The Bible Course Sample

John, the Alpha, and Omega – a vision of Jesus Christ  

Reflect 

Have you ever met your hero? In the documentary series The Last Dance, Michael Jordan lived under the pressure of being picture-perfect. When he was caught out and parts of his life didn’t match up, the scrutiny was unbearable. Looking back on it all he said:   

‘If I had to do it all over again there is no way I’d want to be considered a role model. It’s like a game that’s stacked against me. There’s no way I can win.’  

There’s a reason they say never meet your heroes. Everyone has a skeleton in their closet if you look close enough. No person can give us what we’re really looking for.  

Revelation teaches us to look to Jesus. He is the true and better leader, the one who will never let us down.  

What would the words of Jesus have meant to their original hearers? 

When it comes to reading the Bible, we must place the text in its context. This is so important when reading apocalyptic literature like Revelation.  

First, this is a letter. John introduces himself, as was the custom when writing letters in the ancient world, before going on to address the seven churches in the province of Asia (verse 4). Later we’ll find that these churches are all struggling in their different ways. 

This is why they needed a vision of Jesus because when you meet the real Jesus, you find the resources to keep going in him. Jesus is the only leader we can trust because he is the Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the end.   

Think about it for a second. If you know the story's ending is a good one, it means you can walk this road called life and not be surprised by its burdens. For the churches in Asia, knowing Jesus as the beginning and the end meant that even if they lost everything they would never lose hope. So it is with us. Following Jesus doesn’t mean we arrive immediately at our final destination. Rather it means we have a compass that always points us to the true north; we know where everything is all headed. 

What does seeing Jesus in Revelation mean for us today?  

Yes, it’s often better not to meet your heroes. But with Jesus, you’re better off having done so. Through this symbolism, we see a true vision of Jesus Christ and he is everything we need. 

Respond 

Dwell on the description of King Jesus. What difference does it make knowing he reigns today?