The First Rapture - 4/12/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

today. If you enjoy today's message, be

sure to subscribe, follow, and share

with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

Amen. Take God's word. Turn with me to

the book of Genesis. Book of Genesis,

Genesis 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5. When you find your place, if

you would stand on reverence to the

reading of God's word. Genesis, chapter

number five. Appreciate you being here

in the service today. And I thank the

Lord for his mercy and for his grace.

And I tell you what, church, he's good.

And uh regardless whether you feel like

it or not, he's good. He's worthy of

praise. And I pray that you'll set

everything aside right now in your mind

and give us some time this morning to

preach. I know there's a lot on our mind

right now. Heavy hearts this morning.

But I tell you this, if there's a lost

sinner in this place, I tell you, I

wouldn't want to hinder that. Amen. And

you need to be saved this morning. Amen.

And I want to make sure that we do what

God wants us to in this service today.

Genesis chapter number five. I want to

read just a few verses this morning out

of this text. The thought the Lord has

laid upon my heart. And I kind of uh

said something about this in Sunday

school this morning, but I do believe

the Lord is soon coming. Amen. And I

really don't think it's going to be

long. I believe it could be today. Amen.

And I tell you this, I hope that's all

right with you. Amen. And I'll tell you

this, it's all right with me. Amen. And

y'all can stay here if you want to, but

I'm getting out of here. Amen. And uh I

want to ready to go home and ready to be

with Jesus, man. I'm telling you, I

ain't got nothing nothing on this side

holding me here. Amen. Hallelujah. Bless

his name. I appreciate the goodness and

the grace of God this morning. Genesis

Genesis 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5. Let's read in verse number

verse number 19. Genesis chapter number

five. Begin reading there. Pray for us

uh that God would help us. And if you're

missing some glasses, let me put this

out there to you. My little boy picked

these up somewhere at some point in the

past and they've been up here on the

pull pit for a little while. And so if

you're missing some glasses, amen, I'm

sorry for the fingerprints, but just

come get them. Amen. And uh Amen.

Genesis 5 and we'll begin reading in

verse number 19. And let's ask the Lord

to help us this morning when we get

done. Genesis 5 verse number 19. The

Bible says, "And Jared lived after he

begget Enoch 800 years. Begget sons and

daughters." And all the days of Jared

were 960 and two years and he died. And

Enoch lived 60 and five years and begat

Methuselah. And Enoch walked with God

after he begat Methuselah 300 years and

begat sons and daughters. And all the

days of Enoch were 360 and five years.

And Enoch walked with God and he was

not. For God took him. And I want to

look at this text this morning. Preach

with the help of the Lord on this

subject. The first rapture.

The first rapture. Now, what you find in

this text right here is the first man in

history to ever leave this world without

dying. But I want to remind you this

morning, if you're saved by the grace of

God, one of these days, if you don't go

by the way of the clouds, Amen, you're

going to go by the clouds. Amen.

>> And you'll not die. You'll not see

death. Amen. But when the Lord comes and

we hear us, hear that trumpet sound and

the voice of the archangel. Amen. And he

calls us home, you know what? We'll

never have to see the ground. But thank

God, we'll be in glory. Amen. And I

bless his name for it. Let's pray and

ask God to help us this morning. Father,

thank you for this good day for your

grace and your mercy. And Lord, I

appreciate your hand, God, in our lives

this morning. I realize that if it were

not for your grace, ain't a soul of us,

it would be in this building. And Lord,

probably none of us would never have met

outside of salvation and by the grace of

God. But Lord, you've brought us

together to this service for such a time

as this. And God, I pray today that you

would be lifted up and exalted and

glorified cuz Lord, you alone are worthy

God of all praise, glory, and honor. And

I pray today that you would be pleased

with our worship. I pray that you'd

touch, Lord, and bless the preaching of

thy word, God, as we've come today to

hear from the word. I pray you'd speak

to my heart and speak to every heart

that's here this morning. I pray we'd

see no man save Jesus only. God, we

would see and behold wondrous things out

of thy law this morning. And God, for

everyone that's hurted this morning, we

know, God, there's heavy burdens on the

hearts of your children. And God, I pray

for a little while, you lift those

burdens and give strength, God, and help

where help is needed this morning. God,

I pray, Lord, you touch my throat and

touch my voice this morning. Give me

liberty and uncction to preaching power

and demonstration of the spirit of God.

Help us today. Save that one nearest

hell, Father. And for what you do, we'll

give you thanks, all the honor and

glory. For we ask it in Jesus' name. We

do humbly pray. Amen. And amen. You can

be seated. Thank you for standing this

morning. Now, when we come to Genesis

chapter number five this morning, we

dealt with the beginning portion of this

chapter in Sunday school this morning

concerning the matter here, the

genealogy of the sons of Adam. And we

made the statement that Cain had been

rejected because he himself rejected

God. And let me say this this morning,

God has never, and I repeat to you,

never rejected anybody against their

will. Amen. Cain rejected God. And so

because Cain chose to go against God,

God was against him. Amen. And let me

say this to you this morning. If you're

here in this place and you're lost

without God, the Bible says that

presently, even in this very moment

right now, that the wrath of God abides

on you because of your sin and and your

INJUSTICE AGAINST GOD ALMIGHTY. Let me

say this to not choose to choose to be

against God. Amen. And I notice in this

text this morning, we have the lineage

of Adam's sons that came out of that

line of Seth. And I'll just say this. I

didn't preach it in Sunday school, but I

wanted to shout when I was reading it.

