http://bible.com/events/49234754
Church of the Nazarene – East Rock
Easter 2024 “A Tale of Two Gardens”
“Where are you?”
Resurrection Sunday 2024.
Easter is really a tale of two gardens. The garden of the resurrection of course, but it’s also the story of another garden. A garden where sin and death entered our story.
The Cross stands between these two gardens, and the question remains for us “Where are you?”
John 19:16-18
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
Crucifixion was a terrible and horrific method of execution. Specifically designed to inflict pain and to slow down death.
Jesus would be there for several hours before he would cry out “It is finished.” He who knew no sin, no mistake, no flaw, was made to be sin for you and me. It is finished.
John 19:38-42
Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
This once beautiful garden, full of beauty and life, now plays host to death. With that, the story of Jesus seemingly comes to a cold and dark end.
I bet if we were to ask Jesus’ closes friends and disciples in these moments: Where are you? They might have answered with something like-
1.Bewildered and broken.
2.Crushed and confused.
3.Perhaps they would have just said- I have no idea right now…
This garden tomb seemed to swallow up all of their hope…But today is resurrection Sunday.
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
The Garden that once swallowed the disciples hope in death, brought forth resurrection life for all eternity. This is Victory. This is life and that eternal.
This is resurrection Sunday. The good news for those who believe in him.
Remember, this is a story of two gardens. Maybe today, you are stuck in the first garden, the garden of Eden.
Genesis 2:8-9
Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
God created this garden perfect. All of creation was as it was supposed to be. That was true for Adam and Eve as well.
They were created to be God’s partners, co-gardeners in creation. They had calling, purpose, and most importantly un-broken fellowship with God. God has provided everything they need in a garden whose beauty is beyond imagination.
Within this garden there was one tree that was off limits. They were not to take and eat from that tree. Adam and Eve, they had a choice- Would they take God at his word? Or would they take control?
Genesis 3:7-8
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
They decided to take control, to call their own shots.
Sin enters the world bringing its cousins fear, guilt, and shame. This once perfect garden, suddenly seems like a place more familiar to us.
Read a little further and there is accusation, blame, and denial between husband and wife. Sin entered the story and so did separation from God. The weight of failure and shame set in, and they hid.
Here’s the truth for us today. Sin entered our story in this Garden, and it’s still there. We are still making those same choices as Adam and Eve. Choosing to call our own shots, make our own way, do our own thing. And we still feel the effects of those decisions when we make those poor choices.
If that’s where you find yourself today, I have some really good news for you. Even in the midst of this garden full of brokeness, God is calling.
Look at the next verse in our Genesis text- I think this is the word for us today.
Genesis 3:9
But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
The very first thing we see God do in response to Man’s sin and hiding-He comes after them. God knew where they were, of course. He wanted THEM to realize where they were…turning their backs on God.
He wanted them to come out of hiding, to step out of their guilt and shame, and back into relationship with him.
And friends, God is calling you.
No matter where you are, how long it’s been, how bad it’s gotten, God see’s you and he’s asking you: “Where are you?”
Will you answer that call today?
This resurrection Sunday, He’s inviting you to come out of your hiding, step out of guilt and shame and into relationship with him.
Where are you?
Updates on the new Waynesboro campus
God is inviting us to step out in faith to plant a Spanish-speaking campus in the Waynesboro community. Join us on the journey!
Check out the link below for more information and for frequent updates throughout the journey.
Giving at COTN
If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org Thank you for your partnership in building the Kingdom of Christ as you impact others!