Bible Reading: The Lord's Coming — Joel Portman

Our reading this morning is on the Lord's coming, specifically in relation to the rapture. We do not have an outline. There's one at the door, I'm sure you can find it. I would like our brethren, as much as possible, to follow this outline, primarily because it did not originate with me.

In the main points, anyway, the brethren here asked us to follow most of these, anyway, and I filled in a few of the gaps. Another thing that we have a problem with in this Bible reading is, like in the past, that oftentimes there are those that can't hear.

So, I have a few people I hope will tell me from the back corners, whoever's back in the corners, raise your hand if you can't hear. Because we don't want to have a Bible reading that people can't hear.

It's been a problem, and I would like to encourage any brother that takes part to speak, not to me, but to those who are across the room from you. And forget about the microphone, just raise your voice so that people can hear.

That includes me. We'll read, first of all, in John chapter 14, following the order that's on the outline, reading these scriptures together. The first one is the promise of the Lord given to his disciples in the upper room, obviously for the comfort of their hearts.

Christ’s Promise to Receive His Disciples

John 14 and verse 1, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come or I am coming again.

I will receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also. Whither I go you know, and the way you know. I'll read in 1st Corinthians chapter 11, the proclamation that's in the supper, 1st Corinthians chapter 11.

We'll just begin reading from verse 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. And the Lord Jesus, the same night in which or while he was being betrayed, took bread. When he had given thanks, he break it and said, take, eat.

This is my body, which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also, he took the cup when he had sucked, saying, this cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do ye as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.

Or as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show, you do proclaim the Lord's death till he come. Now it's not in the order, but we'll read in chapter 15. Which is the power of the change or description of the change that will take place.

Chapter 15 after the resurrection. Also, the rapture. First, 50. Now this, I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Hold, I show you a mystery.

We shall not all sleep or we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last drop of the trumpets, your sound of the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed.

Well, this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on corruption, this mortal shall have put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass the scene that is written.

Death is swallowed up in victory. Oh, death, where is I stay? Oh, grave, where is my victory? The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Resurrection and Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4

Last of all, in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Or since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by a word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of our Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with voice of the archangel, and with trump of God of the dead in Christ shall rise first. And we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And so shall we ever be with the Lord, wherefore comfort one another with these words. I don't intend to say very much. I think there's more than enough to occupy us profitably with the contributions of our brethren and the discussion that will take place.

The Church and the Rapture as New Testament Mysteries

There are certain truths that are revealed in the New Testament that are obviously not made known in the Old. One, of course, is the truth concerning the Church, the body of Christ. We find that revealed to us as a mystery that was not known in Old Testament time and yet revealed by the Lord primarily to the Apostle Paul, but also to other apostles and prophets.

As you read in Ephesians chapter 3. And certainly the truth of the rapture is a truth that was not known, not revealed in the Old Testament time. As well as, of course, the present period of the Church age in which we have the working of God in relation to Jew and Gentile, a form out of the two, one new man, one body.

We do have hints, though, of some of these things in the Old Testament. Certainly when we look at Enoch being caught away or he was not. We have a picture to us, at least, of the removal of the Church prior to the coming of the tribulation, which is pictured by the flood.

Certainly Noah suggests to us the faithful remnant of Israel that will pass through it. But we have Enoch, a man that walked with God and he was not. Suggest the fact that they searched for him but they could not find him, he just was not.

And in Hebrews chapter 11 we read that by faith Enoch was translated. That is, he was taken from one place and put in another place. And just like Philip was taken away from his interchange with the Ethiopian eunuch down in the way to Gaza and taken away up to Samaria.

We find in a similar sense the saints of God at the end of this dispensation will be caught away and to be taken up to be with the Lord. The expression that we have in 1 Thessalonians 4, we shall be, the word that we use for rapture, which of course some contest because they say it's not a scriptural term.

