The Alpha and The Omega
I. The REVELATION of JESUS. (1:1-20)
A. Jesus is PRESENT. (1:1-20)
B. Jesus is SPEAKING to the CHURCH. (1:11,19-20)
C. Jesus is IN CHARGE. (1:8, 12-18)
I’m sneaking in an “I Am” from John that isn’t in John. Consider it a teaser for our Revelation series coming after Lent and Resurrection Sunday. The vision (or at least the beginning of the vision) that John has of Jesus in the Revelation is so powerful that we need to tie in into the I Am statements of Jesus from the gospel. You’ll see what I mean.
1. Kid’s Question: Which object on the table representing Jesus’ statements is your favourite and why?
2. What stands out to you about the description of Jesus in Rev. 1:1-20? Why?
II. THREE ways the “I Am” IS. (1:8, 21:6, 22:13)
A. A to Z – The TOTAL PACKAGE. (1:8)
B. First and last – STARTER and FINISHER. (1:17, 22:13)
C. Beginning (PROTOTYPE) and end (PURPOSE). (21:6, 22:13)
Jesus says the I Am three times, and it almost sounds like restating the same idea with different words. But the reality is that the three are different, and grow deeper and more powerful in meaning as they go.
3. What does it mean to you that Jesus is A to Z and the starter and finisher? How does that truth impact your day to day?
4. Has Jesus ever “finished” things in a way that you didn’t like? Why do you think that was?
5. If you had to explain in your own words what it means that Jesus is the prototype and the purpose of all creation what would you say?
III. WHO do you SAY that I AM? (Mt. 16:15)
A. The QUESTION in the DARKNESS. (1:9; Mt. 16:13)
B. The question that BECOMES the JOURNEY. (1:17,18; Mt. 16:24-25)
C. Receiving the ANSWER by FAITH. (1:18; Eph. 1:17-19)
Texts like these remind us that the most important question we ever will answer is the question posed by Jesus to his disciples in Mt. 16 and Mark 8 – “But what about you, who do you say that I am?” He has told us who He is, we have seen it over the past 2 months. But who do we say that He is?
6. Why is this question so important during the dark times of our lives?
7. How would you describe how you know Jesus differently today than you did 5 or 10 years ago?
8. Where is God calling you to receive something by faith even when you don’t understand it?