only comes to meet the saints in the air.

We'll say more about that later on. At His second coming in power and glory, His feet are coming back to touch upon the Mount of Olives. And so when at any moment, in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, we don't know when He's coming, but we know that He's coming.

There are going to be some sudden sounds. Verse 16 says He's coming with a shout. Remember He stood before the grave of Lazarus and said, Lazarus, come forth. And Lazarus came forth. When Jesus comes from His throne in glory, He's going to come with a shout and He'll say, come forth. And the whole church will come forth. And He's going to come with the voice of the archangel because the archangel who is the commander-in-chief of heaven's armies is going to assemble the angels to get ready to work out the great tribulation there, here upon this earth. And then He's coming also with the trump of God. The trumpet was used to assemble Israel. And God is going to begin to work again with Israel as a nation.

I wish I had more time to talk about that. But that sound is going to come at any moment. I was preaching on the second coming of Jesus Christ in a revival meeting in Stewart, Florida many, many years ago as a young preacher. And they gave me a hotel, second floor, right near the railroad track. I didn't know I was near the railroad track. In the middle of the night, a diesel locomotive stopped right there by my bedroom window.

And that engineer, whether he did it on purpose or unwittingly or whatever, he certainly shouldn't have done it, I don't think. But he revved that engine and blew that whistle at the same time. It was the most unearthly sound I've ever heard, especially in the middle of the night.

I mean, right outside the window, can you imagine what the sound of a diesel locomotive and the whistle, train whistle would be? Folks, I was certain that it was the rapture. I said, Lord, it is here.

And you know what? Honest confession. It scared me to death.

I think just the noise, I wasn't afraid that I'd be left behind. I just said, oh, dear God, this is it. What I have preached has happened. It has happened.

This is it. I was getting ready to go right on up through the ceiling. Jesus has come. Well, it's going to be like that. It's going to be like that at any moment, maybe before we say amen today. Now, number four, why?

That's the next question. It is a strategic motive, not only a sudden moment, but a strategic motive of rescue, reunion, and reception. First of all, it's a time of rescue. There's some terrible things that are going to take place here on this earth. The great tribulation will follow the rapture, but Jesus is going to take the church out first.

He's going to remove the church. Let me give you some scriptures. You're in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Go back to chapter 1, and look, if you will, in verses 9 and 10. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had among you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true one.

Now watch this, verse 10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. Jesus has delivered his church from the wrath to come. Revelation 6 calls the tribulation the great day of God's wrath, but Jesus has delivered us from the wrath to come. And again, the church 2,000 years ago, we're waiting for Jesus.

We're always living on the edge of eternity. And then look in chapter 5. You're in chapter 4. Go back over to chapter 5, and look in verses 9 through 11. Paul says, For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. You see, if I thought the church was going to go through the great tribulation, then how could I comfort myself waiting for Jesus to come?

Rather than looking up, I'd be looking around. Rather than expecting Christ, I'd be expecting Antichrist. This is no comfort, but he says, God has delivered us from wrath. And God said to that church there in Revelation 3, 10, Because thou has kept the word of my patience, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell on the earth. So, as John Phillips says, God is getting ready to declare war on this world, and before he does, he's going to call his nationals home. We're going to be leaving here, so he's coming.

One of the reasons for why is rescue. Another reason for why is reunion. Verse 17 says, We're going to be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. Your brothers, your sisters, your fathers, your loved ones in the church who have died, they're going to be raised, and together we're going to meet the Lord.

We have not said our final goodbyes. There's going to be a homecoming in the glory. We'll sing and shout and dance about. The Lamb will dry our tears.

We'll have a grand homecoming week, the first 10,000 years. And then, not only is there going to be that rescue and reunion, friend, there is going to be that reception where we are received to our Lord. Remember John 14, Jesus said, Let not your heart be troubled, ye be believed in God. Believe also in me and my Father's house and many mansions.

