New Creation Has Begun
JULIAN ADAMS • May 7, 2018
After the resurrection, Jesus chooses to reveal himself to Mary as a gardener. This is because he wants us to understand that we are now entering into the same ministry he has, which is bringing resurrection life to the world. This message is from Easter Sunday 2018, at Harvest Church, Durban South Africa.
– TRANSCRIPT
Julian: John chapter 20, we are here I promise I’m gonna preach now. “But Mary stood outside the tomb and as she wept she stooped to look in the tomb and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. And they said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ And she said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him.’ Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but did not know that it was Jesus. And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’” I love that. It’s the best part in this story, “Mary.” “And she turned and she said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabbi’ which means teacher. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene went and announced it to his disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord.’ And that he had said this things to her.”
I have been camped in the Gospel of John for about a year. I keep dipping into this gospel. John writes this Gospel to a Jewish audience to help them understand that Jesus is Messiah, that he is all of Israel’s learning’s and all of Israel’s promises fulfilled. And he does so by helping retell the story as it were of creation because the Gospel of John is the story of new creation. And so you’ll see incredible allegories and moments and signs that point to Jesus, the one who releases the new creation in the Gospel of John. And when you’re reading it, it’s kind of like a drama that John, wanted to put on and that drama, the main character is Jesus. The main character of history past and all of history future is always Jesus. And so John wants us to see this beautiful Jesus, this Messiah, this one who has conquered death and sin for all times. And he wants you to come into an encounter and so we use these seven miracles. And the Bible talks about them as signs. John uses the word, “These are the signs that reveal Jesus.” And so you see the seven signs that correlate to seven days of creation, and the Gospel of John starts exactly the same way as the book of Genesis, doesn’t it?
“In the beginning was the word and the word was God,” exactly as it was in Genesis because John wants to get the reader’s attention that this is a new creation moment. And so you’ll see six miracles culminating with the seventh, which is Jesus’ resurrection. But those six miracles speak of incredible things. And so I just want to take a few of them just to help us understand what it means for us to live in this resurrection today. The first miracle, which is by far my most exciting and the best miracle I’ve seen in the bible is when Jesus turns water into wine. It’s completely unnecessary, and excessive and over the top. There’s more than enough. It’s a demonstration of the goodness of God. It’s a demonstration that He’s a God of abundance who wants to lavish us with more than enough. And this miracle happens at a wedding, right, it happens at this man and woman getting married. It’s a picture commentators tell us of heaven and earth being married together again just like it was in the Garden of Eden. It’s a picture of Jesus as a bride groom coming to fetch his bride. It happens on a third day, which is a resurrection or a new creation moment. All of these little signs are embedded into the story. And Jesus takes some water and he turns it into wine. Somebody once said, “The problem is the church has been trying to turn it back ever since.”
And I love this picture because it’s a picture of what salvation is all about and if you’re a guest here and you do not know the kindness of God. If you do not know how kind he is in changing our life, the reality is that Jesus takes these parts of water, which is used for purification. You washed your feet in them, you washed your hands in them to try and get the dirt off. It was part of the ceremonial Jewish law. And what Jesus does is he takes the tapered, disgusting, filthy water of law keeping and religious belief systems, and he says, “I’m gonna change you from the inside out, I’m gonna make it completely new.” And he changes the chemical composition of water and he creates wine out of it, a completely new substance. Oh, this is so good. And that’s what salvation is like, that’s the good news. Jesus takes my effort, my hard-work, at trying to get close to him and he says, “That’s never gonna work.” You can work as hard as you want, you can try and be good as hard as you want, nothing is ever gonna change in and of yourself. So I might as well, recreate you and make you a new creation all by grace, nothing of myself.” Oh, you’re allowed to get happy at that point. It’s such jolly good news we should shout it from the rooftops, right?
Congregation: Yeah.
