The Second Coming of the Lord

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 19 MARCH 2023 pm

1 THESSALONIANS 5 VERSES 1 - 11

We have been looking at the scripture teaching of the Second Coming of the Lord.  What a tremendous event that is.  I think of the first time he came as a baby and how the angels came down to the hillside, spoke to the shepherds and explained the message to them "for unto you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2 verse 11)  Not a doctor, not a philosopher, not a theologian but a Saviour.  He was willing to die on the cross for our sins.  The Lord is coming again.  There are 2 stages to the Second Coming - what we have called the rapture, the first stage when the Lord comes to the air, when he separates the clouds, the voice of the archangel will be heard and the trump of the Lord will sound.  The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and the dead in Christ shall rise first to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  1 Corinthians "behold I show you a mystery we shall not all sleep."  (1 Corinthians 15 verse 51) We could be the generation living and alive when Christ himself comes again.  The second stage is the revelation and that comes 7 years later.  That is when the Lord comes, will set his feet on the Mount of Olives.  Revelation 1 verse 7 "behold he cometh with the clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him."  He will put down the anti-Christ and Satan will be bound for 1000 years.  We want to continue on with this theme of the rapture.  We looked at it under the signs of his coming - we looked back to the days of Noah and society then - a riotous and reckless society.  They did not heed or listen to the word of God.  They didn't realise he was building a refuge for when the Lord would come.  We looked at the grounds of his coming.  One day he will come again - that is his promise.  The features of his coming.  The secrecy and suddenness of his coming.  Tonight I want us to take our thoughts around the rapture - what it will be like on this earth immediately after the rapture.  The Lord is coming and coming to take home every saved man, woman, boy and girl.  What will it be like after that here on earth?

The chaos.  Imagine the scene as the Lord comes to the air.  The trumpet will sound, the voice of the archangel will be heard, bodies will rise from our cemeteries, graves will open up to raise bodies up to the air to be reunited with their souls.  1 Thessalonians 4 verse 17.  There could be a generation still living.  Maybe even us.  All will take place in the twinkling of an eye.  Those left this scene of time who loved their Saviour, walked with their Saviour died and left this scene of time.  When Jesus comes with those same souls, their bodies will be caught up to meet those souls in the air.  The word "prevent" is used as a hindering word meaning to prevent something.  In the scriptures it means to go before.  Paul is saying if this was to happen tonight the dead will rise first.  We will not go before them, we which are alive will also be caught up.  Imagine the chaos after that great event.  Think of the society in Noah's day - Jesus said there will be 2 in the field, 1 will be taken and the other left .  Talking here of the rapture, the coming of the Saviour.  Two will be working in the field when one will be raised up to meet the Lord in the air.  One is saved and the other is not saved.  Not some religious ritual tonight.  Men and women saved by the grace of God, turned from their sins, repented and trusted the Lord as Saviour.  One saved and the other is not, one is taken and the other left.  Imagine some of our banking institutions around the world when board members will be taken.  On our roads, imagine the saved travellers taken from their cars and others left.  It is hard to imagine the reality.  Airports, shops, families and loved ones.  There will be one left behind.  It is harsh and a reality tonight.  Can you imagine loved ones gone in the twinkling of an eye? Maybe standing speaking to someone.  Just imagine the chaos.

The confusion.  Where has everyone gone?  Can you imagine the news headlines too.  Trying to explain the great phenomena happening around the world.  Beds emptied, vast numbers disappearing in a second from this world.  Let me take you back to the Old Testament scriptures.  2 Kings 2 Elisha and Elijah were out walking together and as they walked together Elijah is taken up into the clouds in a whirlwind.  Elisha saw it and cried out "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more."  Walking side by side, one was taken.  The young prophets were confused.  They came to find their master and asked where he had gone.  "We need to search for him in case the Holy Spirit has taken him up then cast him down on some mountain."  For 3 days they searched for him.  The thought of being taken.  They searched to no avail.  In Genesis we read of Enoch.  He died just like Elijah, he was taken up into heaven.  Hebrews tells us "by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found."  A man taken from the streets of the village in which he lived, from his neighbours, his loved ones.  They didn't know where he was gone.  Hebrews tells us they searched for him.  Is it possible that moments after the rapture that confusion will settle in? Trying to find people.  God has taken them.  We are not talking about religious denominations.  As God looks down on this world he sees 2 groups of people, those saved and those lost.  Over 100 years ago the Titanic sank into the icy waters.  There were 2 lists put up - one with those who had been saved and one with those who were lost.  Only 2 lists.  There was the upper class, the middle and lower classes when they set off but now there are only 2 lists, one saved and one lost.  In God's eyes there are only 2 classes of people - those trusting in Jesus and those not.  If you haven't taken your place at that banqueting table why not do so tonight.  Jesus talked of this world like a field  A man sowed his seed.  They noticed tares in it and the servants asked if he wanted to pull them out.  The man told them to wait until the harvest and they could separate them then.  There are plenty of people going through the motions today.  They go to church, say their prayers, read their bibles but when Jesus comes again what happens - they are left behind.  Why are there some Christians left?  Some might be so confused.  There is a profession without a possession.  Jesus spoke of those who came to the door at the hour when Christ came again.  "We have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets." (Luke 13 verse 26) Jesus says "I never knew you."  Don't make that mistake tonight.  Will you be left or go to meet him in the air?  It all depends on your trust in Christ.  It matters if you have been to the cross tonight .  Churches will be open and the minister is there behind his desk with the congregation gathering together.  Some of the choir will be taking their places.  The minister is not saved by the grace of God.  He has a form of religion.  He reads the bible, calls out the hymns, reads the liturgy but is not saved.

The conspiracies.  They will come fast, we are entering a state of lawlessness.  Satan can deceive the nations of the world.  1 John 4 verse 3 "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come and even now already is it in the world.".  This spirit was already at work in Paul's day.  When the church goes home we will see this man arise and the false prophet will rise to the fore.  All the theories will be made and people will listen to them.  The Holy Spirit is gone.  The spirit of truth has been set aside.  There will be those saved through the tribulation.  Evolutionists will come, they will say we have moved on to another period.  There will be many theories - many will say aliens have come down and taken all the people away.  The theories will abound.

The crime.  Can you imagine the crime rate of those days when the Holy Spirit is removed.  No restraining power.  Today our world is wicked but even in all that God has still a say in it.  When the church is removed from this earth that restraining power is set aside for the mystery of iniquity doth already work - 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 7 "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."  These 7 years - never was a time like it before nor again.  The appearance of the antichrist will appear on this earth.  He is the devils advocate, seen as one with all the answers, solving all the worlds problems.  He is waiting to come to the fore.