You understand that the devil thought if

he took out Abel, friend, he thought he

was going to doom and damn the human

race because he figured that Jesus would

come THROUGH THE SEED OF ABEL. But

aren't you thankful that when God, hey

friend, when the devil took out Abel by

Cain's murder, amen, God had Seth that

would come along behind and through him

we would have the seed of our Lord Jesus

Christ. And so in Genesis chapter number

five, you see 10 generations. You see 10

sons that are mentioned here in this

chapter. Enoch here in the text. Of

course, you notice by way of

introduction this morning, I notice his

birth. And verse number 18, the Bible

says, "And Jared lived 160

years and begat Enoch." And what you're

going to find is that all of these men

in this text, they are born, they live,

they beget sons, and they die. But I

notice in this story, you see Enoch's

birth. You see his begetting. He begets

a son by the name of Methusela. And this

boy here in the text, the Bible says

that Methuselah lived to be 969

years old. The oldest man that ever

lived was the son of Enoch. And I think

about this text, you understand that

every man before Enoch comes on the

scene had died. And every man that would

come on the scene after Enoch died. But

the man in this text, our son Enoch here

in the text, he did not die. HE DIDN'T

GO BY THE WAY OF GRAVE. And you can

notice in every one of these verses, he

was born. He lived and he died. But

Enoch, the Bible says in verse number

24, he was not for God took him. And I

notice not only his birth, his beetting,

his boy Methuselah, but I notice his

blessing in this text. For the Bible

says in verse number 22, "And Enoch,"

notice this now, "walked with God."

>> Amen.

>> You understand what had to happen for

him to get to this point?

>> You're right.

>> You realize just two chapters prior, God

had banished Adam and Eve from the

garden where you know what they had done

before? What' they do every day? They

walked with God. You're

>> right.

>> But you know what? Because of their sin,

God had to banish them because of their

choice to eat of that forbidden fruit.

And so because of that, they lost

fellowship with God. But because of the

sacrifice, later on, chapter number

five, it's revealed that then began men

to call upon the name of the Lord. That

God granted fellowship with him on the

on the terms of a blood sacrifice. And

Enoch, in this text, the Bible says that

he walked with God. Let me say this to

you this morning. The greatest blessing

that you and I can have, the greatest

privilege that you and I can know in

this life is to have a relationship with

a holy God. Have a relationship with the

creator, with the king, with the

sustainer. Amen. That loves you more

than you can even fathom this morning.

Amen.

>> And it's a privilege. It is a blessing.

But I thought about this in this text.

What stands out to me about Enoch more

than anything else is his faith. Now,

people say, you say, "Preacher, well,

faith didn't begin till the New

Testament. Faith didn't begin till Jesus

died on the cross." Well, I submit to

you, that's just not the case.

>> Come on.

>> You see, faith was long before the

cross.

>> Faith was even in the beginning, the

very beginning. Faith was there in the

garden of Adam. When Adam and Eve, they

had sinned there in the garden. And you

know what they had to do? They had to

believe the commandment of the Lord when

he spoke to them,

>> right?

>> But you know what? Because they were

weak in faith. That first Adam, you know

what he did? Bible says in Adam all

died,

>> right?

>> Because he did not believe God. Because

he refused to have faith. You know what

happened to him? He lost his rights to

the garden.

>> You're right.

>> But I notice in this text, and what I'll

say more about here in just a minute,

that faith is a Bible thing. And Enoch

is a man of faith. And I notice about

his faith three things that I want to

give to you this morning and preach on

this thought. The first rapture. You

see, he pictures to us a type of what

you and I are going to experience one of

these days when our Lord comes back to

take us home with him. And this

illustration here is given. And I'll say

more about that in just a minute. But

when I think about Enoch's faith, I

number one think about where did it

start? Where did Enoch's faith begin?

Well, I notice in this text what is

said. I need you to stay with me this

morning. You'll miss the message if you

don't stay with me. Look what the Bible

says. Verse number 20. All the days of

Jared were 960 and two years. This is

Enoch's daddy. Verse 21. Enoch lived 60

and 5 years and begat Methuselah. Notice

verse 22. And Enoch walked with God.

What's that next word?

>> After. Enoch walked with God after he

begat Methuselah 300 years. and begat

sons and daughters. And when I look at

this text and I think about Enoch this

morning, I'm I see where it started. It

start his faith started at the birth of

this little boy. And you say, "What do

you mean by that? Was it something that

he saw in this son of his that made him

realize that uh you know Jesus was the

s? Was it something that made him

realize and come to his senses?" I'll

tell you this. I don't believe it was so

much something that he saw in this boy,

but I'll tell you this. There was an

experience that Enoch had in his life

that caused him to name this boy what he

did.

>> You say, "What do you mean?" Well, when

you look up that word Methusela in your

Strong's concordance, that word

Methusela, that name, it means this. It

means that he is the man of the dart.

Or when he dies, it shall come.

>> Right? And when Methuselah was born unto

Enoch, evidently Enoch had had an

experience with God. And he had realized

that judgment was coming.

His name literally means a you look it

up. It's two Greek words you can look

up, two separate words. And the first

part speaks of a man and the last part

speaks of a dart or a missile and

signifying judgment. Stay with me. All

right. Signifying judgment. And Enoch

obviously had heard a word from God that

judgment was coming. You say, "Preacher,

how do you know that? That's not on the

pages of scripture." Well, I submit to

you it is. Listen to what Jude verse

number 14 says. Jude verse number 14. Go

to the book of Revelation, chapter

number one. Turn back a page. You'll

find the chapter of the book of Jude.

