John Hagee - What a Difference a Day Makes
Your life can change forever in the fraction of a day. Look at America's history. What a difference a day makes. Remember the day of Pearl Harbor that changed our lives forever, December 7, 1941. How many of you were alive then? A precious few. America was shaken to the core by the attack of the Japanese imperial air force at Pearl Harbor. Suddenly at 2:26 Eastern Standard Time, mutual broadcasting system: that was the radio. There was no television. Mutual broadcasting system that made it possible for every American at the same time to hear the message, suspended their play-by-play of the Giants/Dodger baseball game with this announcement, "Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt this broadcast to bring to you an important bulletin from the United Press. The White House announces a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Stay tuned for further developments to be broadcast as they are received," end of broadcast. That was it.
If that happened now, there would be hours and hours and hours of broadcasting. But with that simple announcement, World War II began. President Roosevelt, the next day, called it "The day of infamy". It was a day when 3,000 Americans died when seventy million people would be killed fighting Hitler's brand of socialism. For all of you, who are thinking socialism is so wonderful. America was in a war fighting for our survival. America's young men flooded to the recruiting centers in such volumes: they had to swear them in standing on the sidewalk because they were ready to defend, with their lives, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Let me tell you something. Your freedom is not free. Freedom is not free. It was paid for by the blood of Americans fighting for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In those days, everyone saluted the flag. The only ones who were taking a knee were the people in the church houses, praying that America would survive. Let me tell you something. If you don't like our flag, and if you don't love our country, leave this country. We won't miss you and we don't need you.
World history turned in an instant. Sweethearts and wives were saying, "Good-bye" to their husbands, most of them, forever, because it wasn't like the wars we have now. The wars we have now, you go a year and get rotated home. In World War II, it was for the duration plus six months. Those men left for four years. And some of them didn't get back till the last day of the last month. Many of them did not come home. Many of them did not come home. And the ones, who came home after four years of battle, had emotional problems that destroyed their lives. We didn't call it by scientific names then. We called it, "shock". But they paid the price till the day they died.
Where were you the day that John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated? The world's most powerful man, the leader of the free world, an American hero who was a beloved president of the United States, was taken up. One shot from a $29, mail-order rifle in the hands of a lunatic snuffed the life of the prince of Camelot out. We watched his gracious wife, Jackie, kiss the casket in the Capitol Rotunda. We watched John-John salute his father's casket when he was just a toddler, as it passed the capitol. How many of you remember? We watched the black-prancing stallion with a reversed boot, symbolizing the fallen leader. We knew America would never be the same again. What a difference a day makes!
Where were you the tragic day of 9/11? It was unbelievable. It was horrible. We watched the tragedy on live television as 3,000 Americans were murdered by religious radicals. The fuel from the jets created a massive inferno in those towers. We saw Americans leap high off of those buildings to their deaths to prevent being burned alive. First responders dashed into the flames and into the ruins of those towers, trying to save citizens. The myth that America could not be attacked by a foreign power was forever destroyed. We thought the oceans would protect us. But we found out that those who attacked us were living among us. It is a lesson we had better remember, because the New World Order would love to see America destroyed. And those radicals are in the streets of America now, burning this country down when they can. It's time for our country to salute the police, and honor the police, and let them enforce the law!
COVID-19 changed America in a day. The Chinese communists released a deadly virus that swept the world. America's economy was shut down. Churches were closed. Schools were shut down by teacher's unions. Over night, we became a nation of masks, gloves, and social distancing. Ordinary politicians became dictators. They loved the lights of the cameras. And all they had to do was make an urgent announcement that was no announcement. It was just pontification about things they had no constitutional right to say, because they want to ascend to a higher office. And with all of this television exposure, surely that will happen.
