Reign
The Life of the World to Come, 15 February 2026
15 02 26 Filed in: Sermons | The Nicene Creed
The Life of the World to Come
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
The Creed
February 15, 2026
Philippians 3:20-21
Series Big Idea: The ancient Nicene Creed offers a valuable summary of our faith.
Big Idea: Jesus is reigning in this life, and he will reign forever in the life of the world to come.
Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:20-21
Death is a subject many seek to avoid, yet we are all one day closer to it than we were yesterday. We’ve all experienced death in a variety of ways, from the funerals of loved ones to news stories of war to violence in movies. Death—and taxes—are certain.
Although thoughts of death should be terrifying for those who are not following Jesus, death for the believer is good news…actually, great news!
This morning we’re concluding our series on the Nicene Creed, a summary of the Christian faith in five paragraphs, written 1701 years ago. We’ve talked about it. We’ve sung about it. Let’s recite it together.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic [universal] and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Today we’ll examine the final seventeen words. But first, how did death enter the world in the first place?
If we go back—way back—to the third chapter of the Bible, we see Adam and Eve banished from the garden of Eden after they disobeyed God.
And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24)
Because Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they were expelled from the garden and no longer had access to the tree of life…which was actually a blessing. Imagine living forever in these decaying bodies!
Scripture clearly teaches the resurrection of the dead, though it was not universally understood.
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:12)
The Sadducees of Jesus’ day were Jewish leaders who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Today, we call such people nihilists.
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:13-19)
If Jesus did not rise from the dead, we can’t experience resurrection, and this whole thing known as the Christian faith is as real as unicorns.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Because he lives, we have hope for the future. It’s not confined to this moment, this earth, this body, this reality. I know most of us are U.S. citizens…
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21)
We don’t know everything about our new bodies, but they will be like Jesus’ resurrected body. Pastor Glenn Packiam notes, “Resurrection is not an escape from the body; it’s the redemption and glorification of the body.”
Since resurrection Sunday, followers of Jesus have a hope and a future. This is why funerals for Christians is always bittersweet. We grieve our temporary loss, but celebrate both their gain and our ultimate reunion.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Not only will the dead rise, new creation—the world to come—is in our future.
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5)
God will redeem, complete, perfect, and transform this world. Even though we sin, he does not abandon us. His promise is secure because of the empty tomb, proof that God has conquered sin and death. He will finish what He started at creation.
So What?
Author Leslie Newbigin asks,
“How can this strange story of God made flesh, of a crucified Savior, of resurrection and new creation become credible for those whose entire mental training has conditioned them to believe that the real world is the world which can be satisfactorily explained and managed without the hypothesis of God? I know of only one clue to the answering of that question, only one hermeneutic of the gospel: a congregation which believes it.”
In other words, we have hope. We have a future. We have God’s promises of new bodies, a new heaven, and a new earth. We can look beyond today’s headlines and see tomorrow’s paradise. We don’t become obsessed with money, sex, and power because we know something far greater awaits us. And as God’s people now, we are to proclaim good news, go and make disciples, pray for the sick, pursue justice, shine the light in the darkness, and most of all love well. Love like Jesus.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
While we wait, we don’t ignore the world. We fill it with faith, hope, and love. Jesus is returning. We need to get ready and help others get ready. I believe he is waiting for us to complete the task. Jesus said,
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
College First family, let’s love, equip, and send…until Jesus returns!
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus is reigning in this life, and he will reign forever in the life of the world to come. Let us follow the king, obey the king, and bring all honor and glory to the king, now and forever.
Amen!
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
The Creed
February 15, 2026
Philippians 3:20-21
Series Big Idea: The ancient Nicene Creed offers a valuable summary of our faith.
Big Idea: Jesus is reigning in this life, and he will reign forever in the life of the world to come.
Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:20-21
Death is a subject many seek to avoid, yet we are all one day closer to it than we were yesterday. We’ve all experienced death in a variety of ways, from the funerals of loved ones to news stories of war to violence in movies. Death—and taxes—are certain.
Although thoughts of death should be terrifying for those who are not following Jesus, death for the believer is good news…actually, great news!
This morning we’re concluding our series on the Nicene Creed, a summary of the Christian faith in five paragraphs, written 1701 years ago. We’ve talked about it. We’ve sung about it. Let’s recite it together.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic [universal] and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Today we’ll examine the final seventeen words. But first, how did death enter the world in the first place?