Jude, of course, recording the record of

Enoch's preaching. Notice what your

Bible said. Jude verse number 14. The

Bible said, "And Enoch also the seventh

from Adam prophesied of these, saying,

notice this, behold, the Lord cometh

with 10 thousands of his saints, to

execute judgment upon all, and to

convince all that are ungodly among

them, of all their ungodly deeds, which

they have ungodly committed, and of all

their hard speeches which ungodly

sinners have spoken against him." You

see, Enoch evidently had heard somewhere

judgment was coming.

>> You're right. And I'm here to tell you

this morning, judgment's coming.

>> You're right.

>> Amen. Hey, friend, the Bible said, Jesus

said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so

shall it be also in the days when the

coming of the Son of Man shall be." And

let me remind you this morning, we're

2,000 years closer to that than we was

at Calvary. Jesus could come back at any

moment. You understand this morning,

there's nothing left that has to be

done, but judgment could fall ON THIS

EARTH AT ANY POINT IN TIME. And you say,

"PREACHER, WHAT'S THAT GOING TO BE

PRECEDED BY?" WELL, IT'S GOING TO be

preceded by the rapture of the church.

Amen. The church is going to get out of

here. AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO

HAPPEN WHEN THE CHURCH is removed and

the spirit's work changes from

convicting to convincing the lost that

they're going to be all right.

>> Come on.

>> You say, "Preacher, how could a holy God

do that?" Well, he's given opportunity

after opportunity.

>> You're right.

>> Amen. For years and years and years, the

opportunity has been laid out there for

men to come to Christ. But the truth is,

one of these days that door is going to

be closed. You're

>> right.

>> And I notice in this text, Enoch has

heard a word of God. And it started

because Enoch believed the word of the

Lord. You say, "Preacher, how do you

know that he heard a word of God?" Well,

Paul said this. He said, "Faith cometh

by hearing."

>> That's right.

>> Faith that Enoch had had to come from

something somebody told him.

>> You're right. Faith cometh by hearing

and hearing by what? The word of God.

Amen. He Enoch had heard the message

from God that judgment was coming and

because OF THAT HE EXERCISED FAITH. He

believed the word of the Lord and thus

he names his son Methuselah that

judgment was coming and the and the

NECESSITY OF FOLLOWING THE LORD BEGAN.

You see, at the birth of his son, God

showed him that Methuselah, his son

would be the one, THE LAST SOUL TO DIE

before Noah and his family would enter

into that ark, you can look it up and

figure the numbers. The Bible literally

teaches that that Methuselah died the

very same year that Noah entered the

ark.

>> And Methuselah here is the

representation, the final truth of God's

judgment that was impending upon the

world that was present. And I noticed

Enoch's faith, it start, let me say

this. You got to have a place where your

faith starts.

>> You're right.

>> Amen. And you know what's going to

happen? It's going to start when you

hear that word.

>> That's right.

>> When God shows up and you hear that word

in your life and you say, "Preacher, but

I thought salvation was grace and a

blessing." And it is. But you know what?

You got to realize before you realize

that YOU CAN BE SAVED, YOU GOT TO

REALIZE THAT YOU'RE LOST. AMEN. YOU GOT

TO REALIZE THAT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDES

ON YOU AND THAT JUDGMENT IS IMPENDING ON

YOUR LIFE. AND THAT ANY MOMENT GOD COULD

TAKE YOU OUT OF HERE AND BE COMPLETELY

JUSTIFIED IN DOING SO, I'M SAYING,

FRIEND, IF YOU'RE LOST THIS MORNING,

JUDGMENT IS IMMINENT IN YOUR LIFE this

morning.

>> Say, preacher, you don't know that. I

know what the Bible SAYS. AND HE SAID,

"THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDES PRESENTLY

>> on you this morning." Enoch's faith, it

started at the birth of his son. And

Edict's faith is expressed by his

relationship to God because in in uh

Hebrews chapter number 11, he said,

"Without faith, it's impossible to

please him." God is not pleased with

anything other than our faith in him and

simple trust.

>> And I notice in this text, not only we

consider Enoch's faith where it started,

but I want you to notice, second of all,

I want you to notice not only where it

started, but notice why it stayed.

You know what I You know, people say,

"Well, you believe that once saved

always saved stuff."

>> Right?

>> Let me tell you about that this morning.

I believe the Bible says, "If any man be

in Christ, he's a new creature."

>> Right?

>> And you know what Paul said after that?

He said, "Old things are passed away."

>> Yeah.

>> So, you know what that means? You can't

go back. That's

>> right.

>> Amen. Anybody glad you've been

delivered? You've been passed from death

unto life. You've been delivered from

darkness. Amen. You were once a child of

hell, but now you're a child of the king

and of heaven. AMEN. ONCE YOU WERE

HEADED TO DOOM and despair AND ETERNAL

DARKNESS, BUT NOW YOU'RE HEADED TO A

DIVINE CITY FULL OF GLORY AND BLESSING.

I'M SAYING TO YOU THIS MORNING, THANK

GOD WE'VE BEEN BROUGHT OUT. AMEN. AND

THERE'S A REASON WHY we're not holding

ON TO BE SAVED. WE'RE HOLDING ON BECAUSE

WE ARE SAVED. SOMEBODY AMEN. SAY AMEN.

