Directly addresses the doctrine of the Lord's return, distinguishing between Christ coming *for* His saints and Christ coming *with* His saints. It emphasizes that the coming for the saints, often called the rapture, is a timeless and signless event that will occur in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. This imminent return should purify believers' lives, making them holy, steadfast, and abounding in the work of the Lord, while also fostering patience in trials, as highlighted by passages from 1 John and James. The ultimate application is that believers should live in readiness, characterized by holiness, diligent service, and patient endurance, awaiting Christ's glorious return.
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We turn in our Bibles and read that scripture we've already had in the reading this morning. First of all, in First Thessalonians chapter four. That wonderful event that is yet to come and may be very, very near, beginning at verse thirteen to the end of the chapter. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep. that she sorrow not as others who 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 or precede 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. Chapter one in the book of Revelation. That great book telling us of the coming again of the Lord Jesus. His second coming to the earth. Reading only verse seven. Where the beloved apostle John wrote these words. as though he was summing up all the teaching that preceded in the Old as well as the New Testament concerning the return of the Lord Jesus. Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, even they that pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.
Even so, amen. May God bless the reading, which we would like to emphasize of these two portions of Scripture relative to the return of the Lord Jesus. May I sincerely declare, without any question of doubt, the importance of this truth, the coming again of the Lord Jesus, is one of the greatest teachings in the Word of God. It may not be the most important, but it is one of the greatest in its quantity in the Scriptures of Truth, both in the Old as well as the New Testament, the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is taught.
It holds particularly a great portion in the New Testament, for many others may well know Out of the two hundred and sixty chapters in your New Testament, you have three hundred and eighteen occasions where the coming again of the Lord Jesus is recorded. On an average, once in every twenty-five verses in the New Testament, the coming of the Lord Jesus is mentioned. As far as the Old Testament, Beloved, you cannot but recognize, though the coming of the Lord Jesus for His saints, which we often call the rapture, is not revealed in the Old Testament, yet the coming of the Lord Jesus with His saints to be in power and glory reigning over the earth is one of the great subjects of the Old Testament.
You cannot but help read all the prophecies and beyond that before the prophets, but you read all the prophets from Isaiah to Malachi. There is not one of them but what gives the suggestion in the midst of all the retribution and the accusation of sin that God makes against his earthly people and for which he has been punishing them. There can always be found the revelation that someday the Messiah of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, will reign as the King over all the earth.
Now we would like to make a distinction carefully to be noted, which should be noted, and by any student of the Word of God, will be carefully discerned. to the coming again of the Lord Jesus. There is one particular phase of it which only includes his saints when he will be coming for his saints. May I repeat that again? That we have read in First Thessalonians chapter four. It is relative to the coming of the Lord Jesus for his saints.
In Revelation chapter one and verse seven, together with other scripture that can be spoken of, there is the coming of the Lord Jesus with his saints. And when we read Revelation one seven, behold, he cometh with clouds. May I give the suggestion? Turn back in the epistle of Jude if you wish. and read what you have in Jude chapter fourteen and verse one, chapter one, verse fourteen and fifteen, only one chapter there. And Jude writes, Behold, he cometh with ten thousands of his saints.
So may I re-emphasize, clearly and distinctly recognize there is a difference between the Lord coming for his saints and the Lord coming with His saints. And necessarily, before He can come with His saints, He must come for them. And He will. So we can realize that. But the distinction should be noted carefully by every student and believer who studies the subject of the coming again of the Lord. May I give you the suggestion? You can see the contrast so clearly.
as we have read in Thessalonians, he is coming not to the earth. We are going to meet him in the air. But when you come to the other prophetic scriptures regarding his coming again to the earth, he puts his feet on the earth. You may read Zechariah chapter fourteen, many other scriptures, and the promise also that he would touch his feet on the Mount of Olives when he returns. That will be the coming of the Lord with his saints, as you and I come with him. Then there are two particular symbols in the Word of God, in the New Testament particularly.
And in fact, the New Testament especially says, in the coming of the Lord for his saints, You may read in Revelation chapter two as well as second Peter chapter one, but at the end of the book of the Revelation chapter twenty two, the Lord speaks of himself as the morning star. For in coming for his saints, he's coming as the morning star. Before the dawn, as the morning star shines in all his brilliance, just before the dawn and the sun rises.
