Hope and Restoration: Cultivating God's Garden Story
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We're tracing the story of the gospel, the good news of who Jesus is through the lens of garden places in the scriptures, both the Old and the New Testament. And I'm reminded in this series, church, that gardens aren't just pretty places. Gardens are spaces where God reveals over and over again his desire for relationship, his propensity to restore and renew what needs to be restored and renewed in the world. When we look at gardens throughout the Bible, we bear witness to God's hand at work. When we look at gardens in the Bible, we see God's heart. And I thank God for gardens. And my prayer for you in this series, long after it's over, is this, that for the rest of your lives, that whenever you see a garden, you are reminded of the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God does his good work in gardens. [01:14:25] (61 seconds)
Victory over death, hell, and the grave was realized that day, there in Calvary's garden. And today, as we step church into this final message in our garden series, we'll see that beyond the resurrection of Jesus, beyond the empty tomb, beyond the third day morning, when he got up onto that grave, there is yet one more garden. One final moment that God has been preparing for us since the beginning of time. In fact, that's our big idea this morning. I want to give away right here at the beginning. is simply this, that what was created and broken in Eden, what was chosen for us in Gethsemane, what was won at Calvary, all find their finality in this one final garden. [01:16:45] (51 seconds)
It is a revelation of Jesus himself. When we read the book of Revelation rightly, we see Jesus, our liberator, our redeemer, and our conquering king, and when we learn to properly handle this book, we see Jesus as the victorious warrior and king who refuses to quit until evil is finally vanquished, until justice fully rolls down and peace covers the entire earth. That's what we see in the book of Revelation. The first third of the book speaks directly, Jesus speaks directly to the seven churches there in Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. He writes seven letters to seven churches and he encourages them and he corrects them, hoping to strengthen them so that they will remain faithful. [01:21:23] (48 seconds)
It's there in this section of the book where God actually completes all that God has been doing in human history. And it's here in this third section of the book that we see a picture that if we let it, will inform how we follow Jesus between the time of the resurrection and the day of Christ's return. The book of Revelation calls each of us, church, to not just watch passively from the sideline. It calls us to actively choose Christ Jesus every single day. The book warns us not to wallow in our sins, but to repent when we fall short. And the book inspires us not to grow weary in this life. Instead, it calls us to persevere through every kind of hardship. Revelation challenges us, regardless of our background, regardless of our age, regardless of how new we are to the faith, to remain fiercely faithful until the day that Christ returns to heal, restore, and renew everything that has been broken in all of creation. [01:23:22] (72 seconds)
Because while Christ is indeed resurrected, there's still much broken in our world. Indeed, he did get up out of that grave, but there's still sickness and disease in our world. He did get up on that third day morning, but there's still the reality that injustice runs rampant in our world. And if we're honest, it seems right now that unrighteousness is winning. But I hear God say through Psalm 37, For yet a little while, and then the wicked shall not be. So while the cross won victory eternally, God, in his wisdom, chose not to destroy all evil there at the resurrection. God could have chosen to bring Jesus out of that grave and immediately bring judgment on all of God's enemies, but God chose otherwise. He chose to do it a different way. [01:24:14] (61 seconds)
But God also knew that his people needed something to look forward to. And so God gives John a vision to share with the early church, and you and I, Sanctuary, are the beneficiaries of that vision as well. And so we join with the early church, and we look at this vision that John has received from God. And when we do, we see, first and foremost, write this down if you're taking notes, we see in Revelation 22, God's promise of the final garden. We see God's promise in that final garden. John is given this vision of a garden city. He's given a vision, a front row seat to see the new Jerusalem. He sees this place where the conditions that God created in Eden that were lost when Adam and Eve sinned against God, all those conditions are reversed, and they are restored and extended forevermore. [01:25:19] (62 seconds)
The tree of life that represents the healing of all people from every nation. It represents community reconciliation. Everything that in this world has been broken and divided and that has been lost, this tree of life represents the healing of all those things. It's a visible sign that God has abundance, that God is a provider. This tree is not fighting other trees for sustenance. This is the tree of life. This is a tree that is, as it says, the leaves are for the healing of the nation. It suggests to us that all God's people, people of every nation, every tribe, and every tongue will one day draw near to that tree and have their every single need met. [01:29:07] (52 seconds)