But nevertheless, this idea of being caught up is the word that is spelled a number of times in the same sense. Of one being taken suddenly from one location to another. For example, I've mentioned Philip, the same word is used in relation to Philip in Acts chapter 8 and other places as well.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12 verse 2 and verse 4 that he knew a man that was caught up under the third heaven, saw things that he could not utter. So what he experienced in terms of that event is only a suggestion of what will take place for every believer who is a part of the church, the body of Christ.

We need to emphasize in our day that the words that are used in the context of all these references indicate very clearly that it's an all-inclusive rapture. That is, it's all, we shall all be changed.

It's not a matter of, as some have taught, a partial rapture. Only those that are faithful and those that are obedient to the word of God and living the way they should. We find that in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, he says that whether we wake, that is, are awake in terms of our life and service, or whether we sleep, we shall live with him.

So we need to emphasize that in view of present-day teaching that would try to indicate in some groups, of course, that only certain ones will be caught away. The church, the entire body of Christ, will be totally united in that day.

The living and the dead caught up together in one great body to be with the Lord. So we have the promise of the Lord given for the comfort of his disciples in John chapter 14, indicating his very tender care for them and his concern that they might not be discouraged by his leaving them.

And as we remember the Lord each Lord's Day morning, we are proclaiming his death until he comes. So that the elements, the emblems that we use in remembering the Lord Jesus that were given to us by him have a twofold aspect.

One is looking back and one is looking on. So we recognize the fact that in remembering him, we proclaim his death. And we're looking on to that day when these emblems will no more be needed. We anticipate that every week when we do so.

And then we have the procedure of the event that we'll look at in some detail, I'm sure, in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Again, given for the comfort of the saints of God that they might not mourn or sorrow as others who have no hope.

The word sorrow there doesn't mean that there is no place for sorrow when one passes away. It's the idea of a continuation of sorrow without any sense of relief from it at all. He says there's no need to continue in a sorrowful state as even those who have no hope.

And then in 1 Corinthians 15, we'll notice, I hope to some measure, the interchange between those who have died and those who live. The corruptible and the mortal. The ones, of course, that will express in that day, oh, death, where is thy sting?

Those are the living. Oh, death, a grave, where is thy victory? That would take us to those that have died in Christ. So having said that, we'll open the discussion for brethren. And if I haven't been able to persuade you to come up for a microphone, either I will say more.

But if you're going to speak, speak up, because otherwise others can't hear you. And I will try to repeat your question so that it will be on the recording that's being made. Thank you.

Jesus’ Promise of a Prepared Place

You would agree, Joel, that the Lord's statement, I go to prepare a place for you, is an answer to Peter's question in verse 36 of the previous chapter. Where he says, Lord, where goest thou?

Yes. The Lord is continuing the teaching to answer their doubts, answer their fears, knowing what was in their hearts as they heard him speak to them about his going away. They've become accustomed to his presence with them continually for those years of public ministry.

So now he has told them he is going away. Now what is going to happen next? And, of course, when you come to 1 Thessalonians 4, again, there are questions and doubts that are being answered there as well.

In view of those that have died in Christ, what part would they have in the future that he's been speaking to them about?

On this, the night before the crucifixion, instead of the disciples comforting the Lord, we have him comforting them. So that in itself was an expression of his love to them. And then to meet their need, he reveals this truth about his coming again.

Two things there. Number one is that his death would not be the end. He is the life. He's coming again. And he gives them the light of the fact he's coming. So you have his love and his life, and he's giving them light in relation to his coming again.

So he's speaking to those who knew what it was to believe in God. I see that imperative, believe in God, also believe in me. That is, while there were questions they had in their mind and uncertainties, they simply needed to depend upon him.

He would not let them go. He would not let them down. He says, I will not leave you orphans. I come again. I am coming again. Reminding them again and again in this chapter of the anticipation of his coming, to be with them and also to receive them.

