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Video Lesson #7 – God’s Timetable, pt. 1
The Alpha & the Omega
(The Scope of the Story)
God’s amazing plan to restore creation & save mankind begins in Genesis with “The Alpha” (who is Jesus) & ends in Revelation with “The Omega” (also Jesus).
The very angels in Heaven & creation itself have an ardent personal interest in His plan… So do we!
We recommend the following music to go with your lesson time together:
1) “Song that the Angels Can’t Sing”
2) “Angels Long to Look into These Things”
3) “Favorite Song of All”
4) “The Song of the Redeemed”
May God bless your session.
See the rest of this series…
Lesson #7 Transcript:
WOW that’s a nice office Seamas has. I especially like that big timetable on his wall… very impressive.
Did you know that God has an even bigger timetable?
He has everything scheduled for rest of time.
So far, we have learned that God made His plans before He even made time.
Then He made time in which to do His work of Creation, and soon after Creation, His work of Redemption.
That is fixing a fallen and broken world… broken by sin.
Today we will learn that “In the Beginning” not only refers to the beginning of Creation…
It also refers to the beginning of God’s timetable…
God’s Timetable Pt. 1
We looked at God’s pre-production for His great production about Creation, the Fall, and Redemption through Jesus.
We saw how God uses a step-by-step process and how He breaks-up the process into times and seasons.
We also looked at how not knowing which season will come next helps us walk in faith.
We need to keep our eyes on Jesus (the true light) in both the light and dark times.
Today we are going to start a few lessons on God’s Timetable.
Jesus uses a timetable both for our lives and for Himself to follow.
He doesn’t do things until they come up on His timetable.
This lesson is God’s timetable, Pt 1 –entitled: The Alpha & the Omega (subtitle: The scope of the story).
An author plans the beginning and ending before they set pen to paper.
Our story starts with a Creator who then has everything He created stolen from Him
So, He gives His everything to get it all back.
In the end, it is all brought back to Him and laid at His feet—End of story.
Genesis 1:1 Speaks of “The Beginning” and how God Created the Heavens and the Earth
Everything, like the garden, was filled with life.
Today, we will look at how there is not only a beginning – there is also an ending—a plan of God to fix everything broken by man’s sin.
A plan to bring back life where there is now death.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen 1:1 ESV
When the verse comes up, pause the video until you’re done discussing… here are the scriptures…
“From the beginning I told you what would happen in the end. A long time ago I told you things that have not yet happened. When I plan something, it happens. What I want to do, I will do.” ISA 46:10 NCV
Smart writers know how their book will end before it even begins.
They make an outline of every chapter how the story will play out.
God knew the beginning, the end and the timing of every scene in the story line.
How long has Jesus had His plans and why is He so sure they will Happen? How is that different from our plans?
Now, the show must go on! The plot has been worked out, the script is written, and the production must begin!
The story of Earth’s creation has a beginning and an ending.
Creation is also a picture (or metaphor) of our salvation and God’s plan for our lives.
What happens to Creation is like what happens to us.
Like Creation itself, our life in Christ began with God speaking life to us and with the Light of God shining into our dark lives.
God said “Let there be light and there was light”
Like Creation, We are being perfected through a step by step process.
Creation’s Heavenly bodies (including Earth) will pass away and be burned by fire.
So too, our old, sinful nature is tried by and destroyed by God’s righteous, purifying fire.
God will replace the old Heaven and Earth with new ones.
We too begin a new life, a new beginning as new Creations.
God Has a Plan for Jesus, Mankind, Creation (the Heavens & The Earth) and Satan.
It is a Plan of Redemption, Reconciliation and Re-Creation.
Redemption (to buy us back after we gave ourselves as slaves to Satan).
Reconciliation (to restore a relationship with).
Re-Creation (make us new all over again).
God’s fervent effort to save mankind and mankind’s response to His effort is the whole theme of the bible.
The Ending of the story—the finishing of His plan—is fixing the broken world and restoring His relationship with mankind.
This is the great Reconciliation.
It is about returning to Jesus Christ everything that was taken from Him the moment mankind sinned in the garden.
It’s not just about what we lost in the Garden (our viewpoint), but more importantly, what Jesus lost when we sinned.