If we go back—way back—to the third chapter of the Bible, we see Adam and Eve banished from the garden of Eden after they disobeyed God.
And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22-24)
Because Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they were expelled from the garden and no longer had access to the tree of life…which was actually a blessing. Imagine living forever in these decaying bodies!
Scripture clearly teaches the resurrection of the dead, though it was not universally understood.
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:12)
The Sadducees of Jesus’ day were Jewish leaders who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Today, we call such people nihilists.
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:13-19)
If Jesus did not rise from the dead, we can’t experience resurrection, and this whole thing known as the Christian faith is as real as unicorns.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Because he lives, we have hope for the future. It’s not confined to this moment, this earth, this body, this reality. I know most of us are U.S. citizens…
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20-21)
We don’t know everything about our new bodies, but they will be like Jesus’ resurrected body. Pastor Glenn Packiam notes, “Resurrection is not an escape from the body; it’s the redemption and glorification of the body.”
Since resurrection Sunday, followers of Jesus have a hope and a future. This is why funerals for Christians is always bittersweet. We grieve our temporary loss, but celebrate both their gain and our ultimate reunion.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Not only will the dead rise, new creation—the world to come—is in our future.
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5)
God will redeem, complete, perfect, and transform this world. Even though we sin, he does not abandon us. His promise is secure because of the empty tomb, proof that God has conquered sin and death. He will finish what He started at creation.
So What?
Author Leslie Newbigin asks,
“How can this strange story of God made flesh, of a crucified Savior, of resurrection and new creation become credible for those whose entire mental training has conditioned them to believe that the real world is the world which can be satisfactorily explained and managed without the hypothesis of God? I know of only one clue to the answering of that question, only one hermeneutic of the gospel: a congregation which believes it.”
In other words, we have hope. We have a future. We have God’s promises of new bodies, a new heaven, and a new earth. We can look beyond today’s headlines and see tomorrow’s paradise. We don’t become obsessed with money, sex, and power because we know something far greater awaits us. And as God’s people now, we are to proclaim good news, go and make disciples, pray for the sick, pursue justice, shine the light in the darkness, and most of all love well. Love like Jesus.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
While we wait, we don’t ignore the world. We fill it with faith, hope, and love. Jesus is returning. We need to get ready and help others get ready. I believe he is waiting for us to complete the task. Jesus said,
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
College First family, let’s love, equip, and send…until Jesus returns!
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus is reigning in this life, and he will reign forever in the life of the world to come. Let us follow the king, obey the king, and bring all honor and glory to the king, now and forever.
Amen!
Hallelujah, 25 December 2022
23 12 22 Filed in: Sermons | Handel's Messiah
Hallelujah!
Handel's Messiah
Zechariah 9:9-10
Revelation 19:6; 11:15; 19:16
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The Messiah is King of kings and LORD of lords…hallelujah!
Throughout this season of Advent—waiting, arrival—we’ve been looking at various scriptures through the lens of Handel’s Messiah. If you go to a live performance of the musical masterpiece, you will likely get something called a libretto, a booklet with notes. The first time I experienced it live, I was struck by how the libretto was entirely Bible passages!
We’re going to look at two songs on this the day we celebrate the birth of the Messiah. The first one is Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion. Like much of Part One of Handel’s Messiah, the text is from an ancient prophet, this time Zechariah:
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
The battle bow shall be cut off.
He shall speak peace to the nations;
His dominion shall be “from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.’ (Zechariah 9:9-10. NKJV)
What does this mean? These prophecies were fulfilled hundreds of years later when Jesus entered Jerusalem on the day we call Palm Sunday.
Matthew the tax collector recorded the following:
As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.” (Matthew 21:1-3, NLT)
This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,
“Tell the people of Jerusalem,
‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.’” (Matthew 21:4-5, NLT)
As I’ve said before, one of the reasons I believe the Bible is true is because of the fulfilled prophecies, especially those pertaining to Jesus the Messiah. There are more than 300 Messianic prophecies Jesus fulfilled. According to Christianity.com, the chances of one person fulfilling eight of them are one in 100,000,000,000,000,000. The odds of fulfilling 48 of the 300+ would be one in ten to the 157th power!
Before we look at our final song for this part of Handel’s Messiah, I want to jump back to the Zechariah passage. It ends,
His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:10b, NLT)
We find ourselves between the first and second comings of Jesus. Zechariah wrote around 500 BC…about 500 years before the first Christmas. We’re 2000 years on the other side of it awaiting his return. He’s not coming back as a baby. He won’t be riding on a donkey. There will be no arrest or crucifixion next time. We live in the awkward in-between with the Bible and Holy Spirit to guide us, yet a great day is coming…for those who follow Jesus.
