1. The rapture and the resurrection
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 – Part 1

2. The Return of Jesus (The Rapture of believers)
John 14:1-3 - Jesus said, I am going to prepare a place for you… I will come back and take you to be with me (heaven).
Acts 1:9-11- The angels said, This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – Paul describes Christ’s return.

3. The Resurrection/Rapture
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Christ returns accompanied by the living souls of all believers who have died.
The bodies of believers who have died are resurrected and joined with their souls.
Believers still living on earth are raptured.
And thus all believers in Christ are joined together with Christ.
Church Age
Today
2 Peter 3:3-4 – Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

4. The rapture and the resurrection
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 – Part 1

5. At death we are instantly with Christ
2 Corinthians 5:8 - While we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord… 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord

6. The rapture and the resurrection
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 – Part 1

7. Christ’s return is our "blessed hope"
Our focus – How to live now (11-12)
Our hope – What to anticipate (13)
God's purpose – our sanctification (14)
Titus 2:11 – 14 – For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

8. The rapture and the resurrection
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 – Part 1