THE THREE TREES OF EASTER
MARK 15:33-39
LET ME BEGIN BY WELCOMING YOU TO OUR GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE. GOOD FRIDAY IS A VERY UNUSUAL DAY. IT’T TITLE IS ALMOST OXYMORONIC. WHAT IS SO GOOD ABOUT REMEMBERING THE BRUTAL DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST?
THE FEELING AROUND THIS HOLY DAY IS ALSO UNUSUAL. IT’S QUIET AND FILLED WITH SAD ANTICIPATION UNTIL ABOUT 3:00 P.M. WHEN WE FINALLY SAY “IT WAS FINISHED, JESUS IS DEAD.” PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAT IN HOSPITAL ROOMS ANTICIPATING THE DEATH OF A FRIEND OR LOVED ONE, RESIGNED TO THE FACT THAT DEATH WAS COMING AND COMING SOON, KNOW THIS FEELING WELL.
AS CHRISTIANS WE KNOW THAT THE TOMB IS EMPTY AND THAT JESUS IS ALIVE. TODAY THOUGH, WE EMPATHIZE WITH THOSE WHO TOOK JESUS’ BODY OFF THE CROSS, LOVINGLY CARRIED IT TO THE TOMB AND PREPARED IT FOR BURIAL. WE HEAR THE DEAFENING THUD OF THE ROCK AS IT IS ROLLED INTO PLACE, AND STAND IN HOPELESS SILENCE WONDERING, “NOW WHAT”.
PERHAPS THIS IS WHAT MAKES EASTER SUNDAY SO SPECIAL. THE DEPTH OF OUR SADNESS TODAY IS TRANSFORMED BY THE REALIZATION THAT JESUS IS ALIVE AND VICTORIOUS OVER THE GRAVE. THE FEELING ON THAT DAY IS RELAXING HAPPINESS AND JOY BUT THE SAME QUESTION REMAINS, “NOW WHAT”?
TODAY THOUGH, WE REMEMBER JESUS’ AGONIZING DEATH ON THE CROSS. WHY, BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD DID GOD CHOOSE TO USE THE CROSS TO ACCOMPLISH THE PLAN OF SALVATION FOR PEOPLE?
2 TIMOTHY 1:9: HE HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US TO A HOLY LIFE—NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING WE HAVE DONE BUT BECAUSE OF HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE. THIS GRACE WAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME,
FIRST TREE: KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL
A KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE NECESSITY OF THE CROSS, IS TO COMPREHEND, AT LEAST PARTIALLY, THE DEPTH OF OUR SINFUL STATE. TO DO THIS WE GO BACK TO THE GARDEN CALLED EDEN.
EDEN WAS A PERFECT PLACE BEFORE THE FALL OF HUMANITY. ALL THAT WAS IN IT, INCLUDING HUMANITY WAS CREATED VERY GOOD. HERE HUMANITY HAD THE POTENTIAL TO LIVE FOREVER. PAIN MAY HAVE BEEN FELT, BUT IT WAS ONLY FOR POSITIVE REASONS. ALL FORMS OF PLANT LIFE WAS THERE AND MAN WAS ALLOWED TO EAT ANY OF IT, EXCEPT FOR ONE.
THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL WAS A TREE OF CHOICE. IT WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER TREE IN THE GARDEN, BUT IT OFFERED HUMANITY A CHOICE NO OTHER TREE IN THE GARDEN COULD, AND THAT WAS THE CHOICE TO BE OBEDIENT. THE NAME WE GAVE TO THE TREE SPOKE TO THE CONSEQUENCES WE WOULD SUFFER IF WE EAT FROM THE TREE.
WHILE SATAN TEMPTED ADAM AND EVE HE HAD THE ADVANTAGE OF KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL AS HE HAD ALREADY CHOSEN EVIL. HIS OBJECTIVE IN THE GARDEN WAS TO GET HUMANITY TO CHOOSE EVIL AS WELL.
