Two Gardens, Two Trees



A tree offered its sweet fruit to the Man who ushered in the fruit of sin and death; a tree offered the Second Man the opportunity to taste it in all its fullness. Adam saw the sweetness, and bit; Jesus saw the horrible cost, and swallowed death for all of us.
In the Garden of Eden the couple together chose to rebel; in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus stood alone in choosing to obey. Eden saw no sweat on Adam's brow as he defied God; Gethsemane saw beads of blood as Jesus bowed before God.
Adam plucked fruit from the luscious boughs that would be reworked into a terrifying torture device. For Adam's sin, the curse of thorns scourged the ground, the very thorns that were worked so masterfully into a crown for a King.
Adam listened to the voice of the serpent; Jesus listened to the voice of the Father. Adam tried to submit God to his own will; Jesus submitted himself to God's will. Adam thought to ascend to be like God; Jesus thought to descend to the death of the cross.
Adam shifted the blame he deserved; Jesus took the blame he didn't deserve. Adam deserved death; Jesus deserved life.
Adam died; Jesus died.
And there is a third garden. As you approach this tomb, you will notice something.
It's empty.
Won't you come live in this garden?

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