He Was, He Is, He Is To Come

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Christ: The Historical Reality

The historical existence of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the most well-attested facts of ancient history. Secular and religious sources alike confirm a Jewish man named Jesus lived, taught, and was crucified under Roman authority. This is not a matter of religious faith but of historical record, confirmed by multiple independent accounts from the first century. The events surrounding His death, including unusual darkness and earthquakes, were noted by observers of the time. This solid historical foundation gives us great confidence in the story of the gospel. [55:31]

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:3–6, ESV)

Reflection: When you consider the historical evidence for Jesus’s life and death, how does that factual foundation strengthen or challenge your personal faith in Him?

Day 2: The Power of the Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus is the pivotal event that separates Christianity from all other religions. His followers were transformed from fearful deserters into bold witnesses, willing to die for what they knew to be true. They did not die for a vague idea or a lie, but for the concrete reality of a risen Savior they had seen with their own eyes. The empty tomb stands as an eternal testament to His victory over sin and death. This reality is the source of our hope and the core of our message. [58:32]

“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:17–20, ESV)

Reflection: The resurrection proves Jesus’s power over every form of death, both physical and spiritual. What area of your life feels like it needs the hope and power of His resurrection right now?

Day 3: Jesus Christ Is Alive and Active Today

Jesus is not a historical figure confined to the past but a living Savior actively involved in the present. He is not merely a great teacher to be admired but a powerful God who continues to transform lives, heal brokenness, and offer peace that surpasses understanding. His presence is real and available to all who call upon Him, offering joy and abundant life that the world cannot give. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. [01:01:14]

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8, ESV)

Reflection: In what specific ways have you experienced the living presence of Jesus transforming your life, character, or circumstances recently?

Day 4: The Certain Promise of His Return

Because Jesus fulfilled every prophecy concerning His first coming with perfect precision, we can have absolute confidence in His promise to return. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, who holds all of history in His hands. His return is not a vague possibility but a certain future event that could happen at any moment. This blessed hope is an anchor for the soul in a troubled world. [01:02:50]

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:13, ESV)

Reflection: How does the certain promise of Christ’s return influence the way you live your daily life and prioritize your relationships and responsibilities?

Day 5: Responding to the Gospel Today

The historical facts of Christ’s death and resurrection, His present power, and His future return all demand a personal response. Salvation is found not in our own goodness or efforts, but by placing our faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. He offers eternal life as a free gift to all who will call upon His name, securing a future that death cannot touch. This decision is the most important one anyone will ever make. [01:04:33]

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9–10, ESV)

Reflection: Have you personally placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation, moving from knowing about Him to truly knowing Him?

Sermon Summary

Jesus Christ rose from the grave, defeated death, and remains alive and active today. The resurrection anchors a present, personal God who calls and transforms lives now, not merely a historical figure of the past. Ancient historians—Jewish and Roman alike—corroborate the existence, crucifixion, and extraordinary events surrounding that death, including a daytime darkness and an earthquake. Eyewitness testimony and early testimony to the risen Lord, including claims of hundreds of witnesses, support the claim that the tomb was empty and that followers truly encountered the living Christ.

The title “Alpha and Omega” underscores Christ’s sovereignty over history: beginning, end, and everything between. Prophetic Scriptures foretold crucial details of the life, suffering, and vindication of the Messiah, and those prophecies align with the events recorded about his birth, sacrificial death, and resurrection. The moral dilemma of sin demands a just payment; justice would hold sinners accountable, but divine mercy has provided a substitutionary atonement. Jesus lived a perfect life, bore the penalty of sin on the cross, and rose again so that faith in him grants forgiveness and eternal life.

This resurrection produces real change in the present: transformed hearts, peace amid trials, and power to overcome sin. Conversion often feels like a lifted burden and a new identity rooted in Christ’s victory. The promise of future return gives hope and urgency—Christ will come again, and that future event colors present living and accountability. The central response required remains faith: to turn from reliance on personal goodness and to trust Christ’s finished work for salvation. An invitation to receive this grace stands open, with the assurance that those who call on Christ will be saved and hold eternal life securely.

