[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
well there's no doubt about it that
in today's world instability is
everywhere the great thing about it is
we do not have to have that sense
or that feeling because it's not true
for the believer
we're certainly tempted by it but the
truth of the matter is god's word is
sure
and so what's next for us and what's
next for the church
or god's prophetic story well listen the
bible is very clear that at any moment
jesus could come back for the church
that's right it's called the rapture
and it's in the bible and you need to
know that it's in the bible
and so we're going to study what the
word of god has to say
about the rapture of the church so grab
your bible
and let's dive into the word of god as
we study in this special series
the futures what is happening next
and could it be the rapture we're going
to run through six
things today we'll do it as fast as we
can
we're talking about the rapture the
rapture of the church and you might say
uh and ask the question what is it and
that is number one what
is the rapture why would you ask that
question let's be honest
because the word rapture doesn't appear
in the english bible that's a good start
i don't believe the rapture because it's
not in my bible well first of all
neither is the word bible
in your bible neither is the word
trinity
in your bible but the doctrine
of the trinities in your bible isn't it
the doctrine of the bible is in the
bible isn't it
and the doctrine of the rapture is in
the bible because of for this reason
rapture if you read latin today
the word rapture is in your bible
that criticism i don't believe it
because it's not in the bible it's kind
of an embarrassment don't use it anymore
if that's you don't say it anymore i'm
trying to protect you here
don't say it anymore because you might
be thinking the god speaks english and
he wrote the bible in english
no he didn't he wrote the bible in a
little bit of aramaic
a lot of hebrew and greek and the word
for rapture in greek is harpazzo
almost sounds italian i'd like to have
a calzone and two harpazzos
it means to be violently removed for
good not bad
it's not a bad removal it's to be
snatched away like it were you're being
pulled from a train track in an oncoming
train
you're pulled into safety harpazzo
rapture or in the english it's two words
caught up and you read that a moment ago
but you're going to see it more what is
the rapture it says right here in verse
13.
notice this i'm going to say this a lot
verse 13. i'm gonna drill it into you
paul told the thessalonican believers do
i do not
want you to be ignorant or uninformed
untaught
brethren concerning and we'll pause
right there
and look at verse 17. drop down to verse
17.
i don't want you to be uninformed or
ignorant about this verse 17
then we who are alive and remain shall
be
raptured caught up together with them
you're going to know the difference
today about who we are and who them are
in the clouds to meet the lord
in the air atmosphere by the way it's
not
celestial universe it's not starry sky
it's atmospheric if you're into science
that's from zero elevation
to about 126 thousand feet that's pretty
amazing
the bible says you someday are going to
meet jesus
in the atmospheric sky
wow and thus we shall always be
with the lord say amen isn't that what
you're living for
to be with him so number one mark it
down if you would
it's a promised event what do we know
about the rapture
it's a promised event promise to us
beginning with
none other than jesus christ himself in
john 14 verse 1 2 and 3 john 14. this is
this is an amazing uh passage and
if you don't believe in the rapture then
you've got
bigger problems than that but the the
issue is
why not believe in what jesus says i do
believe in what jesus said okay we'll
start here
in john 14 1 jesus says let not your
heart be troubled
you believe in god believe also in me in
my father's house are many mansions
many dwelling places beautiful places to
live in
if it were not so i would have told you
so he's not joking
i go to prepare a place for you church
did jesus leave
earth 2000 years ago he left
earth 2000 years ago and he said i'm
going to go away i'm going to prepare a
place for you
okay he made the worlds in the universes
in six days
he's been gone for 2000 years and he
said i'm preparing a place for you
i think it's going to be pretty amazing
plus he's not only a shepherd he's a
carpenter so it's a slam dunk for him
[Applause]
and if i go did he go oh he went
and prepare a place for you here it is
hang on here comes
i will come again and receive you to
myself if it ended right there
we could argue about this forever but it
doesn't
he tells us exactly where he's going to
take us
that where i am there you may be also
what does that mean friends listen there
isn't this is not even open for a debate
i'm going he says to go prepare a place
for you
up where my father's dwelling is i'm
going to be doing it and when i'm done
i'll come get you yeah i know it's been
2 000 years i'm still working on it but
when it's done i'm going to come get you
and just to make sure you're not
confused about where that's going to be
i'm going to be preparing it i'll come
get you
and i'm going to take you where i've
been
i'm going to show you this question to
you
just let it soak in your head how do you
get there
how do you fulfill what jesus just
promised the vehicle
the doctrine is called rapture
to be caught up off of this globe out of
this world
which incorporates the living and the