Julian: And he’d take all of the rubbish, all of the hard-work, all of the dirt, and he says, “Rather than try and conform you and to simply make you a cleaner version, I’m not gonna try and filter out all the junk. All I’m gonna do is recreate you.” That’s the good news of Jesus. And then you see some of the other miracles happen on…zoning on two other miracles very quickly on the fourth and the fifth miracle. And the fourth miracle is, I’ll tell you because I know some of you are trying to do the math. The fourth miracle is when Jesus feeds 5000-plus people. It’s a beautiful, beautiful picture. The Bible says that he’s seated and he says, “I am the bread of life.” And any good Jewish reader immediately would start thinking about the desert wonderings of the Jewish people. How God fed them with manna from heaven and released bread for them to eat in the desert, where it was impossible for them to make anything. I’m so glad that he is a provider that even when there is nothing to create with, he simply takes from himself and he gives and he creates. And Jesus, in the Gospel of John, he’s saying, “I am the bread of life, the manna that the Israelites received in the desert, that was me. I am the sustaining factor to your life.”
And then it’s incredible, I wish I had more time to talk about this, he’s doing this while he’s seated and he’s talking about who he is. It was the position of Moses that you were to take, as he proclaimed the law, Jesus was basically saying, “I am the fulfillment of all of the law. What you cannot do in and of yourself, I accomplish in and of myself.” Oh, man, you can see I’m happy. It’s resurrection Sunday. And the very next miracle… So feeding of the 5000 in the desert as it were the very next miracle, Jesus comes and walking on the waters. Oh, it’s beautiful. And the sign for us would begin to evoke some of the image of the people of God walking through the Red Sea as the Red Sea’s parted. And they walk through on dry land. Jesus was saying to his disciples through the Gospel of John, “I am the one that controls everything. And I bring you into real freedom. I overcome your fear and your doubt and I bring you into incredible freedom.” I don’t know about you, but this just gets me so jolly happy.
And so they’re these seven signs and it ends with the last sign of resurrection where we’ve just got to, that Jesus is alive. He fulfills the last sign simply by being raised from the dead. And he is saying, “Today is a new creation day.” What we celebrate today is that resurrection life, is now broken out all over the earth. And when Jesus says, “It is finished,” he’s not simply saying that your sins are forgiven, although they are. He’s not simply saying, “You know, I’ve done the math of all of creation past, and all of creation future, and all the sin that they will ever commit, and I now have paid for all of that sin.” Although he did that, that’s not what this is saying when he says, “It is finished.” When he says, “It is finished,” he is saying like God sat down at the end of creation on the sixth day, on the seventh day and rested. And he said, “It is good.” When Jesus says, “It is finished,” he is giving a throwback to that moment. He was basically saying, “Not only have I justified you so that I do not count your sins against you. Not only are you now called to be a part of me, but the new creation can cover the earth.” You see, salvation is not just an individual moment, it’s not just me putting up my hand and saying, “Pick me, I want to be saved.” It’s about the redemption of the whole of the cosmos, it’s about the recovering of all things so that all things become as God always intended it to be. Oh, that’s good news salvation is a whole lot more than your one way ticket to heaven, it’s about the transformation of the whole earth. That’s what resurrection means.
And so Jesus says, “It is finished.” And we get to this moment in a garden. John wants to get our, attention because it all began in the garden, didn’t it? In the Garden of Eden, you know this story, Adam and Eve. Living incredible relationship with the Father, living where heaven and earth touches together in perfection. And God says to Adam, “I want you to take this garden and I want you to cover the earth, that which is without form, that which is without purpose, that which is covered in chaos. And I want you to take this garden and I want you to begin cover it. Cover the earth, cover the darkness, cover the void, cover the formlessness of this earth, and re-cultivate it with the garden of heaven.” It’s a beautiful picture, but you also know that Adam and Eve sinned and so they were asked to leave the garden. And the last thing you see in that garden as Adam and Eve leave are two angels guarding the gate into that garden because they do not want anyone to come in. And they’re guarding that beautiful garden and these two angels are standing there with swords, the Bible says, to stop anyone from coming in.