So he says, in my father's house are many dwelling places. I would take that to correspond with the places of abode in the temple, and even to answer their concerns because certainly in their ministry for him, they would not have any certain dwelling place.

They would be those who would be cast out so far as the world is concerned. He assures them that there are dwelling places for you, and it's in my father's house. Chapter 2, he has spoken about the temple as my father's house, which was no longer, of course.

But he's anticipating in their hearts that future abode that would be theirs with abundant provision, not in separate little cells or separate little rooms, but just an abundance of dwelling places that would be more than sufficient for them to enjoy the father's house.

It's interesting that in Mark chapter 5 with Jairus' daughter. I'm just going back to verse 1. And they come and say to Jairus, don't trouble the master any further. Your daughter's dead. And the Lord says, fear not, only believe.

And that's the key. That's what he's saying here to them. Don't be afraid, only believe. His chastisement to the disciples in the abode in Luke 8 is, why are you afraid? I'm here. And that's the great thing the Lord is telling us.

I will be there. I'm coming again. I'm not leaving you. He's going to the father's house.

And that's where he's taking us. Now, where is the father's house, brother? Why don't you say it's just heaven? Or you don't believe it's heaven? I think it is.

So where is heaven? You know, as a little boy, I used to sit around the campfire and look up into the stars and think, way up beyond the stars, that's where God is. That's where Christ is. But men have went up to the moon and they haven't seen heaven.

So, heaven is not in our dimension. It's not in our galaxy. And the Lord says, you're going to come up and I'm going to meet you in the air. And some place up there I'm going to take you. And I'm going to take you to the father's house.

There's no spaceship could take you. Only I could take you. How he's going to do it, we don't know. But there we'll go. Out of this galaxy completely.

Into the father's house. So in the father's house there are, as the Lord speaks, there are many mansions. Question then, why did he have to prepare a place for them?

I would believe it's a place that had never been inhabited by a person before. The Lord going there in his own person. As a man exalted at the right hand of God. Of course, the pathway by way of the cross and the resurrection, the exaltation must have been included in that.

But he's gone there to prepare a place by his presence for us. As a real man.

A real man. The fact that he is a real man is brought out in the previous chapters. Chapter 11, Jesus wept. He was troubled in his body. In chapter 12, we read he was troubled in his soul. Chapter 13, verse 21, he was troubled in spirit.

He was a real man, body, soul, and spirit.

I like the thought, Brother Joe, that he went to Calvary to prepare a place. To prepare a people for the place by his death. He went to glory to prepare a place for the people with his presence. There are some, Joel.

I'll repeat that. The Lord went to Calvary to prepare a people for the place. Then he went to the glory as an exalted man to prepare the place for the people. We can't dwell much longer on this because we've got other chapters to look at.

I'm glad you suggested that because some have taught that Calvary was the place. But it's not. It's the preparation for the place.

I like the thought that he left them with what he left us. We can join in it. He left them with a new peace. And he left them with a new place. And he left them with a new promise.

I told you, Brother, there's microphones up here. If you're going to speak, go ahead. I'm going to ask another question here. We read of different days in Scripture. Man's day, the day of Christ, the day of the Lord, the day of God.

Would this be the commencement of the day of Christ? Because the day of Christ would always be heavenly. Never earthly. When is the commencement? Do you mean when the Lord comes to receive the saints to himself?

Right. It's a heavenly sphere involving the judgment seat of Christ. So the Lord says, when I go away, I'll come again and receive you unto myself. So the one that went away is coming back. And he's not going to leave them and send an angel as we're going to see later on.

The Lord’s Supper as Proclamation Until His Coming

Let's go to 1 Corinthians 11. And we notice here the proclamation. I don't know if we're always aware of this as we ought to be. But while our thoughts oftentimes, and rightly so, turn back to the cross, actually we're remembering a person.

We're proclaiming his death. I believe we're proclaiming it in a sense of declaring that in what we do at the Lord's Supper, remembering him, it's in the value of the death that he accomplished for us.

