Larry Ollison: The End of the Church Age

Is the Rapture Next? A Clear, Scripture-by-Scripture Walkthrough

What does the Bible really say about the rapture, the tribulation, and the Second Coming? In this message, we walk through the end-times timeline straight from Scripture—why the rapture is imminent, what happens to believers who have died, what unfolds on earth after the church is caught up, and why “I’ll wait and see” is a dangerous plan.

What you’ll learn

• The difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming
• The order of events in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (the dead in Christ rise first, then we who are alive are caught up)
• What “changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” means (1 Corinthians 15:51–52)
• Why the church escapes God’s wrath and what the Great Tribulation entails
• The Millennial Kingdom, the Sheep & Goats judgment, and life on earth during Christ’s reign
• The Great White Throne judgment, the New Heaven & New Earth, and our hope as joint-heirs with Christ
• Why today is the day of salvation—don’t wait for the tribulation

Key Scriptures
John 14:1–3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; 1 Corinthians 15:51–52; Acts 1:9–11; 2 Peter 3:3–4; Revelation 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 10:31–32; Matthew 25; Revelation 20–22.

If you’re ready to follow Jesus, call on Him today—He saves, He keeps, and He’s coming again. “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thes. 4:18).

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The End of the Church Age

Lift up the Word and repeat after me:
“I believe… this is the Word of God. I believe what God says, because it is impossible for God to lie.”

Today I want to address a question (and a statement) I’ve heard about becoming a Christian. The gist was this: “You believe the rapture is going to take place and Jesus is coming back to get the church. If you’re right, when Jesus comes back, then I’ll become a Christian. I’ll just refuse the mark of the beast, won’t worship the Antichrist or the false prophet, and I’ll be okay.”

There’s a word for that kind of thinking: ignorant. Let’s walk through what Scripture says.

Jesus Promised to Return

In John 14, Jesus told His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled… In My Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you… I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” He left, and He is coming back for His church.

In Revelation 4, John says: “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven,” and he heard a voice like a trumpet saying, “Come up here.” There will be a moment when “the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.”

We are living in the age of grace—the church age—which began when Jesus was crucified, died, and was resurrected. Hebrews shows that on the day of His resurrection He entered heaven and placed His blood on the mercy seat (the lid of the Ark of the Covenant). He became the firstborn among many brethren—the firstfruits—and the Head of the church.

Three-Part Humanity, Three Peoples

Scripture teaches that we are spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). And it also identifies three groups of people in the earth: Jews, Christians, and Gentiles (1 Corinthians 10:31–32). Knowing who is being addressed in a passage is vital to understanding our future.

Scoffers in the Last Days

Peter warned: “Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days… and say, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’” (2 Peter 3:3–4). People often (wrongly) judge the future by the past. But Jesus is coming back—for His church.

What Happens at the Rapture

Paul answered the Thessalonians’ concern about believers who had died before Christ’s return:

“I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep… For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus… 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. 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. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18)

Note the order:

1. God brings with Jesus the spirits of believers who have died (“those who sleep in Jesus”). To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
2. The dead in Christ rise first—their bodies are raised and reunited with their spirits.
3. Then living believers are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
4. We will always be with the Lord—this is meant to comfort us.

When Paul says we’re changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,” he’s describing the speed of our transformation (mortal to immortal), not necessarily the velocity of our ascent. Jesus’ ascension gives a pattern: “while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:8).

After the Rapture: Tribulation on Earth

If the church is caught up today, many will still be on the earth—the scoffers, unbelievers, and those who rejected Jesus. Some may finally believe and refuse the mark of the beast, but they will face the horrors of the seven-year tribulation. It will be unimaginably severe, especially after the midpoint.

Those who endure without taking the mark and who acknowledge Jesus as Lord will not go to hell, but they will not be part of the church, the body and bride of Christ. At the end of the seven years, Jesus returns (the Second Coming), touches down on the Mount of Olives, judges the nations (the sheep and goats), and inaugurates His Millennial Kingdom.

The Millennium and Beyond

During the Millennium, people who survived the tribulation (and did not take the mark) will live on earth in physical bodies and repopulate the earth. Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit for a thousand years. The church, in resurrected, glorified bodies, will rule and reign with Jesus as kings and priests.

Scripture indicates nations must honor the Lord from Jerusalem during this time; those that refuse will face consequences (e.g., no rain). After the thousand years, Satan is released briefly, then comes the Great White Throne judgment for the unbelieving dead, followed by a new heaven, new earth, and the New Jerusalem.

Why You Shouldn’t Wait

“Waiting to see if the rapture happens” is eternally risky. Yes, post-rapture faith can spare someone from hell, but it does not make them part of the church, the bride of Christ, who are joint-heirs with Jesus forever. God showcases His grace through the church: we are saved by what Jesus did, not by our works, and share in His inheritance for eternity.

I want the best for my family and friends. Don’t gamble your eternity on surviving the tribulation. Receive Jesus now.

Prayer

Father, in the name of Jesus, we proclaim Your goodness. Thank You for making the way—the way—for us to spend eternity with You.

We love You and look for the blessed hope of Your Son’s appearing.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.