SATAN OFFERED THE CHOICE TO KNOW TWO WORLDS, THE WORLD OF GOODNESS BUT ALSO THE WORLD OF EVIL, AND ONCE THE CHOICE WAS MADE IT COULD NOT BE TAKEN BACK. IT COULD BE FORGIVEN, BUT IT’S EFFECTS COULD NEVER BE REMOVED. THE ONLY WAY WE COULD LEARN EVIL WAS TO COMMIT EVIL, AND ONCE THAT HAPPENED OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD FOREVER CHANGED.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE FALL WERE DEVESTATING AND ABSOLUTE. THE SIN NATURE WAS PASSED TO ALL HUMANITY, AS WELL AS THE CONSEQUENCE.
EPHESIANS 2:1-3:
AS FOR YOU, YOU WERE DEAD IN YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS AND SINS, 2 IN WHICH YOU USED TO LIVE WHEN YOU FOLLOWED THE WAYS OF THIS WORLD AND OF THE RULER OF THE KINGDOM OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT WHO IS NOW AT WORK IN THOSE WHO ARE DISOBEDIENT. 3 ALL OF US ALSO LIVED AMONG THEM AT ONE TIME, GRATIFYING THE CRAVINGS OF OUR FLESH M AND FOLLOWING ITS DESIRES AND THOUGHTS
ONE OF THE TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN IS PHYSICAL DEATH. THE POTENTIAL WE HAD TO LIVE FOREVER BEFORE THE FALL IS GONE. SINCE THE TIME OF THE FALL OUR LIFE SPANS HAVE GROWN PROGRESSIVELY SHORTER. THIS WE DO KNOW THOUGH, THAT AT SOME POINT, IF THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH DOESN’T OCCUR IN OUR LIFETIME, WE WILL FACE DEATH, AND AFTER THAT THE JUDGMENT.
JUDGMENT IS A LEGAL TERM AND IS NOT USED WHEN EVIDENCE IS PRESENTED, BUT IT IS AT THE END OF THE TRIAL, WHEN THE VERDICT OF GUILTY OR INNOCENT IS PRONOUNCED. BECAUSE OF OUR SIN NATURE, OUR VERDICT WILL ALWAYS BE GUILTY, AND THE SENTENCE IS ETERAL SEPARATION FROM GOD IN HELL. THERE IS NO APPEAL AND NO SECOND CHANCES. THE VERDICT IS ABSOLUTE AND JUST WITH NO POSSIBILITY OF APPEAL.
THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL IS A TREE OF JUDGMENT AND CONDEMNATION.
THE SECOND TREE: GOLGOTHA
HUMANITY NOW, AFTER THE FALL, IS IN A LOST AND HOPELESS SITUATION. WE ARE BOUND FOR AN ETERNITY APART FROM CHRIST, WITH NO WAY TO CHANGE THE RESULT. WE ARE CONDEMNED BY OUR OWN SINFUL NATURE.
THE OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM WAS IMPERFECT. BY FAITH THROUGH THEIR OBEDIENCE TO THE SYSTEM, HUMANITY COULD BE DECLARED “RIGHTEOUS”. OUR SIN THOUGH WAS NOT DEALT WITH, WE WERE NOT DEALT WITH.
ROMANS 3:25: GOD PRESENTED CHRIST AS A SACRIFICE OF ATONEMENT, M THROUGH THE SHEDDING OF HIS BLOOD—TO BE RECEIVED BY FAITH. HE DID THIS TO DEMONSTRATE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, BECAUSE IN HIS FORBEARANCE HE HAD LEFT THE SINS COMMITTED BEFOREHAND UNPUNISHED
THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM WAS AN EXAMPLE A MODEL OF SOMETHING FAR GREATER THAT WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY CHRIST.
HEBREWS 10:1 THE LAW IS ONLY A SHADOW OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE COMING—NOT THE REALITIES THEMSELVES. FOR THIS REASON IT CAN NEVER, BY THE SAME SACRIFICES REPEATED ENDLESSLY YEAR AFTER YEAR, MAKE PERFECT THOSE WHO DRAW NEAR TO WORSHIP.
