WHEN THE RAPTURE OCCURS DON'T BE LEFT BEHIND

Proclamation:

“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed … For The Son of Man in His day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.’ … ‘It will be like this on the day The Son of Man is revealed … I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left’”  Luke 17:20-36 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, as recorded by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter Luke continues to record the words which Jesus spoke to the crowd which included His disciples and the Pharisees.  First, He said that things will come that will cause His people to stumble and sin, but woe be unto them through whom those things come to His people. (Luke 17:1-2)  Then, after telling about them forgiving those who sin against them (Luke 17:3-4) and having faith, (Luke 17:5-6) He told them how they treat the servant who does his duty. (Luke 17:7-10)  Leaving there, as He continued on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus healed the ten men who had leprosy and noted that only one of them returned to thank Him. (Luke 17:11-19)  Then, in response to a question from a Pharisee, Jesus gave them a lengthy description of what it will be like when The Son of Man returns. (Luke 17:20-35)

Application:

When The Son of Man returns He will be visible in the sky to everyone like lightning in the clouds. (Luke 17:24 and Revelation 1:7)  He will come in all His power and glory.  With a great sound of a trumpet, He will gather His elect from the four corners of the earth. (Matthew 24:30-31)  We refer to His gathering of “the church” as the rapture, when we will caught up and meet The Lord God in the air. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)  There are those who believe that when we are taken up, our clothes will be left behind.  People will be going about their normal daily activities when the believers will be instantly taken up while those that we were with at the time will be left behind. (Matthew 24:40-41 and Luke 17:34-36)  Don’t be like the people in the days of Noah who were left out of the ark, or the people in Sodom when Lot left the city. (Luke 17:26-29)  Confess, believe, and repent while there is still time.