Introduction

It is beneficial to see things in a broad sweep from beginning to end. Children cannot do this, as adults can. Some will not do it because they do not want to think about the lessons learned from this exercise. Wise people will pause reflecting on the past as well as the future.

The phrase that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega is found four times in Revelation (1:8, 11; 21:6; 22:13). "Alpha and Omega" is interpreted as meaning the beginning and the ending, the first and the last. These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Jesus is the all encompassing, and all sufficient One. He is the pre-eminent One. Jesus is greater than the ruling Roman Caesar; he is the Lord of lords and the King of kings. How meaningful this description of Jesus must have been to the suffering Christians in John’s day. How significant for all of us to know this about the nature of Jesus Christ.

He was with the Father in the beginning and will be in the eternity to come. Jesus prayed, "Father, glorify thou me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." (John 17:5.) This is the eternal nature of God. Isaiah wrote, "I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure." (Isa. 46:9-10.)

Only a divine, eternal Being can give security to things that are temporary and dependent. There is one who is from everlasting to everlasting. "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." (Psalm 90:1-2.) Jesus is from everlasting to everlasting. He is divine.

John was told by Jesus, "Fear not; I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hades and death." (Rev. 1:17-18.) Jesus has existed on both sides of the grave. In addition, he is the Creator of life. Man can find help from such a divine being who can handle death. The Christians were suffering persecution and death.

Another broad look is from the Garden of Eden in Genesis to the Garden of Paradise in Revelation. This includes the whole history of man from the creation to the new heaven and new earth. This is the greatest story ever told. It is the history of mankind. Whatever else may be said about this story, it demands attention. It should be carefully considered. It answers the great questions of life: our beginning, who are we, why we are here, and where are we going. The message is comprehensive and compelling. It is consistent and agrees in all its parts. It was begun to be written by Moses 1500 years before Christ and was concluded by the apostle John near the end of the first century AD. Over forty writers tell the story from different places, using different languages, yet guided by the same Spirit.

The only explanation for the unity and consistency of the account is that the same Spirit guided them; thus is only one author of the Bible. Franklin Camp was known for saying that we should not say that there are 69 books in the Bible, but 69 chapters which make up one Book.

There is no other explanation for human existence and life that equals the presentation in Scripture. None that writes with such authority as "In the beginnning. . . " and "Then comes the end." (Gen. 1:1, 1 Cor. 15:29.) When people heard Jesus speak, after hearing all the other Jewish rabbis and philosophers, Matthew wrote, "The people were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes." (Matt. 7:28-29.)

Because of this revelation from God, we know how the story starts and how it will end. No one can say that we were not told about the plan and will of God. He has carefully presented it over a long period of time, leading man to an understanding of things spiritual and eternal. We know that it is appointed unto man once to die and after his comes the judgment. (Heb. 9:27.)

In the midst of this important sweeping account of the history of mankind is found the brief account of the life of the most important person in history. It is, of course, the story of Jesus’ life. We have three parallel accounts of that life and another that tells about his adult life. This story, though short, is the heart of the overall message of the Bible. It covers only thirty-three years, but they are the most important events discussed in Scripture. How weighty and how important is this life story!

This brief account is the story of God coming to earth and making himself known to man. The Bible uses this kind of language: "God was manifest in the flesh," "Immanuel which means, God with us," and "In him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (1 Tim. 3:16, Matt. 1:23, Col. 1:9.) Every word of this life story should be read carefully. It forms a worldview that affects how we see life. If true, as we believe it to be, it challenges us to consider how we live our lives every day. It directs us to think about the condition of our hearts spiritually before God.

This story is the only hope for mankind. When the three apostles saw the transfiguration of Jesus on the Mount, they looked up and "they saw no man, save Jesus only." (Matt. 17:8.) This is the way it is concerning salvation. "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12.) "For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 3:11.)

Our life’s story, when it is over, is always incomplete and sinful alone. At our best, we still fall short of the glory of God. But when our story is conjoined with the story of Jesus, we have a great hope and a very different story emerges. For one who believes that Jesus is God’s Son, then we a good ending to the story of our lives. Just as in marriage, two have become one. We are complete in Him. (Col. 2:10.) When we live by faith in the Jesus, it is no longer I that lives but Jesus lives in me and the life which I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal. 2:20.)

The life of Jesus Christ cannot be lightly dismissed. It demands attention. If God has visited us, how important is that event! What he has said to us is extraordinarily important. How foolish to ignore what the God of heaven taught mankind. I believe it to be true for many reasons, but especially because the life of Jesus demonstrated that One much more than a mere human was among us. He lived without sin; he healed the sick and raised the dead; he walked on water; he taught with authority and substance stating with clarity the will of God. He spoke as the Creator of all things. He spoke with love and compassion for wayward man. He came to save, not condemn. He offered solutions to our problems, not just criticisms.

In one sense the whole of the Bible is summed up in the story of the life of Jesus Christ. The whole story of mankind is affected by this event.

Have you ever noticed that Colossians chapter three begins with our baptism into Christ and ends with the Judgment? It begins: "If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above and not on things on the earth. For you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God." (3:1-3.) It ends: "And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he has done, and there is no respect of persons." (3:23-25.)

In this single chapter, a comprehensive chapter, a definite line is drawn at baptism, though the word itself is not used. But the expression, "risen with Christ" certainly describes the death, burial and resurrection of the believer which unites him with Christ. (Rom. 6:3-4.) In the previous chapter, Paul wrote, "Buried with him in baptism, wherein you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who raised him from the dead." (Col. 2:12.) It is at baptism that one is born into the family of God. (John 3:1-5.)

A distinct line is also drawn between heaven and earth (verses 2-4). After baptism, we should seek the things which are above and not the things which are of this earth. Christ is our life and when he shall appear, we shall also appear with him in glory. (1:4.) Those submitting to Christ in baptism do so because they are serious about living in a better place. They want to please the Father above and to live a different kind of life. The Christian life centers around this hope of a better life beyond. We set our affection on things above.

There is a bold distinction made between the new man in Christ and the old man of sin. (verses 9-10.) This is Paul’s favorite way of describing the new life in Christ in contrast to the old way of sin, as if there were two men under consideration. This new man does not come about immediately, there is a process of maturity and growth. But from baptism onward, there should be a marked difference between the behavior of one in Christ and those who are not. A new life and a new affection should be evident.

There is a difference in your home life (verses 18-22). Paul often gives these household applications in his letters to the churches. The Gospel should affect how your house operates; how you treat one another; how you live in relationship with one another.

Then, there is a difference in the judgement. Those who have done wrong shall receive for the wrong that they have done; those who have done good will be blessed. Colossians three is a broad over view of the Christian life. It teaches us so much in this good summary.

There is a time to be born and a time to die, said the wise man Solomon. We can observe the truthfulness of this in the lives of others around us and properly conclude that such will be true of us as well. How important is the life of every person. God values the soul of every man. We should not exchange our souls for the world. We should esteem ourselves as beings made in the image of God.

How quickly our lives race to the end! Wisdom demands that we live seriously applying the Gospel to our lives. We should receive Christ Jesus the Lord and walk in Him. (Col. 2:6.) Have you thought about the whole story, from beginning to end?