THIS MORNING I I NOTICED NOT ONLY HIS

FAITH WHERE IT STARTED, BUT NOTICE WHY

IT stayed in verse number 22. The Bible

says, "And Enoch walked,"

>> Amen.

>> with God,

>> right?

>> You see, his faith started at the birth

of his baby boy. But I'll say this, it

stayed for the entirety of his life. 300

years, 65 years, Enoch begat his son

Methuselah. And 300 years he walked with

God. And I notice in this phrase, that

phrase walk with God. I'm going to skim

the surface of this. There's enough

preaching this. I can preach five

sermons on this text, but I'm not going

to do that this morning. But I NOTICE

WHY IT STAYED. NUMBER ONE, I WOULD SAY

IT STAYED because of his conversation.

>> Notice the verse. And Enoch walked

with God. He walked with God. You know

what that means? It means he lived it.

>> You're right.

The reason why so many people that are

saved doubt their salvation is because

they don't live it.

>> Right?

>> Amen. The reason why you have no

assurance when you die where you're

going to go is because you've never

lived the Christian life, you're just as

saved as I am, but you don't understand

the truth that if you're going to live

for Christ, if you're going to know that

you're saved and live for Christ, you're

going to HAVE TO CHOOSE THAT DAILY.

That's

>> right. And I thought about these verses.

Paul told the Ephesian church in chapter

number five of Ephesians verse number

one that we're to walk in love. And he

said in Ephesians 5 and verse number

eight, we're to walk as children of

light. And in verse 15, he said you're

to walk circumspectly, redeeming the

time because the days are evil. What was

he talking about? He was talking about

living the Christian life. HE WAS

TALKING ABOUT LOVING OTHERS. He was

talking about letting the light of the

WORD OF GOD SHINE ON YOUR LIFE AND

LETTING THE HOLY GHOST OF GOD KEEP YOU

IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT CIRCUMSPECTLY. HE

WAS TALKING ABOUT STAYING WHERE YOU'RE

SUPPOSED TO BE.

>> Let me say this to you this morning,

church. If you're a member of Meta's

Baptist Church, you're to be here every

search.

>> And yes, for those that don't like it,

it is expected.

>> Amen, friend. Hey, if you want to be if

YOU WANT TO KNOW GOD AND BE BLESSED BY

GOD, THE BIBLE SAYS, "FORSAKE NOT THE

ASSEMBLING of yourselves together as the

manner of some is, but exalting one

another and so much the more AS YOU SEE

THE DAY APPROACHING." THAT'S SUNDAY

SCHOOL, THAT'S PREACHING, THAT'S SUNDAY

NIGHT, THAT'S WEDNESDAY NIGHT, THAT'S

EVERY OTHER SERVICE THAT WE HAVE. YOU

OUGHT TO BE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD. AND YOU

SAY, "PREACHER, WELL, I JUST CAN'T BE I

GOT TO DO OTHER THINGS." LET ME TELL YOU

THIS. YOU MISSING A BLESSING?

>> YOU'RE RIGHT. AMEN.

>> Knowing God.

>> Amen.

>> The difference comes down to this this

morning. Look up this way this morning.

I want you to understand something. When

your life and mine, it gets down to the

nitty-gritty. When you get to THE END OF

YOUR DAYS, YOU'RE GOING TO WISH YOU'D

HAVE BEEN HERE EVERY TIME THE DOORS WAS

OPEN. YOU'RE GOING TO WISH YOU HIT THE

ALTAR EVERY TIME THE PREACHER GAVE AN

ALTAR CALL. YOU'RE GOING TO WISH YOU GOT

HELP EVERY TIME IT WAS OFFERED FROM THE

PULL PIT. DON'T YOU BLESS GOD FOR A MAN

OF GOD. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ME, BUT I

MAN I THINK ABOUT THOSE PREACHERS IN

DAYS GONE BY THAT AFFECTED MY LIFE THAT

PREACHED THE GOSPEL TO ME THAT GAVE ME

HOPE WHEN I WAS HOPELESS THAT HELPED ME

WHEN I FELT HELPLESS WHEN I THOUGHT I

WAS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF MY

WICKEDNESS. THEY GAVE ME PEACE AND THEY

GAVE ME JOY IN A TIME WHEN I COULDN'T

FIND IT ANYWHERE ELSE.

>> And let me say this to you, you're not

going to find help anywhere else.

>> You're right.

>> YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND HOPE ANYWHERE

OUT THERE. YOU CAN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

YOU CAN LOOK EVERYWHERE ELSE. BUT LET ME

SAY THIS. EDICT WALKED WITH GOD. HIS

CONVERSATION WAS IN HEAVEN WITH GOD.

AMEN.

>> RIGHT?

>> He had fellowship with the father.

His conversation

was close to God. Peter said this in

second Peter chapter 3 verse number 11.

2 Peter 3 · chapter mention

Seeing then that all thing all these

things shall be dissolved. speaking of

the judgment of God. Seeing then that

all these things shall be dissolved.

What manner of persons ought you to be

in all holy conversation

and godliness. You see, there's a way

that you're supposed to live in order

for that faith to stay big in your life.

>> I see not only is conversation, but I

see his closeness. Look what the Bible

says in verse 22. And Enoch walked with

God. That word with literally means

near.

>> That's right.

