Easter Sunrise April 17, 2022 The Resurrection of our Lord

Easter Sunrise

John 20:1-18 & Various including Revelation 5

April 17, 2022

“Worthy is the Lamb!”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.

That hymn we just sang comes all right out of the book of Revelation. A pastor named John Arthur paraphrased the verses from Revelation and a Lutheran musician named Richard Hillert set it to music. And it’s a masterpiece. Takes a lot of energy to sing it. But it’s great. It’s one of those hymns that lifts you up and sets you on heaven’s soil.

Now we sang in there, “Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain.”  Revelation is why the Church so often pictures Jesus as a lamb. See up there in our stained glass windows. The upper circle, the Hand, represents the Father. The dove, of course, on right is the Holy Spirit. Jesus, on the left, is the lamb carrying his victory flag or banner. Why did we put a lamb up there in the stained glass for Jesus? Because in Revelation Jesus appears over and over again as a lamb. And not just any lamb, but a Lamb who has been slain—killed, that is—and is now alive again. That’s why the Lamb has the victory flag. He’s won. He’s the conquering Lamb. And this is the feast of victory.

Now all morning, then, please have this picture in your mind of the lamb, just like up here in our stained glass, standing bold and confident because He’s won, and carrying the flag of victory. And look in the bulletin on the sermon page and I’ve got a picture at the top of Jesus in the flesh looking the same way coming out of the tomb on Easter morning. He’s bold and confident and carrying the flag of victory because He’s won over sin and death. So this Easter morning keep this lamb with victory flag in your mind.

Then let’s go to Revelation 5 and see this Lamb in action. Revelation 4 and 5 take us up to heaven where we get to watch everything happening after Easter Sunday from a heavenly view. And the Father is on His throne in heaven and He’s holding a scroll. A very important scroll. There’s writing on all sides of it and it’s sealed shut with seven seals. This scroll is, to put it rather bluntly, the future. In God’s own words from Revelation, it’s “the things that must take place.” This scroll tells what’s going to happen. And the Father is on the throne holding this scroll in His hand, waiting for someone to open it.

Sounds pretty important, right? How many of you would like to know what’s on that scroll? What’s going to happen in the future? Anybody? Of course. It’s the unknown that kills us. Where are we headed? Nuclear war? World war? Civil war? More covid? A different virus? Persecution? Virtual Reality? What is it? Where’s the world going?

You can see how desperate the situation is in Revelation 5. A strong angel comes out and proclaims very loudly, “Who is worthy to open the scroll?” And no one can. No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll. That’s it. We’re in big trouble. The world’s going to hell and there’s nothing we can do about it. Sin, death, evil. Where are we headed? And so John, the apostle who’s seeing this vision, begins to weep loudly—he’s bawling his eyes out—because no one can open this scroll and look in it to tell us what’s going to happen. No one can tell where all this sin and evil and death is going. How often have you said or thought, “Where’s this all headed?” So you know John’s feeling. He’s distraught. No one can open this thing.

But then one of the elders comes up to John and says, “Weep no more! Behold! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals!” Aha! The Lion!! Jesus Christ! Yes! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! He’s worthy to open the scroll and tell us what’s going to happen! Where it’s all headed!

But wait….I told you He was a lamb. What happened? A lion, now, that’s strong and powerful. And Jesus is the Lion, no doubt about it. But wait….John looks and what does he see? “And I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain…and he went and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll…they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God.”

The Lamb is worthy!! Why? Because He shed His blood on the cross and because He’s now risen from the dead! He’s risen! And then all of heaven joins in the song. “I heard the voice of many angels, numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” Yes! They were just singing with us minutes ago then. All of heaven singing with us, “Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain!”

The scroll can be opened and known. The future can be opened and known. Do you see it? Your future can be opened and known. Because the Lamb has opened it. The empty Easter tomb has opened it. He’s guaranteed and given your future—resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come! That’s your future! Do you see your Lamb, Jesus, standing there in heaven bold and confident holding His victory flag telling you, “Because I live, you will live also. Because I died and rose, you’ve died to sin and risen to new life. Because I’m risen, your body will rise from the dead on the last day.” Do you see Jesus? Worthy to open this future to you? Because He’s here. The Lamb with us. Opening the scroll this morning. Telling us…He’s risen! Risen indeed, Alleluia!

Now why a Lamb? Why not a Lion? He’s called the Lion of the tribe of Judah but always appears as a lamb. Why? There is good reason. Because He’s pictured primarily as our substitute. Our sacrifice. When God wants you to see Jesus in the book of Revelation He wants you to see Him first and foremost as the One who stands in for you. Paul says, “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” All through the Old Testament, who are the sheep? We are! We’re the sheep. We’re the sheep who go astray. The sheep who don’t listen. The sheep who need constant watch and protection.

And so Jesus comes as a sheep. As a lamb. He’s come to be you, see. To be your brother and take your place at the slaughter. He’s our Passover Lamb who’s been sacrificed in our place so that we wouldn’t die. Like Abraham finding the ram caught in the thicket to offer instead of his son Isaac. So God offers His Son as a Lamb in our place.

And the best part of this story is that on Easter morning this Lamb has come back to life. He’s holding the victory banner and he’s worthy to open the scroll and tell you all about your future salvation and resurrection because He’s risen. And that brings us then to the final part of this picture of the Lamb with His victory flag—and that’s His blood. The blood of the Lamb.

Did you notice what color, of course, is everywhere this Easter morning? White! Of course, white! White everywhere. White paraments. White on the crosses. White lilies. White everywhere. Because this risen and conquering Lamb is washing you white and clean in His blood. But let me give you the verses.

Revelation 5:9 which I’ve already read to you, “Worthy are you…for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God.” By His blood He bought us from back from hell. Then Revelation 7:14, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” You’re baptized. Washed white in the blood of the Lamb.

And Revelation 12:11, “And they have conquered the accuser by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” Now you’re holding the victory flag because the blood of the Lamb is yours.

Now let’s put this all together. The Lamb stands over our past, present, and future—holding His victory flag telling us, “I’m risen! And My blood washes you clean and white and gives you victory over sin, death, and hell.” And that means we’re bold and confident just as the Lamb is bold and confident because Jesus has opened that scroll, that future, and told us that it’s all in His hands and He will forgive, save, and resurrect. He’ll take care of everything.

We don’t see this at first in the disciples on Easter morning. At first they’re confused, doubting, and timid. But they come around. And they go from guys hiding in rooms in Jerusalem to later guys preaching loudly in the Temple for everyone to hear. What happened? The victorious Lamb happened. They began to look at the future as the Lamb looked at it. They began to see that their future was safe and certain. Jesus is risen! So they had the guarantee of forgiveness, eternal life, and resurrection. So they were bold and confident!

Hey guys, whose hands are worthy to hold your future? Who is worthy to open your scroll and tell you the things that will take place for you in the future? Who’s worthy to be your Shepherd and carry you forever? How about the lamb who died your death, is risen from the dead, and now washes you clean in His blood? How about the Lamb? Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! Worthy is Christ!

 The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.