PARADISE WEEK 2

Series: PARADISE

Sermon: The Gardener

Scripture: John 20:1–16

REVIEW

This week, we continued our Paradise series by going to the tomb on the morning of the resurrection.

Three days earlier, Jesus had died on the cross. His followers expected the story to end there. Even the people closest to Him believed death had won.

Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb in a garden (John 20:1). When she saw the stone rolled away, her first thought was not resurrection—it was that someone had taken Jesus’ body.

Mary’s reaction shows us something important: the first followers of Jesus did not expect a resurrection either. The resurrection was not an idea they invented—it was something they experienced.

After Peter and John inspected the tomb and left, Mary stayed behind, weeping. She had nowhere else to go. Jesus had completely changed her life, and without Him she feared she would return to the darkness she came from (Luke 8:2).

Then something remarkable happens.

Mary turns and sees Jesus standing there, but she does not recognize Him. In fact, John tells us:

“Supposing he was the gardener…” (John 20:15)

In one sense, Mary is mistaken. But in another sense, she is closer to the truth than she realizes. At the beginning of Scripture, humanity lived with God in a garden. Sin exiled us from that paradise. Since then, humanity has lived with a deep longing to get back to the presence of God.

Jesus entered our broken world, died on the cross for our sins, and was buried in a garden. And on the third day, He rose again. In that moment, the One standing in the garden truly was the Gardener—the One who created the world and would lead humanity back to paradise.

But Mary does not recognize Him until Jesus speaks one word:

“Mary.” (John 20:16)

When Jesus calls her by name, everything changes. The resurrection proves that Jesus is alive, that the cross truly paid for our sin, and that the way back to God’s garden is now open. Jesus called Mary by name, and through the resurrection, He calls each of us to new life.

APPLY

Mary stood in front of Jesus and did not realize it until He called her by name.

Sometimes we are closer to Jesus than we realize, but grief, fear, or confusion keeps us from recognizing Him.

This week, consider this question:

What is ONE area of your life where you need to stop searching for answers and start listening for the voice of Jesus?

It may be:

• a season of grief or disappointment

• a place where you feel lost or directionless

• a fear about the future

• a struggle you have been trying to solve on your own

Instead of trying to fix everything yourself, ask Jesus to meet you there and speak into that place.

PRAY

Use prompts like these as your group prays together:

• “Jesus, help me recognize Your voice in my life.”

• “Thank You that You know me personally and call me by name.”

• “Remind me that the resurrection proves You are alive and present.”

• “Meet me in the places where I feel lost or confused.”

• “Lead me back to the life You created me for.”

Take a moment to thank Jesus for the resurrection and the hope it brings.