>> Enoch walked close to God. You know why

we watch people that they fall out of

the way and get out and sin. You know

what they do? They quit being close to

God.

>> You're right.

>> They got away from where they were

supposed to be.

>> They let something in their life

discouraged them so much to the point

that they lost hope in God. You say,

"Preacher, how is that?" Well, Jeremiah

the prophet, he said, "My hopes perish

from the Lord."

>> Right?

>> Remember what he said? Lamentations 3,

he said, "My hopes perish from the Lord.

I've forgotten. I've left it. I don't

believe anymore." BUT YOU KNOW WHAT

JEREMIAH SAID? THAT DIDN'T STAY too

long. AMEN. BECAUSE HE FOUND OUT THAT

THE SAME ONE HE HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT

STILL BELIEVED IN HIM, STILL TRUSTED HIM

WITH THE GOSPEL. AND HE SAID THAT FIRE

THAT SHUT UP IN MY BONES, IT WILL NOT

STAY. I'M SAYING I'M THANKFUL FOR

SOMETHING IN THE DARK DAYS, FOR

SOMETHING IN THE DARK TIMES THAT THERE'S

LIFE ON THE INSIDE THAT HOLDS ME UP WHEN

EVERYTHING ELSE IS FALLING DOWN AROUND

ME.

>> There's life on the inside.

>> He was close. Enoch stayed close to God.

David said this in Psalm 119 and verse

number 10. He said, "With my whole heart

have I sought thee. Oh, let me not

wander from thy commandments." And as

the psalm says, "PRONE TO WONDER, LORD,

I FEEL IT." PRONE TO LEAVE THE GOD I

LOVE. TAKE MY HEART, LORD. TAKE AND SEAL

IT. SEAL IT FOR HEY FRIEND, WE NEED SOME

PEOPLE THIS MORNING THAT'LL DECIDE IN

THEIR HEART THAT COME WHAT MAY, YOU'RE

GOING TO STAY CLOSE TO GOD. AMEN.

>> Close to God. near to his heart. Draw me

nearer, NEARER, NEARER, BLESSED LORD, TO

THY PRECIOUS BLEEDING SIDE. YOU GOT TO

HAVE TO BE CLOSE TO God in these days.

If you're going to have your faith stay,

I notice not only is conversation is

closeness, but I notice it's Christ in

the verse.

Bible says and Enoch walked with God.

You say, "Well, that's God the Father."

Well, let me ask you something. Bible

says no man's ever seen God.

speaking of God the Father.

And that word God in the text in the

Hebrew is Elohim. It's God the Father,

God the Son, God the Holy Ghost. And the

writer of Hebrews said this, that Christ

is the express image of the invisible

God.

>> Right?

>> And so if Enoch walked with God, you

know who he was walking with?

>> He's walking with Jesus.

>> He had fellowship with Jesus. You see in

his relationship with Elohim, this God,

God is potentate. He is king. He's

above. He's the one that we we go to

Christ and Christ goes to God. You see,

God is potentate. He is first in charge.

Christ is his person. The one that lives

on the inside. The Bible says, "And God

said, let there be." You know what that

was? That was the word. That word was

Jesus. And Jesus is the one THAT WE HAVE

FELLOWSHIP WITH. GOD IS POTENTATE.

CHRIST IS HIS PERSON. And the spirit is

his power. It's what allowed him to live

the Christian life. WHAT ALLOWED HIM TO

KEEP HIS FAITH.

>> I give you this. If you're not going to

help me preach this morning, I'm going

to enjoy it myself.

>> Come on, God.

>> I noticed not only where it started and

where it stayed, but let me show you

where it stopped.

>> Come on, preach.

>> Is anybody in the building?

>> Verse 24. Verse 23. And all the days of

Enoch were 360 and5 years.

Verse 24. And Enoch walked with God and

he was not. What your Bible say? For God

took him. Now, I don't know about you,

but I'll say this. I'm going to tell you

this. Actually, I do know about you.

There ain't nothing else going to

encourage you but this.

>> Right. Amen.

>> You're right.

>> Look, I realize we're discouraged this

morning. And let me just take time out

right here for a minute.

Do you think the lost world needs to see

us beat down?

>> No.

>> We're not super human. That's right.

>> But let me tell you this this morning.

We got to have some faith.

>> You're right.

>> Believe God. That's

>> right.

>> You say, "WHAT'S COMING, PREACHER?"

WELL, WHAT COME FOR ENOCH IN THIS TEXT

IS WHAT'S COMING FOR YOU IF YOU'RE SAVED

BY THE GRACE OF GOD. LOOK WHAT HE SAYS.

I SAY HIS FAITH STOPPED SOMEWHERE.

Notice what your Bible says. I see not

only here in the text that his faith

stayed, but it had it come to a day

where it stopped. The Bible says, "And

Enoch walked with God." His character is

displayed. Once again, it said twice

THAT ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD. HE WAS

PROPHET FOR HIS GENERATION. HE PREACHED

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JUDE. HE SHARED

THE TRUTH. HE WAS PRIEST FOR HIS FAMILY.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE MAN IN these

homes IN THE ANTIDOLIVIAN AGE WERE

RESPONSIBLE TO GIVE SACRIFICES FOR THEIR

FAMILY. HE WAS PROPHET. HE WAS PRIEST.

