VIDEO
Did You Have One Of Those Weeks? (Revelation 1:8)
GIST: Remember, God is always present and all-powerful.
Last week, we were blessed to be part of the local event Notes For Hope. This week, we’re diving back into our study of Revelation. Actually, we’re going to kind of tip-toe back into it. We’ve established that this is a revealing of Jesus Christ, and I don’t want to rush that. So far, we’ve camped out exclusively in what could be considered the greeting section of the letter. Before we dive into what could be considered the first “meet” section of the letter, I want to fully wrap up this greeting. That comes in the form of one verse for us today. Let’s read verse 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 1:8)
Do you ever have… just one of those weeks? Mine had those moments. There was one morning in particular when it seemed like I was hitting all the walls. Nothing was working out the way I wanted it to. I felt behind and stressed, and the light at the end of the tunnel was allusive at best. In fact, at one point while driving into work, I “had a moment” and just belted this guttural scream. Looking back on that now, it seems silly. Heck, looking back on it a few miles down the road it felt silly. Nonetheless, in that moment, it felt like the only thing I could do. I think it’s safe to assume you’ve been there too.
Last week at Notes For Hope, we broke down John 16:33 and talked about where our hope comes from. The passage today carries a similar message. Truthfully, this will likely be an even shorter message than usual, but I want us to take this with us. Maybe you didn’t have one of those weeks. I actually really hope yours was awesome. And really, guttural screaming aside, My week wasn’t all bad either. That’s because of this truth we need to cling to (and this is also our gist): Remember, God is always present and all-powerful. Let’s dive in!
I. ALWAYS PRESENT
“I Am The Alpha And The Omega”. For many, this phrase is a fairly familiar phrase. God is using the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet to refer to Himself as the beginning and end. There are at least two observations I want to make about this today, but for now let’s just get this. God isn’t a man-made concept. He’s not new to this world. He has always been and will always be. Before there was time, before there was creation, there was God. He is He→
“Who Is And Who Was And Who Is To Come”. He has always been. He will always be. In the history of the universe, there has never been a moment without Him. There never will be. That means in your life, there is never a moment when He isn’t! You might feel isolated from God, but don’t let your emotions or perceptions blind you from the truth. He hasn’t stopped being, and He hasn’t stopped loving you. I know I’ve told this story before, but the picture always sticks with me. It’s like the couple who drove the bench seat pick-up truck. When they first started dating, the girlfriend would cuddle up next to him when they drove, but as time went on and life happened, she started sitting further away. Years later, when they were much older, the couple was driving together and the now wife was leaning against the passenger window looking out and reminiscing, and she turned to her husband and asked, “Do you remember how we used to sit so close to each other when we’d take these drives?”
His response is priceless. “I haven’t moved.” ☺️
It’s not a perfect illustration because God’s pursuit of you wouldn’t stop Him from sliding down across the seat ☺️, but the idea is spot on. You might feel like He’s left, but He never has. Micah Tyler’s song “Never Been A Moment” puts it so well.
I've been a sinner, I've been a saint
A little bit of both every single day
I've been lost
But somehow I've been found
There's been some pain, been some regret
Been some moments I'll never forget
But when I look back
From where I'm standing now
There's never been a moment
I was not held inside your arms
And there's never been a day when
You were not who you say you are
You're forever
It don't matter what I'm walking through
Cuz no matter where I'm going
There's never been a moment
That I was not loved by you
God is always present and→
II. ALL-POWERFUL
Look at two more phrases here: “Says The Lord God… The Almighty”. He’s the Lord God, the sovereign God, the ruling creator and sustainer of the universe. So stop and ask this question: what is out of His grasp? What can He not do? In Isaiah 59:1 the prophet wrote, “1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or His ear dull, that it cannot hear…” This world is broken. He’s not. Nonetheless, don’t we live like we think He’s incompetent at best and impotent at worst? He’s powerful and He’s in control…of everything. Nothing is outside of His hands. Oh, how we need to cling to that truth!
Ok, another song came to mind as I was typing this point, as well. If you listen to JoyFm, it’s one of the newer ones they’ve been playing, and I absolutely love its message. Here are the verses and chorus from “Yes He Can” by CAIN. (I kept the verses together for this reading.)
Sometimes I wonder, is He faithful?
Does He see me in my trouble?
Does He understand?
Sometimes I question if He’s able
Can He rescue, can He save me
Again and again?
...
Sometimes those voices try to tell me
I’m forgotten, and I’ve fallen
Too far from His hands
But I know what kind of God He is
And I’m trusting in His promises
I’m believing
And I’m singing
Yes He can
Did He move every mountain?
Did He part every sea?
Yes He did
So yes He can
Did He defeat the darkness?
Did He deliver me?
Yes He did
So yes He can
Yes He did
So yes He can
Now, let’s just look back at that statement about Him being the “Alpha And Omega” one last time. Yes, this means He has been here from the beginning and will be to the end. On top of that, however, is this deeper truth. He is the source of the beginning and will be both the decisive factor and the substance of the end. There is no life without Him, and at the end of this life, you will either be living in His light because you’ve accepted His rescue or you’ll choose to live in His wrath.
Yes, I know I got a bit quote-happy in this one, but let’s get one more for good measure, then we’ll hit five quick takeaways. Romans 11:36 “36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.”
TAKEAWAYS
God is here.
God is moving.
God loves you.
God is 100% in control.
These truths will not change.
For our invitation today, I want us to sing Jeremy Camp’s “Same Power”.
[Verse 1]
I can see waters raging at my feet
I can feel the breath of those surrounding me
I can hear the sound of nations rising up
We will not be overtaken, we will not be overcome
I can walk down this dark & painful road
I can face every fear of the unknown
I can hear all God's children singing out
We will not be overtaken, we will not be overcome!
[Chorus]
The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in us, He lives in us, lives in us!
[Verse 2]
We have hope, that His promises are true
In His strength, there is nothing we can't do
Yes, we know, there are greater things in store
We will not be overtaken, we will not be overcome!
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
Greater is He that is living in me
He's conquered our enemy
No power of darkness
No weapon prevails, we stand here in victory
[Chorus]
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