Revelation 1:8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 21:6. And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
Revelation 22:13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
As we continue to ponder the birth of Jesus today, let us not forget just who that little baby in the manger truly was. The child born of Mary, sleeping on her lap, held in Joseph’s arms, looking up at shepherds and smelling like sheep, that little baby is the Alpha and Omega. The first and the last. The beginning and the end. From the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet, this title was given to the Caesars of John’s day. But here three times in Revelation, John transfers this title back over to Christ where it belongs. To Yahweh, the true first and last:
Isaiah 48:12. “Listen to me, O Jacob,
and Israel, whom I called!
I am he; I am the first,
and I am the last.
Our Alpha
All things come from Jesus. He is the beginning of all things. He is the definition of all things. He is the purpose of all things. He is the maker of all things. He is the substance of all things. He is THE uncreated image of God from which we, the created image bearers have been molded. He is our Alpha.
Will Jesus be your Alpha this new year? Will he be your vision of what life is meant to be? Will he be your best thought by day and by night? Will all your plans for a meaningful life begin and end with him? Will you try to see everything good as a gift that originated from him and through him? And everything difficult as an opportunity to run back to him as your source of strength?
Or will he be just another add-on to the day? Will you continue to just squeeze him in when it’s convenient or necessary to do so?
Our Omega
All things are FOR Jesus and UNTO Jesus. Everything is destined to be his. He is the heir of all things in the universe. God’s redemptive plan is to restore all of creation back under his authority, his dominion, his rule. He is our destiny and our destination. He is the point. He is the goal. He is our Omega.
Will Jesus be your Omega this new year? Or will he be just a means to an end? Will Jesus be your bridge to a good life? Or will HE be the good life? Will you use his gifts for your own selfish ends, your own happiness or fulfillment, or will you use them for the declaration of his mercy and his grace (which will actually produce true happiness and fulfillment)?
“To live is Christ” is to be found in this cosmic Christ. The one who is the beginning and end of all things. Anything less is too small a savior. Anything less than an Alpha and Omega will never sustain us. It might give us a nice holiday, but not a lifetime of living water. In the suffering of life, we must begin and end with Jesus, for all things begin and end with him.
You
Where has Jesus just been an add-on for you? Or just a means to an end?
You in Christ
In Christ your life begins and ends with him. How might this change your perspective on the new year?
Christ in you
How can you start and end your Christmas with Christ?
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Playlist: Alpha and Omega.
Click Here to this playlist on Spotify!
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To see today’s post from the TLIC Family blog –> Click Here
To Live is Christ 