And it's because of that that we have a reason that we can gather in this way. We're proclaiming even as the Passover for Israel proclaimed a deliverance that had been accomplished, and they were remembering that.

So I don't believe we proclaim it to the Father. I believe we proclaim it to those that are around and those that are in the world around us. But it's only until he comes. To angelic beings. Maybe so, that's true as well.

Angelic beings would be included.

I think, Joel, it's interesting to note that Paul wasn't there. He's reiterating what he had received from the Lord. I receive from the Lord that which also I declare unto you. And as you quoted from Mr. Newberry, it was the night in which he was being betrayed that he gave them this command.

So in some ways, wouldn't you say, Brother Eric, that it would coincide with what we read already in Chapter 14? That he was coming again. And so along with the anticipation of his coming again, he says, do this until I come.

So it's a temporary continuation of a remembrance, but it's only in view of that time when he will come for the saints.

Peter speaks about a holy priesthood, 1 Peter 2, and a royal priesthood. Now, I believe they're 24 -7. So some of my brethren in Scotland thinks it's limited, the holy priesthood is limited to what we're going to do this morning.

I think what we're going to do this morning is part of it. As a holy priesthood, we offer up spiritual sacrifices. As a royal priesthood, we show forth the praises of him who has called us out of darkness into light.

But in this gathering, we're functioning also in holy priesthood exercise and royal priesthood exercise. It's a testimony to those who are around, but we're offering up. It's like the altar of burnt offering.

There's a lamb in the morning and there's a lamb in the evening. And there is offering up continually to God, the sweet savor of the offering. And that should be coming from our lives and from our hearts and our meditations.

As well as Lord's Day morning, a sweet savor to God and the remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ. Child of God, if you limit your remembrance of the Lord Jesus to one hour a week, you're not remembering too much.

What we're doing on Lord's Day morning is a function with the bread and the cup. That we are showing forth the glories of the Lord Jesus to his father. We're remembering his death in the way that he commanded us.

But let's not limit it to that. Let him be a major function of our meditations. Brother, can I gently say that the Lord isn't saying we show forth his death. We're proclaiming, it's a proclamation. The greatest gospel message ever preached is what we're about to do this morning.

And Joel, I'd like to mention too, for the sake of young believers. He speaks about taking the bread. He said, this is my body. And if you go to Luke's gospel, it says it's given for you. So the breaking of the bread at the table by a brother is not what the Lord did.

It's for our convenience. We break bread when we partake of it. Amen.

The New Covenant and the Church’s Remembrance

In relation to the cup, it says this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Now the new covenant, according to the book of Jeremiah, was made with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Not with the church.

So how come we have mention made of the new covenant in relation to the remembrance of the Lord for the church age?

I think you know the answer to that. That it is a covenant that God has in view in relation to the nation of Israel. That they will enter in according to Hebrews chapter 10 and other portions. But in the same sense, in a spiritual sense, in terms of the spiritual blessings, we have entered into it even now.

And we enjoy it because of our relationship with the one who has made this covenant. I will fulfill it in the future days so far as the nation is concerned. So the covenant is the establishment of a relationship and the conditions that relationship defined by the one that makes it.

So that we have that relationship and we celebrate that we remember that. And we have the good of it because of what we do.

The old covenant, I think William has in mind, was given at Sinai. But that was an oath, wasn't it? This is something distinct, something altogether new.

So that we remind ourselves and rightly so, oftentimes you hear this at the end of a breaking of bread and remembrance. That we may not do it another time. Maybe the Lord would come before the next Lord's Day comes around.

I would take it that that should speak to each one of us. In view of the fact that this may be my last moment, my last opportunity to publicly remember him in the way he is appointed. We should give everything possible at that moment.

In other words, sometimes we maybe come to the Lord's Supper in a very careless manner. Without exercise. And there can be a lack of participation. And other things that would indicate a lack of exercise.