But in coming with his saints, you've got it in Malachi chapter four in verse two. The sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in his wings. And beloved, may I give you the suggestion? Before the sun comes up, the stars disappear out of sight. And before the Lord Jesus comes to reign over the earth, the saints of the church are going to disappear out of the world. Out of sight. To us he's the morning star. To those whom he will meet on the earth, he'll be the son of righteousness. There's another distinction that we can recognize.
You'll find it in the New Testament. As well as in the Old Testament. But particularly in the New Testament. You find the expression in Philippians chapter one twice that when the Lord comes, it's called the day of Christ. His day, the day of his joy when he's going to get together and gather together his own redeemed church. Then you have another expression and it's found in the New Testament as well as in the old even more, the day of the Lord. And it's a different period. It's associated with his coming to the earth, beginning with the approaching judgments that he will pour upon the earth before he appears bodily.
And he will continue as the day of the Lord right through the millennial team, the day of his glory. And you can distinguish those two things. The coming of the Lord for his sake. It's the day of Christ. when he receives his bride to himself. And the coming of the Lord with his saints will be the day of the Lord. But then on the other hand, I'm sure we can also recognize, I would like to emphasize this, particularly before we go further. The coming of the Lord is a timeless and a signless event.
Now get the meaning of it. There's no time attached to it to when he'll come for his saints. And there's no signs attached to the coming of the Lord for his saints. But there's plenty of times and events associated with the coming of the Lord with his saints before he comes as well as when he comes. Now may I be reminded of Acts chapter one and verse eleven. Where the Lord Jesus told it, or chapter, not verse eleven, but I believe it's in chapter one and verse seven of the book of the Acts, when the disciples asked the Lord, just when are you going to set up your kingdom?
And the Lord told them, it's not for you to know the times and the seasons which are in the hands of the Father. And there are times and events associated with the coming of the Lord with His saints. But the coming of the Lord for His saints, a timeless event. Let me give you the thought and quickly go on. The rapidity of it. The rapidity of that event. Go with me to First Corinthians chapter fifteen, if you please. I would like to mention that. As we may mention it again, but please let me emphasize it at this moment.
Chapter fifteen of First Corinthians. Though it is the chapter that's chiefly about the resurrection, it also includes the rapture of the saints, where Paul in verse fifty-one and fifty-two writes, and let us read those words carefully. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, that is in death, for 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.
Now there you note in verse fifty-two the rapidity of the event in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye. In other words, So quickly, now let me please say this and you'll understand it better. The world will never see it. The world will never know it. But when the Lord Jesus comes, every eye shall see him when he comes to the earth. So get the implication. And that's why Paul writes, as you know in verse fifty-two, verse fifty-one rather, know what he says. I show you something that's never known before.
never been known before. It's not in the Old Testament. How the rapture will take place. And then in a moment, and that word moment is very significant, the only time in the New Testament Greek language you've got the word Atom, A-T-O-M, the word is a Thomas. And when I was a boy in school, I recall the definition of the word Atom was told to me as meaning indivisible. It could not be divided. Well, one certainly has given the suggestion. Now that men have split the atoms, they wonder if they made their wisecrack after all.
They don't know what to do with the result. The atom has brought great disaster and threats of destruction. But in that moment, they cannot be split. The rapture is going to take place. And the world will not see it. But as we read in Revelation chapter one, every eye shall see him when he comes to the earth. So let's just recognize there's a few thoughts. More could be given. The distinction between the Lord coming for his sake and the Lord coming with his sake.
Now let's go to our chapter in Thessalonians. And very briefly, but thoroughly if possible for our blessing, consider this wonderful event that will be the gratitude of the saints, the coming of the Lord for his redeemed people. Now as we have read it, one may recognize what the apostle is saying, if I may begin at verse fifteen and read through verse seventeen only. For here the blessed Lord Jesus through the apostle describes the event. Now may I, first of all, before going further on this verse, give the thought that you and I have three foundations of believing in the reality of the coming of the Lord.
First of all, and this is the greatest, it should be to every Christian. John chapter fourteen three, Jesus said, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be of them. That is the first foundation to rest your heart and your mind upon the fact he will come again because he said so. Then on the other hand, as we mentioned in Acts chapter one, you can read verses nine through eleven. Two angels gave testimony to the disciples as they watched the Lord Jesus going up. This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as you've seen him go.
You've got not only the Savior's declaration, I will come again. You have the angel's confirmation of it. They say he's coming back again. And then what shall we say where we are reading? And many of the epistles, whether you read of Paul's writing, Peter, James, John, Jude, every one of them, touch upon the fact. He's coming again. You have the Savior's statement, you have the angel's statement, and you have the Apostles' revelation of it, as they wrote. And in this chapter particularly, The Lord Jesus is telling us through the Apostle just how he will come and receive us to himself.
