True Hope in Hopeless Times (Part 2)

Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message #155 

TEXT: Philippians 3:20-21 

On last week, we began talking about hope -- particularly the hope that believers have in these hopeless times. First, we looked at some misnomers about hope. Some Christians would tell you that their hope is in salvation, in death, or in Heaven itself. However, we saw from Scripture that none of those, though they may sound good, are the true hope of the church. Second, we saw from Scripture that our hope is a Person -- Jesus Christ. And, third, we saw that our hope also involves an event surrounding that Person. That event is the Rapture when Jesus Christ snatches Christians out of this earth and takes them to be with Himself. That is a wonderful thing to look forward to. 

Certainly you have watched a well-made action movie or read a well-written thriller. One of the things the movie director or writer tried to accomplish was to keep you in suspense at all times -- to keep you on the edge of your seat or with your finger on the corner of the page ready to find out what happens next. Well, that is what the true hope of the church ought to do for us. We ought to be on our toes, eager with anticipation about what happens next. John Calvin said, 'Be prepared to expect Him every day, or rather every moment. In his writings about the Rapture, Paul means to hold all believers in suspense.' 

Today, I want us to look at three more aspects of the hope that we have -- three things that we have to look forward to in the Rapture.