IN THE GARDEN

 Philippians 3:10-11

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

                When I was a boy, one of my favorite hymns was “In the Garden.” The first verse sets the stage for the song.

I come to the garden alone.

While the dew is still on the roses.

And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,

the Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me

and He talks with me.

And He tells me I am his own.

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

none other has even known.

 

                When I was in seminary, one of my professors stated that He didn’t like that hymn because he felt that it taught bad theology. During this pandemic, that hymn has come back to me. It may express bad theology, from an academic perspective, but it resonates with my heart. It expresses an intimacy with Jesus that I have longed for all of my life. It is an intimacy that we all need more than ever right now.

                Since we moved to Michigan, we have been unable to connect with a church in a meaningful way. Recently, I was privileged to provide pulpit supply for a church. As I prepared for those messages, I was energized. As I gave those messages, I felt purposeful and alive. I was experiencing a connection with Christ that has been missing.

                The intensely individual expression of connection with Christ in the hymn can be dangerous. It can lead us into an unhealthy “just me and Jesus” mentality that excludes our need for others. But this hymn, for me, also kindles a deep longing to be close to Christ. It was a longing that Paul clearly expressed in Philippians 3. He summarized all of his accomplishments as nothing compared with knowing Christ intimately.

                Unless we are cultivating our personal walk with Christ, our corporate experience will be hollow. It will be based on feelings and uplifting experiences. We can unconsciously look to other people to fill the place that Jesus wants to have in our lives. Our focus can shift from Christ to what we can get from our fellowship with other believers. Genuine corporate worship is fueled by genuine personal worship. When Jesus called His first disciples, he didn’t call them into an organization or a group. He called them to follow Him.

                In John 1, we read about Andrew and Philip’s first encounter with Jesus.

                The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. (John 1:35-39)

                When Andrew and Philip asked Jesus about where He lived, they were really asking, who are you? Jesus responded with an invitation with spend time with Him. I think Jesus offers us the same invitation. As we go through our days, He invites us to walk with Him and to talk with Him. He invites us to know that He cares about us as individuals, not just as a number in the crowd.

                The corporate nature of the Church is an essential component. Throughout the New Testament we are instructed to connect with other believers, to worship together, to serve together, to impact our world together. We are the Body of Christ. At the same time, we need to know that Jesus values us as individuals as well. None of us is insignificant.

                One of the casualties of this pandemic has been relationships. We are isolated from one another not just physically, but socially and emotionally as well. But there is one relationship that this pandemic cannot touch. It is our relationship with Christ. With so many of the normal activities of life shut down, this is a prime time to head to the garden for walks with Jesus.

Romans 8:35-39

    Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

    "For your sake we face death all day long;

        we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.