Alpha & Omega

We are on our way to the Resurrection. The Last Day will be The First Day.
-An Easter Reflection on Revelation 21 by Fr. Jack Estes

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​Revelation 21 
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’
5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ 6 Then 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 water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

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KEY TOPICS
Jesus' death and resurrection, Jesus' return in glory, the book of Revelation, the living God, judgment of the world, hope of the world, the new creation, the last days, a new heaven, Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end, the new life is perfect

OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, we pray that you would seal your word, your holy word, your gospel, upon our thoughts upon our minds, upon our lips and things that we say, and upon our hearts as we meditate upon You. Lord, open Your Word to our hearts today, and open our hearts to your word, and your holy name. Amen.
 
Please be seated. Good morning, good morning. Once again, welcome. Good to see everybody. Quite taken by the Scripture and the book of revelation this morning, where Jesus says, it is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty, I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Lord, we come today we are thirsty for that water. quench our thirst this morning we pray. Amen.

We are living in the season living through the season of Easter, here in the church, on the church calendar, these 50 days which are taking us onward, through the Feast of the ascension in a couple of weeks, and on to Pentecost and the outpouring of the Spirit. And as I was reflecting recently, we're also living in a manner of speaking historically, in the season of Easter, we're living in the time the post resurrection time, the time after Jesus burst forth and was raised from the dead. In many ways, this is true. On that first Easter Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead. And that changed everything. The resurrection altered, everything. History was changed, our humanity was changed. Even the very Cosmos the very nature of the universe, was fundamentally altered. When Jesus came forth out of the tomb. He is the beginning of a new creation; the new creation has begun. He is the first born of that new creation. And at the same time, he is the completion of the old.

As we read in the book of revelation this morning, as I just quoted, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning, and the end, he is the beginning of the new creation, He is the beginning literally. Physically, this is a new atom, he is the new atom that has come forth, fundamentally changed, altered with a with no longer subject to sin, the anguish of sin or the death, the consequences of sin. He is the beginning, a new creation, new humanity of a different order, a different quality, it's from quality of life has come for he is the beginning he is also the end, the completion of God's plan of salvation, the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, the conclusion of the matter. In the resurrection of Jesus, the judgment of the world is finished. He took the judgment of the world upon himself the judgment of sin, the judgment of rebellion against God. He took it he fulfilled the law. He fulfilled the prophets. He went to the cross and He took all of that absorbed it and triumph over it. As he comes forth. The beginning is the beginning is also the end.

On the first Easter Sunday Jesus rose from the dead the first born of the new creation. And at that moment, we entered the eschaton. The in times the last days. The Last Days have begun. I think Father Randy commented on this recently in one of his sermons. The last the End Times began when Jesus rose from the dead. The new creation began when he walked out of the tomb. But the old is still hanging around a little bit, trying to draw us aside trying to draw us back in the resurrection means a new beginning has come, new life, fresh hope for the world. But inherently it also means the old order of things is coming to a conclusion. This world must come to an end. This old, broken, wounded, decrepit world must end so that the new world the new life is perfect, and full of God's life can come into being, this world must come to an end to give place for the new. These bodies that we have is these are caught in struggle with a sinful nature, they must come to a conclusion so that we can enter into the resurrection, our resurrected life is no longer afflicted, no longer in angst and anguish. That's part of our journey here to this world, isn't it that this world must come to an end. Now these bodies must change the world systems and those forces that stand in opposition to God, they must come to an end. So that the kingdom of God, His righteousness, his peace, his joy, his truth will be established. Jesus is embodies the beginning. And he effects the end.

We are living in the last days, I don't know you might say, well, the last days have been going on for a little while now. Father died? No, it's been like 2000 years, the last days are going on? How many of them were last days, or we're gonna have? Well, I'm not too sure. No one knows Correct? Only the Father. But there is a scripture that says 10,000 years are but as a day unto the Lord. And a day is 10,000 years. So in the fullness of time, we will come to the end. So from the Day of Resurrection until now, the new creation and the old are running together, side by side, side by side down through history, the kingdom has come. But it has not yet come to complete fruition has not come to completion. The old is done away is is undone. But it hasn't vanished off of the screen yet. The two are running side by side, in the person of Jesus, they are perfectly balanced. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first born of the new creation, and the completion of God's plan of salvation. We are living in the time of the already but not yet. Amen. It's already present. We're already invited to live into it. We get to choose day by day; I would say even moment by moment. are we choosing to live into the new creation? Or are we choosing to live in the old world which is vanishing away.