BUT LET ME SAY THIS. THERE COME A DAY

WHEN ALL OF THAT WAS OVER. THERE COME A

DAY WHEN PRAYERS WILL NO LONGER TO BE

MADE. THERE'S COMING A DAY WHEN THE

PRIESTLY DUTIES IS GOING TO END. YOU

SAY, "WHAT IS THAT FOR YOU AND I?" WELL,

THERE'S COMING A DAY WHEN WE WON'T PRAY

NO MORE PRAYERS. THERE'S COMING A DAY

WHEN WE WON'T HAVE TO MAKE NO MORE

SACRIFICES. THERE'S COMING A DAY WHEN

EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE OVER AND IT'S

GOING TO BE DONE. AND THE BIBLE SAYS,

"AND ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD AND HE WAS

not

>> for God took him." His character is

displayed again. But I'll say this, his

capture is described.

>> Right?

>> God took him

>> right

>> now. This is where I want to get to this

morning.

You see, there were some according to

this verse who spent days looking for

him. Look what the Bible says. And ain't

it walked with God and he was not. Now,

I've heard people preach that and they

preach about all the things that In

wasn't. You know, he wasn't a

fornicator, an adulterer, you know, all

that stuff. That ain't scripture. Okay?

>> We don't know what In was,

>> right? I tell you what this text says.

The Bible literally says that Enoch was

not found. That's

>> right.

>> Notice Hebrews chapter 11.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

Should be in your margin. Hebrews

chapter number 11.

Listen. Verse 5. By faith Enoch was

translated that he should not see death.

What's those next four words? And was

not found. because God had translated

him.

>> For before his translation, he had this

testimony that he pleased God. You see,

there were some that spent days looking

for him. But you know what? They didn't

find him.

>> Right?

>> But I'll say this. There was one who

spent all his days with him.

>> Right?

>> One day, he took him home.

>> Right?

>> Come on, preacher.

>> Let me ask you this. All right. This is

how my mind works. Okay? How did they

know God took him?

How did his family know that God took

him? How did they know that some

ravishing beast didn't come take his

life?

>> And let me just say time out right

there. You know what? There's a lot of

things we don't know.

>> That's right.

>> Right.

>> There's a lot of things we don't

understand.

>> Let me tell you this in this verse. I'll

tell you how they knew God took him.

They knew number one, they knew God took

him number one because of what he said.

>> That's right.

Notice Jude 14 again.

It's recorded in your Bible.

You see, Enoch didn't leave them with an

empty hope.

I had a grandfather

told the story here at the church

before.

He died

an alcoholic

63, 64 years of age few years ago. Told

me he was saved. His alcohol killed him.

And I remember when he died, I remember

that after he was gone, the Lord gave me

a message on Udicus. Udicus fell out the

window. And when he hit the ground, you

know what? He was gone.

>> Right.

>> Bible says they took him up dead.

>> Yeah.

>> And I made this statement in that

sermon. I said, you know, when Udicus

was gone, he couldn't tell them where he

went.

>> Right.

>> When my grandpa died, he told me he was

saved, but he never lived it. He

couldn't tell me where he's at.

>> Right?

>> I don't know where he's at to this day.

But let me say this. If you're going to

let people know where you're at, you're

going to let them know why you're here.

That's

>> right.

>> Jude verse 14 said this. And Enoch also

the seventh from Adam prophesied of

these, saying, "Behold, the Lord cometh

with 10,000 of his saints."

Enoch told him where he was going.

That's

>> right.

>> Because God told him where he was going,

>> right?

>> That's good.

>> He believed the word of the Lord. You

know how they knew he was gone and he

didn't die is because he told him he

wasn't going to die.

You're listening to a preacher this

morning's telling you I'm not going to

die.

>> Amen. Amen.

>> Come on, preacher.

>> Hey, friend. If they some reason if

y'all if I die young and y'all all still

here and they roll me up here in a

casket, you just know the man didn't

die.

>> That's right.

>> The shell did. That's

>> right.

>> Let me say this. Enoch told him, "I'm

leaving here."

>> Yeah. You know why he said that? Because

he walked with God.

>> Amen.

>> And you know what God told him? He said,

"Look, I'm going I'm going to flood this

earth." He named Methusela, "Judgment's

coming."

>> God told him, "Judgement's coming, ain't

it, but you ain't going to see it,

>> right?"

>> Amen.

>> They knew that God took him because of

what he said. But I'll say this, they

really knew that God took him not just

because of what he said. They knew it

because of how he lived.

>> Amen.

>> 300 years.

>> Yes.

>> Every day.

>> Blessing.

like clockwork. Walk with God.

>> Amen.

>> Had fellowship with God. You know what

the greatest testimony to those around

you is? That you love God. Steady

faithfulness.

>> Right?

>> They knew that God took Enoch because of

what he said. They knew that God took

Enoch because of how he lived. But I'll

tell you this, and this is what I like

the best. They knew that God took Eno

because he wasn't here anymore.

>> Right?

>> Amen.

>> Let me say this. If if there's one of

these days y'all don't see me no more.

>> Come on now.

>> And there ain't nobody on this earth can

find me, I can tell you exactly where

I'll be.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. Hey friend, this sh I may live my

life and die of old age and lay in THE

GROUND SOMEWHERE. BUT OH FRIEND, IF YOU

FIND THE BODY, you dig up the bones. YOU

JUST KNOW YOU'LL NOT FIND ME THERE.

AMEN. YOU'LL NOT FIND ME IN THE GRAVE.

