## The Alpha and Omega

## Revelation 22:13

Can you believe that we are now in the month of December? December is traditionally the month we place a great deal of emphasis upon Christ's birth and the events surrounding, but recently in the news we find that many are trying to 'de-emphasize' Christ. In a recent story this week I heard how the British Red Cross (take note of the name of that organization…the Red Cross) are saying they want nothing to do with symbols of Christ such as the nativity scenes and etc. How ridiculous! They don't want to change their name; they just want to deny the Christ of that cross! In many of our public schools it seems that it is acceptable to display the Menorah of Judaism or the Crescent of Islam, but anything to do with Christ or Christianity must not be displayed at all! For many today the theme of Christmas is "O Come Let Us Ignore Him!" Well, may I challenge you this morning not to ignore the very One who should be the focus of our attention at this time of the year? Our text this morning declares that He is the Alpha and the Omega!

Revelation 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

The Alpha was the first letter of the Greek Alphabet and Omega was the last letter. If John had been penning these words today he would have said "I am the A to Z, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." This verse speaks of the completeness of Christ.

That he is indeed the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Start and the Finish. That He is One with God the Father who describes Himself in Isaiah 44:6 this way:

Isa 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

God said, "I am the first and the last" and Jesus says "I am the first and the last". How many firsts can there be? Or for that matter how many lasts can there be? But then again we already know that Jesus is God and now we know that he is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Start and the Finish. But what is He the beginning of? What is He the start of? And what is He the finish of? He is the First and Last of everything; this morning I want to give you just a few thoughts on this wonderful truth.

I. He is the Alpha and Omega of Creation

A. If we want to know the beginning of our world we need to go to the beginning of this Book.

Ge 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

1. I know there are many who think that this is it is old-fashioned and quaint to believe the Bible's account of creation.

2. Old-fashioned? maybe…quaint? Perhaps; but there is no doubt in my mind that God created this world just like He tells us in the Bible.

3. You see, I think it actually requires more faith to believe what the evolutionists try to tell us about the origin of the world.

4. Somehow some way a gazillion years ago something happened, and life began as a single cell…

5. Really? Although many would not want to admit it, whether evolution or creation… it all must be accepted by faith!

6. I choose to place my faith in the Word of God and the God of the Word!

7. The atheist Voltaire (1694-1778) said "The world embarrasses me, and I cannot dream that this watch exists and has no watchmaker."

B. The 'watch' is this physical world, and the 'Watchmaker' is God!

1. He the Alpha and Omega of creation!

2. He is the first and the last, the beginning an the end!

3. Listen to what John wrote concerning Christ:

Joh 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4. It was Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), the Scientist, (remember the apple and gravity) who said "This most beautiful system [The Universe] could only proceed from the dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being."

C. Not only is God the beginning of this creation, we know that He will also be the end.

1. Everything that now exists will one day pass away.

2. When God's purpose is fulfilled, He will speak and it will be gone!

3. He spoke this world into existence and He will speak and it will pass away with a great noise.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

4. Then He will speak again, and create a new heavens and a new earth!

5. He is a great and powerful God!

6. He is the Alpha and the Omega of all creation!

Re 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

II. He is the Alpha and Omega of Life

A. Nothing quite as exciting as the birth of a child.

1. Dr. B.R. Lakin used to say that he was born at home, because he wanted to be close to his mother!

2. I guess that would be true of many of us wouldn't it?

3. The question that continues to be debated today, is when does life begin?

4. Was it when we squinted in the light of the delivery room, took our first breath and let out our first scream?

5. Actually, it was much earlier than that!

Ps 139:13-16 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

B. The birth of every child is no accident!

1. I have three older siblings…each born two years apart.

2. Then five years later, I came along!

3. I may have been a surprise to my parents, but I wasn't a surprise to God!

4. Every child born is a part of God's plan, and while there may be those who tell us that we weren't planned remember this, "God planned you."

5. In the book of Jeremiah we find an amazing revelation from God.

Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

6. Now, if God knew Jeremiah before he was born, and if God had a special purpose for him…

7. What makes us think we are any different?

Lu 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

C. The same God who created the universe with His awesome mighty power, created you and I…He is the is the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end of who we are!

1. Not just the beginning, but He is the ending as well!

2. The Apostle Paul wrote in the epistle to the believers in Rome…

Ro 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

3. The old saying is this, only two things are sure in this life: death and taxes!

4. But there are plenty of folks who have figured out how to cheat the taxman, but these old bodies will wear out and die eventually!

5. Here is a basic fact of life: no one will live forever.

6. Check out the obituary page…it is seldom blank…some die early others live on, but death comes to all.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

7. We may not be able to control when we die, or even how we will die; but we can be prepared!

8. Words of wisdom:

a. Yogi Berra, "Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours."

b. Tony Campolo, "When you were born, you cried and everybody else was happy. The only question that matters is this: When you die, will YOU be happy when everybody else is crying?"

III. He is the Alpha and Omega of Salvation

A. Salvation does not begin with us; it begins with Him!

1. Too many folks today think that salvation is dependent upon what they do or do not do.

2. The biblical reality is that salvation begins and ends with God!

3. It begins when we put our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

B. When does it end? Never!

1. What part of eternal or everlasting do we not understand?

2. It begins with God, not us…and it will end with God…but God is eternal!

3. He will never end…and neither will our salvation!

C. What about our part?

1. A few weeks ago I told you all about a fellow who was a famous tightrope walker.

2. I found some additional information on him.

3. His name was Charles Blondin and on the 4th of July in 1860 he walked a 1100 ft tightrope stretched 160 ft above the Niagara River.

4. Remember the crowd urged him to do it again, but was quieted when he asked for one to climb on his back while he did it.

5. Now that is an act of faith!

6. Finally one man stepped out of the crowd and agreed.

7. Who really believed? The crowd who believed in their mind, and even verbalized the belief but refused to act upon it? Or the one who acted upon his belief?

D. One more time let's review the plan of salvation.

1. In the beginning God and Man enjoyed a life of fellowship together, but when sin entered the world through disobedience a division came between Man and God,

2. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned; and come short of the glory of God"

3. We may try to bridge the gap with religion, offerings, or good deeds but we can never make it!

Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

4. It's only the cross of Christ that can wipe away our sin, and we can only accept that by faith.

Eph 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

5. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

6. Mark Twain said, "Heaven goes by favor or grace; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in."

How do we get the salvation that Christ gives? We must come to Him in faith, believing that He and He alone can save us from our sin! When should we trust Him? Right now! (2Co. 6:2)

- He is the Alpha and Omega of Creation
- He is the Alpha and Omega of Life
- He is the Alpha and Omega of Salvation