THE VERSE TELLS US THAT JESUS WAS THE PERFECT SACRIFICE THAT THE WORLD WAS LOOKING FOR. HIS MIRACULOUS CONCEPTION MEANT THAT THE SIN NATURE WAS NOT PASSED ON TO HIM. HE LIVED A SINLESS AND PERFECT LIFE.
THIS ALLOWED HIM TO BE OUR SUBSTITUTE AND TO DEAL WITH OUR SIN NATURE ON A PERMANENT BASIS.
1 PETER 2:24: HE HIMSELF BORE OUR SINS” IN HIS BODY ON THE CROSS, SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO SINS AND LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS; “BY HIS WOUNDS YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED.”
THE CROSS IS SOMETIMES KNOWN AS CALVARY’S TREE. THE OLD TESTAMENT STATES IN DEUTERONOMY 21:22-23 “CURSED IS ANYONE WHO HANGS FROM A TREE. IT BECAME FOR US THE WAY TO ESCAPE THE PENALTY OF SIN. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY.
JESUS PAID THE RANSOM FOR SIN AND ONLY HE COULD. HE ALLOWED ALL OF GOD’S ANGER OVER SIN, ANGER THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN POURED OUT ON US, TO BE TAKEN OUT ON HIM.
1 JOHN 4:10: THIS IS LOVE: NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON AS AN ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS.
THE TREE OF GOLGOTHA, CALVARY’S CROSS WAS GOD’S PLAN FOR REDEMPTION.
THE THRID TREE IS THE TREE OF LIFE:
THE TREE OF LIFE IS GOD’S PROMISE OF AN ETERNAL FUTURE WITH HIM. IT WAS PRESENT IN THE GARDEN BEFORE THE FALL, AND IT WAS THE CHIEF REASON WHY ADAM AND EVE WERE DRIVEN FROM THE GARDEN, SO THEY COULD NOT EAT FROM IT AND LIVE IN A SINFUL STATE FOREVER.
THE TREE OF LIFE WILL BE PART OF THE NEW JERUSALEM.
REVELATION 2:7: WHOEVER HAS EARS, LET THEM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES. TO THE ONE WHO IS VICTORIOUS, I WILL GIVE THE RIGHT TO EAT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN THE PARADISE OF GOD.
WHEN WE ARE IN HEAVEN WE WILL LIVE FOREVER. WE WILL ONCE AGAIN BE AS WE WERE BEFORE THE FALL AND FREE FROM THE CURSE OF SIN. WE WILL BE HOME, FREE FROM THE CARES AND WORRIES OF THIS WORLD. WE WILL BASK IN THE GLORY OF GOD, NEVER KNOWING THE INFIRMITIES OF THIS FRAGILE WORLD.
THE THIRD TREE IS THE TREE OF LIFE AND HOPE IN CHRIST.
CONCLUSION:
THESE THREE TREES REPRESENT GOD’S PLAN FOR SALVATION FOR YOU AND ME.
TREE NO. 1: TELLS US OF OUR SINFUL STATE AND NEED OF THE
SAVIOUR. IT TELLS US THAT WE CAN DO NOTHING TO
GAIN OUR OWN SALVATION.
TREE NO. 2: TELLS US THAT GOD GAVE HIS SON IN OUR PLACE TO
PAY THE PENALTY FOR OUR SIN.
TREE NO. 3: TELLS US ABOUT OUR FUTURE HOME WE CAN HAVE AS
BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS.
BUT THERE IS ONE FACT YOU MUST UNDERSTAND CLEARLY. YOU MUST ASK GOD FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS FOR SALVATION TO OCCUR. YOU MUST CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED FOR YOU, AND THAT GOD WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU.
YOU MUST ACCEPT JESUS INTO YOUR LIFE AS LORD AND SAVIOUR AND ALLOW HIM TO LIVE IN YOU AND THROUGH YOU.
THE STORY OF THESE THREE TREES IS THE LOVE STORY OF GOD TO US AND I HOPE YOU WILL ACCEPT HIM TODAY AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, AND BEGIN A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP THAT WILL LEAD YOU THROUGH THIS WORLD AND SAFELY HOME TO BE WITH HIM FOR ETERNITY.
GOD BLESS YOU.