Now may I say lovingly, there's no question of doubt, it perhaps looks to be the most ridiculous thing to the eyes of the unsaved. The marvelous way in which the Lord Jesus comes and how he gathers us together. Know with me, first of all, what the Apostle says. Let me read verse fifteen. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord. And let me emphasize this. This is a special revelation that was given to Paul, that he could say just like the old prophets of old did, they funded. Thus saith the Lord.
And to the beloved Apostle Paul, this special revelation was given. on the behalf of the believers in Thessalonica who had lost some of their beloved fellow believers in death. And who thought those believers would never be able to come into the kingdom when the Lord came back? And here the Apostle writes these words of comfort as well as counsel. We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, we shall not precede them which are retrieved. Paul virtually saying, we who are alive when the Lord's come would not meet him before they will, get the implication.
Some of them have been dead for a thousand more years, saints that have been buried in this age. But Paul says, no matter how long they've been in the grave, they're not going to meet the Lord ahead of us if we're alive when he comes. Now let's see what he says. And I want you to know this. There's three movements. There's a movement of descent from heaven. Then there's a resurrection of the saints from the grave. Then there's a transformation which begins the translation of the saints. The transformation of the living saints. First of all in verse sixteen. For the Lord Himself.
No angels. being deputized to come for us. He's not going to let the angels come for us. He's probably got enough to do it with, but he's not going to do that. He's coming himself. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. This morning we have the joy of worshiping that man in the glory, our Lord Jesus. But the one we worshiped in The Lord suffered this morning. He's the one that's coming himself to get you and to get me. He says, I've got some saints down there in Florence, and I'm going to come for them.
I'm going to come for them all over the whole world. The Lord himself shall descend from him. Now please, let me just ask a simple question. How far away is it? Don't worry. Don't be concerned. The distance means nothing, thank God. When he descends, himself is coming. With a shout, with an assembling shout, the voice of the archangel will re-echo without, sometimes I wonder if the archangel will keep the way clear.
So may I give you this thought? The Lord, when he comes down, just as he went up, He's coming down through the devil's territory. And when you and I go up to meet the Lord, we're going through the devil's territory. And we'll be surprised we might meet the Lord in the devil's territory, to the disappointment of the devil. But nevertheless, there'll be no obstacle. No obstacle at all. And the trumpet God will sound. Well, we think of the dear old hymn, how true the words can be. When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more. When the roll is called as we sing it up yonder.
If we're saved we can sing, I'll be there. And it begins with a descent. But note this. Simultaneously there's a movement from the grave. As you read in verse, at the end of verse sixteen. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. which is perfectly obvious, they must rise first. A little bit further down than we are when our feet are upon the ground above. But the dead in Christ shall rise first. I don't know whether you've had the thought or even wanted this experience, but there's one experience oftentimes I've often wished I could have.
Every time I've attended a funeral service at the graveside, I thought, wouldn't it be wonderful if the Lord would come right now and all the graves of the saints would open? Mind your love, pray, listen. Please. Can I emphasize what we fail to realize, the magnitude, the greatness of such an event. All the dead that belong to the Lord, not all the dead that are in the grave, but the dead in Christ, will rise first. Oh, the joy of realizing.
The ripivity of it. For instance, in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The twinkling of an eye. What happens when the eye twinkles? The upper eyelid goes down and meets the lower eyelid. And just as fast as you can twinkle your eye, this is going to happen. You won't hear anybody shouting all aboard. Last score. It's going to happen in a moment. And in the twinkle of an eye. The dead in Christ shall rise first. And then Paul goes on to say verse seventeen.
Then we which are alive and remain. Shall be caught up together with them. And as you have in first Corinthians fifteen. We shall all that are alive be changed. For this, the corrupted body in the grave must burn in corruption. The mortal body that is living will put on immortality. And what a joy to realize that the same instant the Lord begins his descent, there is the movement in the graves below and the transformation of the saints of the living. And they are caught up in that translation together to meet the Lord where?
in the air. And may I give you the thought that blesses my heart, that's only one place, you can get them all together at one time, and that would be in the air. You'd never get all those saints that have been saved, even in this period of church history. You couldn't get them all in one building, in one place on the earth. The Lord said, you're going to meet me in the air. I know the joy of recognizing we shall be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. My beloved, listen, may I say that this is the prospect waiting you and me, we who have trusted the Lord Jesus.