dead
in christ and deposits you not instantly
in heaven mind you
but first instantly in the atmosphere
christ collects his people both the dead
and the living and from there he takes
them
us into his presence in heaven above
that has to happen for a lot of reasons
but that is thrilling news it's a
promised event
given by jesus himself i love this look
at first thessalonians 4
starting at verse 15. look at your bible
get ready to mark it
here's some more promises for this we
say to you number one by the word of the
lord
that's a new testament equivalent to the
old testament
thus saith the lord
paul said when i'm speaking to you this
is not paul speaking
this is none other than the lord giving
you this doctrine that's a promise look
at verse 16
for the lord himself would descend from
heaven that's a promise
look at the third promise verse 17 to
meet the lord in the air
that's a promise i don't like promises
unless jesus gives them
by the way amen promises people give
they used to get me excited
now i'd rather not hear them are you
with me you know that
i promise you you know young love i
promise to love you forever and ever
when yeah it's not okay you grow up and
it's like
sure
no i go to the promise keeper it's jesus
and the fourth one is in verse 17 and
thus we shall always
hallelujah right always be with the lord
the promises it's a promised event
number two it's sudden oh it's a sudden
event
this is fun i should have brought out an
umbrella for a prop
i told you guys this before but it's
really good
imagine an umbrella and i'm holding the
handle
and the umbrella is over my head and on
the outside of the umbrella over the
ribbing
it says the second coming of christ
but on one side from the handle over to
one side
of that canopy is the rapture
and on the other side of the handle on
this side is the second coming
now collectively it's called the second
coming but the second coming is broken
up into
two manifestations as i said a moment
ago one is an appearance
in the atmosphere and the other one the
second coming is a physical return to
jerusalem
by the way how do you listen if you
don't believe this
how do you know the jesus that you claim
to know is the right jesus
because the jesus of the bible has to
physically return to jerusalem
that's why jerusalem's in the news all
the time that's why everybody fights
over jerusalem
it's a spiritual issue who cares who
cares about jerusalem
it's not such a big deal if you don't
know the bible it's like why vacation
here
i'm serious there's no river
there's no oil there's no
skein there's no waterfalls
there's nothing there except it's the
place that god said
this is where my name dwells
the ancient hebrew scholars believe that
when god spoke the physical universe
into existence jerusalem was under his
feet
when it formed there's no natural reason
why you should like jerusalem
god says i love it
and look if god would have picked chino
hills chino hills would be the big news
topic of the world because it would be a
spiritual event
no it's because god moves in the realm
of the spirit
it's remarkable and awesome
but the bible tells us it's sudden it's
a sudden event
the rapture is sudden listen everybody
mark this down there is no
prophetic precursors or requirements for
the rapture to take place there's not
one thing that triggers the rapture to
be next
nothing it's without warning
the second coming there's nearly 280
prophecies that have to be fulfilled
before the second coming can happen
think of it one is predominantly by far
gentile in nature the other one is
absolutely jewish by nature
when jesus comes in the rapture he comes
to collect
those that believe him from the globe
both living and the dead their bodies
think of that
when he comes back regarding the second
coming it's specifically to finish his
covenantal promises
that were given to israel regarding
their relationship with him
it's remarkable it's a sudden event
[Music]
it's our desire that through jesus
christ you will know
real life
verse 17 says then we who are alive and
remain that's paul's statement by the
way
bible scholars in here write it down
they are known as the five
we statements of paul five
times in this chapter paul says we who
are living
when he comes we will be caught up
we will meet the dead in the
resurrection
we will meet the lord in there paul
included himself
as being in that generation that would
see the lord
and he didn't give up on that until
second timothy chapter four
when he concedes and says i'm going to
be dying now
and i have loved his appearing
and he's beheaded
but all his life he lived by the way
christian every generation
from this book we know every generation
of believers is to expect the imminent
return of christ in their lifetime did
you know that
every generation from the beginning the
disciples believed christ would return
before they all died it even says it in
the gospels
isn't that interesting the question is
do you
are you living for you pastor jack
people my grandmother said jesus was
coming back
okay so listen your grandmother was
ready what about you
and here's the other thing if your
grandmother said it
how much closer are we just because she
said it then doesn't mean
it's not going to happen wake up it
means we're that much closer
oh it's going to happen god said it's
going to happen it's a sudden event
first corinthians 15 51 this is fun
watch this
first corinthians 15 51 says behold i
tell you a mystery
the word in greek is mysterion it's a
very cool word
