Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Jun 11th, 2011 Rapture – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading: Job 22-26, Proverbs 11, and 1Thesselonians 4 – 2Thesselonians 2.

Good morning. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1Thesselonians 4:13-18.

I feel sorry for those who do not believe in the catching away of the church, otherwise known as the rapture. I mean verse 15 starts off with: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord…”: it comes from the Lord. And verse 18 says, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” How can you comfort someone who does not believe.

I never had a chance to track down the info, but someone once told me that the theory of the rapture was created by a woman in the 1800’s. I would just say great! At least someone is reading their Bible! 1Thessalonians was written around 52 AD. In 1Corinthians 15, and verses 51-57, (written around 55 AD) the Bible says, “Behold, I shew 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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

And Jesus promised: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

Jesus also said in Luke 17:26-27: “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”

Before Noah, Enoch was raptured. When the flood came, God protected Noah and his family in the ark. After the rapture of the church, the Great Tribulation period will begin, and God will protect the nation of Israel as He did Noah.

Jesus is coming back to catch His bride away. Everything is in place, and the rapture of the church could take place at any time. Are you ready? All you need do is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Just realize you are a sinner. God’s Word says…

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: [AND] Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

It’s in our blood to sin: because Adam sinned, we all sin.

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

BUT…

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And He made it so easy for us. Jesus took on Himself the hard part: dying for our sins on the cross. All we need do is receive Him into our hearts.

Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

One more thing about the woman from the 1800’s. I said she read her Bible, but she also probably liked good Godly music. This was written in the 1700’s…

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!

Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!

Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

(Christ The Lord Has Risen Today by Charles Wesley)

Alleluia! Peace.