Jesus had just created everything in Genesis 1&2
Including a male & female to be His friend and He created a world for them to live & thrive in
God is life, and when the relationship was broken with man, it was also broken with the creation itself which God made for man to thrive in.
Christ’s beloved creation is now dying because of the curse…
..just as His beloved companion (mankind) has rejected Him, gone their own way and is now dying without Him.
To Jesus, creation is meant to be alive.
That is because He is LIFE itself.
When mankind rejected Him, both man and creation were left without the presence of the life-giver.
Both were doomed to “die on the vine” figuratively and literally.
Both human life and the universe are falling apart – all matter tends toward disorder.
Because of sin, all life is born already dying.
But originally, it was created alive (tending toward order), and it wants to return to life.
Scripture tells us, Creation itself hates the sin that separated it from God.
“For all creation is waiting patiently and hopefully for that future day when God will resurrect his children. For on that day thorns and thistles, sin, death, and decay. The things that overcame the world against its will at God’s command, will all disappear, and the world around us will share in the glorious freedom from sin which God’s children enjoy.” ROM 8:19-21 TLB
According to scripture, stones will testify to everything they heard us say.
They will even testify as to how much we have heard (and should know) of the Gospel and of God’s will for our lives…
They will also testify of our promises to God.
Their testimony will reveal just how accountable we are before God.
“…the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ROM 8:21, 22 NLT
“and (Joshua) told the people, “Look at this stone. It has heard everything that the Lord has said to us. Our God can call this stone as a witness if we ever reject him.” JOSHUA 24:27 CEV
“You’re doomed! You made your family rich at the expense of others. You even said to yourself, ‘I’m above the law.’ But you will bring shame on your family and ruin to yourself for what you did to others. The very stones and wood in your home will testify against you.” HAB 2:9-11 CEV
Makes you wonder how much have I said and done in my house and now my house is going to tell on me?
There is coming a day when all creation will be restored to its former, life emanating, non-decaying condition
This will be its state once it is reunited with the source of life Himself.
“This is what God planned for the climax of all times: to bring all things together in Christ, the things in heaven along with the things on earth. EPH 1:10 CEB
“So you will go out with joy and be led out in peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees in the fields will clap their hands.” ISA 55:12 ICBB
Rocks, trees and mountains will praise Him.
“That at the Name of Jesus should every knee bow, both of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.. PHIL 2:10 GNV
However, there was a time when the stones almost cried-out before the final reconciliation of all things to Christ
That was when Jesus was on a donkey on His way to pay the price of reconciliation with His own life—making it possible for mankind and creation to be freed from the consequences of sin
“There were some Pharisees in the crowd who said to Jesus, “Master, restrain your disciples!” To which he replied, “I tell you that if they kept quiet, the very stones in the road would burst out cheering!” LUKE 19:39,40 PHILLIPS
If you won’t praise Jesus…
For now, rocks are silent (except they do groan and travail until the day believers have been resurrected and brought into their full glory)
If they could speak now, and when they can speak, they will have two things to talk about
1) They are witnesses to the works of man & God
(You see, rocks have been here from the beginning)
2) They would sing great praises and glorify His name
In a moment, we will talk about another creation (angels) which also has the same two duties.
Amazingly, we too are called to this same dual purpose…
1) To be His witnesses and tell the world what we have seen and experienced of His salvation
2) To worship Him, continually and loudly!!! For we have already been set free to do so!
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A famous catechism question (known to many Presbyterian children) is:
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What is the chief end of man?
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Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
This answer combines the two things that Jesus lost in the Garden—the worship of all creation which is due Him and the companionship He craves
The creation of Eve is another important metaphor (type/shadow)
Just as it wasn’t good for man to be alone, and therefore God made a bride for Adam
God Himself longed for a companion and made a bride for Himself
In the end, Jesus gets back the worship of all created things plus fellowship with His bride
The end of God’s plan will bring about these very two things
#1 God will be glorified as He destroys the curse and restores His creation to new life
#2 God will be brought back into sweet fellowship with His most valued creation – mankind
“This is what God planned for the climax of all times: to bring all things together in Christ, the things in heaven along with the things on earth.” EPH 1:10 CEB
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Rev 22:13 ESV
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Rev 1:8 ESV
What is Jesus saying about Himself in these verses?
