In The Garden

N.T.#316 " In the Garden"

May 30, 2024 

Matthew 27-Part 19

LET IT GLOW 

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. Oh the joy we share as we tarry there, no other has ever know. "The Garden"

After Jesus' death on the cross, Joseph of Arimathaea (a Sanhedrin and believer), asked for permission to bury his Savior's body. (verse 58)  Pilate granted it. Nicodemus (a Pharisee and believer) helped Joseph prepare the body for burial, wrapping it in clean linens with spices. (verse 59 and John 19:39)

And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. (verse 60)

John gives a more detail of this event in John 19:41-42: Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. 

In the Greek language, sepulchre is a grave, tomb.

It was a new tomb in which no body had been buried previously. This wwas so doubters could claim the bones to be Jesus.

Outside the Jerusalem wall, just in the northwest direction, was the hill called Mt. Calvary or Golgotha, where Jesus and the thieves were crucified. Below, at the bottom of the hill is a lovely garden with trees and flowers, as well as birds singing. Walk with me in the garden of your mind as I describe how it was to visit such a beautiful place. An empty tomb is there, one in which is believed to be the place where Jesus was buried. Tourists are able to walk inside. Duck your head, for it is a low entrance. It is quiet as they contemplate the scene so long ago. A table-like rectangular stone is there in the middle. (A small round stone lay outside, as an example of what would have been used to cover the tomb, only larger.) It would have been humanly impossible for such a large stone to be rolled back by one person from the inside. Yet, Jesus, in His supernatural form was able to do so. (Roman soldiers placed the large stone over the entrance so no one could steal Jesus' body and claim He was risen.)

You know what, there is no dead body or bones lying in the tomb to view. Jesus said He would rise after three days, and He did!

Dear one, so you believe Jesus is more than just a mere man? Do you believe He is the Son of God? Have you trusted Him to be your Savior yet?

LET IT GROW 

Don't leave the scene without thinking about verse 61: And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. 

Only the two Mary's watched the burial and no disciples were present. John noted that later Mary mistook Jesus for the gardener. (20:15)

That is how the women knew where to go in order to anoint Jesus' body with spices on that Sunday. And after the Sabbath, a proper and permanent burial would have been appropriate. What a shock to discover the stone rolled away and no body of Jesus' was present.

Do we a women spend time at the feet of Jesus, praying, worshiping, and adoring our Savior. Or do we read a short devotional and go on our way throughout the day not contemplating what we read? Guilty here!

LET IT GO