Is that you today? A few weeks ago we saw how Judgment Day is coming for us all. We either bear the penalty for our sins and mistakes or trust Jesus’ death and resurrection to pay for us…but that requires surrender, followership, devotion to Jesus.
The greatest gift you can give Jesus for his birthday is your heart. Actually, your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He doesn’t need something from WalMart! He wants you!
The most famous verse in the Bible says,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV).
That word “believe” doesn’t mean intellectually agree. The original Greek word pisteuo means to have faith in, to trust, to commit. We live in a culture that tells us every day it’s all about us. The message might as well be we’re gods and don’t need God. We don’t want someone telling us how to live our lives, even if He wrote the instruction manual and knows what’s best!
God gave. The Father gave the Son, Jesus. Jesus gave His life. When he left earth after he rose from the dead, he sent the Holy Spirit to live inside every disciple, every follower.
There are actually three parts to Handel’s Messiah. The first is what we might call the Christmas portion. Part two we’ll cover as we approach Holy Week, the death of Jesus for the sins of the world. Part three is about the resurrection of the Messiah and the resurrection of our bodies when he returns. Our final song today—the last song of 2022 for First Alliance Church—speaks not of 2000 years ago or even the present, but the future. The texts come from the book of Revelation where John the apostle records a vision from the LORD.
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! (Revelation 19:6, NKJV)
This is a picture of the coming King, the return of the Messiah. The word “Alleluia” or “Hallelujah” means “praise the LORD.” It is the same in languages around the world.
I’ve been in big crowds, but none have sounded like many waters and mighty thunderings. This is some choir! The word “omnipotent” means all-powerful. God may seem distant from you today. You may wonder if He hears your prayers (He does!). You probably ask, “Why?” a lot like I do, but He is at work, often behind-the-scenes. He’s waiting, perhaps for us to finish the mission of letting 8 billion people know they are loved by their Creator who wants them to surrender and follow Jesus.
Do you know Jesus? Do you know the Messiah? There’s no other agenda or purpose or mission we have at First Alliance Church than proclaiming the gospel, the good news, that Jesus is LORD. It’s all about the Messiah. He wants every man, woman, and child to trust and love him with all of their heart, all of their soul, all of their mind, and all of their strength…and then love others as they love themselves.
Let me say again, what are you getting Jesus for his birthday? He wants you! When he returns, you’ll be on the winning team! Listen…
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15, NKJV)
He shall reign…forever…and ever! That’s a long time! Here’s another description:
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16, NKJV)
I did not put this in all-caps. It’s how it’s written! Jesus the Messiah is greater than any king, president, CEO, movie star, social media influencer, athlete, or author. He’s greater than any angel, demon, and definitely greater than satan. He’s greater than communism, capitalism, religion, or political party. He’s truly the GOAT: the greatest of all time. And he’s returning soon. Are you ready?
The most famous song in Handel’s Messiah celebrates in lyric and music.
If you’ve ever attended a performance of Handel’s Messiah, you know everyone stands when the Hallelujah Chorus begins. Tradition says this is because King George II stood up during the song in the 1743 London premiere, so moved by the music that he stood in reverence. Regardless, we conclude our first series on Handel’s Messiah and our Advent series by singing…the Hallelujah Chorus.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Handel's Messiah
Zechariah 9:9-10
Revelation 19:6; 11:15; 19:16
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The Messiah is King of kings and LORD of lords…hallelujah!
Throughout this season of Advent—waiting, arrival—we’ve been looking at various scriptures through the lens of Handel’s Messiah. If you go to a live performance of the musical masterpiece, you will likely get something called a libretto, a booklet with notes. The first time I experienced it live, I was struck by how the libretto was entirely Bible passages!
We’re going to look at two songs on this the day we celebrate the birth of the Messiah. The first one is Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion. Like much of Part One of Handel’s Messiah, the text is from an ancient prophet, this time Zechariah:
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
And the horse from Jerusalem;
The battle bow shall be cut off.
He shall speak peace to the nations;
His dominion shall be “from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth.’ (Zechariah 9:9-10. NKJV)
What does this mean? These prophecies were fulfilled hundreds of years later when Jesus entered Jerusalem on the day we call Palm Sunday.