The Alpha – From Jesus is where it all began
Jesus was not only at the beginning He was the beginning!!!
The Omega – To Jesus is where it is all headed
Everything springs forth from Him and everything returns to Him
When the whole story ends—Jesus is Exalted –– Evil is defeated, and Heaven and Earth are fully back in Christ’s care.
The effects of sin are reversed, and Jesus is Lord of all!
“Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are too little to be among the family groups of Judah. But from you One will come who will rule for Me in Israel. His coming was planned long ago, from the beginning.” MIC 4:12 NLV
Why do you think Jesus chose such a small town to start His mission on Earth?
“We are writing to you about something which has always existed yet which we ourselves actually saw and heard: something which we had an opportunity to observe closely and even to hold in our hands, and yet, as we know now, was something of the very Word of life himself for it was life which appeared before us: we saw it, we are eye-witnesses of it, and are now writing to you about it. It was the very life of all ages, the life that has always existed with the Father, which actually became visible in person to us mortal men. We repeat, we really saw and heard what we are now writing to you about.” 1 JHN 1:1,2 Phillips
Jesus was the beginning. Creation began with Him. Life began with Him
Now the story continues. It is a production that is perfectly planned and exactly timed
And for this story, God first made an everlasting audience
God created the heavens & angels before He started on the Earth and mankind.
They were to be witnesses of His glory
In the book of Job, God tells Job that he (Job) has no idea how to make an Earth
God also tells Job that the angels shouted great praises with each amazing thing Jesus did as He created Earth
When the verse comes up, pause the video until you’re done discussing… here are the scriptures…
“Where were you when I made the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off how big it should be? Surely you know! What were the earth’s foundations set on? Or who put its cornerstone in place? Who did all this while the morning stars sang together? Who did this while the angels shouted with joy?” Job 38:4-7 ICB
If you were a Heavenly angel, what would your average day be like?
We think of angels helping people like us and they do but, Their primary job, their original purpose, is to witness God’s plan unfolding and applaud His every move.
When the verse comes up, pause the video until you’re done discussing… here are the scriptures…
“Shout praises to the Lord! Shout the Lord’s praises in the highest heavens. All of you angels, and all who serve him above, come and offer praise.” Psalm 148:1,2
“Holy, Holy, Holy”
If angels (who only know Jesus as their creator) spend all their time shouting praises to the Lord, how should we be responding to Him who has both created us and who died to save us?
God uses both Creation & Redemption to testify to men & angels of His greatness and His goodness
Angels have always and will always witness every step, The creation of man & earth, the fall, Christ’s redemption and His final glorification
They were even at His birth praising Him for what He was doing for lost mankind
Angels witness it
all and they are in AWE!
These angels knew that, for them it was yet another occasion to give Him glory
For angels, His birth was an occasion to praise… “Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven!”
For mankind, it was an opportunity to make their peace with God… “For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.”
“And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along…
“And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along…
This big secret was God’s timetable—God’s plan for the ages
It was His plan to fix everything man had broken through sin
And the big secret that would fix everything—was the sending of JESUS to come to Earth as a man
First, His incarnation (becoming flesh) then, His death and resurrection
The greatness of His love and kindness to man is the final thing the angels desire to witness and comprehend!
You see, Jesus kept His plan a secret from the Old Testament prophets and even the hosts of angels
The prophets foretold Jesus but couldn’t make heads or tails of their own prophecies
But now, He has revealed it to us…and His name is Jesus!
“The prophets of old did their utmost to discover and obtain this salvation. They did not find it, but they prophesied of this grace that has now come to you. They tried hard to discover to what time and to what sort of circumstances the Spirit of Christ working in them was referring. For he foretold the sufferings of Christ and the glories that should follow them …It was then made clear to them that they were dealing with matters not meant for themselves, but for you. It is these very matters which have been made plain to you by those who preached the Gospel to you by the same Spirit sent from Heaven—and these are facts to command the interest of the very angels! 1 PET 1:10-12 Phillips
Thank you for joining us on this family time journey
Next time we will continue the subject of God’s timetable
We will talk about when Jesus was finally revealed to the world
He took a long time, but He was not late, He was right on time according to His timetable
That reminds us of one of our suggested song for today
He’s an on-time God, Yes, He is!