If it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, listen to this, I will come again and receive you unto myself. I'm looking forward to that, to be received by the Lord Jesus Christ.

And that is the why of this rapture. It is rescue, reunion, and it is reception by the Lord Jesus. Now here's the fifth thing. Where?

That's another W. Where? Well, it's going to be a secluded meeting with the bridegroom and the bride, a secluded meeting. Because verse 17 says, we're going to meet the Lord in the clouds, in the air.

He's not going to come down here to this earth at the rapture. He's going to come and snatch His bride away. Now, how did a wedding take place in Bible times? Well, in Bible times, the groom, if he were from a wealthy family and was courting a young lady, he would go to her house, and he would negotiate with her father, and he would pay a redemption price. He would buy her, literally buy her, and pay a price for her. And after he paid a price for her, and she was pledged to him, then they would drink a cup of wine, over which a betrothal blessing would have been said.

They would pledge themselves one to another in solemn covenant. And then he would go away. He would go back to his father's house. Now, when it says his father's house, he's not talking about a building.

He's talking about just the whole household, the whole thing. He would go back to where his father was, and there he would begin to build a special dwelling place for himself and for his bride and get everything just ready. Now, she is there waiting on him to come back again, and she is preparing her trousseau. She's preparing her hope chest.

She's preparing, getting her jewels ready, getting her wedding dress ready. And then at the precise time, not set by the bride ladies, but set by the groom and his father, the groom returns back many times with a torch light procession. Maybe at midnight, he comes, and there comes somebody to her bedroom window and gives a shout. And he says, Behold, the bridegroom cometh.

Go ye out to meet him. She gathers her things and goes to meet him. He picks her up in his arms and receives her unto himself and carries her away to a secluded place there where they consummate marriage.

Now that's what Paul is talking about here. We're going to meet the Lord in the air. What a time that will be when we meet him in the air. He is coming again back to this earth in power and great glory, but not at the rapture. The rapture is secret and secluded.

It is for the saints. It is for those who are part of his family. Later on, he'll come back with his bride and display his bride in all of her glory. Now here's the last and the final thing, and that is the point that I really want to come to, and it is the wherefore. Look, if you will, now in verse 18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. It is a sweet message of comfort and consolation. This is the wherefore.

Now, if you want something that in this day of jitters, if you want something that will give you comfort and consolation, get a bulldog grip on these words, because here's what you need to do. Look, you need to learn of his coming. Paul says in verse 13, I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren.

The world is saturated with ignorance on these things. Ignorance leads to hopelessness, and hopelessness leads to sorrow, and you can't afford to be ignorant. Learn of his coming. Number two, live for his coming. Verse 17 says we're going to meet the Lord, and the word meet is the word here that is used for an official meeting, like an ambassador who's coming back and goes to meet his king.

One day we'll meet him. I don't want to be ashamed when he comes. Not only should we learn of his coming and live for his coming, we need to look for his coming. Verse 17, Paul says, we who are alive and remain, you should be expecting Jesus today, and then we should long for his coming. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. Oh, what a day that's going to be. In the Song of Solomon, the Song of Songs in the Bible, there's a verse, I think, that depicts this time. Chapter 2, verse 10, my beloved spake and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Won't that be something? When Jesus says to me, when he says to you, when he says to his church, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. There's a man named Stephen Covey. He's written some bestselling books. Many of you have read them.

I certainly don't agree with all of his theology, but in those writings he has an incredible story, and I want you to listen to it. Listen very carefully. He said that a professor came into his classroom, and the professor had a big wide-mouth jar, and in that jar he put some big rocks, and those rocks filled the jar to the top. Then he asked his students, Now is the jar full? Some of the students said, Yes, the jar is full. Oh, he said, No, the jar is not full.

And he took some gravel and poured gravel in, and it began to fill the crevices around those rocks, and he shook it down and smoothed it off on the top. And he said to the students, Now is the jar full? They said, Oh, yes, now the jar is full. No, he said, The jar is not full. And he took some fine sand and put the sand in on top of the gravel and shook it, and the sand began to fill those little places, those little crevices, and smooth the sand off at the top. He said, Now is the jar full. By now they were afraid to answer. Someone said, Well, yeah, maybe the jar is full.

