People in this fallen world have been seeking a dreamland for a long time. Can we imagine paradise? What kind of image do we have in mind? Some of us may picture a peaceful tropical island for vacation. Some may think of their current comfortable life. Some may feel like being in a spiritual oasis while worshipping God in this sanctuary! It would be great to have a place of satisfaction and relaxation.

In our main text for today, we can find God’s promised residence called “The Garden of Eden.” I want us to explore this God-given utopia and apply some lessons to our spiritual journey.

After God created humans, firstly, He prepared for them a perfect environment. He provided for them “all kinds of trees” that were “good for food” (Genesis 2:9). Due to rich soil, people did not have to suffer labour. No weeds or bugs were in the garden, so they could quickly harvest crops. Today, however, people work hard to support their families. One of our neighbours, when my family and I lived in Montreal, worked more than 12 hours almost every day. Sometimes she told me something like: “Caleb, I do not know why I have to work so hard. I am so tired.” It is not only her story but also that of many people nowadays. God also made beautiful rivers and precious stones in the garden. I believe that these reservoirs have become “the source of blessing” to the entire world.

In our Epistle for today, the Apostle John describes another paradise. In his God-given revelation, John saw a new garden, “the Holy City, coming down out of heaven” (Revelation 21:2). This place would be the same as the one called “My Father’s House” (John 14:2) Jesus Christ promised to those who put their trust in Him as “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Did we notice the following similar phrase “No tears in heaven?” It is nearly complicated to think about the world without mourning today. But all sadness and suffering will be gone in God’s Promised Land forever. Someone described another thing we will not discover in the New Jerusalem: “There are no cemeteries… No funerals in that glad city.” One famous theologian, C. S. Lewis, said, “Christians never say goodbye. We would rather say, “See you later. And we will.” Isn’t that wonderful?

This fact can lead us to the second divine aspect of Eden, eternal life. In Genesis chapter 2, verse 9, it is written, “In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Humans were originally designed to live eternally due to the full access to one of the sacred plants. From early human history up to today, people have tried to avoid dying and to find a way to live forever. When one of the Chinese emperors made his nation united and strong, he was afraid of dying. So he had asked his servants to find a secret wild plant that would allow him to live endlessly when he ate it. He had also prepared his cemetery during his thirty-six-year reign. This cemetery is 60 meters in height and 300 meters in length. But he died when he was only 50 years old. Nowadays, some people want their bodies frozen in capsules after they die. These bodies would be waiting for advanced medical science to develop a way to restore them alive in the future. Paradise cannot exist apart from immortality. Remember the well-known God’s Word: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The third ingredient of a godly utopia is freedom. Once again, we heard from this Genesis text, “In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9). These two plants demonstrate God’s gift of independent choice to Adam and Eve and us, their spiritual descendants. Let me read some of today’s primary scripture again to you: “[And] the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will certainly die.” This scripture can be called “Adam’s Bible.” God said, “You are free.” God did not make us robots that had to follow the builder’s instructions automatically. The Lord God gave us the liberty to choose A or B. Human beings were untied to have fruits from any of the plants. Adam was allowed to take the harvest from the tree of life and even from the tree of knowledge. God did not force humankind to obey by putting high fences around the plant. Freedom is an excellent present from God.

Fourthly, God gave Adam a holy commandment in His prepared place. When I read, for the first time, the passage I have just stated, I wondered why God put “the tree of knowledge of good and evil” that would cause humans to fail in keeping that instruction. However, I have discovered that this law is like a divine compass in the Garden of Eden. The tree of knowledge could help Adam and Eve to establish the proper relationship between God and them. Whenever Adam and Eve looked at the plant, they were supposed to recall that God was the park’s owner and that keeping God’s command was the way for them to enjoy their lives there. As you may agree, people tend to do “whatever seems right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Once again, we are given the liberty to do anything except for “sin.” In our daily lives, we need to do things that God loves. To love God means to keep His sacred guidance in the Bible. Without holding the Word of God in our hearts, we may forget the Creator God and may not know what is right or wrong in His sight. Every day we may hear of God’s blessings from one side and evil’s temptations from the other. The decision that we face today is not a difficult one. Obeying godly teachings by renewing our minds in God, repenting of our sins before Christ, and relying on the Holy Spirit is the way to keep the Triune Lord’s paradise in our hearts.

The fifth element of heaven is the purpose of life. In verse 15 of Genesis chapter 2, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden to work it and take care of it.” In verses 19 and 20, we find Adam surrounded by animals, giving each name to an individual living creature. He called elephants because they had long noses. He called lions because they were strong. In this scripture, we can see a happy Adam fulfilling the task God had asked him to do. Whether we realize it or not, we are also given the holy privilege of what God has entrusted us to do for His community and His people. We all have different good works. Your contributions are going to be different from mine. And my talents are going to be different from others. God has called each of us as His masterpiece to do God’s plan for our lives. Some of us may remember the life testimony of Nick Vujicic. He was born without hands, arms, and legs. Some people might only look at his disabled physical condition and not expect to see him do something extraordinary for the Lord. Due to Nick’s positive religious attitude toward God and himself, he has touched the hearts of millions of lives worldwide while sharing the stories of how God has made him special and shaped him to live with God’s unique purposes. One more time, we all have our God-given tasks in our faith journey. Sharing God’s love for us with our friends and neighbours through our words and deeds is one of our God-given honor in this beautiful world.

The last characteristic of wonderland is marriage. We can learn through verses 18 through 25 that God established a holy union in the Garden of Eden. The Lord recognized that man being alone was not good, so He made “a helper suitable” for Adam (Genesis 2:18). When he was sent into a deep sleep, God created Eve with one of Adam’s ribs. I will declare one more time his testimony when the LORD God brought Eve to him: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man” (Genesis 2:23). Another fact of how much Adam and Eve were satisfied in their marriage can be found in the last verse of this Genesis chapter. “Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame” (Genesis 2:25). The expression we have just heard not only gives us the meaning of “physical appearance,” but it also describes an intimate relationship between the two. Adam and Eve had nothing to hide from each other due to their trust. I believe they would make a life-long commitment before God and vow to become “one flesh” until death parts them (Genesis 2:25). In this God-prepared wedding ceremony, He blessed Adam and Eve’s matrimony and their perfect home. Marriage was God’s perfect gift to human beings.

To conclude, human beings have tried to create this perfect Eden in our society since the fall. People have attempted to build an ideal place on earth without considering the Biblical picture of heaven. They believe governments, educational systems, and religious and humane organizations could improve their society. Communism was a grand vision of humanists to build a romantic country based on sharing all wealth and property. The Nazis thought they could create a paradise by excluding anyone they considered inferior. And capitalism can call itself a wonderland in terms of a wealthy life. Despite our best efforts, we have heard and seen many terrible stories in everyday life. Something must have gone wrong. We need to remember that, without the presence, protection, and provision of God, there can be no heavenly kingdom anywhere in this fallen world.

In our Gospel for today, two criminals died on a cross next to Jesus. One of the criminals repented of his sins and turned to Jesus, saying: “[Lord], remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43) This is good news for us who have longed to enter Paradise. Our Lord God has worked throughout human history to bring His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to open the way to enter heaven. We thank God for His Promise Messiah, who is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness once we admit our wrongdoings and acknowledge Him as our Lord and Saviour. Amen!

*In this sermon, I have used some thoughts from various addresses based on Genesis 2:4-25 & Luke 23:39-43; Revelation 21:1-7.