And this vision, if we allow it, offers us today strength, strength for today and tomorrow, strength to keep on fighting, strength to keep on loving, strength to be ministers of reconciliation and of kindness and of generosity, strength to keep on keeping on when it would be just as easy to lie down and die. We look at Revelation 22 and we see God's promise in that garden. But not only do we see God's promise in that garden, the second thing we see is God's presence in that garden. When we think of paradise, when we think of this garden city church, when we think of this new Jerusalem, I'm excited to let you know, brothers and sisters, that it comes with some perks. [01:31:55] (51 seconds)
But John shows us here in this new Jerusalem that the curse of sin has passed away. And the greatest personification of the blessedness of God's people is that in that garden, in that city, they will see God's face to face and they will bear his name. Listen, you can act like that's not a big deal for you. But I'm not too proud to declare that I need God's presence. When I imagine that one day we're going to stand face to face with the Father, my soul gets happy. Because in the presence of God, there's no room for shame. In the presence of God, there's no room for guilt. In the presence of God, there's no room for fear. In the presence of God, there's no room for regret. [01:34:09] (45 seconds)
Finally, today, there is the peace and the purpose of the final garden. Revelation chapter 22 and 5 says to us this. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever. John tells us that when we find ourselves in that garden city, in that new Jerusalem, he says that lamps will have lost their jobs. John says in that garden city, the sun and the stars can go sit down somewhere. In that garden city, the moon can move out of the way. And at the very, every source of light that we know of becomes obsolete in that garden city. And yet there will be no night in that city. [01:35:21] (55 seconds)
This is not some daydream. This is not just some pie in the sky idea. The new Jerusalem, God's garden city, a city that is healed, a garden that is flourishing, a people that are reconciled. And in the presence of God forever, this is our vision. And so I want to encourage us sanctuary, though the world seems to be upside down right now. Keep your eyes on God's prize. Keep your eyes focused on justice and peace and healing and hope. And when this world tries to pull you down, keep your eyes on the prize. When injustice and sin and evil press against us and war against us, keep your eyes on the prize. When grief and despair seem to overwhelm us, keep your eyes, church, on the prize. Because God's promise is certain. And his faithfulness is forever. And even when we are faithless, God is faithful. [01:40:40] (64 seconds)
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Victory over death, hell, and the grave was realized that day, there in Calvary's garden. And today, as we step church into this final message in our garden series, we'll see that beyond the resurrection of Jesus, beyond the empty tomb, beyond the third day morning, when he got up onto that grave, there is yet one more garden. One final moment that God has been preparing for us since the beginning of time. In fact, that's our big idea this morning. I want to give away right here at the beginning. is simply this, that what was created and broken in Eden, what was chosen for us in Gethsemane, what was won at Calvary, all find their finality in this one final garden. [01:16:45] (51 seconds)
It is a revelation of Jesus himself. When we read the book of Revelation rightly, we see Jesus, our liberator, our redeemer, and our conquering king, and when we learn to properly handle this book, we see Jesus as the victorious warrior and king who refuses to quit until evil is finally vanquished, until justice fully rolls down and peace covers the entire earth. That's what we see in the book of Revelation. The first third of the book speaks directly, Jesus speaks directly to the seven churches there in Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. He writes seven letters to seven churches and he encourages them and he corrects them, hoping to strengthen them so that they will remain faithful. [01:21:23] (48 seconds)
It's there in this section of the book where God actually completes all that God has been doing in human history. And it's here in this third section of the book that we see a picture that if we let it, will inform how we follow Jesus between the time of the resurrection and the day of Christ's return. The book of Revelation calls each of us, church, to not just watch passively from the sideline. It calls us to actively choose Christ Jesus every single day. The book warns us not to wallow in our sins, but to repent when we fall short. And the book inspires us not to grow weary in this life. Instead, it calls us to persevere through every kind of hardship. Revelation challenges us, regardless of our background, regardless of our age, regardless of how new we are to the faith, to remain fiercely faithful until the day that Christ returns to heal, restore, and renew everything that has been broken in all of creation. [01:23:22] (72 seconds)