So, we also see this in our scripture readings. Throughout the season of Easter, you might have noticed that this dichotomy between the beginning and the end in the beginning, as we are reading through the Gospels and acts on Sunday morning, we are living into and hearing of the beginning. Alongside that writing right alongside as the old and the new run together, we're reading Revelation, the book of revelation given to the apostle John the vision given to the Apostle John. Apocalipsis, which means Revelation in the Greek to show those things which we'll come to past. At the end of the last days when the last days finally come to the conclusion. And we come to the last day. So in this season of Easter and in historically as we're living in the post resurrection time, we're living in this dichotomy between the the oldest is ending and the new which is coming into being you. And Revelation then describes that the sequence of events that will take place at the end.

Have you guys noticed that we've been reading Revelation, along with the gospel of resurrection, gospel, road, resurrection, Revelation, all things that are coming to you in Jesus's birth for throwing the team, the firstborn, Jesus is coming to conclude the whole matter, there is running side by side. As they run side by side in our lives, because we're living in this time, as part of who God has called us to be, as his church to live in the last days, so revelation then describes the events, the tribulation that's going to take place, just prior to the return of Jesus. And that will be the last day. Amen. The last day, when we look up, Jesus, the heavens are open, Jesus appears in glory. We're surrounded by clouds of His saints flying coming together, coming to establish the kingdom forever and ever to complete the process, the conclusion of the matter.

So Revelation then describes these events that are a sequence that will come upon the earth at the end, wars, nations striving against nations, plagues, famine, lawlessness, the rejection of God, Christ, false religions, false prophets rising up to draw many astray. Earthquakes, storms, hail from heaven. Oh, I'm sorry, I picked up the newspaper by mistake here. I thought I thought I was picking up revelation.
 
It sounds like the newspaper, doesn't it? signs in the heavens, you know tonight. For those of you who like to watch the sky, events in the sky, there's a full Eclipse a total eclipse of the moon. Are you guys tuned into that? Now, this moon is a very special moon. This is the full flower moon of May. And it happens to be a super moon. Super Moon is when the moon is in its closest orbit to the earth. And so then the size that we can see of the moon is magnified even greater. This will be a total eclipse of the moon. And when the eclipse is at full apex. Is that the right word? Somebody help me. Yeah. When it's fully eclipsed, the moon will turn blood red. This is known as the Blood Moon. And there are certain prophecies about the blood. Now I'm not making predictions here this morning. I've just saw one wars. Yes. Okay, let's check wars. Oh, yeah. We’ve got them! Famine. The famines, yes. Blood Moons. Yeah. Okay, signs and the stars in the heavens.

So, we're reading the newspaper and we're reading Revelation or thinking, Well, we are living in the last days, perhaps. And we can look to the sky to see if Jesus is about to appear. And there's a fresh fascination with this book of Revelation in these days. The book of Revelation is the number one searched topic on our website--the number one, the most people that are coming, that are out there searching that are clicking in and getting directed to our website. The number one topic they're searching for is the book of Revelation. Because they're reading the newspaper, and they're thinking, Wait a second, what's go I need to go to God's word and find out what's happening here. There's a certain fascination I think, a certain fear of these events coming upon us. But my friends, we do not need to be afraid. God has not called us to live in fear. He has called us to live in confidence in peace and joy. He has all things in his heels, all things in his hands. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. But this fascination is there, and people are thinking, when will the end come? Are we getting close? Does the news match the prophecy? Well, perhaps, but as I said before, no one can say. Only the Father. But Jesus did say, Be watchful, when you see these things taking place. And he likens it to the birth pangs that would come upon a woman in travail when she's giving birth and birth pairings. Ladies, you could probably explain this better one of you can come up explain this for me. Fr. Jack, let me tell you what happens. As is my understanding, you get the contractions and then then there's some time goes by and then another and and as it goes along those contracts is getting closer and closer and more intense. Am I right? Until you have a new child, son or daughter. Now, was that so difficult? I mean, really? I'm in trouble, or did you have to help me out of here, I'm just, I don't know where I digress to. So Jesus likens this, this time, in the same manner that as we see these events taking place, that and they these things have happened down through history. And there's many times when people think this is the end, but they'll keep waxing stronger and closer together until we come to the conclusion. So we can't say exactly when that will take place. Even Jesus himself did not know only the Father, we can say with certainty, that it's getting closer. We can't say with certainty that the end will come. But we can say with equal certainty that the beginning has come. Amen. The big beginning will come the last day will actually be the first day.
 
