The Garden and the Gardener

John 20:1-16

C. Austin Miles - A pharmacist turned gospel song publisher and writer was in his work room one day with Bible in hand.

As he flips the book open, it is as if it fell open on its own to John 20. And it was here in his work room that he read this very familiar story… but this time it was different...

This time, he was there… in the garden with Mary and Jesus. “I seemed to be part of the scene,” he stated. It felt like he was walking with the risen Christ in that very moment in time...

It was very real and very personal to Mr. Miles. So much so, he took up a pen and paper and began to write this poem:

“I come to the garden alone While the dew is still on the roses And the voice I hear, falling on my ear The Son of God discloses...”

So very real… So very personal...

As I was reading the lyrics to this song, I have to be honest, my mind did not go to John 20… it went to Genesis 2.

God in the very beginning sought to glorify Himself, and for His own pleasure, He created mankind and placed them in a Garden, in a place called Eden.

It was for His great joy and for man’s joy, to place them there to tend and to cultivate that garden, and to enjoy it every day.

God not only created man to work and to enjoy the garden, but God created them for God’s own enjoyment… to see man imitate God and to work the ground with such joy and satisfaction...

Why would God do that? This is Who He is...

All throughout God’s story you will read about a God Who is described as being The Gardener. Psalm 104 depicts God as being the Gardener of the world.

All throughout the Old Testament, God is calling for a vine to come forth and to produce much fruit for God… And we see God, the Gardener, preparing the world until the fulness of time… when the True Vine would come and fill the whole earth with Divine Fruit… fruit that will last...

Now: The Garden life of Genesis was short lived, and because of sin God removed mankind from His garden forever… Removed mankind from the Tree of Life forever…

Until now...

Until now...

And here we are again… thousands of years later… in a Garden once again.

“I thought this was a grave yard, or a tomb yard…?”

John 19:38-41 - They prepared Jesus’ body… and there was a place near where He was crucified… there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid...

The tomb is in the garden. The hole was in the garden...

It all started in a garden… with a Gardener… and with the Tree of Life...

And here we are again… In a garden, and this is where Jesus, the Seed, was buried… In that hole, called a tomb… And on the third day… He is breaking out of the ground… And the Tree of Life is back in the world once again...

For mankind to partake of… and to live from.

He is alive to bring life to many and to fill the world with divine fruit from His Spirit.

Now watch this: Verse 14-15 - Mary turns around and sees Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus says to her, “ Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? She, supposing Him to be the … Gardener...

Mary turns around and sees… the Gardener… He looked like the Gardener… Maybe He was pulling weeds or something… Whatever He was doing… He looked like the Gardener...

And that Is exactly Who God is: He is the Gardener of the world, preparing it for fruit and harvest. He has begun a good work and He will finish His good work, and He will send out His laborers into the fields to work them with Him… and then He will send His angels to collect them for His storehouse...

Mary sees the image of God, she sees the Gardner, but it is not until Jesus speaks her name that she can experience the Tree of Life...

There and then… she experience life, peace, joy, and comfort. It was there and then that the Light of the world spoke into her dark despair and delivered her from her despondency.

Her Savior was alive… and His life became very real and very personal to her in that moment… when He spoke her name...

Jesus was very real and very personal… there in the Garden.

As God walked with mankind in the Garden and came to them in the cool of the day, calling them by name...

So, it is again… That God meets with His creation and calls them by name once again...

So it has been, since that time until this very moment, the Gardner has been working the ground, working the hearts of men… planting seeds and watering them through His vessels… working to bring in a great harvest with much fruit...

Today… He meets with His people in the Garden to call them by name… to bring them to Himself… to restore their soul and to deliver them from the darkness they are living in.

Today, He calls His laborers to work the fields and to produce much fruit...

Today, He will walk with you… and talk with you… and tell you that you are His own...

In a very real… and in a very personal way...

Are you looking for Jesus? Do not look for Him among the dead? For He is alive… and He is nearer to you than you think...

Don’t run away to quick… But wait on the Lord… until He speaks to you...

Sing a Song.

Pray.

Dismiss.