Because while Christ is indeed resurrected, there's still much broken in our world. Indeed, he did get up out of that grave, but there's still sickness and disease in our world. He did get up on that third day morning, but there's still the reality that injustice runs rampant in our world. And if we're honest, it seems right now that unrighteousness is winning. But I hear God say through Psalm 37, For yet a little while, and then the wicked shall not be. So while the cross won victory eternally, God, in his wisdom, chose not to destroy all evil there at the resurrection. God could have chosen to bring Jesus out of that grave and immediately bring judgment on all of God's enemies, but God chose otherwise. He chose to do it a different way. [01:24:14] (61 seconds)
But God also knew that his people needed something to look forward to. And so God gives John a vision to share with the early church, and you and I, Sanctuary, are the beneficiaries of that vision as well. And so we join with the early church, and we look at this vision that John has received from God. And when we do, we see, first and foremost, write this down if you're taking notes, we see in Revelation 22, God's promise of the final garden. We see God's promise in that final garden. John is given this vision of a garden city. He's given a vision, a front row seat to see the new Jerusalem. He sees this place where the conditions that God created in Eden that were lost when Adam and Eve sinned against God, all those conditions are reversed, and they are restored and extended forevermore. [01:25:19] (62 seconds)
The tree of life that represents the healing of all people from every nation. It represents community reconciliation. Everything that in this world has been broken and divided and that has been lost, this tree of life represents the healing of all those things. It's a visible sign that God has abundance, that God is a provider. This tree is not fighting other trees for sustenance. This is the tree of life. This is a tree that is, as it says, the leaves are for the healing of the nation. It suggests to us that all God's people, people of every nation, every tribe, and every tongue will one day draw near to that tree and have their every single need met. [01:29:07] (52 seconds)
And this vision, if we allow it, offers us today strength, strength for today and tomorrow, strength to keep on fighting, strength to keep on loving, strength to be ministers of reconciliation and of kindness and of generosity, strength to keep on keeping on when it would be just as easy to lie down and die. We look at Revelation 22 and we see God's promise in that garden. But not only do we see God's promise in that garden, the second thing we see is God's presence in that garden. When we think of paradise, when we think of this garden city church, when we think of this new Jerusalem, I'm excited to let you know, brothers and sisters, that it comes with some perks. [01:31:55] (51 seconds)
But John shows us here in this new Jerusalem that the curse of sin has passed away. And the greatest personification of the blessedness of God's people is that in that garden, in that city, they will see God's face to face and they will bear his name. Listen, you can act like that's not a big deal for you. But I'm not too proud to declare that I need God's presence. When I imagine that one day we're going to stand face to face with the Father, my soul gets happy. Because in the presence of God, there's no room for shame. In the presence of God, there's no room for guilt. In the presence of God, there's no room for fear. In the presence of God, there's no room for regret. [01:34:09] (45 seconds)
Finally, today, there is the peace and the purpose of the final garden. Revelation chapter 22 and 5 says to us this. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever. John tells us that when we find ourselves in that garden city, in that new Jerusalem, he says that lamps will have lost their jobs. John says in that garden city, the sun and the stars can go sit down somewhere. In that garden city, the moon can move out of the way. And at the very, every source of light that we know of becomes obsolete in that garden city. And yet there will be no night in that city. [01:35:21] (55 seconds)
This is not some daydream. This is not just some pie in the sky idea. The new Jerusalem, God's garden city, a city that is healed, a garden that is flourishing, a people that are reconciled. And in the presence of God forever, this is our vision. And so I want to encourage us sanctuary, though the world seems to be upside down right now. Keep your eyes on God's prize. Keep your eyes focused on justice and peace and healing and hope. And when this world tries to pull you down, keep your eyes on the prize. When injustice and sin and evil press against us and war against us, keep your eyes on the prize. When grief and despair seem to overwhelm us, keep your eyes, church, on the prize. Because God's promise is certain. And his faithfulness is forever. And even when we are faithless, God is faithful. [01:40:40] (64 seconds)
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