I. Bible Prophecy: Words in the Bible that foretell the future.

Many have already been fulfilled and many are being fulfilled currently. Most have been fulfilled except those that are at the end of this age, called end-times.

Some events remaining to take place are: the rapture or the return of Jesus, the great tribulation, the battle of armegeddon, the judgement, Jesus setting up His earthly Kindgom.

Just the same as all the other Bible prohecies or predictions have come to pass just as they were told so will these.

II. Signs

Matthew 16:3
and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

Matthew 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Gods always warns before He executes judgement or wrath. Before the flood of Noah, he warned the world 120 years. He warned Nivevah through Johnah.

God is warning us today through the signs that he said would happen so that we would know when the time is near. The signs all say this is the generation that will see the return of the Lord and all things fulfilled in the Bible.

Matthew 24:32-51
32 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it F134 is near--at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.

Another day we will look at the "signs of the times" that we are living in closely. Today we are going to focus on the return of Christ, (the rapture or the catching away of Gods people.)

III. Before, during or after the great Tribulation

The great tribulation:
Matt. 24:21
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

A time when the judgement of God will be poured out on the wicked.

The tribulation lasts for the last 7 years of this age before the battle of armegeddon, the wicked are judged, satan and his demons are locked away and Jesus sets up his earthly kingdom.

Horrible things will happen during this time. You can read about it in Matthew 24 And the book of revelation.

IV. Second coming:

What is it: The catching away of the church.

What the Bible says about it:

Jesus promises to come again and receive His followers to himself. He promised to go and to prepare a place for us. John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 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. F81 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Acts 1:9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, (angel) 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

I Corin 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Thes. 4: 13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thes. 5:1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 11. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Matthew 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' F137 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

You can read more in Luke 21:20-36 (the signs of his coming)
Book of revelation (end time prophecies, tells all about the tribulation period)

V. How to Prepare

1.Accept Gods gift of salvation
2. Pray
3. Learn Gods ways (read the word, be discipled or taught.
4. Obey Gods word....don't sin. Keep a right relationship to God.
5. Let God direct your path.