it means something that has always
existed it's always been there it's
always true it's always been real
it's just that there's been no reason to
re to unveil it because it didn't matter
it's god's eternal truth there was no
reason for the mysterion with what he's
about to say
to be given in the old testament so it's
not
because god's truth's eternal are you
with me so when paul says here
behold i tell you a mysterion
[Music]
i'm telling you something that has
always been god's truth but it's not
needed to be revealed until now
why because the church age of believers
are to be ready to meet christ
it just so happens you and i are now 21
centuries out
how close are we look what he says
we shall not all sleep
the word sleep is referring to the
believer's body
appearance not your soul some of you
have been taught soul sleep that's a
cult
view when people misunderstand scripture
oh sleep does that mean when you die as
a believer you just
kind of you just wait or you sleep and
then someday wake up
nope the bible says to be absent from
this body is to be present with the lord
think of that no it's always referring
to the body
you look a christian a believer you look
when you're sleeping you look like
you're dead
so you know some of you sleep is he
breathing wake him up is he dead
he's sleeping in the lord he looks dead
the church the doctrines were used the
word sleep but we shall
be changed in a moment
in a twinkling of an eye some argue back
and forth 18 to 22
thousandths of a second who cares it's
fast
at the last trumpet for the trumpet will
sound and the dead will be raised
incorruptible and we shall notice there
he goes again paul
we shall be changed i want you guys to
look at this word go ahead and put them
on the screen it's first corinthians 15
51 again watch this everybody this is
fun
read your bible carefully
for the trumpet will sound
or excuse me at the last trumpet
for the trumpet will sound and what are
we talking about the dead will be raised
incorruptible
and we shall be changed he's talking
about the event you just read
in first thessalonians 4. are you with
me are you tracking
here's what's cool there are those who
have been taught
oh you see the word last trumpet oh
i was getting excited but now i know for
sure the rapture is at the end of the
tribulation period
because that must refer to the seventh
trumpet judgment
of the book of revelation so there you
go
there you wrong has nothing to do with
that
the listen the reason why there's a last
trumpet is because there's a first
trumpet
and it goes back listen the whole
context is gathering god's people
together do you agree do you see that
it's gathering god's people together
god told moses i want you to build
two trumpets made out of silver for the
gathering together of my people
moses says okay he builds two trumpets
every time moses gathered god's people
together the jewish people he would blow
a trumpet
and to this day the jews will say but
what's the other trumpet for
why too and some will say it's a backup
it's case the other one breaks
it's a mystery the first trumpet calls
the jews together
god's been calling the jews together for
but certainly since 1948
back into their own land he called them
together for battle
he called them together for convocations
he called them together for
announcements
but the second the last trumpet's never
been blown
that last trumpet is to gather another
group of
god's people together you
it's the last trumpet the first one
gathers israel the last one gathers
the church and to prove the context it
demands that the dead
are raised incorruptible
this means the bodies of the believers
come out of the ground
oh wouldn't you love to be at a driving
through forest lawn when that happens
and as soon as you say look at that
[Applause]
can you imagine and now we lay our
brother down
[Applause]
anyway look the context is amazing the
dead will be raised incorruptible and we
the church living at that time shall be
metamorpho
or transformed transfigured we will be
molecularly changed
is that amazing changed our molecules
are going to change we're christians we
believe in resurrection
that means this flesh is going to be
re-positioned
god's going to take the molecule
structure the molecular structure of our
flesh and just tweak it
and when he tweaks it it will be in its
glorified state
it's the words he uses absolutely
awesome
i'm so excited i'm losing control of
myself over this
thirdly under this point it's required
you gotta have it
the rapture is not only found in the
bible it has to happen
we need it it's part of god's redemptive
process
just know that
it's gonna happen it's required in the
scripture
to happen
because our series will eventually cover
elements of this i want to
move forward but before i do i just want
to say something about this
in second peter 3 verse 3 you should jot
this down because you're living in it
right now
this is our age in second peter 3 3
remember this is written 2 000 years ago
peter warned know this first
priority one can you imagine peter's got
his clipboard
all right first things first
that scoffers will come on the last days
walking according to their own lust this
is what they're gonna say
where is the promise of his coming is
that amazing
he said my goodness pastor jack i talked
to somebody yesterday about that did you
get a picture with him
you should take a picture with him get a
selfie with him shake their hand tell
them
oh my gosh can you wait for a minute i
want to read you second peter 3 verses 3
through 4.
