Our Hope Is In Jesus: Look Up And Watch For Him

Today’s sermon by Pastor John MacArthur was about how believers will miss the day of destruction of Satan’s false Christ, and of those who chose not to believe in Christ Jesus.  MacArthur’s message stemmed from believers being comforted that we were going to meet Christ in the air (2 Thessalonians) as our Great Hope in Christ.

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,¹² training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³ waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.  ¹⁵ Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you. – Titus 2:11-15 (ESV)

When believers are raptured according to Paul the Apostle we are lifted out of the world; the dead in Christ rise first, those that are alive follow to meet Jesus Christ in the air.  We will be transformed in order to do this.  This will be to rescue us from the coming destructive and false belief-system that people will be sinking into.

Already there has been a falling away of the church and there have been false teachers from the beginning of time.   We were warned not to accept false teaching from doomsday sayers and other false teachings. 

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. – II Timothy 4:3 

Paul taught the Thessalonians that they were not in the time of tribulation as some were scaring them with, saying that they were now being judged by Jesus Christ and that they had missed being raptured.  The people were reminded that the the day would come when it would get so bad on earth that the Man of Lawlessness, the AntiChrist, would sit on the throne of God in the Third Temple of Jerusalem, causing havoc.  Believers would not see that time on earth because they would be raptured out by meeting Jesus in the air; our bodies would be transformed to do so. 

¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,¹⁷ comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. – 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

We would be rescued and avoid the tribulation, the time of false peace and then destruction when the false Christ turns on the people and breaks his peace treaty.  People would suffer yet also many would come to a saving faith in Christ Jesus and their souls would be saved from eternal hell.   Believers will be rewarded in heaven.  They will not face the wrath of Jesus Christ.

  ² Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  ³ Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. – 2 Thessalonians 2:4

If you want to watch this great sermon about how we will be saved from judgement, and not go through the terrible times of the tribulation as true Christians, go here.