"The Master Gardener Harvests New Life!" John 20:1-18

Series: Easter 2023

April 09, 2023
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

The Resurrection of Our Lord (Easter Dawn) 9-April-2023 Sermon Text: John 20:1-18 Sermon Theme: “The Master Gardener Harvests New Life!” by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert 1 Awake, my heart, with gladness, See what today is done; Now, after gloom and sadness, Comes forth the glorious sun. My Savior there was laid Where our bed must be made When to the realms of light Our spirit wings its flight. 2 The foe in triumph shouted When Christ lay in the tomb; But lo, he now is routed, His boast is turned to gloom. For Christ again is free; In glorious victory He who is strong to save Has triumphed o'er the grave. 3 This is a sight that gladdens-- What peace it doth impart! Now nothing ever saddens The joy within my heart. No gloom shall ever shake, No foe shall ever take The hope which God's own Son In love for me hath won. 4 Now hell, its prince, the devil, Of all their pow'r are shorn; Now I am safe from evil, And sin I laugh to scorn. Grim death with all his might Cannot my soul affright; It is a pow'rless form, Howe'er it rave and storm. 5 The world against me rages, Its fury I disdain; Though bitter war it wages, Its work is all in vain. My heart from care is free, No trouble troubles me. Misfortune now is play, And night is bright as day. 6 Now I will cling forever To Christ, my Savior true; My Lord will leave me never, Whate'er He passes through. He rends death's iron chain; He breaks through sin and pain; He shatters hell's dark thrall; I follow Him through all. 7 He brings me to the portal That leads to bliss untold, Whereon this rhyme immortal Is found in script of gold: "Who there My cross has shared Finds here a crown prepared; Who there with Me has died Shall here be glorified."

