Daily Scripture: John 18:1 After Yeshua had said all this, he went out with his talmidim across the stream that flows in winter through the Vadi Kidron, to a spot where there was a grove of trees; and he and his talmidim went into it. 2 Now Y’hudah, who was betraying him, also knew the place; because Yeshua had often met there with his talmidim.
28 After this, knowing that all things had accomplished their purpose, Yeshua, in order to fulfill the words of the Tanakh, said, “I’m thirsty.” 29 A jar full of cheap sour wine was there; so they soaked a sponge in the wine, coated it with oregano leaves and held it up to his mouth. 30 After Yeshua had taken the wine, he said, “It is accomplished!” And, letting his head droop, he delivered up his spirit.
38 After this, Yosef of Ramatayim, who was a talmid of Yeshua, but a secret one out of fear of the Judeans, asked Pilate if he could have Yeshua’s body. Pilate gave his consent, so Yosef came and took the body away. 39 Also Nakdimon, who at first had gone to see Yeshua by night, came with some seventy pounds of spices — a mixture of myrrh and aloes. 40 They took Yeshua’s body and wrapped it up in linen sheets with the spices, in keeping with Judean burial practice. 41 In the vicinity of where he had been executed was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb in which no one had ever been buried. 42 So, because it was Preparation Day for the Judeans, and because the tomb was close by, that is where they buried Yeshua.
Reflection Questions:John signaled that Jesus' story was the story of a new creation, of a fresh start for humanity. The first words of his gospel ("In the beginning") already linked the story of Jesus to Genesis. People often speak of the Garden of Gethsemane, but of all the gospel writers, only John made a point of noting that Jesus' last night, and the place where he died on the cross, were in or near a garden.
- Jesus, the source of "living water" (cf. John 4:14) said he thirsted. John highlighted Jesus' identity as "our Passover lamb" (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:7) by specifying that they gave him sour wine on a hyssop branch (cf. Exodus 12:22). Then Jesus said, "It is completed" and died. What was completed? What difference does it make to your life that Jesus completed the saving mission for which he came?
- After Jesus' death, John wrote that two secret, wealthy followers of Jesus provided for a tomb. He repeated that there was a garden where Jesus body was laid to rest. Jesus' post-resurrection life, like human life in Genesis 2, would begin in a garden. This would be humanity made new, creation set to rights. Ponder the awesome mystery that God the creator was able to create great good out of the ugly, unfair and brutal act of crucifying Jesus.
Loving Lord, I bow at the foot of your cross. Your love and grace made a place of crucifixion into a garden of life, and I commit myself anew to you as the king of my life. Amen.Insight from Angela LaVallie
Angela LaVallie is the Worship Logistics Program Director at Resurrection. She oversees preparing the Sanctuary for worship, supports Vibe worship and volunteers in the Student Center, provides oversight for Holy Communion at the Leawood campus, and assists with worship logistics at conferences.
I have always loved gardens. When I was 8, my mom taped the Hallmark Hall of Fame version of The Secret Garden, and I watched it over and over and over again from TV. I watched it so much, that the tape (yes, VHS tape) wore through, broke, and had to be scotch-taped back together. Then I continued to watch it even with about 30 seconds cut out from the broken tape.
For those of you not familiar with the story –originally a book written by Frances Hodgson Burnett – it takes place during the late nineteenth century. Young Mary Lennox, a British girl who lives in colonial India is sent to live in England with a distant relative after her parents pass away. On the Yorkshire estate where Mary ends up, she finds a garden that had long-ago been walled up and locked after a terrible accident. As Mary and friends work to cultivate the garden and bring it back to life, Mary’s broken spirit is healed.
Another reason I think gardens hold a special place for me is that my grandfather loved flowers. He and Granny always had lots of flowers in their yard, but roses were Poppa’s favorite. Even during his last years in a nursing home, there was always a rosebush outside his window. Poppa doing his daily Guideposts devotional has been a big inspiration to me to be indaily Scripture reading and prayer.
I think that connection between Poppa’s time with God and his love of gardens has helped make gardens a place I want to spend time with God – and it doesn’t matter to me if that “garden” is as small as a few potted plants on my patio or as large as Powell Gardens or the Overland Park Arboretum. Reading today’s passages of Scripture, where Jesus spent time with God and where life-changing things happened reinforce for me that having a special place to connect with God is important.
For me, that place is a garden, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only place I can meet with God. Having a special place dedicated for that purpose can help us to remember the importance of taking the time. For me, when it’s too cold to be outside (basically, anytime it’s under 65 degrees), I sit in the same chair at the same table that Poppa did his daily reading in. That spot is special to me because of the history of that chair, but before that table and chairs came to be in my apartment, I had another place. The end of my couch by the window wasn’t anything special except for it was a dedicated spot for me to meet with God. If you don’t already have a “garden”, I encourage you to set aside a place and time to meet with God and see how it can make a difference in your life.
I have always loved gardens. When I was 8, my mom taped the Hallmark Hall of Fame version of The Secret Garden, and I watched it over and over and over again from TV. I watched it so much, that the tape (yes, VHS tape) wore through, broke, and had to be scotch-taped back together. Then I continued to watch it even with about 30 seconds cut out from the broken tape.
For those of you not familiar with the story –originally a book written by Frances Hodgson Burnett – it takes place during the late nineteenth century. Young Mary Lennox, a British girl who lives in colonial India is sent to live in England with a distant relative after her parents pass away. On the Yorkshire estate where Mary ends up, she finds a garden that had long-ago been walled up and locked after a terrible accident. As Mary and friends work to cultivate the garden and bring it back to life, Mary’s broken spirit is healed.
Another reason I think gardens hold a special place for me is that my grandfather loved flowers. He and Granny always had lots of flowers in their yard, but roses were Poppa’s favorite. Even during his last years in a nursing home, there was always a rosebush outside his window. Poppa doing his daily Guideposts devotional has been a big inspiration to me to be indaily Scripture reading and prayer.
I think that connection between Poppa’s time with God and his love of gardens has helped make gardens a place I want to spend time with God – and it doesn’t matter to me if that “garden” is as small as a few potted plants on my patio or as large as Powell Gardens or the Overland Park Arboretum. Reading today’s passages of Scripture, where Jesus spent time with God and where life-changing things happened reinforce for me that having a special place to connect with God is important.
For me, that place is a garden, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only place I can meet with God. Having a special place dedicated for that purpose can help us to remember the importance of taking the time. For me, when it’s too cold to be outside (basically, anytime it’s under 65 degrees), I sit in the same chair at the same table that Poppa did his daily reading in. That spot is special to me because of the history of that chair, but before that table and chairs came to be in my apartment, I had another place. The end of my couch by the window wasn’t anything special except for it was a dedicated spot for me to meet with God. If you don’t already have a “garden”, I encourage you to set aside a place and time to meet with God and see how it can make a difference in your life.
Church of the Resurrection
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
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