Let me tell you: we will remember you and we most assuredly will not vote for you. Pearl Harbor, the assassination of John Kennedy, 9/11, and COVID-19 are graphic and historical reminders of how dramatically our lives can forever be changed in a fraction of a day. What a difference a day makes! But there is coming a day like no other day on planet earth. It's a day that staggers the mind to comprehend. That day will be the rapture of the church of Jesus Christ from planet earth. Instantly, millions of people are going to vanish from this earth and sail into the arms of God. "Pastor, if Jesus is coming, why now"? 2 Peter 3:3 and 4 says, quote, "Know this: that there shall come in the last days", that's right now, "There shall come in the last days scoffers, who are saying, 'where is the sign of his coming?'" the fact that you don't believe he's coming is a sign that he's on the way.
If you listen closely, you can hear the footsteps of Messiah walking through the clouds of heaven on the pages of God's prophecy. Will there be a rapture? The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17, quote, "For the Lord himself", say that with me, "For the Lord himself shall ascend with a shout, and with a voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God". Why the shout? Because he's victorious over death, hell, and the grave! Why the trump of God? Because he is royalty! He is King of kings! He is the Prince of Peace! "The dead in Christ are going to rise. Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together to be with him in the clouds of glory and to meet the Lord in the air".
That's a pretty clear picture of the rapture of the church. All over the earth, graves are going to surrender the righteous, as they soar into the air to meet the Lord at the meeting in the air. Highways will have cars with the motors running. The drivers and the occupants are strangely missing. Homes of believers will have dishes on the table. The food is on the stove, but the occupants have soared to the marriage supper of the lamb. They have abandoned tacos in Texas for the marriage supper of the lamb. Headlines will be screaming, "Millions are missing. Christians have disappeared". There will be a global economic crash. Why? Because Christians are the only ones working. They're the only one paying taxes. And when we're gone, you can pay the bills, socialists. You made them. Enjoy.
Around the world, people will discover empty graves, empty homes, empty cars. If you're not saved, don't dare fly with a Christian pilot. He's going up and you're going down. Fake news will do their absolute best to do their usual telecast where bespeckled commentators gather around a table to pontificate about what they know, absolutely nothing. Churches will be packed with weeping, sobbing, hysterical people. The Lord has come and they are left behind to go through the hell of the tribulation. Some of you in this audience and many of you watching by television will be the first to welcome the antichrist, because you think what I'm saying is pure poppycock. You're living Godless lives, and Jesus Christ is the last person you want to see. That's too bad, because on that day, he's coming whether you're ready or not. He's not in heaven, saying, "Let's make a deal". He's in heaven saying, "This is the deal. I am the Lord and there is none like me. I am coming soon and my reward is with me for the just and the unjust".
What is this earth-shaking event? It is the literal rapture of the church of Jesus Christ. And here is the great news: not one prophetic sign has to be fulfilled before it can happen. The rapture is imminent. It means it could happen at any instant. Get ready. Get ready! Get ready! The king is coming! The king is coming! The king is coming! Just beyond the clouds, the saints of God are gathering home. They're coming from the east and the west, the north and the south. And the Revelator says, "And the number of them is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands". That's the Bible's way of saying millions of people innumerable.
God himself is going to wipe away every tear, because heaven is a place that has never seen a tear. Heaven is the place where the word "Good-bye" has never been spoken. There will never be parting again. There will be no suffering again. There will be no more pain. There will be no more sorrow. There will be no more death. There will be no more disease. There will be no more hospitals. There will be no more COVID-19: thank God. There will be no government corruption. For former things have passed away. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Give him praise in the house!
We will sit at the wedding feast prepared for the bride. That's the church. Who is the groom? The groom is Jesus. The bride without spot or wrinkle, the bride that's been purchased with the blood of the lamb, the bride that is victorious over the powers and principalities of darkness, the bride that on this earth was salt and light, the bride that was called the peacemakers: "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be the children of God". This is the Kingdom of God. And of that kingdom, there will be no end! We are going to rule and reign this earth by this book forever and forever and forever! Give him praise in the house of God!
