CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS: ALPHA & OMEGA

 

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS (NAMES OF JESUS)

April 6

Alpha & Omega (Revelation 22:13)

Based on Ann Spangler’s Praying the Names of Jesus

 

The Key Scripture

Revelation 22:13, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” 

 

The Name

·      Alpha & Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. 

 

·      The title “Alpha and Omega” appears only 3 times in the Bible. All three are in the book of Revelation. 

·      These verses allude to passages in Isaiah where God identifies himself as being both the first and the last. (Isaiah 44:6, 48:12)

 

·      Jesus revealed Himself as “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

 

·      Jesus was present at the world’s beginning; Jesus will also be present at the world’s end, when He and His work are finally and fully revealed. 

 

·      When you pray to Christ as the Alpha and the Omega, you are praying to the One who is, who was, and who is to come. 

 

·      He is our all-sufficient Lord, who will not fail to complete the good work He has begun in us. 

 

Questions 

·      Can you imagine a human claiming to be the A to Z?

·      How does this title relate to Christ’s identity?

·      Think of how this title relates to Jesus’ role in both creation and in world history. What do you think that means?

·      How is Jesus first and last in your life? 

 

Reflections

·      If Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of the world’s painful but hopeful story, it is vital that we not only listen, but that we respond, letting Christ weave our own small stories into the greatest story ever told. 

 

·      Let us fix our eyes on Christ, who is God forever. He is the One who is, who was, and who will be. He is the One who banishes our fear because He holds the past, the present, and the future in His all-powerful hands. 

 

·      May He be the beginning and the end of everything we believe, everything we strive for, everything we trust in. May He be the first in our families, the first in our relationships, the first in our businesses, and the first in the days that lie ahead for us. Our lives are in the hands of the only One able to save us both now and forever. 

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS: NAMES OF JESUS - MESSIAH

 

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS (NAMES OF JESUS)

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Christ/Messiah (Colossians 3:15, John 4:25-26)

Based on Ann Spangler’s Praying the Names of Jesus

 

The Name

·      Did you ever think that “Christ” was just Jesus’ last name?

·      Like “Messiah”, “Christ” means “anointed one.” This means someone who has been set apart for a special mission. 

·      As Israel’s Messiah, He was the greatest of all kings, the one called and empowered to destroy God’s enemies, and extend His kingdom throughout the earth. 

·      Jesus’ mission was to put an end to our deepest troubles – to rebellion, sin, and death. 

·      His mission now is calling the world back to God through the power of His love. 

 

The Key Scripture – Acts 2:36

 

Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.

 

 

Understanding the Name

·      Oil was a staple of life in Biblical times. It served as a symbol of wealth & joy. An abundance of oil was evidence of God’s pleasure. Oil was also used for scared purposes – consecrating altars & vessels for worship – indicating they had been set apart for the Lord’s purposes. People could also be anointed. Samuel anointed David as king…

·      Oil became a symbol for the Holy Spirit, who imparts divine favor, power, & protection. 

·      The English word christen (“to anoint”) comes from the Greek verb chrio (“to anoint”).

·      The New Testament identifies Jesus as Christ, “The Anointed One”, 530 times. 

·      Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit at His baptism. 

·      Jesus was the Messiah – called to heal the rift between God and his people. 

·      He avoided this title through much of His life. Right before His death, Jesus answered the high priest’s question: “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One” with the startling confession, “I Am.”  

 

Questions 

·      What does it mean to say that Jesus was anointed or set apart for God’s service? 

·      Why does Acts 2 speak for the need of repentance and being baptized in the name of Christ?

·      What do you think it means for believers to be anointed or set apart for Christ’s service?

·      What do you think it means to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?

 

 

Take Aways

·      Christ was willing to suffer…for us. Because of Him, we can endure difficulty. 

·      Christ promises us eternal life…if we believe. 

Let us turn over our tendency to rely on our own strength, and depend on His power.

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS: NAMES OF JESUS - CORNERSTONE

 

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS (NAMES OF JESUS)

March 2

Cornerstone/Capstone (Psalm 118:22)

Based on Ann Spangler’s Praying the Names of Jesus

 

 

The Name

·      Stones were used for building altars, homes, palaces, and temples

·      The cornerstones held two rows of stones together in a corner: one that stabilized the structure at the foundation; one that formed the keystone over an arch or at the top of a roof. 

·      The cornerstone had to be perfectly fitted for the task, both strong & well-shaped

·      A flawed stone would compromise the structure’s integrity. 

·      Jesus is the Cornerstone to which we are joined as living stones. 

o   Together we form a spiritual house in which God dwells. 

·      Jesus is the foundation stone on which God is building His kingdom; Jesus is strong enough to hold everything together. 

·      When we pray to Jesus as the Cornerstone, we are praying to the One on whom we can base our lives. 

 

 

Understanding the Name

·      Psalm 118:22 says, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.”

·      Jesus quoted this scripture in Luke 20:17: 

 

The Key Scripture – Luke 20:17

Jesus looked directly at them & asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.’?”

 

·      When Jesus said this, He was pointing to His rejection by the Jewish nation and its leaders. Despite their rejection, God’s purposes could not be thwarted. 