It's one of the greatest momentous events that will take place in all of history. When God, the Lord Jesus, gathers his own together. Are you looking for it? Are you waiting for it? As we have sung those precious old hymns, Jesus is coming again. So may I put before you a few thoughts regarding the truth of this matter. It should have a salutary effect on your life and mind. an effect upon your life and upon mine.
But may I give you this truth about any doctrine in the Bible. You may get it in your head. And there are many doctrines in the Bible. But just as the doctrine of the coming of the Lord, if it doesn't affect your life, you're not enjoying it properly. You're not enjoying it properly. Or if there's any truth in the Bible that you should enjoy, whatever truth it may be, it will not be enjoyed until it becomes a part of your living. You'll put it to work.
You'll live it out. Let me quote St. Timothy chapter three, verse sixteen and seventeen. You know it well. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching, doctrine or teaching, for reproof and for correction. Sometimes we need to be reproved and convicted if we're not right, but we can be corrected. What for? For righteousness. for right living, that the man of God may be complete, truly furnished unto all good works. May I say this, and we'll go right to Scripture to prove it.
There's a responsibility when you study the second coming of Christ. There is a moral and a spiritual responsibility for any truth that you study in the Bible. Now what about the coming of the Lord for me? What effect should it have on my life, on my character? Go and read the first John chapter three, words that I'm sure you know very well, the first epistle of John. Let me read the second and third verses of this chapter. First John chapter three, verses two and three, where the beloved apostle has written, regarding the coming of the Lord.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be. But we know when he shall appear, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. But note the third verse. Here's the responsibility. Beloved, may I say lovingly, Many times the study of prophetic truth is only for the sake of getting information instead of sanctification. In other words, the truth you learn should have a sanctifying effect upon your heart and life.
And is what John says. Every man that has this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure. The word purifies means to be holy. Let me put it in this perspective. I believe it's the most important one to emphasize. The truth of the Lord Jesus Christ coming for me at any moment should purify my life. and that I should be holy in character.
Please may I say that I need it for my own heart, my own life. It's to be a purifying hope. It's to have a purifying effect. I should live better. I should live godly. Even Peter writes, you may remember in Second Peter chapter three, of the coming of the new heavens and the new earth, what manner of persons ought ye to be, seeing that these things are going to take place? What manner of persons ought ye to be in all godliness, conversation and godliness? Beloved, let me say, I do it to my own heart.
The coming of the Lord for me and for you. should make us better in holiness of life and conduct. But then go with me to First Corinthians chapter fifteen. Let's go to the last verse in that chapter. First Corinthians chapter fifteen. God not only would say to me, John, be godly, be holy, but at the end of chapter fifteen we have these words the Apostle has written. And what has preceded it in the chapter has been the coming of the Lord, how he will get his saints from the grave and those that may be living. And then at the end, this is what he says.
Therefore, for this reason, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, I want you to notice something. Please, it cuts to the heart, it cuts to the conscience. The believer that believes and knows the Lord is coming for him and for her should be working for the Lord. And may I say, every Christian is supposed to be in the work of the Lord.
immovable and abounding in it. Some people are just bounding. Now and then say, bounce in it and bounce out of it. But he said, be abounding in the work of the Lord. There's work to do. May I lovingly say to every dear believer in this little assembly, every one of you, every one of us have a work to do for him. Every day, might be at home, might be at business, maybe on the street, wherever it is. The work of the Lord, making known Christ, letting the world see we belong to Him, witnessing.
Please may I say, it's quite common, and it's the custom, unfortunately, that somebody declares they feel by the Lord Jesus they are led to give themselves to the work of the Lord, maybe to the mission field, the farmland field, or elsewhere. My beloved Lord, every believer in the Lord Jesus is supposed to be in the work of the Lord. Let me repeat it again. In your home, at your business, at your work, in society, wherever you are in public, you're in the work of the Lord. And my beloved, that work involves witnessing for him and making him known to others.
And how we need to realize this should be the spiritual effect of the truth. It's coming for me. We used to sing an old hymn in my boyhood days. Work for the night is coming when man works no more. And beloved, please let me sing. Are you and I working for the Lord? Now look, he doesn't say working for Florence Bible Chapel. Better than that, more important, the work of the Lord. Please note, Paul is telling these Christians that Corinth, and some of them really needed correcting, which he does in the Epistle. But he's telling every one of them, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always, not sometimes, Always abounding in the work of the Lord.
