Graves into Gardens | How Far Would You Go?

Intro Video

“The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.” John 19:40–42 NLT

Have you ever wondered… what makes Good Friday good?

I get why we celebrate Easter. But this day—2,000 years ago—the disciples of Jesus weren’t celebrating. They were in anguish because the hope they had was gone. The dream of what could be had passed. And what surrounded them was death and the very real possibility that they were next.

Within hours of the crucifixion, the body of Jesus was placed in a tomb located in a garden. Most people read that part and move on without much thought. But I believe there’s something significant there—something poetic.

Because it reminds me of how our story began…

The Garden of Eden

In the beginning, God created everything—including mankind. He placed humanity in a garden, with everything they needed.

And He gave them one essential rule: Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In other words—trust God to define good and evil, rather than trying to do it yourself.

But mankind didn’t trust God. We seized that knowledge for ourselves. And because of our inherited nature to disobey, we became eternally separated from Him.

The Bible equates separation from God to death—because God is not just alive but he is life. He has all knowledge. He is sovereign beyond imagination. But He’s also close enough to feel grief… regret… love.

And because He is just, He has the right to judge. But because He is love, He chose to rescue.

Transitional Point: Even while He was in the right, in the moment when His creation—the one He loves—needed rescue… He moved to rescue us.

John Q (2002) Illustration

There’s a movie called John Q. One day, during a baseball game, John Q’s son collapses while trying to steal second base. He suffers heart failure. They try all the traditional methods to pay for surgery, but nothing works. Eventually, John Q holds the hospital hostage, demanding his son be added to the transplant list.

At one point, the doctors tell him no donor has come forward. He responds: “Take my heart. I’m not going to bury my son. My son’s going to bury me.”

At the end of the movie, he goes to prison for five years. But there’s this powerful moment where his son looks at him and says, “Thank you for saving me.”

Transitional Question: How far would you go to save someone you love?

Some of you just started thinking about it—plotting what you’d do, who you’d fight, how far you’d go.

If we think that way… Just imagine how far He would go to save the ones He loves.

God’s Pursuit of You

The moment sin entered the world, God launched a plan— Not just to destroy sin (which separates us from Him), But to get you back.

I believe sin is secondary in God’s eyes. What He really wants… is you. He wasn’t beaten for sin. He wasn’t spat on for sin. He died for you.

Transition: In His pursuit of you, He placed Himself in the ground.

One Week Before the Cross

Jesus began preparing His disciples for what was about to happen:

“Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives…” John 12:20–30 NLT

Jesus was using a metaphor. He was saying: “I will die. I will go into the ground. But my death will be like a seed… And from that seed will come a garden of believers.”

Jesus’ Humanity

We often forget the humanity of Jesus.

He was mocked. Betrayed. Spat on. Laughed at. He had a moment when He felt forsaken by God. He carried His execution device on His back, beaten and bruised—for our sake.

and Even though it was part of the plan from the very first garden— It didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

The Garden of Gethsemane

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was overwhelmed with grief.

Have you ever that way?

overwhemled with greif, worry depression

at the end of your hope and your rope

and all you see in are the l’s

and in the mist of all that struggling to do follow God

i want you to know that your in good company

Jesus Understands

Matthew 26:38–39 (NLT)

"He told them, 'My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.'... He prayed, 'My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.'"

He asked if the cup of wrath could pass from Him. But then He said:

“Not my will, but Yours be done.”

In the first garden, Adam said: “Not Your will, but mine be done.”

He modeled surrender for us.

Jesus—sometimes called the Second Adam—did what the first Adam failed to do.

even in a moment where even tho he said he was gonna be planted he felt buried

Planted or Buried?

Being planted and being buried… feel the same at first. Both are dark. Both are hidden. Both feel final.

But one leads to death. And the other leads to life.

How can you tell the difference? I don’t always know. But I do know this:

I need to follow the model of Jesus and surrender.

All things work together for my good.

What if…?

What if some of the things we’ve considered to be graves Are just the beginning stages of a garden?

“What was broken in Eden was buried in another garden... and what came out of that tomb changed everything.”

This is what so was so good about good friday that dispite what it would cost him

he went threw something so painful that produced such beatiful fruit

This is the part many of us struggle with: “Am I worth it?” “Am I worthy of this kind of love?”

The answer is no. There’s nothing you can do to earn it.

But that’s what makes it beautiful: It’s unconditional. It’s everlasting.