“Jesus, The Alpha And The Omega - Revelation 1”

Thursday, February 01, 2018

Jesus is introduced as Prince who came to the earth, Ruler, Redeemer who loosed us from our sins by His blood. Revealed by our God who is said to be the Alpha and Omega. This is to people who believe He is the Alpha. He began this process. He is God Who became flesh and came into this world. 

But the thing these people of God want to know is, will He be the Omega. The One who had been there at the beginning will He be there when it is all over? He was there when all this process of creation and redemption began, will He be there when it all ends? 

John tells them, the answer is, “YES!” We too can have confidence because of:

Who He is: Christians were being tempted to renounce their faith in Christ.  They would be pushed to the extreme to deny His name, to destroy their witness in the world.  But their model is of the Lord Jesus Christ Who came to bear witness to the truth (John 18:37), even though it would cost Him His life.  He had the chance before Pilate to just say one word, and He would have spared His life (1 Tim. 6:13).  But Jesus refused to budge one inch from all that the Father had told Him to do.  

What He has done: In short, He redeemed us.  And, notice the progression, “loved us,” “washed us,” and “made us.”  Our salvation initiated in the undeserved love of God for us.  This lead Him to shed His own blood on the cross, which in baptism washes us from our sins.  But then, remarkably He then made us kings and priests of God.  In other words, He left us in the world to have the glorious privilege of serving the purposes of God. Christ has the right to evaluate the church, because He is the one Who loved us, He is the One who saved us, and He is the One Who has left us with work to do.

What He will do: Jesus will be the final judge, and not a soul will escape His sight.  And those who have been keenly anticipating His coming and preparing for His evaluation, it will be a time of glory.  But, for those who have pierced Him, both literally and figuratively, what a day of judgment and mourning that will be.

Revelation for us:

Seeing Christ gives us confidence for living.    I find it interesting that in Scripture the command that most often fell from the lips of the Savior was, “Do not be afraid.”  When you have a clear understanding of who Jesus is, and what He has done for you, and what He will do, and you put your faith in a God like that, there is no need for fear.  And you can have confidence that living for Him is right in any circumstance.  That’s why Jesus could say in Revelation 2:10,“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Because of who I am, I will give you the crown of life.”  

Seeing Christ makes us consider how we are living.  You see, Jesus is walking among His church not just to comfort it, but to evaluate it.  And that will become clear in the next two chapters.  Jesus has the right to evaluate us, and that should make us stop and consider very carefully how we are living.  For soon He will come again and give a final evaluation that no one will escape.  

 - Rickie

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