The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation - Part I

Sunday Bible School

May 26, 2024

The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation - Part I

May 26, 2024

The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation - Part I

Summary of the President’s Message

The Sunday Bible School on May 26, 2024, was held live, directly from the Mahanaim of Domingos Martins, Espírito Santo, with Pastors Gedelti Gueiros and Gilson Sousa participating.

Pr. Gilson Sousa’s Message:

We greet all the brethren with the peace of the Lord Jesus! We are starting the Sunday Bible School. The topic to be discussed is found in the book of Revelation: the message of the Holy Spirit regarding the prophetic markers being fulfilled

in our days resonates within the Faithful Church, in our preparation for the rapture.

Gilson Sousa presented several brethren’s answers to the questions posed, as well as various experiences and testimonies regarding the Sunday Bible School.

Pr. Gedelti Gueiros’ Message:

I greet you all with the peace of the Lord. Let’s answer the questions posed.

Note: The first three questions were answered by brothers who sent their contributions via video. The remaining were answered by Pastor Gedelti Gueiros.

Question:

Reading the book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, we identify that seven letters were written to the churches in Asia. Name the churches.

Answer: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.

Question:

The Bible mentions in the book of Acts that other churches already existed. According to Acts, chapters 6 to 9, name some of the churches of that time.

Answer: According to the book of Acts 6 to 9 there were churches in Jerusalem, in Lydda, Sharon and Joppa, in Judea, Galilee and Samaria, and finally, in Damascus (Answer received by video participation) .

Question:

Reading Acts chapter 11, verse 26, in which church were the disciples first called Christians?

Answer: The disciples were first called Christians in the church of Antioch in Syria.

“And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” Acts 11:26[NKJV] Pr. Gilson Sousa conducting the Sunday Bible School

The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation - Part I

Question:

What was the world like at the time of the seven letters written by the Apostle John? What were the main markers of the historical scenario at that time?

Answer: (personal response)

Historically, several references could be presented. Our interest, however, is in the prophetic aspect. At that moment, the Church was living in a special period in which it had to fight against Judaism and the Judahites (those who had converted to Jesus but wanted to continue living according to the law). The Church’s service was different in that the precepts of the law no longer existed because now everything was by grace. And the Church began to fight to remove that mentality.

In Peter’s second message, five thousand people converted,

but many wanted to follow the Old Testament teachings - the law. Paul showed that the Gospel was not that: salvation was by grace and not according to the law. The services would not be through liturgical repetitions. Paul rebuked Peter, when he writes to the Galatians.

“[...] If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you com-

pel Gentiles to live as Jews?” Galatians 2:14

If there are no spiritual gifts in the Church, there is no pleasing the Lord, and God is not present in services that do not please Him.

Peter only came to understand the project when he discovered, by revelation, what Jesus had told him. Peter awoke when the rooster crowed. It

Pr. Gedelti Gueiros leading the summary of the Sunday Bible School

The Preparation of the Church for the Rapture - Revelation - Part I

is necessary for the rooster to crow.

The Church begins its journey in the world. It had to preach everything contrary to what Judaism was. What a difficulty! But miracles happened: resurrection and other operations. Christians had to wait for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the convincing of many. Great public speaking would not do the job, and they knew that. Today, likewise, speaking our minds or about what we’ve read won’t cut it. If there is no operation of the Holy Spirit there will be no conversion.

If on the one hand there was Judaism, on the other there was paganism. Everyone was pagan, because the Roman Empire was pagan. There were gods for everything. And when, at a certain moment, a god was missing, they made the emperor their god. They were called “augustus”.

The world was under the dominion of the Roman empire, which was the last in the vision of the great statue of Nebuchadnezzar. The Roman empire had statues and grandiose constructions of the Babylonian kingdom. It received the inheritance of the Medes and Persians for the construction of a powerful army. It also has a communication system to know if there was any uprising anywhere.

From the Greco-Macedonian empire came Hellenism— Greek culture. Alexander the Great, king of the Greco-Macedonian empire, was raised by a philosopher. In twelve years, he imposed philosophy and language (Koine Greek—popular) throughout his empire and

built numerous cities. Thus, everything that had come from other empires was absorbed by the Roman empire.

In the first centuries, the Church experienced great persecution: deaths on crosses, arenas, and by fire. The book of Song of Solomon speaks of the Church’s struggle. The question was: “Where is the flock? Where is the Lord Jesus?”

“Tell me, O you whom I love, Where you feed your flock, Where you make it rest at noon.” Song of Solomon 1:7

It was her suffering. She compared Jesus to a cluster of henna blooms, but He dwelt in her heart.

“A cluster of henna blooms is my beloved to me, In the vineyards of En Gedi.” Song of Solomon 1:14

The Epicureans and Stoics came. The latter thought that man was more significant than God. Marcus Aurelius, one of the emperors of Rome, was a Stoic. Stoicism was a philosophy derived from the Greeks that valued wisdom greatly.

The Church entered at this time. Thus, the Church only suffered persecution at that time.

Question:

What is the prophetic meaning of the first letter? What did the Lord want to show the Church of that time?

The first letter was to the church that sowed the Word of God. The Lord wanted to show that the doctrine was being established.

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, (...). And you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not be-

come weary.” Revelation 2:2-3 May the Lord bless us.

Pr. Gedelti Gueiros President of the Maranata Christian Church

Click here or scan the QR Code below to watch the entire sunday bible school session.