Episode Notes

The Resurrection of Our Lord (Easter Dawn)               9-April-2023
Sermon Text: John 20:1-18
Sermon Theme: “The Master Gardener Harvests New Life!” by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. “Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” These are the words we speak when leaving the garden. A garden in which with tears we have sown the seed of a beloved parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, spouse, or friend. It was the same with those who followed Jesus. History records: Joh 19:41-42 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. (42) So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby. There wasn’t time for a proper funeral. The sun would soon set. Families who had to bury a loved one during the pandemic know the pain of having to forego a proper funeral.
      Joseph of Arimathea requested the corpse of Jesus. Pilate granted it. Nicodemus and Joseph, both members of the Sanhedrin - the Jewish ruling council of 70 - carry the body of Jesus to a new tomb in the midst of a garden. Joseph bought the linen burial cloth to swaddle the lifeless body of the Rabbi. Hurriedly they washed off as much blood as they could from His beaten bloodied body. It was like trying to wash the blood off a crushed worm and not a man. Nicodemus brought along about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes. Spices to cover the stench a rotting corpse would bring in a few days. Carefully they wrapped the body of the Rabbi Jesus in the linen burial clothes and apply the spices to begin a proper burial, there is no time to finish it. Nicodemus and Joseph weren’t alone in the garden. History records: Luk 23:55 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.
        At least six of Jesus’ followers witness the corpse of Jesus laid in the garden tomb. They were not alone, representatives from the high priest were there to witness the exact cave tomb where Jesus’ corpse was swaddled and put to rest on a stone shelf. At sundown the Passover Sabbath began. Time to rest. All shops were closed. The Jews observed the pattern the Creator had knit into this creation. He had rested on the 7th day from all the work that He had done by His Word and hands. On the 6th day He had planted a garden, created man from the dust of the ground. Planted the Tree of Life for mankind to have communion feasting with the Gardener. He invited man to gather and feast with Him and be ever sustained with Life in the Creator. Planted the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil with its one prohibition as the altar where mankind could exercise trust in their Creator by obeying His command not to eat from it. The Gardener set Adam over all of creation to tend and keep it as God’s gift to him. Still it wasn’t good for man to be alone. So the Lord on that first Friday caused a deep deathlike sleep to fall on Adam. The Gardener opened up Adam’s side and took of his flesh and blood to build a woman. A wife for Adam - a female - a woman. The Gardener instituted marriage knitting it into nature - the union of one man and one woman for life that they may have the blessing of intimate companionship and children. Only then did the Gardener declare His creation - very good! Only then did He rest from all the work that He had done. St. John begins the history of Jesus with these words: Joh 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (4) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” Jesus is the eternally only begotten Son of the Father. One True God with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He is the Master Gardener who planted Eden’s beauty. Learn with Mary Magdalene today to rejoice for “The Master Gardner Harvests New Life!”
        Death wasn’t the Creator’s plan for our world. Satan, an created angel, rebelled against his Creator. Wanting to overthrow God he led many angels in an insurrection. They failed. Thrown out of heaven they sought to destroy that which God called, “very good.” Masquerading as a serpent he strove into the Garden to speak lying words to the woman. She listens, trusts her own feelings and desires, as does her husband Adam who is with her. Eating of the forbidden fruit - they immediately die to all true spiritual reality. They try to cloak their shame with fig leaves. They are content to run with Satan deeper into darkness as he tears them from their Creator and from one another. Satan still attacks marriage and the family as he seduces you to listen to his voice in all the media noise that assails you - rather than to open your Bible and hear the voice of the Gardener - your Good Shepherd Jesus - the living Rabbi - the Truth - the Way - the Life.
        The Gardener didn’t abandon His once very good world. He promised to redeem it - to reclaim it as His own. Joh 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. The Master Gardener will become one with the dust of the earth from which we are created. He takes on our flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He comes to redeem us.
            All seemed lost. Mary Magdalene, Mary, John stood at the foot of Jesus’ cross. They heard His last triumphant cry, ‘It is finished!” witnessing His death. The Roman spear pierced His side into His heart. From the open wound flesh and blood flowed out onto the dust of the earth. Their hope was lost. They wept at the hasty burial without a funeral for their Teacher.
      Sabbath comes, but they find no rest that night, they are torn by grief. As soon as the sun sets on Saturday and the markets open - they women go and buy the final burial spices. Planning their trip to the garden before the sun rises on Sunday morning. They owe their Teacher this last service of caring for His body in a proper burial. They weren’t the only ones who had no rest on that high Sabbath. History records, Mat 27:62-66 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, (63) saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.' (64) Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first." (65) Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." (66) So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.” Jesus’ enemies fear Him even in death. They go to Pilate and official seal His tomb and post Roman guards in the garden.
        Day breaks. The women begin their journey to the garden, with no idea that guards had been stationed there. History records: (Jn 20:1-2) There was a day the Master Gardener had posted a guard in His garden. Adam in his rebellion would not be able to return and eat of the Tree of Life - for a life forever without God - is hell. The Roman guards could not prevent the Fruit of the Tree of Life bursting forth from the grave into this world.   On Monday before the Master Gardener preached ,” Joh 12:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” The Seed of His Flesh was planted into the ground with our sin and death.
        Mary Magdalene assumes the worst. The stone that sealed the tomb has been catapulted from the entrance. It lays flat on the ground. Perhaps the Roman guards campfire still smoldered. The garden is desecrated, the grave robbed by Jesus’ enemies. Their hatred knew no end. Not knowing where your loved one’s corpse is buried causes great trauma She runs to where Peter and John were hiding from the Jewish authorities in fear. (Jn 20:3-9) Peter and John run to the garden. Adam and his wife had run from the garden in the day they were cast out. Now the path for sinful mankind is reversed. They come to investigate. They find no evidence of grave robbers. The linen cloth that had swaddled the body of their Lord was laying in place - undisturbed - but with no corpse hidden in its folds. The cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head it neatly folded up and carefully placed on a shelf. It is as you get up each morning, making your bed, and laying neatly folded pajamas aside - the day has broken - life begins anew in the light. John believes- What? Mary’s evaluation that Jesus’ body has been stolen - because he did not yet know the Scripture of His resurrection - that night they would as the Master Gardener, who for three years had sown the seed of His Word into their ears, would breathe forth the Holy Spirit opening the Scriptures to their understanding from Genesis to Malachi.  
      We believe Christ rose from the dead on this day according to the Scriptures. St. Paul catalogued over 500 eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrected living body after His crucifixion for your sins. Don’t believe the Satanic lies spouted in ignorance that reject the historical reality that Jesus lives! Study real historical documents - the Gospels - He lives! Hear Jesus’ living voice in His Word! Through His Word the Master Gardener harvests new life in us watering us with His life giving Spirit in baptism.
    Mary mourns -(Jn. 20:11-13) death brings sorrow and sadness - the garden of the cemetery only tears us from those who love. With Mary we assume the worst - we will never see our loved ones again, we don’t know where they are...without hope we cry. Behold the Master Gardner! Crying at the grave she finds no comfort in the preacher asking why are you weeping. She only know she has lost her Lord, now His body is gone - grief crushes her spirit. Have you felt this crushing grief?
      Listen! The Master Gardener is at work even through loss and grief to fill you with a living hope. (Jn. 20:14-18) She can’t see Him for who He is - she assumes He is the gardener. She is right - He is the Master Gardener who has made all things new. On the 6th day - He recreated mankind through the sacrifice of His innocent flesh for our sin. Falling into a deep sleep God used the Roman spear to open His side - building His wife - the Church with His flesh and blood.   New Life springs forth - the 8th day of creation has come. Jesus calls Mary by name and she sees Him alive. He calls you by name baptizing you into His life. See Him. She isn’t to cling to Him. He will cling to her and you by His resurrection and ascension. In Jesus’ living wounds you are the beloved children of God of your True Father!
        Be like Mary - joyfully tell your fellow Christians - especially as you leave the garden after planting the seed of a beloved Christian in the earth! “Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Jesus lives they shall rise. Alleluia! Amen.      


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