Rev Andrew Fitzgerald – I Am: the Alpha and the Omega – Revelation 1:4-8

“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)

Recently I have been thinking about the words of Peter in 1 Peter 3:15 which say, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” There are many responses to this challenge, but for me, my hope is shaped by a firm belief that: (1) God is Creator and (2) God is Saviour, and also a strong faith in God who is Alpha and Omega. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and speaks of God and Jesus in scripture as the First and the Beginning of all creation. As Paul puts it, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17). Science did not just decide to put things into being and neither does luck sustain creation but rather it is God who is Alpha – the First, the Beginning and the Creator. This truth gives purpose and hope for not only creation itself, but for me. Despite being a speck in His creation, He created me carefully and meaningfully with days ordained before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:13-16) – how awesome! But my hope in Jesus Christ also comes from a firm faith that Jesus is Omega. Not only the First and Beginning but the Last and the End. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13). He speaks about this love but expressed it with His own death on the cross for us. This crucifixion gives us hope because in Him our end is not the end, our end is in His end which has no end! In Jesus, we have the promise and the prospect of everlasting life. Jesus described this end as the dwelling place of God among the people and where every tear will be wiped away, where there will be no more death, no more mourning or crying or pain as the old order of things pass away and He makes everything new. The Alpha and Omega says, “Look, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:12) so let’s take the opportunity of this new academic year to draw nearer to Jesus and be more deeply rooted in a relationship with Him.