In the Garden

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at sunrise on Easter morning, the 12th of April, 2020 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Hear the words of the beloved Apostle John, from the 20th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 18, reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

--John 20:1-18 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, this morning we can rejoice, for You have resurrected our Lord Jesus!  You raised Him bodily from the grave so that He could defeat death.  And You and Jesus did it all just for us!  Your Son suffered, and You had to stand by and watch, just so we might enjoy everlasting life in paradise with You both… if we only believe in Him and follow His voice.  We believe, Lord Jesus.  We believe that You are the one true Son of God, and we believe that You rose bodily from the grave.  This morning we celebrate that glorious day.  Bless us Lord, and help us to better serve You and to never falter in our belief and faith.  In Your sweet name, Christ Jesus we pray.  Amen.


As near as we can tell, the only things Jesus owned were the robe on His back and the sandals on His feet.  To say He was poor, of course, would only be in reference to worldly, physical measures of wealth.  But it does mean He owned no plot of earth, no tomb in which to be buried.

A rich man by the name of Joseph, who hailed from Arimathea, had recently ordered a new tomb be dug for him, in a garden just outside the city walls of Jerusalem.  For you see, Jewish tradition forbade any burials within the walls of a city.  Joseph, a believer, allowed the body of Jesus to be placed there.  A huge stone sealed the entrance.


Early the next morning, before the sun began to lighten the sky, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb.  The first thing she saw was that the stone no longer blocked the entry.  Not knowing what else to do, she went to tell Peter and John what she had seen.

They all ran back to the tomb.  John arrived first, peeked inside and saw the burial cloths lying there, but he didn’t go in.  Peter came next and went inside and also spotted the face cloth lying separately, neatly folded.  John followed him in and saw the same thing, but at this point neither one fully grasped the meaning of what Jesus had told them, of what the prophets of old had foretold, that the Messiah must rise again from the dead.

Peter and John returned home, but Mary stayed there in the garden, alone, weeping.  And as she wept, she saw two angels inside the tomb.  After a brief exchange, she turned to see a figure standing before her that she thought was the gardener.  But as we know, it was really Jesus, risen again from the dead, just as He had said.  Mary had come to the garden seeking the body of Jesus, but instead found Him, risen and alive.


Mary came to the garden alone, in the early hours while the dew was still on the roses.  Back around 1913, a gospel songwriter by the name of C. Austin Miles, sat down to read his Bible.  It fell open to John 20 and the passage of our reading this morning.  As he sat there immersed in the scripture, the room darkened and faded out of view.

Mr. Miles found himself standing there in the garden, watching Mary weep.  He saw Jesus approach her, listened to their spoken words.  In his vision, he heard the sweet voice of Jesus calling…  Then the world returned and he sat down and wrote a poem which he later added music to, giving us the beautiful hymn, “In the Garden”.

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.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

We are standing in the garden right now.  It might not seem like it, what with everyone sheltering in our homes and COVID-19 running rampant still.  But we are living in this beautiful garden called Earth that God gave us.

The sky is brightening, the birds are singing, and right now the dew is still on the roses.  And if we listen quietly, we can hear the voice of Jesus calling us.  Because we believe, we can always walk with Him and talk with Him.  And Oh what a joy we can share, just tarrying for a while with our Lord and Savior.

Jesus is calling us, calling His church.  He is calling us to service and to faith, especially in these very trying times.  He is reminding us that mercy will be extended to us in the same measure as the mercy we show others, that all that we do be done in love.  He is telling us that we are His.  We are His.


So family, rejoice!  Our Lord and Savior lives!  Jesus has conquered death and risen from the grave, and we who believe can share in His great victory!  Death no longer holds us hostage.  We have everlasting life in store for us.  And it’s all because of Jesus and the sacrifice He made, to wash us clean of our sin with His own precious blood.

Jesus lives, our Savior lives!  Spend some time with Him in the garden today.  In the blessed, beautiful name of Jesus.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Lord Jesus Christ, Redeemer, Master…  You came as our Messiah, our Savior.  But You died on the cross, and for a moment the world lost hope.  Then You rose from the grave, just as You said You would, once again alive and full of life!  You conquered death and promised we would share in that victory if we would only believe in You and accept You as Lord.  As the sun rises on us this morning, just as it did on You so long ago, that promise remains our expected and anticipated hope.

Dear Lord, may our faith remain strong and not waiver during the tremendous trials of this present age.  May we tarry for a moment longer here with You in this beautiful garden, just listening to Your voice.  May we fully grasp what You told us before, and what You are whispering now in our hearts.  May we serve You, with all that is in us.  This we pray, in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Master and Savior.


And now, Father God, hear us as we pray to You as Your Son Jesus taught us…  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.


And let’s celebrate with the words of another beautiful hymn, “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today!”.

Christ the Lord is risen today!
Sons of men and angels say,
Raise your joys and triumphs high!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply,
Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King!
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Dying once, He all doth save!
Where thy victory, O grave?
Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done,
Fought the fight, the battle won,
Death in vain forbids Him rise,
Christ has opened paradise!
Alleluia!  Amen!