you are a walking bible prophecy
fulfillment
you said jesus isn't coming back stand
still
look at you wow the bible said there'd
be people like you you're scoffers
you're a scoffer and that's one of the
that's how i know
we're getting close to the last days
even though there's no prerequisite
oy vey you're a scoffer his comings
close
and listen the closer watch listen
everybody the closer we get to his
coming we know something
there will be more and more people not
believing it
there will be more and more people
departing from the faith
more and more people will give up in
believing that's one of the indicators
although there are no prerequisites paul
says
we will know the times
and the seasons we'll have a general
feel
what a remarkable warning watch out for
liberal
theologians in this day and age that say
well it's just a
it's a symbol it's symbolism
it really means this and it really means
that it's typological
no no no no whenever the bible is
typological it says so
did you know that and i'll prove it to
you you already know this
when jesus was baptized by john the
baptist the bible says jesus
went into the water john the baptist
baptized him and the bible says that
jesus came up
out of the water and what happened
oh this you guys are smart were you at
first and second service
see i'm telling those people first and
second they all said
a dove landed on him now this we know
for sure
we know absolutely for sure in fact the
chances of an eagle landing on him or
turkey would have been higher
than a dove and i'll prove it to you the
bible says jesus was baptized and he
came up
out of the water and the spirit of god
descended upon jesus
like a dove that means in theology it
means it wasn't a dove
are you with me it automatically means
this we know for sure
it's not a dove why because it says it
was like a dove which excludes all dubs
[Applause]
it does but i saw the movie the dove
landed on him
doesn't count the spirit of god came
upon jesus like a dove would land on
your head
when the bible speaks symbol it says so
and there was a great dragon as it were
that rose up out of the sea
having seven heads and ten horns
so you're thinking oh my goodness we've
they i think they found
they think they got pictures of a dragon
in the north atlantic living at like 20
000 feet below the sea
that's how close we are to the end where
do you get that from the bible says in
the last days
like like a dragon coming out of the
water
no the governments of the world to come
and the one world order will be like a
dragon rising up
yeah it's simple if we just slow down
and read it watch out
well the word of god is sure and this is
what you and i need to be doing
at a time like this there's so much
rhetoric out there there's so much
stuff that's out there even in the realm
of bible or christian watch out be
careful
because the bible is certain jesus said
himself
i'm going to be coming back i'm going to
be receiving you to myself
so don't let your heart be troubled
because where i am there you may be also
so until he comes and we pray
honestly we pray that it's now we pray
that it's
it's tonight that he comes but if he
doesn't come
we are going to stay in the word of god
and find out what's coming next
from the bible to our lives and how we
ought to be living in these amazing
remarkable days and so please keep this
in mind
god's word is certain don't let anyone
tell you otherwise
and god will fulfill his prophetic word
he always has
and what's left for him to fulfill he
will do you can count on him
for sure if you'd like to find out more
and have
much more teaching available to you then
you can go to jacobs.com and you can
just look there for
all of the other teachings we have on
the books of the bible and on topics of
scripture
and i think you'll find it valuable and
if it's a blessing to you
let us know we'd love to find out and
connect with who it is we're
ministering to and relating with so
until next time you guys god bless you
and be looking up because jesus could
come today
[Applause]
[Music]
welcome to real life radio with jack
hibbs god's word
never will return void god's word is
spirit it's power
and it has its effect
[Music]
so i want to encourage you to grab your
bibles open them up
and get ready to learn from god's word
god did not give us bible prophecy to
scare us
but to prepare us but i think you're
going to get a lot out of it and one of
the great reasons
you are the light of the world jesus
said you are the salt of the earth how
does that happen
by the power of the holy spirit you're
going to get excited about what jesus
christ
wants to do in and through you
jack hibbs truly believes we are living
in some of the most exciting days in
history
which brings some great opportunities to
share with the world a powerful
no-nonsense presentation of the gospel
to this generation
who is searching for answers and truth
will you stand with us
in sharing this message in real and
practical ways
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