·      The Master Builder (God) would make Jesus, through His death and resurrection, the cornerstone on which He would build. 

·      The NT portrays the whole community of believers as a holy temple in which God dwells. 

·      To those who reject Jesus and his saving message, He will not be a cornerstone, but a stone of stumbling, because rejection of God’s chosen one inevitably brings judgment. 

 

Questions 

·       Read Luke 20:9-19. Why do you think Jesus’ comments about “the stone the builders rejected” immediately follows the parable of the vineyard?

·       What do you think it means to build your life on Jesus as the Cornerstone?

·       What does it mean that Jesus is a stone that people will fall on?

 

Take Aways

·      Read Romans 9:30-32. God did not give up on us. Jesus’ plans and purposes endure forever. 

·      Jesus dwells within us; He is a refuge for us. We must throw away our patterns for self-reliance, and rely fully on God. 

·      Sing the old hymn, “How Firm a Foundation”.

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS: NAMES OF JESUS - RABBI/TEACHER

 

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS (NAMES OF JESUS)

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Rabbi/Teacher (John 1:38)

Based on Ann Spangler’s Praying the Names of Jesus

 

The Name

·      Rabbi, or Teacher, was normally reserved for someone who had studied under another rabbi for many years. 

·      Jesus stepped into ministry by simply calling 12 disciples. 

·      Most rabbis merely passed along the teachings of the rabbi under whom they had studied; Jesus spoke with authority!

·      We are called to become His disciples, to stay as close to Him as those original 12 – studying His life, examining His teaching, and allowing His spirit to remake us in His image. 

·      Jesus as Rabbi is the only teacher who is all-wise, all-good, all-powerful, and able to not only transform our minds, but also our hearts. 

 

The Key Scripture – Matthew 23:8

Jesus said to His disciples, “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master.”

 

Understanding the Name

·      In ancient Israel, all education was religious education. 

·      In the first century, “Rabbi” came to be used as a title for scribes or theologians trained in the Law (Law of Moses). Scribes were also known as “teacher of the law.” The KJV calls them “lawyers.” These scribes worked with the Pharisees, and added many rules & regulations laws to the Mosaic law, placing heavy burdens on the people. 

·      “Rabbi” is literally translated “my great one”, or “my master” or “my teacher.” 

·      Jesus was enormously popular, drawing crowds, using questions, discussions, proverbs, parable, symbolic actions, and even miracles to teach people how to live. 

 

Questions 

·      Why do you think Jesus cautioned against His disciples in Matthew 23:8?

·      We also see “Teacher” in John 13:3-8, 12-17. Why do you think Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, making this one of the last lessons he would leave them prior to the crucifixion?

·      How have you experienced people in leadership serving you? 

·      Do you see your primary identity as a disciple of Rabbi Jesus? How would your life be different if you did?

 

Take Aways

·      Rabbis & disciples were extremely close. They were linked for life. The idea was to live and breathe the master’s teaching, learning not just knowledge but also character. How are we so closely connected to Rabbi Jesus? Are we?

o   We are called to keep moving, growing, learning, becoming. 

o   We are lifelong disciples of Jesus. 

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS: NAMES OF JESUS - IMMANUEL

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS (NAMES OF JESUS)

Immanuel (Matthew 1:23)

Based on Ann Spangler’s Praying the Names of Jesus

 

The Name

·      The name “Immanuel” appears twice in the Hebrew Scriptures (OT), once in the New Testament. 

·      Literally translated “with us is God.” Matthew’s Gospel says, “God with us.” 

·      When our sins made it impossible for us to come to him, God took the outrageous step of coming to us, of making himself susceptible to sorrow, familiar with temptation, and vulnerable to sin’s disruptive power, in order to cancel its claim. 

·      In Jesus, we see how extreme God’s love is. It’s personal. It’s intimate.

 

The Key Scripture - Matthew 1:22-23

 

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

 

Understanding the Name

·      The name “Immanuel” first appears in Isaiah 7:14 as part of a prophetic word that Isaiah spoke to King Ahaz of Judah. (Judah was the southern kingdom.) At the time, Syria & Israel (the northern kingdom) had formed a coalition against Assyria. 

·      Isaiah urged Ahaz to trust in the Lord, rather than appealing to Assyria for help against Syria & Israel, who were threatening to invade Judah for not joining their coalition. 

·      Ahaz didn’t listen, and Isaiah proclaimed: “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

·      Matthew cites this prophecy, applying it to Jesus. 

·      God has a persistent desire to dwell with His people. In becoming a man, Jesus, He did so in a unique way. 

·      Immanuel, God with us, to rescue, to redeem, to restore our relationship with Him. 

 

Questions

·      How have you experienced “Immanuel” – God being with you in your life?

·      Matthew begins & ends his Gospel with the promises that God is with us. How would you life be different if you began and ended each day with the firm belief that God is with you? 

·      What does this title of Jesus reveal about his nature?

Take Aways

·      God promises to be with us. 

·      God is persistent in pursuing you. 

·      God is present in the great sufferings and in the great joys. 

·      God lives in us and through us.