And know what he adds. For as much as ye know that your labor is never in vain. In the Lord. Praise his name. So then let's go to the epistle of James, please. Find the epistle of James for a moment. James writes something, too, about the coming of the Lord. And the responsibility of the believer. In chapter five of his epistle. And we need to realize it. Not only from first John chapter three, two, that we should be holy. And also, as we have in Corinthians, we should be zealous for the Lord. But here we have a statement by James. Let me read verse seven and eight.
And be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husband man waited for the precious fruit of the earth. He hath long patience for it. until he received the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient. Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord. And let me particularly emphasize, if you read the context preceding these words, James was speaking of judgment upon some men, rich men, who abused the poor. But he tells those who are being abused, be patient.
And may I say, if I'm not an analyst of politics, but may I say in looking at the conditions of our country, I think we've got more impatient people in this whole land we've ever had before. Impatient with the government, impatient with their politicians, impatient with their conditions, impatient with the economic conditions. And may I say to my beloved brother and sister, if you are impatient because of the economic conditions you face, stop it. Stop it. Change says, be patient.
The Lord's coming. You've straightened it out. And may I frankly say, nobody else is going to straighten it all out. But the Lord Jesus, when he comes, and even between labor and capital, which is in the context of this portion, James says to the laboring man, If you're abused, if you're a Christian, be patient. My friend, listen, it depends when you're a Christian. You should be patient with a condition. Not only that, you go down, go to verse, I think you go down to verse nine. Well, let me read verse eight and nine. Grudge not one against another. Brethren, lest she be condemned. Behold, the judge standeth at the door.
Take, my brethren, the prophets who were spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering, affliction, and what? Patience. Now may I say a kind word? Physically. A lot of dear Christians are suffering. The suffering may not end until the Lord takes them home the glory, perhaps. The affliction group. May I say the Lord Jesus said it? In the world you shall have tribulation. And do you remember what Paul writes in Romans chapter five? Tribulation. Work of what? Patience. My beloved fellow believer.
Let me put it in this perspective. You and I should be patient as we see the conditions getting worse in the world. Knowing the Lord's coming. He'll take care of that. He'll take care of that. The last of all, I must say this. We must indeed suggest it. We must be ready. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus in Mark, when he spoke to Matthew, in Matthew chapter twenty four in verse forty four. Be ye also ready, for in an hour that ye have taken up, the Son of Man cometh.
Now let me put that in a twofold application. First, you and I who are believers, when the Lord comes, would He be pleased with the holiness, the godliness of our life? When the Lord comes, would He be pleased and satisfied with the activity of our labor of love and service for Him? When the Lord comes, Would he be rejoicing over the fact we had patience? As we sang that hymn, I'm waiting for the dawning of that bright and glorious day. Would we have patience? Will we be ready?
Think of the old hymn we often sing. Oh, can we say we are ready, brother? Ready for the soul's bright home? Will he find you and me? They're waiting, watching, waiting when the Lord shall come. Meaning, ready in heart. to me please let me say we know he's coming may I say frankly I have to confess I am more friends fellow believers in all my history said look for the Lord to come I'm wanting to come there's no question of doubt as we sang in that hymn I can almost hear his footfall at the door But are we godly?
Are we faithfully witnessing and living for Him in the work of the Lord? Are we patient in all our trials, troubles, afflictions? Then if we are, we'd be really ready to meet Him. But then on the other hand, if there be one, I don't know whether there is. One unsaved. My, they're not ready. Go back to the first Thessalonians in closing. And let me just emphasize what the beloved apostle does in verse thirteen of his first Thessalonian epistle chapter four, where the beloved apostle said in the opening of that thirteen verse, these words of verse fourteen, the opening of verse fourteen.
For if we believe, and you could translate that word for a believer since we believe, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, will be in that event. And there's one sure thing, an unsafe person will never be in that event. The world will not see it, unless they have believed upon the Lord Jesus as a saving of their souls. But may I close with the encouragement. These words that is coming again, may they have their salutary effect Upon your heart and my heart, your life and my life, be ye holy.
Be steadfast in the service and the work of the Lord. Be patient until he comes. And let's seek the glorifying. And may I add one other exhortation. You have it in Hebrews chapter ten. Not to forsake your resailing of yourselves together. I say it lovingly. For every Christian it's the responsibility of them to be at every meeting that the Lord garrisoned his saints together. No matter when it is, God helps us indeed to be faithful. Shall we sing that hymn in closing?
One verse of that hymn, Be on Time, which is a number in our book.