When the antichrist walks out on the stage in Revelation 6, he's on a white horse. Why? Because Jesus is coming back to earth on a white horse. He's imitating him. When Jesus rose from the dead, the antichrist is going to be shot in the head in the middle of the tribulation. And the Bible says, "He will recover miraculously," emulating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. People will worship him as God. On the cross, Jesus defeated death, hell and the grave. Ladies and gentlemen, Satan is a defeated foe. He is a defeated foe. He is a defeated foe because of the cross. The rapture is Christ' celebration over death, hell, and the grave. The ultimate humiliation of Satan is the teaching of the rapture and the resurrection. And that's why you hear so few sermons about the resurrection.
How will we know when the real Jesus gets here? Not by some charismatic personality standing on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem with a white bed sheet, saying he's the king of the new Israel: not by some warlock trying to call fire from heaven. We will know it's the real Jesus when our bodies sail through the air past the milky way, past the north star, a million miles a minute. When we stand in His glorious presence with our brand-new, disease-proof body that has no aches, no pains and no physical imperfections: when I stand inside the Eastern Gate and see the one who died at the cross of Calvary with the prints in his hand: when I hear the father say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant," I'll know I'm home.
When I receive the crown of life, when I hear, get the robe of righteousness: when I see all of the church members of cornerstone, who have gone, and their celebration on the throne of God: when I see mansions created by the architect of the ages: when I see streets of gold and the bride of Christ, I'll know this is heaven. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Do it now! Hallelujah to the Lamb of God!
People, who don't believe in the rapture, and some of them call themselves preachers. Say it's an allegory. Theologically, "Allegory" means myth. "It never really happened. It's just mythical and it's meant to inspire you, but it's not something you're really supposed to get so committed to". Myth? I'm mythdified and mythstaken if that's the truth. This is the most literal book that's ever been printed. Jesus was literally born of the virgin Mary. He was literally born in Bethlehem, Israel. Even history confirms that. He literally healed people. He literally died on the cross. He literally was buried in a borrowed grave. He literally rose from the dead on the third day. And because he lives, we shall also live. He was seen by more than 500 people in 13 different locations. That resolves the conflict that the disciples saw him. And in a moment of hysteria, they created this.
But what about the 13 different gatherings and over 500 people who have the same story, "We saw him. We saw the scars. He has risen. He is risen"? He literally came back with power and glory. He is coming back to this earth with power and glory. Every knee shall bow before him and every tongue shall confess that he is the Lord to the glory of God the Father. We are literally going to rise to meet him in the air. We are literally going to walk on streets of gold. We are literally going to wear a crown of life. We are literally going to live forever and forever and forever. Give him praise! Give him highest glory! The King is coming! The King is coming! The King is coming! Glory to the Lamb of God!
Critics of the rapture say the word "Rapture" doesn't appear in the biblical text: therefore, it's not true. It's true the word "Rapture" does not appear. The Bible is a book of concepts and word pictures that are so simple. The Bible says that a fool cannot err therein. The word pictures in the Bible were written because there were generations who did not read. And they got the picture, because they couldn't read the book. The word picture of the rapture is located in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17, for those of you who doubt it.
Critics say, "Well the rapture teaching is nothing but escapism. You Christians, who are teaching this, are just trying to escape from the real world". Rapture is no more escapism from the world than salvation is escapism from hell. I'm not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am not. The rapture is no more escapism than divine healing is escapism from disease. Environmentalists want to escape pollution. Peace movements want to escape the war. Americans would like to escape from congress and fake news and the IRS. Yes.
So the Bible teaches us: get ready for the great escape. Luke 21:36, "Watch therefore, and pray always that you be counted worthy to escape those things coming on the earth". That verse again is Luke 21:36. Hebrews 2:3, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation"? What are we going to escape? We're going to escape the Great Tribulation. Let me rip through three chapters of the Book of Revelation in five minutes.
1 - One-third of all the earth's vegetation is going to be burned by the sun.
2 - The sun and the moon will be darkened for days on in, and the earth will be a dark and depressed place, for Satan is the prince of darkness.
3 - The gates of hell are opened and hordes of locusts the size of a horse come upon the earth. And they sting men like a scorpion. Men will beg God to let them die, but God will not allow them to die.
4 - Worldwide famine, not just in Africa. But there will be, mobs will storm the streets of Africa, breaking into homes to get food.