BUT THANK GOD MY LORD AND SAVIOR TOOK ME

HOME TO BE WITH HIM. AND ENOCH, FRIEND,

HE WAS TRANSLATED. HE WAS CALLED AWAY.

AND LET ME SAY THIS, THE APPLICATION

SENSES THIS. YOU SEE, THERE'S COMING A

DAY WHEN JESUS, WHEN THE LAST SOUL GETS

SAVED, HE'S GOING TO COME BACK TO THIS

EARTH. AND HE'S GOING TO CALL FOR HIS

CHILDREN, AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL

RISE. AND THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND

REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER IN

THE CLOUDS TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR.

AND THE BIBLE SAYS, "SO SHALL WE EVER BE

WITH THE LORD. AND JUST LIKE ENOCH,

WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THIS world and not

die." Right?

And all those who refuse to trust Christ

will be left behind. You're

>> right.

>> You see, the truth is about Enoch's

life. What Enoch believed, proclaimed,

and performed in his life, he got to

behold inside

>> the moment he was delivered from death.

And this is the message this morning.

This is the first illustration of the

rapture in our Bible. And you say, "How

is it an illustration of the rapture?"

Well, I've held it back to give you

this, and some of you already know this.

What happens a chapter later?

>> Come on.

>> Noah, the Bible says, is a just man,

feared God. And the same description is

given to Noah that was given to Enoch.

What did it say? He walked with God.

>> That's right.

>> And you know what happened? God told

Noah, Noah, you need to build an ark.

>> Yeah.

>> Judgment's coming.

>> Told Enoch the same thing. But you know

what the difference was?

God come and got Enoch out before the

judgment.

>> Right?

Enoch represents the church. That's

>> right.

>> Noah represents the Jew. That's

>> right.

>> You know what? Noah and his family got

on that boat. And when the whole world

was drowning,

Noah floated across the judgment of God.

>> You see, the wrath of God is what held

that boat afloat. You say, "Preacher,

what does that mean for us?" Well, I'll

say this. For those of you that are

saved here this morning, we're going to

be like Enoch,

>> right?

>> We preach that judgment's coming. Ain't

it preached it? We preach it. We know

it's coming. And there's people say

Peter said, he said, "There'll be those

in the last days." Said, "Where is the

promise of his coming since the fathers

fell asleep, all things continue as they

were from the beginning of the

creation?" But here's what Peter said.

He said, "You know, this is what they're

ignorant of." He said, "They're ignorant

of the fact that God brought judgment

one time before."

>> You're right.

>> And you know what he did? He killed the

whole human race, but one family.

>> That's right.

>> If you don't think judgment's coming,

friend, you better think again.

>> Come on, pre.

>> Cuz it could come. Amen. It could come

before the day's over. And if you look

at this world, if you watch the news,

friend, you'd be scared to I'd be scared

to death I was lost.

>> Amen.

>> Looking at the news headlines,

>> right?

>> Boy, I look at him, I say, "Thank God we

moving out."

>> Amen.

>> Enoch

>> got to walk in sight. You You say,

"Preacher, what what are you trying to

display by that?" I'm saying Enoch got

to watch from heaven.

>> Come on. Amen. Go ahead.

>> He got to watch from heaven with his

with his great great great great grandpa

Adam

>> and Abel who was dying.

>> He watched his grandson and his family.

>> Yes.

>> Float across that water.

>> Amen.

>> On the ark from the banister of heaven

and saw them delivered. And Enoch says

he didn't even leave me down there for

it. He just took me home. That's

>> right.

>> You know what? That's the way we're

going to be brought home.

>> I really believe it. I don't believe

there's anybody in here that's going to

die. I believe the rapture is going to

take place and we're going to go home.

>> Amen.

>> If you're lost, you'll die. But I

believe Jesus is coming. That's

>> right.

>> Every head bowed and every eye closed

this morning. What Enoch believed, he

proclaimed and performed in his life. He

got to behold in sight. And one of these

days, our faith is going to become

sight. Enoch believed it. Noah believed

it. You say, "Preacher, but was the

faith the same for Noah?" Yes, it was.

Because you know what he had to knew had

to believe God to build that ark. Never

seen a drop of rain fall from the sky.

He'd never seen a flood on the earth.

But you know what? When them waters

came, you know what was done? That boat

was finished.

And when they went into that ark, God

shut the door. They weren't going to get

out for another year until those flood

waters assuaged from off the earth.

You say, "Preacher, what does that

represent for me?" It represents the

judgment of God. Those

waters that condemned an entirety of the

human race aside from knowing his family

were because of sin.

God saw that the wickedness of man's

heart was thoughts of his heart were

only evil continually.

And the truth is your life and mine this

morning, we were that same way. You see,

every one of us has failed God.

Every one of us has missed the mark.

Every one of us has said things, has

done things that we ought not do.

Let me tell you this this morning. Jesus

died to forgive you of those things. And

if you're tired of living and not having

peace,

if you're tired of living and never

being able to have victory,

if you're tired of wondering when you

lay your head on your pill at night

where you'd be,

let me say this. Jesus can save you

today.

There's nobody looking around at me. I

want to ask you this morning. You say,

"Preacher,

if I died right now, I don't know where

I'd go. Never been saved.

I don't know the Lord." Preacher, would

you pray for me?

Hey, sinner. There's people praying for

you on this altar right now. Say,

"Preacher, would you pray for me? You

just slip your hand up and I'll pray for

you this morning. Preacher, I'm not

saved. I don't know the Lord.

