What if the rapture IS Real?

Now I want to talk about some other matters, brothers and sisters. We taught you how to live in a way that pleases God. In fact, that is how you are living. In the name of the Lord Jesus we ask and beg you to do it more and more. 2 You know the directions we gave you. They were given by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3 God wants you to be made holy. He wants you to stay away from sexual sins. 4 He wants all of you to learn to control your own bodies. You must live in a way that is holy. You must live with honor. 5 Don’t desire to commit sexual sins like people who don’t know God.

6 None of you should sin against your brother or sister by doing that. You should not take advantage of your brother or sister. The Lord will punish everyone who commits these kinds of sins. We have already told you and warned you about this. 7 That’s because God chose us to live pure lives. He wants us to be holy. 8 Suppose someone refuses to accept our teaching. They are not turning their back on us. They are turning their back on God. This same God gives you his Holy Spirit.

9We don’t need to write to you about your love for one another. God himself has taught you to love one another. 10 In fact, you do love all God’s family all around Macedonia. Brothers and sisters, we are asking you to love one another more and more. 11 And do everything you can to live a quiet life. You should mind your own business. And work with your hands, just as we told you to.

12 Then unbelievers will have respect for your everyday life. And you won’t have to depend on anyone.

13 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know what happens to those who die. We don’t want you to mourn, as other people do. They mourn because they don’t have any hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again. When he returns, many who believe in him will have died already. We believe that God will bring them back with Jesus. 15 This agrees with what the Lord has said. When the Lord comes, many of us will still be alive. We tell you that we will certainly not go up before those who have died. 16 The Lord himself will come down from heaven. We will hear a loud command. We will hear the voice of the leader of the angels. We will hear a blast from God’s trumpet. Many who believe in Christ will have died already. They will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them. We will be taken up in the clouds. We will meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with him forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-18)

So let's talk . . .

1. Let’s not get caught up on words!

The word rapture does not occur in our English Bibles. We get the word by way of St. Jerome (c. 347-420 A.D.). In his work of revising the Latin New Testament from the Greek New Testament, he translated the Greek word ἁρπάζω (harpazō) into the Latin “rapiemur.” The Latin verb form is “rapio” and means to be caught up or taken away. From these Latin words come our English word rapture. While Paul used the word ἁρπάζω only once (1 Thessalonians 4.17), he taught the doctrine of the Rapture in other places using other expressions. The Greek word ἁρπάζω means to “seize” or “snatch away.” It is used 13 times in the following verses: Matthew 11.12, 13.19; John 6.15, 10.12, 28-29; Acts 8.39, 23.10; 2 Corinthians 12.2, 12.4; 1 Thessalonians 4.17; Jude 1.23; Revelation 12.5.

1. So what does this mean for us now?

• Live Out LOUD
  • We taught you how to live in a way that pleases God. In fact, that is how you are living. In the name of the Lord Jesus we ask and beg you to do it more and more. (v4)
    • Live a life that honors God.
    • Set the example.
    • Be prepared (keep your lamps burning . . .  Matthew 25:13)
• KNOW the signs
  • We don’t want you to mourn, as other people do. They mourn because they don’t have any hope. (v13)
    • Be aware of what is happening but be confident in Christ. He is in control! (Matthew 14/Luke 12)
    • Don’t live in fear, but in anticipation! (2 Timothy 4:8)
• Be Encouraged
  • Many who believe in Christ will have died already. They will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them . . . So encourage one another with these words of comfort.
    • Live a life that others will want to imitate and embrace!