We now have no need to have fear of the last day. Because it will be the first day. The first day that we read about in the book of revelation this morning. This morning. I want us to look past the end and see the beginning. In the season of Easter, we look back to see the beginning of the resurrection of Jesus that started the whole thing. But we also look forward to see what to see the resurrection of all. We look forward to see your resurrection, my resurrection, the resurrection of those who we love. Those who have seen no longer the resurrection. Think about this, how many billions and billions are going to be resurrected on the first day. The first day is coming I can say that with absolute certainty. We are on the way to the resurrection. We're ascending the holy mountain we are Ascension Anglican. We are climbing up we are on the way to the resurrection on the first day. Look past the end. Everyone's fascinated with the end. Everyone's afraid of what's going to happen and all these events that are going to take place. Yes, they will take place. But where are we destined?

We are not destined for the end, my friends, we are destined for the beginning.

Let me calm down. We are destined for that. We've already made the beginning. If you put your faith in Jesus, you are already in the resurrection, you're living in him. He's already resurrected. We're on the way to the resurrection, yours mine. This is our destiny. How should we describe this destiny? What awaits us on that first day? Just take a look at the reading from Revelation once again. I saw a new heaven and a new earth a new creation is coming forth. The first Earth and first heaven are passed away. The old is gone. And the sea is no more the sea is always a metaphor for chaos and rebellion against God. Or chaos ism or rebellion.

There's only the peace, the peace that passes understanding. And it's holy city, the New Jerusalem coming down from God, prepared as a bride for a husband, and a loud voice from the throne saying, see the home of God is with mortals. He will dwell with them. And they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. Now we know God is with us by the power of the Holy Spirit. But it's an invisible force. What is our destiny? What can we expect on that first day? Jesus Himself, standing here in our midst, we see we'll see Him face to face, God the Father present. The God of life, the god of holiness, the God of love. put his arm around you. He will be with them. And He will wipe every tear from their eyes, death will be no more, no more mourning, crying, pain. No more--for all that is part of the old that is gone.
 
The end we are destined for is the beginning. To live in the newness of life. "See, I am making all things new." I am making all things new.

All the things that were lost in this journey. All the times of angst and despair and disappointment and all the things that were unfinished that where we began but we just couldn't. The world, the flesh and the devil conspire to prevent us from completing what God wanted to do. All things will be made new. You will be made new I will be made new. This is what awaits us.

We are destined to stand in the presence of God.
We are destined to live in a new heaven and earth.
We are destined for eternal life.

We are destined to drink from the spring of the water of life, the crystal-clear river that flows from the throne of God and we are destined to know Jesus our Lord, see Him face to face and hear him say I am the Alpha, the beginning. I am the omega, the end. It is done. I am making all things new.

And we are destined to be together. We are destined to be together. On the first day, what joy will be, we won't be able to contain the joy. I mean the song, you know, "Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts."  We are destined to be together with joy--to be once again with all the all those whom we love. That's where we're going. We're on the way to the resurrection. On the first day, that is our destiny.

​We do not know for certain when the end will come when the last day will be here. The final conclusion. But we do know that the end has already started. And we see as we read the newspaper, we see the birth pangs coming forth in our time as they have been coming forth throughout this time of the last days. We do not know when the last day will be we can't be certain, but we do know for certain that the beginning has started and that Jesus is that beginning. Amen. Jesus is that beginning. The beginning of a new creation. And we do know for certain that he is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of the old, the beginning of the new creation. At the end of the old order of things, we are destined to live in this new creation, my friends. And we can choose to live in it day by day, moment by moment. The last day. We need not fear the last day. We may be fascinated along with the others, but we need have no fear, only confidence, because the last day will be the first day. This is the fresh hope and joy of the resurrection of Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega. Amen. In the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
 
I love the Book of Revelation. Truth be told, it's the first book that I ever read in the Bible!