5 - World war will be so bloody that the blood of those killed in battle will flow for 200 miles in the Battle of Armageddon.
6 - Every person on earth will be covered with great-festering boils. Think about that. Talk about social distancing: it'll happen.
7 - The seven seas of the earth are going to turn to blood. Oh, that could never happen. May I refer you to Egypt when God turned the Nile River to blood, when in Egypt every bathtub became filled with blood. Every glass that had water in it was turned to blood. When God says he's going to turn the water to blood, he means that. That means all of the fish will die because of lack of oxygen. There will be more famine and mind-breaking thirst. The sun will scorch the earth and men with fire. Major uncontrollable fires are going to break out all over the world. It will destroy everything in sight.
Mighty men, kings, and men of war are going to gnaw their tongues in pain. They will crawl into caves and beg God to let the mountain fall on them. And God said, no deal! You're going to live through this. Earthquakes are so shattering that the islands of the sea will sink. The sixth trumpet, four angels are released by God Almighty to destroy one-third of mankind in one day. That's Revelation 9:14. Oh, but God wouldn't be so cruel. May I refer you to the story of Achan and his family. In America, one hundred million people are going to be dead in a day. Why? God's vengeance on the world for rejecting his word and rejecting his Son.
And I believe this: that if God numbers the hairs we have on our head, and he knows the thoughts we think, he is keeping a tally of every baby who's murdered in every abortion mill in America. Right now, it's about 62 million. And I believe the day is going to come when God will take life for life in the United States of America for the murder of all of these babies. I ask you, those of you who are of a sound mind, would you like to escape that? I do. I am.
Those of you who have called upon the name of the Lord and accepted him as your Savior are going to leave in an instant in the twinkling of an eye. A twinkling of an eye is faster than the batting of an eye. The batting of an eye means the neurological sensation has gone to the brain and returned. A twinkling of an eye means it just got to the eye. It's faster than you can imagine. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, we are literally going to rise into the heavens with millions of believers to meet the real Jesus.
He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He is the Lord of glory. He is the light of the world. He is the Lamb of God. He is the lover of my soul. He is the day star. He is the bright in the morning star. He is the fairest of 10,000. He is the rose of Sharon. He is the lily of the valley. He is the great shepherd of the sheep. He is the Great I Am. He is the great physician. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. He is the bread of life. He is the captain of my salvation. He is the cornerstone. He is the mighty counselor. He is the Prince of Peace. He is Emmanuel, God with us. He is the friend that sticketh closer than a brother. He is heaven's hope and hell's dread. He is crowned with many crowns, because he is King of kings and Lord of all Lord! Give a shout to the king of glory! Glory!
Remain standing. How many of you in this room say, preacher, I never thought I'd ever hear a sermon like this. But I know that I'm not ready. I know that if Jesus came today, there's a doubt in my mind that I'm ready. And I want to get ready before I leave this building. And I'll pray a prayer of salvation right where I am. If that describes you, will you slip your hand up right where you are? God bless you and God bless you.
Now I want to ask this question: those of you who raised your hand and say, I'm a born-again Christian, how many of you have unbelievers in your family that are not ready to meet the Lord should he come? And virtually everyone here. I want to ask you to do this: when they come to your home or you go to their home, find a time and a place to tell them what Jesus means to you: that they may be given the gift of eternal life. My friend, only when we get to heaven, will we know what a fabulous, fabulous, fabulous thing is the gift of life. Don't be afraid of offending them, because if they do not receive Jesus, they will suffer for an eternity, beyond my ability to describe it. Pray this prayer with me.
Lord Jesus Christ, I thank you that I am redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. By his blood, atonement has been made. I am a born-again child of God. I am looking forward to the coming of King Jesus. There are family members that do not know the Lord. I ask you to give me the word of witness: that they may know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Now for those of you who have not received the Lord, pray this prayer with me. Heavenly Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus, I ask you to forgive me of all of my sin. Come into my heart today as Lord and Savior. Cleanse me by your precious blood, in Jesus' name. Amen and amen.