Name Dropper
Alpha and Omega
The name of God was so powerful to the ancient Hebrews that they wouldn’t even say it. But through Jesus we’re told, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13) God’s name brings salvation and strength. A name dropper is someone who uses another person’s name to get access to something they wouldn’t otherwise be able to get. As Christians, we’re invited to use God’s names in our time of need. God is so powerful that He goes by many names: El Shaddai (Almighty), Jehovah Shalom (peace), Jehovah Rapha (Our healer) In this series, we’ll look at the power of calling on God’s many names and attributes to face the challenges of life.
Links
Series
Speakers
Joël Malm
Teaching Pastor
Name Dropper Week 7
Alpha and Omega
Revelation 22:13 Eden Restored Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.... “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. - Seneca
1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
Sermon Notes. April 14, 2024
SUMMARY
Alpha and Omega, the beginning, and the ending.
As we learn and digest the names and character of God, we find in the Book of Revelation 22:13, that God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning, and the End. He is at the beginning of everything and the end of everything.
Revelation 22:13
We often look back to identify the perfect. “Those were the days”.
Q1: Can you look back and find a time, a day, a part of your life that seemed perfect? What moment in life was that for you?
We often use what psychologists call Rosie Retrospection. We often filter out the bad, and only focus on the good. Our first house, oh it was so perfect….
Adults often have a hard time making friends. Why is that? What can we do to change this?
When we think about the book of Revelation, we often think of it as an apocalypse. When we think of the word apocalypse we think of fire and brimstone, explosions, pandemonium, and destruction. In truth, the word means “unveiling”. So the Book of Revelation is unveiling how the end happens.
We love beginnings… endings; not so much.
Q2: Have you ever started something and never finished it. Is this a theme in your life and how can you improve it?
Remember, anyone can get married, but can you stick with it for 40 years?
Ecclesiastes 7:8
The end tells the story. Really if you think about it, the end is more important than the beginning, for the end tells if you followed Jesus or not.
Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end – Seneca
We often look at endings as failures. We don’t like endings. God is the Alpha and Omega though, so if God is the ending, they can’t be that bad.
God removes people from our lives to aid in our growth. As we walk with God he is challenging us to expand, much as he expands the universe.
Our life, our day, or challenges, they are all a journey that follow the same pattern. If we can master this journey than we can expand….
Turning point – The beginning of the journey
The courage – Face the unknown
The guide – Don’t try to figure everything out alone.
The decision – This is what you will do
The adventure – This is the challenge
The dark cave – Doubt
The resolution – It will work
The new perspective -- AHHHHH
The message – What did you learn.
A new turning point. – A new journey starts, and you expand your influence and understanding.
Q3: Using Pastor Joel’s journey model, can you think of an example of how this worked in a challenge you have faced. Can you think of one that it didn’t, and can you trace this failure back to not following the correct path? What did you learn?
The only way fear ends is to turn toward it and close the gap. Face it, run toward it, conquer it. Go all in, burn the ships. When you commit to the journey then the path becomes clear. I think a lot of us struggle because we don’t go all in. Not in anything, especially our faith.
“You’re way stronger than you think you are.”
“What if God’s silence in your struggle is really His confidence in you to pass the test?”
You don’t have to be afraid of endings.
1 Corinthians 4:5
PRAY IT OUT
God is the beginning and the end, He is the first and the last, He is the Alpha and Omega. Father, Help us to not be afraid of endings. We know that you are the beginning of everything. You created the beginning of the universe, and again are at the beginning of each life on Earth. You are the at the beginning of our life, and our new life when we are born again. God, you are also with us at the end. The end of each day, the end of each journey, and the end of it all. Lord, we lift your name, all your names, we love you, we praise you. You are the first and the last, the beginning and the end. You are the Alpha & Omega. Amen