Key Takeaways

1. Christ lives and reigns now The resurrection secures ongoing presence, not merely historical memory. That living presence meets people in sorrow, reshapes desires, and supplies courage for daily obedience. Confidence in a present, sovereign Lord changes how suffering, purpose, and hope are understood. [54:44]
2. Historical evidence corroborates events Multiple early non-Christian sources record Jesus’ life and the turmoil around his death, making the gospel claim historically plausible and investigable. This external attestation strengthens trust in Scripture’s claims and reminds faith that truth withstands examination. Historical grounding invites both reasoned belief and humble worship. [56:16]
3. Resurrection transforms witnesses’ lives Eyewitness willingness to suffer and die for the risen Lord indicates genuine conviction rooted in encounter, not myth or fraud. Personal testimony of changed hearts testifies to resurrection power that sanctifies, comforts, and liberates. Transformation proves doctrine’s practical reality. [59:26]
4. Salvation comes by faith alone Human goodness cannot satisfy divine justice; Christ’s substitution and resurrection supply the required atonement. Trusting Christ alone receives forgiveness and irrevocable eternal life, moving the soul from guilt to belonging. This faith issues in repentance, assurance, and lasting peace. [64:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[54:06] - Rethinking Jesus' presence
[54:44] - Victory over death
[55:13] - Alpha and Omega explained
[55:31] - Jesus as historical figure
[56:16] - Secular attestations reviewed
[57:33] - Darkness and earthquake at crucifixion
[59:26] - Witnesses and the empty tomb
[62:24] - Prophecy fulfilled in Christ
[64:33] - The promise of salvation
[66:48] - Christ governs all life
[67:24] - Invitation and response

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading:
Revelation 1:8 (ESV) – “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-6 (ESV) – For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

Observation questions

What historical events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion are attested to by both biblical and non-biblical sources? [57:33]
What does the title “Alpha and Omega” communicate about Jesus’ nature and authority? [55:13]
According to 1 Corinthians 15, what are the key events of the gospel and what evidence is given for the resurrection?
What was the immediate, personal effect described when someone placed their faith in Christ? [01:00:24]

Interpretation questions

Why is the willingness of the apostles to suffer and die for their belief in the resurrection considered such powerful evidence that it actually happened? [59:26]
How does the truth that Jesus “was, and is, and is to come” change the way a person relates to Him, compared to viewing Him only as a historical figure? [54:44]
If salvation is received by faith alone and not by being a “good person,” what problem does this solve for someone who knows they have done wrong? [01:04:33]
The resurrection is presented as the source of present-day transformation—peace, joy, and power to overcome. How does a past event produce ongoing, practical change in a person's life today? [01:01:14]

Application questions

Jesus is not just a historical figure but a present, living Lord. In what area of your life right now—a specific worry, a sin, or a trial—do you most need to experience His active, comforting presence?
The historical evidence for the resurrection is meant to strengthen our faith. When doubts about God or the Bible arise, what is one specific step you can take to investigate and reaffirm your trust in the truth? [56:16]
The transformation that comes from Christ includes a new identity and a lifted burden. If someone were to observe your life from the outside, what change would most point to the reality of the resurrection’s power in you?
The promise of Christ’s return is meant to give hope and create urgency. How should the reality that “He is to come” affect the way you interact with a friend or family member who doesn’t know Him? [01:02:50]
Salvation is a free gift received by faith, not by our own goodness. Is your default mode to try to earn God’s favor or to rest in what Christ has already done? What is one practical way you can remind yourself to rest in grace this week?
The resurrection proves Jesus has authority over the beginning, the end, and everything in between. What current circumstance, which feels chaotic or out of control, can you consciously surrender to His sovereign care today? [01:06:48]

Sermon Clips

What is your relationship with this almighty god? What is your relationship with the one who was, that's a historical fact was, the one that still is, and the one that is to come? See, many people, they they have this misunderstanding of Christianity, of the gospel. Many people think, well, I just have to be a good person. I have to do more good things than bad things, and and God's gonna receive me. But Jesus tells us the Bible tells us that there's none good. No. Not one. [01:03:04] (33 seconds) #RelationshipWithGod

It is so obvious that this man, Jesus Christ, was, that he died on the cross of Calvary, and that that first century, people believed that he rose from the grave, and we still believe that today. Not only because of the historical evidence of that, but because of the change that he makes in our lives today. See, Jesus Christ was. Jesus Christ is. He is still alive today, and he's still transforming lives today. [01:00:13] (30 seconds) #JesusTransformsLives

And so we can see that the word of God is true. And so if Jesus says he's coming back, I just believe him. If someone who defeated death and rose from the grave says, I'm coming back again, I think they can be a person of their word. He is the almighty God. He was, and he is, and he will come back one day. It could be today. It could be tomorrow. It could be a thousand years from now. We don't know. But he is coming back. But what are you going to do with Jesus today? [01:02:29] (35 seconds) #JesusIsComing

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He Was, He Is, He Is To Come

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Christ: The Historical Reality

Day 2: The Power of the Resurrection

Day 3: Jesus Christ Is Alive and Active Today

Day 4: The Certain Promise of His Return

Day 5: Responding to the Gospel Today

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

He Was, He Is, He Is To Come

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