But if I'm conscious this may be the last time I can remember him in this way. It should have a heart effect that would cause a deeper response on our part. So we have the proclamation that is only temporary.

The elements of the Lord's Supper are only for time. For our period of time here and it's only until he comes. We need to go to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

Joel, can you just give us concisely a good answer to speak to our Catholic friends and say this is my body being the living body. Just something simple to talk to strangers.

Well, it's a logical inconsistency to say that the Lord would speak about this being my body when his body was actually there. And the word really indicates this represents my body. So that idea, of course, has only been developed over the years in their teaching.

But it's certainly not based on the word of God. This is my body. You can find other examples of similar expressions in the word of God. Where obviously David could say as he took that water that was brought to him by three mighty men.

This is the blood of these men. It wasn't the blood of these men. But it was purchased at the expense of that blood when they went in danger of their lives to procure it. So similar expressions are found that certainly indicate that's not what the Lord intended when he said this is my body.

Before you leave, Joel, you'll allow me to point out there are just three simple thoughts here. This dude, it's a remembrance. We remember him. Then it's a proclamation, as our brethren have told us, and you have exonerated this.

A remembrance, a proclamation and a forget me not till I come.

This could be the last. We have a silent brother from Ireland here that has a lot of notes I see here and he's not using them. So if you have any thoughts, brother. Where are you, brother? We're in between 1 Corinthians 11 and 1 Thessalonians 4.

The Coming of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 4

In John, the first 12 chapters, he's called the prophet. In chapter 18 and 19, he's the king. They would take it. You see in chapter 13 to 17, he's the priestly. And I thought the background was Ireland and the holy place and the people waiting to see him again.

Hebrews 9 as well. The background there is the betrayal of Judas. And 1 Corinthians 11. The background there is disorder, the Lord's table. And what's the background here, brother? 1 Corinthians 4.

I would take it the background is misunderstanding. As the believers in Thessalonica had been taught concerning the coming kingdom. And the anticipation of the Lord establishing that kingdom. And there are those, they expected that at any time.

But there are those that have died. So what part would they have and how would they have a part in the kingdom that the Lord is going to establish? Would you agree with that? Amen. So we come to 1 Thessalonians 4.

We're oftentimes reminded that each chapter has some reference in some measure, some way to the Lord's coming. Actually, the idea of the word is the Lord's presence. His coming and his presence with them.

Not just the idea only of his coming. And so he's correcting the lack of their understanding. He says, I don't want you to be ignorant. Living in a pagan environment that had no hope. Had no promise for the future.

No anticipation of anything beyond this life. A hopeless situation. He says, I do not want you to be ignorant. Neither to sorrow or continue in sorrowful states like those who have no hope. Well, it's an encouraging portion as well.

And that's the intention of the teaching regarding the Lord's coming.

The word if, Joel, as you know, is the if of argument. It's since we believe. There's no doubt here. We do believe that he died and he rose again.

You take it the word really indicates that this is the basis of this hope. We know this has taken place. And because of it, here are the results. Since we believe that Jesus died. It doesn't say he ever fell asleep.

No. It doesn't say the believers fall asleep when they die. For the Lord tasted death for every man. He experienced the depths of it, the reality of it. And as a result, the believers have fallen asleep.

There's two expressions here I would like some help on. Verse 14, you have the words in Jesus. Those which sleep in Jesus. And then you have in verse 16, in Christ. There's the dead in Christ. Why the difference?

Why the change? In Jesus or through Jesus and then in Christ.

Brother, I'd like to know your thoughts on that.

All right. I know you have some. All right. Well, those that sleep in Jesus. Notice it doesn't say die in Jesus. Newberry's margin through Jesus. Those which sleep through Jesus. In other words, he is.

He is instrumental by what he has done by entering into death, by coming out of death. He is instrumental in turning death for the believer into this expression, sleep. It's not permanent. It's not permanent.

