DNLD. NOTE FROM PASTOR (emeritus) FEDENA, TO READ!
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"COME FLY WITH ME"
TEXT: I Cor. 15:51-53
THESIS: To show the mystery aspect of the Rapture and the responsibility of believers in the light of this imminent event.
INTRO:
A. Suppose a visitor to earth would see and be able to communicate with a caterpillar. "How ugly you are, and how gross, all you do is eat." "True," replies the caterpillar "but I won't always be like this. Some day I'll have beautiful wings, and fly from flower to flower." "A likely story" the visitor says with a laugh."
A few days later the stranger finds a hard brown chrysalis on the rosebush, and is surprised to hear the caterpillar's voice: - "Now I'm worse off than before. You think I'm dead and I can neither move nor eat, but soon I shall have a resurrection and fly in the sun." Poor deluded worm," says the visitor, "you'd better accept the fact that your life is over."
But 3 weeks later the stranger is surprised to hear the caterpillar's voice again. Looking for the chrysalis, he sees one beautiful wing, then another unfolding from its cracked shell. "You see," says the voice, "my resurrection has come," and spreading its wings the butterfly flits away and cries out "COME FLY WITH ME..."
B. Today the unbeliever sees believer's die just like the unsaved and concludes that that is all there is to it. Or he hears us talk about the rapture and the resurrection and shakes his head at our "pathetic belief." But the day is coming when we will indeed "fly away".
I. BEHOLD...A MYSTERY: v.51
A. It's A Secret!
1. The word "mystery" comes from the Greek word "musterion"; the root = "muo" or "deep secret", or "to shut the mouth."
ILLUS: The word is derived from ancient secret societies relating to their secret oaths, pass-words and rituals. Only those who knew the "musterion" could know and enter into the secret orders and rites.
2. Only believers now know the "musterion" of the rapture:
a. "We shall not all sleep": this was unknown in the O.T.; everyone was expected to die (even though God gave Enoch and Elijah as examples).
b. "We shall all be changed": be glad the period didn't come after "sleep" or die!
ILLUS: Greek mythology: The goddess Aurora fell in love with the mortal Tichonus At the wedding, Zeus, King of the gods, offered her any gift. Naturally she chose eternal life for Tichonus. But she forgot to ask that he stay forever young and as he became older and older, the gift became a curse!
We will not only live forever, but we won't have to wear glasses, toupees, false teeth or get old! We will be changed first! "COME FLY WITH ME!"
B. Are You Tuned In?
ILLUS: Ever watch someone in the car ahead of you singing with their car radio? Unless you are tuned in to the same station, you don't hear the music they are responding to. When shouts "Come up hither!" only the saints who are tuned to station "B.L.O.O.D." will respond and go up.
1. The rapture is for believers only and the Bible implies that unbelievers will not even understand our sudden disappearance.
2. The Greatest Liar who ever lived will take control of the planet as soon as we are gone.
ILLUS: A possible speech from the Antichrist might be:
"My dear friends, thank you for listening to me. I know many of you have lost loved ones in this unusual disappearance of so many people. However we believe it was God's judgment on them for their none cooperation and divisions in our New Age, New World Order and the church on earth. Now that the separatists are gone, let us unite under the great goal of universal brotherhood, love and peace on earth."
II. UP, UP and AWAY: v.52,53
A. Fly The (UN)Friendly Skies!
1. We will be transported instantaneously!
ILLUS: The word "moment" comes from a Greek scientific word from which we get our word atom and was considered the smallest, indivisible particle of matter. Thus, here, it means the smallest time possible. He will come, take us out and change us simultaneously! A "twinkle" is shorter than a wink or a blink...it is akin to a quick glance.
2. The trumpet blast may simply be our call to go up, but it may more likely be God's command to the angelic host to transport us thru the devil's domain: "the prince and power if the air."
B. We Love To Fly and It Shows!
1. What will we be like? v.52b, 53
2. Where will we go?
ILLUS: No place in the N.T. does it ever say that Christ is coming to take us to heaven! Every time it speaks of Christ coming to take us to Himself! ("...ever be with the Lord"; "...unto Myself") The glory of heaven is not the golden highways, the jeweled gates, nor the splendor of our mansions. It is the Person of our Lord and Savior. We are not looking for a place or a program. We are looking for a Person!
III. OCCUPY TILL HE COMES: v.58
Luke 19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
A. What Will You Be Doing When Jesus Comes Back?
1. Will you be ashamed?
I John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
2. Will you be found faithful?
NOTE: These are the only 2 possibilities: slothful or faithful! Working or shirking!
CONCL: British soldiers were trapped by the Nazi pincers at Dunkirk and it seemed there was no possible escape for them. But ships from Britain glided thru the dark waters at night and stole them away as "thieves in the night". They were taken safely back to their homeland. They came for those they loved.
