The Chi-rho symbol with Alpha and Omega, Catacombs of Domitilla, Rome
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." - Revelation 1:8
Everything is wrapped up in the babe who was wrapped in swaddling clothes.
In a tiny bundle of newborn humanity is the sum total of all truth and meaning. In that crude cradle of creation lay the Creator of the universe.
His Incarnation condensed into one representative human life the start and finish of history and the cosmos.
Though he presented Himself in time and space as a participant in our history, He is beyond history. He is the Lord of eternity, the Almighty. And we knew it not.
The grand spiritual, “Sweet Little Jesus Boy,” says it succinctly, “We didn’t know it was you.”
But it was him and is him and always will be him? What child is this? Oh, so much more than we could ever imagine. He is Alpha and Omega, the A and the Z. He starts things and finishes them. He always was and yet, is present. And he always will be. Divine mystery is flesh. John wrote that we could touch him, the Word of Truth.
“What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of bliss” to come and live among us? We didn’t know who he was and John, in the Revelation of Jesus Christ allows us to see what he saw and He conveys to us His vision of the risen and exalted Christ, the Eternal One.
Consequently, through his humble abasement, we have been lifted.
“John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” - Revelation 1:4-6
There has been a societal emphasis on self-esteem and feeling good about ourselves.
Children with a distorted concept of themselves grow into troubled adults. Without a sense of value and worth, people disrespect themselves and tend to disrespect others. Sometimes this disrespect leads to crime or anti-social behaviors. It is self-destructive and manifests itself in unhealthy families. It is visited upon children and children’s children.
But the remedy is not found in superficial affirmations of our essential worth or in the denial of sin and darkness.
It is to be found in God and His esteem for us. He loves us because of His amazing grace, tender mercy, and sovereign choice. All of this was bestowed while we were yet sinners. He saw what we could be.
God, who stepped out of Heaven and into time and space, has called us out of darkness. He has freed us from sin by the blood of His Son so that every impediment to who we were intended to be has been removed.
The Alpha and Omega came to a place in the middle and stood with us.
The outcome is that God’s vision of us as His people is an elevated vision.
He does not look upon His children, who have received His grace, as miserable sinners. He sees us as a kingdom of priests who serve and exalt Him.
We are enveloped in the Alpha and the Omega.
That is, in reality, who we are. All other visions of self are false and deceptive.
We are kingdom people and we are priestly people with a high calling and a sanctified standing. It is by grace and it is complete.
God’s glory is manifest in His loving esteem for us.
He is the Alpha and the Omega and we are God's kingdom of priests.
