Posts

Showing posts from November, 2014

Leaving Left Behind

After a good period of time preaching several sermon series, I decided to return to the Revised Common Lectionary this fall.  As I was planning out these sermons I couldn't help noticing that 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 shows up as the lectionary epistle reading for this Sunday, November 9.  With the very recent release of a remade Left Behind movie starring Nicolas Cage, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to preach it this week.  Before doing so, I would like to go into a little more detail about this form of eschatology and spare having to do so much during the sermon itself. The doctrine of a "secret" rapture of the church is almost an article of faith in some circles today.  Drawing in part on this portion of 1 Thessalonians, it holds that Jesus will return twice.  The first time is secret and snatches up the church, believers, leaving the rest of humanity to suffer through seven years of tribulation before Jesus returns in glory to usher in the Kingdom.  1 Th