Matthew 16:24-26
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
After speaking light into existence, the next things God created was earth, water and vegetation. This combination is the sustaining element of our planet; for without them working in total harmony life could not survive. Vegetation requires earth, earth need water and water depends upon vegetation to produce oxygen. All these elements are interdependent of each other, and in them everything we need is provided. By the time sea creatures, birds, animals and humans appeared on the scene, plants and trees had already populated the earth and were ready to sustain human life. And in the world of plants, trees reign supreme. 30% of our oxygen comes from trees. Trees stabilize soil so it doesn’t wash away into the sea. And trees extract harmful pollutants and toxins in soil that would cause harm to plant and animal life.
But today I would remind us of an additional benefit of trees. From a spiritual context trees represent life and death. In the Bible retelling of the story of the fall of humanity, Moses mentions two trees that were pivotal to mankind. The tree of Life and the tree of Death (aka the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil). I call it by its unintended outcome. Because of disobedience it became the Tree of Death: a sentence we all are burdened with.
The Garden of Eden wasn’t the last time trees were significant in shaping the history of the world. Moses walked around with a tree limb (wooden staff) and with it opened a passageway in the Red Sea. Conversely he also misused that same staff and cost himself entry into the Promised Land. Again a story of life and death through poor decision making. But the most significant mention of a tree in all of biblical history is the cross at Calvary. Apostle Peter in his first letter addresses it this way, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
When Jesus was speaking to his disciples, they were well aware of the importance of trees. Trees were the lifeblood of the people of that day. But trees also represented the most heinous and torturous way to die. Though crafted from the same material that provides, fruit, shade, shelter and warmth, the cross was used to also bring death. And it’s that utilization of the tree Jesus was referring to when he asked his followers to carry their cross. Jesus presented to his disciples a real life and death choice. Following him is going to cost them something. Following Jesus is going to cost us everything. Ultimately, that’s what this scripture is all about. But the decision is ours.
Adam and Eve made the wrong choice. Moses misapplied and misappropriated his power when engaging with the tree. And now it’s our turn to decide. Will we carry the cross and follow, or let Jesus carry it alone? While our physical death is certain, we have the option to ‘lose our life’ to gain Christ. This is the great paradox. If we save our lives we lose them, and if we lose them we save them. And it’s all made possible because of a tree.
And the cross is not the last mention of the significance of a tree. John writes in Revelation, Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; Rev. 22:1-3
God Bless
