IN THE MIDST- WEEK 12

THE LAMB STANDING IN THE MIDST

Main Text: Revelation 5:6–10 Supporting Text: Luke 24 Theme: Easter reveals the risen Christ as the slain Lamb who now stands alive in the midst, reigning in victory and gathering His people. Big Idea: Easter declares that Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain, now stands alive in the midst, worthy of all worship, victorious over death, and reigning over a redeemed people from every nation.

Introduction — Easter at the Center

Church, as we come now to Easter Sunday, we arrive at the great climax of this series.

We have been tracing one great theme through Scripture: God in the midst.

In Eden, God was in the midst. In Egypt, Yahweh was in the midst of the land. In Zion, God was in the midst of her. In the prophets, the Lord promised to dwell in the midst of His people. On Palm Sunday, the King Himself came into the midst of the city. And now, on Easter, we behold the risen Christ as the Lamb standing in the midst.

This is not a sentimental conclusion. This is not merely the happy ending to a sad story. This is the public vindication of the Son of God.

The resurrection does not begin Christ’s reign. It reveals it.

The Lamb is not lying fallen. He is standing.

The Lamb is not absent. He is central.

The Lamb is not defeated. He is victorious.

And that means Easter is not only about an empty tomb behind us. It is about a living King over us.

Transition

So what does Revelation 5 show us on Easter morning?

I. The Lamb Stands in the Midst

Revelation 5:6

“Then I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain…”

This is one of the most glorious pictures in all of Scripture.

John looks, and what he sees is not an idea, not a force, not a memory, not a symbol of vague hope.

He sees a Lamb.

And that Lamb is standing in the midst.

That matters.

He is not at the edge of heaven’s attention. He is not one figure among many. He is at the center.

The throne is central. The worship is central. The government of history is central. And in the midst of it all stands the Lamb.

Easter means that Christ is not marginal to reality. He is the center of it.

He is the center of heaven’s worship. He is the center of God’s redemptive purpose. He is the center of the Church’s life. He is the center of history itself.

Series connection

Everything in this series has been moving here.

The God who dwelt in the midst now reveals Himself fully in the risen Christ. The One who walked among His people, entered the city, faced the cross, and went into death now stands alive in the midst.

Key line

Easter places the risen Christ at the center of all things.

Transition

But John does not merely see a Lamb standing. He sees a Lamb standing as if slain.

II. The Lamb Still Bears the Marks of Slaughter

Revelation 5:6

The Lamb stands, but He stands as if slain.

This means the resurrection does not erase the cross. It vindicates it.

Christ does not rise as though Good Friday did not happen. He rises as the One who truly suffered, truly bled, truly died, and truly conquered.

The marks matter.

The wounds are not signs of defeat. They are trophies of triumph.

The world looks at the cross and sees weakness. Heaven looks at the Lamb and sees worthiness.

The world sees shame. Heaven sees glory.

The world sees death. Heaven sees redemption accomplished.

This is vital for Easter preaching because the resurrection must never be separated from the atonement.

We do not preach bare resurrection hope in the abstract. We preach the resurrection of the slain Lamb.

The One who stands alive is the very One who laid down His life for sinners.

Luke 24 connection

24 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” 8 And they remembered His words. 9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened. 13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. 17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” 18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” 19 And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.” 25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. 28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. 30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Even in Luke 24, the risen Christ is not disconnected from His suffering. He interprets His death and resurrection as the necessary fulfillment of the Scriptures. His glory comes through His suffering, not apart from it.

Key line

The risen Christ is glorious not because the cross is forgotten, but because the cross has been vindicated.

Transition

And because the slain Lamb is now standing, Easter announces more than survival. It announces victory.

III. The Lamb Is Alive and Victorious

Revelation 5:6; Luke 24

The Lamb is standing.

That single word carries enormous weight.

He is not collapsed in death. He is not buried in defeat. He is not remembered only in the past tense.

He is standing.

That is Easter.

Death did not keep Him. The grave did not hold Him. The stone did not secure Him. Rome did not destroy Him. Jerusalem did not silence Him. Hell did not swallow Him.

He stands.

And because He stands, every enemy is now under sentence.

Sin has been answered. Death has been broken. Satan has been judged. The grave has lost its finality.

This is why the resurrection is not merely proof of personal hope. It is the declaration of royal victory.

Christ is alive, and His life is not private. It is public, cosmic, reigning life.

Luke 24 connection

In Luke 24, the women find the tomb empty. The angels announce, “He is not here, but He has risen.” The risen Christ then comes among His disciples. He is not a ghost. He is not an idea. He is the living Lord, bodily raised, present among His people.

Easter declaration

He was never absent. He was never dethroned. He was never overcome.

Key line

The Lamb stands because death has fallen.

Transition

And because He stands alive, heaven does not remain silent.

IV. The Lamb Is Worthy of Heaven’s Worship

Revelation 5:8–10

8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

The moment the Lamb appears in the midst, worship erupts.

The elders fall down. The harps sound. The bowls of incense rise. A new song is sung.

Why?

Because Christ is worthy.

Not merely admirable. Not merely helpful. Not merely moving.

Worthy.

Worthy of heaven’s song. Worthy of the Church’s praise. Worthy of total allegiance. Worthy of universal proclamation.

And notice the basis of His worthiness:

“Worthy are You… for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood…”

His worthiness is tied to His redemptive work.

Christ is worshiped not merely because He is alive, but because His life is the life of the Redeemer who has accomplished salvation.

The Lamb is worthy because He has done what no man could do.

He bore sin. He endured wrath. He satisfied justice. He conquered death. He secured redemption.

Therefore heaven sings.

Pastoral thrust

Easter is not merely a day to feel uplifted. It is a day to bow.