Matthew the tax collector recorded the following:
As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.” (Matthew 21:1-3, NLT)
This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,
“Tell the people of Jerusalem,
‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.’” (Matthew 21:4-5, NLT)
As I’ve said before, one of the reasons I believe the Bible is true is because of the fulfilled prophecies, especially those pertaining to Jesus the Messiah. There are more than 300 Messianic prophecies Jesus fulfilled. According to Christianity.com, the chances of one person fulfilling eight of them are one in 100,000,000,000,000,000. The odds of fulfilling 48 of the 300+ would be one in ten to the 157th power!
Before we look at our final song for this part of Handel’s Messiah, I want to jump back to the Zechariah passage. It ends,
His realm will stretch from sea to sea and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. (Zechariah 9:10b, NLT)
We find ourselves between the first and second comings of Jesus. Zechariah wrote around 500 BC…about 500 years before the first Christmas. We’re 2000 years on the other side of it awaiting his return. He’s not coming back as a baby. He won’t be riding on a donkey. There will be no arrest or crucifixion next time. We live in the awkward in-between with the Bible and Holy Spirit to guide us, yet a great day is coming…for those who follow Jesus.
Is that you today? A few weeks ago we saw how Judgment Day is coming for us all. We either bear the penalty for our sins and mistakes or trust Jesus’ death and resurrection to pay for us…but that requires surrender, followership, devotion to Jesus.
The greatest gift you can give Jesus for his birthday is your heart. Actually, your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He doesn’t need something from WalMart! He wants you!
The most famous verse in the Bible says,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV).
That word “believe” doesn’t mean intellectually agree. The original Greek word pisteuo means to have faith in, to trust, to commit. We live in a culture that tells us every day it’s all about us. The message might as well be we’re gods and don’t need God. We don’t want someone telling us how to live our lives, even if He wrote the instruction manual and knows what’s best!
God gave. The Father gave the Son, Jesus. Jesus gave His life. When he left earth after he rose from the dead, he sent the Holy Spirit to live inside every disciple, every follower.
There are actually three parts to Handel’s Messiah. The first is what we might call the Christmas portion. Part two we’ll cover as we approach Holy Week, the death of Jesus for the sins of the world. Part three is about the resurrection of the Messiah and the resurrection of our bodies when he returns. Our final song today—the last song of 2022 for First Alliance Church—speaks not of 2000 years ago or even the present, but the future. The texts come from the book of Revelation where John the apostle records a vision from the LORD.
And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! (Revelation 19:6, NKJV)
This is a picture of the coming King, the return of the Messiah. The word “Alleluia” or “Hallelujah” means “praise the LORD.” It is the same in languages around the world.
I’ve been in big crowds, but none have sounded like many waters and mighty thunderings. This is some choir! The word “omnipotent” means all-powerful. God may seem distant from you today. You may wonder if He hears your prayers (He does!). You probably ask, “Why?” a lot like I do, but He is at work, often behind-the-scenes. He’s waiting, perhaps for us to finish the mission of letting 8 billion people know they are loved by their Creator who wants them to surrender and follow Jesus.
Do you know Jesus? Do you know the Messiah? There’s no other agenda or purpose or mission we have at First Alliance Church than proclaiming the gospel, the good news, that Jesus is LORD. It’s all about the Messiah. He wants every man, woman, and child to trust and love him with all of their heart, all of their soul, all of their mind, and all of their strength…and then love others as they love themselves.
Let me say again, what are you getting Jesus for his birthday? He wants you! When he returns, you’ll be on the winning team! Listen…
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15, NKJV)
He shall reign…forever…and ever! That’s a long time! Here’s another description:
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16, NKJV)
I did not put this in all-caps. It’s how it’s written! Jesus the Messiah is greater than any king, president, CEO, movie star, social media influencer, athlete, or author. He’s greater than any angel, demon, and definitely greater than satan. He’s greater than communism, capitalism, religion, or political party. He’s truly the GOAT: the greatest of all time. And he’s returning soon. Are you ready?
The most famous song in Handel’s Messiah celebrates in lyric and music.
If you’ve ever attended a performance of Handel’s Messiah, you know everyone stands when the Hallelujah Chorus begins. Tradition says this is because King George II stood up during the song in the 1743 London premiere, so moved by the music that he stood in reverence. Regardless, we conclude our first series on Handel’s Messiah and our Advent series by singing…the Hallelujah Chorus.
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