We think so. He said, No, it is not full. Then he took some water and poured the water on top of the sand until the water then was absorbed by the sand and filled then even the remaining minuscule places, and the water came up to the top. And he said, Now is the jar full? They said, Professor, you tell us. He said, Yes.

Yes, the jar is full. And he said, Now what is the lesson? And so some of the students said, Well, your life can get so full that you can't put anything else in. He said, No, that is not the lesson.

Here is the lesson. If I had not put the big rocks in first, I could never have put them in last. Question, Is your life so full that you have left out the rock of ages? I mean, are you so busy with things?

I am talking about things that seem good, maybe gravel, maybe sand, maybe water. But have you left out those things that really, really, really matter? Precious friend, if you have, I am going to tell you, it will be a sad day for you when the trumpet sounds. And Jesus Christ is coming, if I know anything about this Bible, in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. We are going to pray, and I am going to lead you in a prayer.

And in this prayer, you can pray and invite Jesus Christ, the rock of ages, to come into your life. But do you know what you have got to do? You have got to turn that jar upside down right now and just empty it out.

Turn it upside down and empty it out. And then I want you to pray this prayer. Dear God, I know that you love me. I know that you want to save me. Jesus, you died to save me, and you promised to save me if I would only trust you.

Dear Jesus, I do trust you. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for dying for me on that cross. Thank you for paying my sin debt with your precious blood. I believe that you are the Son of God. I believe that you paid for my sin with your blood.

I believe that God raised you from the dead. And now, like a child with all of my heart, in childlike faith, I trust you, you only, and you always, to save me. Forgive my sin. Cleanse me.

Save me, Lord Jesus. Thank you for doing it. Thank you, Lord.

Thank you. I don't deserve it. I don't ask for a sign.

I don't look for a feeling. I stand upon your Word. You are now my Lord, my Savior, my God. Thank you, Jesus.

Begin now to make me the person you want me to be. In your name I pray. Amen.

Amen. And if you've prayed to receive Jesus just now, we would love to celebrate with you and invite you to our Find God's Love page on the website. You'll find answers there that you may need about your newfound faith. Go to lwf.org slash radio and click on the tab that says Find God's Love.

Welcome to His Forever Family. We can't wait to hear from you today. Now, if you'd like a copy of today's message, you can order one by calling us at 1-877-LOVEGOD.

Mention the title in the twinkling of an eye. This message is also part of the insightful series, The Edge of Eternity. For that complete collection, all six powerful messages, call 877-LOVEGOD or order online at lwf.org slash radio, or you can write us at Love Worth Finding, Box 38600, Memphis, Tennessee 38183. You may not know you can also purchase our new Bible studies much like this message in our online store.

For more information, go to lwf.org slash radio. You can have peace in these treacherous last days if you keep your eyes on Jesus' second coming. Learn of it, live for it, and long for it, and then share it with others. We hope you'll join us next time for more timeless truth from Adrian Rogers, right here on Love Worth Finding. It was a great encouragement to receive a note from one of our Love Worth Finding friends who said this, I've ordered as many Love Worth Finding resources as I can afford to give my family and others. Please pray with me that they'll receive them and come to know our glorious savior. Thank you and God bless you all. Well, at Love Worth Finding, our mission is to help Christians grow deeper in their faith and share it with others. We're excited to cultivate new resources based on the timeless teaching of Adrian Rogers. And that's why when you donate to the ministry right now, we want to thank you by sending a copy of Tapestry, Promises and Prophecy. This beautiful, flexible, leather-bound journal makes the perfect gift for a family member or friend. Request this journal when you call with a gift at 1-877-LOVEGOD or give online at lwf.org slash radio. Thanks for your generous support of Love Worth Finding.