He Who loves us will come back to this alien land and take us to our true home. As the pincers of the Antichrist tighten their stranglehold upon us, Our Savior will come as a "thief in the night" and transport us safely home.
We invite you to "COME FLY WITH US!"
A. Suppose a visitor to earth would see and be able to communicate with a caterpillar. "How ugly you are, and how gross, all you do is eat." "True," replies the caterpillar "but I won't always be like this. Some day I'll have beautiful wings, and fly from flower to flower." "A likely story" the visitor says with a laugh."
A few days later the stranger finds a hard brown chrysalis on the rosebush, and is surprised to hear the caterpillar's voice: - "Now I'm worse off than before. You think I'm dead and I can neither move nor eat, but soon I shall have a resurrection and fly in the sun." Poor deluded worm," says the visitor, "you'd better accept the fact that your life is over."
But 3 weeks later the stranger is surprised to hear the caterpillar's voice again. Looking for the chrysalis, he sees one beautiful wing, then another unfolding from its cracked shell. "You see," says the voice, "my resurrection has come," and spreading its wings the butterfly flits away and cries out "COME FLY WITH ME..."
B. Today the unbeliever sees believer's die just like the unsaved and concludes that that is all there is to it. Or he hears us talk about the rapture and the resurrection and shakes his head at our "pathetic belief." But the day is coming when we will indeed "fly away".
I. BEHOLD...A MYSTERY: v.51
A. It's A Secret!
1. The word "mystery" comes from the Greek word "musterion"; the root = "muo" or "deep secret", or "to shut the mouth."
ILLUS: The word is derived from ancient secret societies relating to their secret oaths, pass-words and rituals. Only those who knew the "musterion" could know and enter into the secret orders and rites.
2. Only believers now know the "musterion" of the rapture:
a. "We shall not all sleep": this was unknown in the O.T.; everyone was expected to die (even though God gave Enoch and Elijah as examples).
b. "We shall all be changed": be glad the period didn't come after "sleep" or die!
ILLUS: Greek mythology: The goddess Aurora fell in love with the mortal Tichonus At the wedding, Zeus, King of the gods, offered her any gift. Naturally she chose eternal life for Tichonus. But she forgot to ask that he stay forever young and as he became older and older, the gift became a curse!
We will not only live forever, but we won't have to wear glasses, toupees, false teeth or get old! We will be changed first! "COME FLY WITH ME!"
B. Are You Tuned In?
ILLUS: Ever watch someone in the car ahead of you singing with their car radio? Unless you are tuned in to the same station, you don't hear the music they are responding to. When shouts "Come up hither!" only the saints who are tuned to station "B.L.O.O.D." will respond and go up.
1. The rapture is for believers only and the Bible implies that unbelievers will not even understand our sudden disappearance.
2. The Greatest Liar who ever lived will take control of the planet as soon as we are gone.
ILLUS: A possible speech from the Antichrist might be:
"My dear friends, thank you for listening to me. I know many of you have lost loved ones in this unusual disappearance of so many people. However we believe it was God's judgment on them for their none cooperation and divisions in our New Age, New World Order and the church on earth. Now that the separatists are gone, let us unite under the great goal of universal brotherhood, love and peace on earth."
II. UP, UP and AWAY: v.52,53
A. Fly The (UN)Friendly Skies!
1. We will be transported instantaneously!
ILLUS: The word "moment" comes from a Greek scientific word from which we get our word atom and was considered the smallest, indivisible particle of matter. Thus, here, it means the smallest time possible. He will come, take us out and change us simultaneously! A "twinkle" is shorter than a wink or a blink...it is akin to a quick glance.
2. The trumpet blast may simply be our call to go up, but it may more likely be God's command to the angelic host to transport us thru the devil's domain: "the prince and power if the air."
B. We Love To Fly and It Shows!
1. What will we be like? v.52b, 53
2. Where will we go?
ILLUS: No place in the N.T. does it ever say that Christ is coming to take us to heaven! Every time it speaks of Christ coming to take us to Himself! ("...ever be with the Lord"; "...unto Myself") The glory of heaven is not the golden highways, the jeweled gates, nor the splendor of our mansions. It is the Person of our Lord and Savior. We are not looking for a place or a program. We are looking for a Person!
III. OCCUPY TILL HE COMES: v.58
Luke 19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
A. What Will You Be Doing When Jesus Comes Back?
1. Will you be ashamed?
I John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
2. Will you be found faithful?
NOTE: These are the only 2 possibilities: slothful or faithful! Working or shirking!
CONCL: British soldiers were trapped by the Nazi pincers at Dunkirk and it seemed there was no possible escape for them. But ships from Britain glided thru the dark waters at night and stole them away as "thieves in the night". They were taken safely back to their homeland. They came for those they loved.
He Who loves us will come back to this alien land and take us to our true home. As the pincers of the Antichrist tighten their stranglehold upon us, Our Savior will come as a "thief in the night" and transport us safely home.
We invite you to "COME FLY WITH US!"