Preacher, would you pray for me? Just

slip your hand up. I'll pray for you

this morning. Hey, God knows your heart.

God knows your heart. Jesus loves you.

But if you die refusing his gift of

grace, you know what'll happen? You'll

enter that judgment

never to be freed.

Let me remind you of this truth today.

When you go to hell, you can't get out.

When you end your life in that place,

you'll never escape.

But Jesus made a way. And he's brought

you the word this morning. It's been

shared. JUDGMENT'S COMING. BUT JESUS

SAVES.

We've heard the JOYFUL SOUND. JESUS

SAVES. JESUS SAVES. HEY, IT STILL RINGS

LOUD AND CLEAR IN 2026. THANK GOD HE'S

STILL ABLE TO SAVE TO THE UTTERMOST THEM

THAT WOULD CALL UPON HIM by faith.

>> Yes.

>> And he wants to save you today.

You say, "Preacher, I'm here. I'm saved.

Preacher, I'm getting weary in this

journey." Well, I'm reminded what Paul

said. Galatians. He said, "Be not weary

and welloing.

Keep on, child of God. Don't quit. Hey,

when things get hard, when times get

desperate and sorrowful, that's not time

to leave. It's time to get in.

>> It's not time to move. It's time to

stand,

>> to stay. Hey friend, when you need help

THE MOST, THAT'S WHY IS IT THAT WE run

from the cross when we're broken? Why is

it we leave? Why is it we WALK AWAY?

IT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO TACKLE THE

TRUTH THAT OUR OWN SIN hinders us many

times.

>> Right?

>> You see, trials have a way of bringing

out our own faults.

And what you need to know this morning

is that everything in your life,

Jesus is in control. He's in control.

Don't let the devil take your fault.

Hey, if you're saved, child of God,

don't let your trouble in your life make

the faults, your past. Don't Don't go

back to those things. Don't let the

devil remind you of those things. God

doesn't want you to remember that. He's

forgotten it. Why would you Why would he

want you to remember that?

Give it to God. You say, "PREACHER, BUT

IT WAS MY FAULT." BUT IF YOU ASK FOR

FORGIVENESS, GOD FORGAVE THAT THING AND

IT'S OVER. IT'S DONE. IT'S FORGIVEN.

FORGOTTEN FOREVER. And you can have

peace today. Stick your finger in the

face of the devil and remind him where

he's headed.

>> His doom is set.

His life is over. Don't let him take

your joy. Don't let him take your peace.

Man, I'm telling you, happiness and

tranquility. I was talking to a preacher

just the other day. He said, "So many

people, they say they want joy and

peace, but what they really want is

happiness and tranquility. That stuff

comes and goes.

>> Life's not always tranquil. Life's not

always happy, BUT JOY AND PEACE, THEY

OVERRIDE the circumstances of life. HEY,

YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE A SMILE ON

YOUR FACE. BUT YOU CAN HAVE JOY IN YOUR

HEART AND PEACE IN YOUR SOUL. YOUR LIFE

MAY BE IN TURMOIL. YOU MAY BE ON THE

STORM IN THE WAVES OF THE SEA TOSSED

ABOUT. BUT YOU CAN STILL HAVE JOY and

still have peace.

Father, I pray in Jesus name.

Lord, I pray for that soul that's here

today and lost.

God, I pray they wouldn't leave today

without trusting you. God, I pray for

that soul that's here today and

troubled.

God, there's heavy burdens that we all

bear. And Lord, help us not think we're

the only one. God, we've all got

problems. We've all got troubles. Lord,

we get so we get so many times we get to

looking at ourselves. God, forgive us of

that. Lord, help us remember,

Lord, that everybody we go through

things. Lord, help us look every man on

the things of others.

God, help us consider one another to

provoke unto love and good works.

Lord, Enoch made it because he walked

with you. And Lord, there's no doubt in

my mind that others made it because of

his walk with you. Lord, I pray God

today,

Lord, for each heart here today that we

would be strengthened by this fact that

we're getting out of here soon.

We're going to leave here. We're going

to go home and it's all going to be all

right.

When you take us home, Lord, help us

today. I pray.

Every head still bowed and every eye

still closed. I just feel led. She's

going to play another verse.

If you're here and you're lost, don't

wait.

Don't wait.

Jesus died to save you. He promised to

save you if you'll trust him. If you'll

give your life to him, he'll make a

difference.

He'll make a difference.

Hey, child of God, you don't have to let

this trial take you out.

Stay with God.

Believe. Trust him.

Hey, if he can save you from hell

and deliver you from all your sin, don't

you think he can handle that problem you

got?

We talk about miracles a whole lot. Man,

this one got healed from cancer and this

one got healed from this disease. This

baby survived, but you understand the

greatest miracle that's ever took place

salvation

of a sinner who had no hope for himself.

And if you're here and you're saved,

there is no greater miracle that can be

done than that.

>> Right?

>> Just believe God. Believe God.

Father, in Jesus name, thank you once

again,

Lord. May we be thankful today for how

good you've been to us. And I pray for

those that struggling today that you

would help them, encourage them,

because God, we've got too much to gain

to lose.

We've won. We're on the winning side.

We're not fighting for victory. We're

fighting from victory. Lord, let us not

let the troubles and trials of this life

discourage us and dispel us from your

truth. Lord, we love you. Thank you for

loving us. We ask it in Jesus name.

Amen.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you'd join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 7:00 p.m. For

more information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.