The body dies, of course. Not soul sleep? Not soul sleep. No. But it's like sleep in that they're going to arise again. Whereas in Christ, the dead in Christ, well, that's entirely positional in relation to New Testament believers only.

And we'll come to that, I suppose, in a moment.

Would you allow me just to go along with that, but also add this. They are sleeping because of a personal relationship with a real man. The one that died and rose again. They sleep through Jesus. Now, none of us are grammatical scholars in terms of Greek.

But those that are say that there's a difficulty understanding where the comma go. They either sleep through Jesus or they sleep. And through Jesus, God will bring with them. So regardless, he's emphasizing that this is a relationship with a real man that experienced life, that actually died and rose again.

Well, there are some of us thought that it's the Lord Jesus that puts them to sleep. No, no. But all of it centered upon him. It's the person. Whereas I agree that Christ in Christ is a position.

Right. Well, the word his name, Jesus, is emphasizing his manhood. He was capable of death and he arose from the dead. And John and John 14.

You get those lovely words. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. This is Jesus speaking because I live. You shall live also. The world saith me no more. But ye see me. And so there's the promise from Jesus that you'll live again.

When we think of the Christ, we think of the anointed one. And child of God, the divine titles in the order you're used. I advise you to look at the revised or Mr. Newberry's margin or a good Greek text to get.

The order is reversed sometimes where you get Jesus Christ should be Christ Jesus. And divine titles are not used haphazardly. So when Paul writes Jesus, he's doing it for a very specific reason. When he writes Christ, he's doing it for a very specific reason.

There's that which is associated with the man who walked on earth. There's that which is associated with the living one in heaven at the father's right hand.

It's interesting you have Jesus Christ and then Lord. Right. As he returns the Lord himself.

Is it true, Joel, that Paul's preaching evidently was about the Lord's coming in glory? That's what he's talking about in verse 15. Then which are alive and remain unto the coming. That's his appearing.

It's coming in glory. But then he goes on to say before that takes place, he's coming to the air to call his people home. I don't think so.

I'm asking you. Because he's in the context, we which are alive under the coming of the presence. He's not thinking of the kingdom in that case. He's thinking about the Lord's coming to the air. That's why I asked you.

So I would take it to imply the fact that at this point, one of the early epistles of the apostle Paul, he expected to be alive when the Lord came. That's right. Later on, we find a second Timothy expected to die.

Right. And that word for coming, parousia or parousia, however you want to say it, is not specifically for the manifestation. It applies both ways. It's been used here for the rapture. So it's the abiding presence.

He imposes his right to rule on this earth throughout the tribulation. That's it. That's his presence being felt on earth, too.

Well, there you have the other side of it. It's all his coming.

It's all one coming. Yeah. But it's in two distinct stages, but also the process in between.

He's saying, anyway, to these believers that some of you have died, obviously. That's their concern. They've died physically, but they're asleep. In relation to Jesus, he says, but there are those of us who will be alive and remain.

I could go back to John chapter 11. The Lord Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. Two different groups of people. He that believeth in me, though he die, yet shall he live. But he that liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

I would take that to be a suggestion, even at that point of what he is speaking about here. Two groups of people, but all brought together at one great event. Those that have died, those that are still living.

And he says farther down the chapter here that the living will not take precedence over the dead. They'll have first.

They'll be raised first. Oftentimes you hear, particularly on Christian radio, you hear the expression, the body of Christ on earth. You listen to Christian radio? Sometimes. That's beside the point. The body of Christ on earth.

But that expression, that's not a scriptural expression. The body of Christ will not be together. There never has been together, never will be together until this moment when the Lord returns.

I like the thought. I think it's Mr. Paisley first suggested it in my hearing in a way that the dead being raised. And the living being changed. The entire body will go up together. One united whole first time, first time, first time, the entire body of Christ will be together.