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The Blue Letter Bible

Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

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"THE RAPTURE"
Intro: In as much as there are many voiced beginning to say, "The Lord delayeth His coming." I felt impressed to once again review the scriptures relative to the "catching up" or the rapture of the Church.
I. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RAPTURE AND THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST.
A. At the rapture He is coming for His saints.
1. "I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there..."
2. I Cor.15 "I shew you a mystery."
3. "Beloved now are we the Sons of God, but..."
4. Phil.3:20 "For our citizenship..."
B. The second coming, He is coming with His saints.
1. "And when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also
appear with Him in glory."
2. Jude 14 "The Lord cometh with 10 thousands of His
saints."
3. Rev. 19 speaks of the armies that came with Him.
C. The rapture of the Church is imminent.
1. "But of that day or hour knoweth no man."
2. "Watch ye therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."
D. The second-coming must follow the Great Tribulation.
1. The anti-Christ must first appear.
2. The day of the second coming can be reckoned from the day the
anti-Christ causes the daily sacrifices and oblations to cease.
1,290 days.
II. WILL THE CHURCH GO THROUGH THE GREAT TRIBULATION?
A. Difference between tribulation "In this world."
1. Origin.
a. Satan.
b. God.
2. Objects. a. The church. b. Those which obeyed not the truth.
B. Why some people believe the church will.
a. Gather His elect from the four winds.
b. His elect refers here to the Jews as He has been addressing them in Chapt.24 "Pray that your flight be not in winter or Sabbath day." Abomination of desolations.
2. Rev.13:7 re: AntiChrist "And it was given unto Him to make war on the saints, and to overcome them."
C. The promises to the Church.
1. Rev. 3 10 "Because ye have kept the Word."
2. Luke 21:36 "Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape..." and to stand before the Son of Man.
3. To the unfaithful church, He warned Rev. 2:20.
4. I Thess.5:9 "For God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain salvation..." 5. II Peter 2:9 "For the Lord knoweth... "
D. The order of the Book of Revelation.
Those that would say: "The Lord delayeth His coming" are called "evil servants" by our Lord Jesus Christ. They would have you preparing for the Tribulation instead of preparing for our Lord. They would rather have you watching for the antichrist instead of watching for our Lord Jesus Christ. There is not a single prophesy remaining to be fulfilled before the catching of the Church. Jesus said, "Watch ye therefore." Jesus said, "Be ye ready." Are you watching? Are you ready?
Sermon Notes for 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ← Prior Section
Sermon Notes for 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 Next Section →
Sermon Notes for Colossians 1:9,10 ← Prior Book
Sermon Notes for 2 Thessalonians 1:3 Next Book →
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