If heaven falls before the Lamb, then the Church must not approach Him casually.

Key line

The risen Christ is not merely to be admired. He is to be worshiped.

Transition

And the song of heaven tells us not only that the Lamb is worthy, but why His work matters for the nations.

V. The Lamb Has Purchased a People from Every Nation

Revelation 5:9–10

The song says:

“You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

This is no vague possibility.

Christ did not merely make redemption available in some abstract sense. He purchased a people.

His death was definite. His blood was effective. His sacrifice actually secured what it intended to secure.

And the reach of that redemption is global.

Every tribe. Every tongue. Every people. Every nation.

The Lamb standing in the midst is not the Savior of one ethnicity only, one political order only, or one tiny corner of the world only.

He is the redeeming King of the nations.

And what has He made them?

“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God…”

The resurrection, then, is not merely about what happens to Jesus. It is about what Jesus has accomplished for His people.

He has formed a kingdom. He has gathered a priesthood. He has constituted a people who belong to God.

Postmillennial thrust

This is why the Church can never think small. The Lamb’s work is not narrow and fragile. The risen Christ is gathering a people from the nations, and history belongs to Him.

Key line

The Lamb did not rise to preserve a remnant in defeat, but to gather a kingdom in victory.

Transition

And if that is true, then Easter does not leave Christ far away from His people. It declares Him present among them.

VI. The Risen Christ Stands in the Midst of His People

Revelation 5; Luke 24

Luke 24 shows us the risen Christ among His disciples.

Revelation 5 shows us the risen Christ in the midst of heaven’s throne.

These are not two different Christs.

The Lord who stood among the disciples is the same Lord who stands in heavenly glory.

The One who opened their minds is the One who now receives heaven’s worship. The One who spoke peace to His people is the One who rules history from the center. The One who rose bodily from the grave is the One who now reigns in majesty.

So Easter is not merely an event to remember. It is a reality to live under.

Christ is alive. Christ is present. Christ is reigning. Christ is gathering His people. Christ is worthy of trust, obedience, and proclamation.

That means the Church does not gather around a dead teacher. We gather around a living Lord.

We do not preach the memory of Jesus. We preach the reigning Christ.

We do not labor in vain. We labor under the authority of the One who stands in the midst.

Key line

Because the Lamb stands in the midst, the Church never stands alone.

Doctrine / Central Claim

Easter declares that Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain, now stands alive in the midst—victorious over death, worthy of all worship, reigning over history, and gathering a redeemed people from every nation.

Six Application Points

1. Do not reduce Easter to sentiment.

Easter is not merely about springtime feelings, family tradition, or emotional uplift. It is the declaration that Jesus Christ is alive and reigning. Treat this day with reverence and faith.

2. Come to Christ as the slain Lamb, not merely as an inspiring figure.

The One who stands alive is the One who was slain. You do not need vague spirituality. You need atonement. You need the blood of Christ. You need the crucified and risen Savior.

3. Worship Christ as worthy.

If heaven sings to Him, then the Church must not be casual about Him. Let Easter renew reverence, adoration, and glad submission to the risen Lord.

4. Live in light of Christ’s victory, not in the fear of death.

Because the Lamb stands, death is not ultimate. For the believer, the grave is not the end. Christ has gone through death and come out victorious, and all who are in Him will share His life.

5. Think bigger about the kingdom of Christ.

The Lamb has purchased a people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Do not think of the gospel as fragile or shrinking. The risen Christ is gathering His kingdom across the earth.

6. Respond now while the risen Christ is preached to you.

The resurrection is not neutral information. It demands a response. The One who stands in the midst is the One before whom every knee will bow. Bow now in repentance and faith.

Call to Repentance and Faith

If you are outside of Christ, Easter is not merely good news in the abstract. It is a summons.

The Lamb who was slain now stands alive. The Christ who was crucified has been raised. The One whom men rejected has been vindicated by the Father. And the One who stands in the midst now calls sinners everywhere to repent and believe.

Your sin is real. Your guilt is real. Your death is certain. And you cannot save yourself.

Religion cannot cleanse your conscience. Morality cannot erase your guilt. Good intentions cannot conquer the grave.

But Christ has died for sinners. Christ has risen in victory. Christ offers full pardon and everlasting life to all who come to Him.

So repent.

Turn from your sin. Turn from your self-rule. Turn from your false peace. Turn from your excuses.

And believe.

Cast yourself upon Christ alone. Trust in His blood. Trust in His righteousness. Trust in His resurrection life. Bow before the Lamb who stands in the midst.

Do not leave this day merely saying, “He is risen.”

Leave this day saying, “He is my Lord.”

Conclusion

On Easter morning, the Church does not merely look back to an empty tomb.

She looks up to a living Christ.

John saw Him: a Lamb standing, as if slain, in the midst.

Luke proclaimed Him: not here, but risen.

He was slain, yet He lives. He was rejected, yet He reigns. He was buried, yet He stands. He was mocked by men, yet worshiped by heaven.

This is the glory of Easter.

The Lamb stands in the midst. Death has bowed. The grave has failed. The King lives.

And because He lives, the Church has a gospel to preach, a King to worship, and a future that cannot be shaken.

Closing Prayer

Father, we praise You for the glory of Your Son, the Lamb who was slain and now stands alive in the midst. We thank You that death could not hold Him, that the grave could not keep Him, and that by His blood He has purchased a people for Your name. Cause us to see Christ more clearly this day—not merely as a figure from the past, but as the risen and reigning Lord. Bring sinners to repentance and faith. Strengthen Your people with resurrection hope. Fill this church with worship, boldness, and joy under the rule of the living Christ. Let the name of Jesus be exalted in our midst, for He alone is worthy. In His name we pray. Amen.