But how many of you know what was lost in the Garden of Eden is restored at a garden tomb in the Middle East. And this garden tomb, the first thing you see are two angels. The last thing you see in the Garden of Eden, two angels. The first thing you see here are two angels, not guarding anything, but looking pretty bored. “Why are you even here, Mary?” Because no longer do we need angels to guard or to block people from encountering the presence and the power of God. No longer do we need to maintain or hold back God’s presence where heaven and earth meet. Some commentators say that this garden tomb is a picture of the Holy of Holies as Jesus’s body, the place where heaven and earth met for the first time since the Garden of Eden, had been kept for three days. And then on the third day, instead of inviting people in, the presence of God gets out. Shika bazooka, I’m happy. I mean, this is why God gives you a heavenly language sometimes. And these angels are sitting there chilled out with not much to do, because what was once contained has now gone viral.
I want to pull on two things just very quickly, which I think is beautiful because this is a new creation moment. This is when the resurrection life of Jesus is covering everything, and what was lost in the Garden of Eden is restored fully in this garden tomb as resurrection life breaks out all around. You see, it was Eve who ate of the fruit first and convinced man to eat of it. And there’s lots of things I’d like to say about that, but I’ll be quiet right now. My wife’s not here. But here’s the beauty is that since that moment when Eve fell, she lost her place in society. She lost her place in purpose, and destiny, and since that moment, all of history has showed us that the most segregated, the most subjected, the most abused, the most violently abused people group on the earth are women.
Help me Jesus. It’s gone quiet here. Eighty percent of South Africa have been subjected, women have been subjected and abused and not regarded. And Jesus is standing here in this garden and there is Mary, who comes. And women in that day, their testimony was not regarded as of any worth. In fact, women in those days weren’t even allowed to testify in a court case. And some of the Pharisees would pray, “God, thank you that you didn’t make me a dog, and thank me that you didn’t make me a woman, or a Gentile.” It was kind of dog, gentile, woman. That was the view. But how many of you know what was lost in the garden as Eve lost her place, Jesus restores at this garden tomb, and he gives a woman the privilege of being the first witness to the resurrection. He gives the woman the privilege of being an apostle to the Jews saying, “I have seen the resurrected Lord.” Ladies, you ought to get happy at that point.
And for the record, you men should get very happy at that point. What was lost in the garden, God has restored in this garden, man alive. I tell you there’s an army of women rising up. I feel like I want to prophecy right now. You’re not gonna be threatened by men, but they’re gonna come alongside men, and there’s an army of men who are gonna say, “Women, we need you.” Well, I’m gonna say, “Amen to that.” But here’s the beautiful moment here. What was lost in the garden is restored in the garden. You see, Adam lost his place in the garden. Adam failed at extending God’s garden, and the primary revelation of Jesus as the resurrected Lord is not one of King of kings, is not one of a warrior God, is not one of a victor, it’s one of a gardener. Mary sees Jesus and John is writing this intentionally, he wants us to see something. You see, there’s a new Adam that’s just showed up and his name is Jesus. The first-born of many new sons, who have the nature and the character of God infused in everything that they are. And so Mary, says, “Oh, you must be the gardener.” And John wants to get our attention. That that which was lost in Adam as the first gardener on the earth has now been restored in the new Adam Jesus. It’s time to get some green fingers again because this garden is gonna begin to cover the earth again. This garden of beauty, this garden of delight, this garden of pleasure, this garden of purpose is gonna begin to cover every aspect of the earth.
You see, Jesus’ primary revelation in the New Testament is he is the new Adam. Where the old Adam failed and you and I were in him, we are now in Christ, the new Adam. And the Bible says the same spark that raised Jesus from the dead, now quickens your bodies. And here’s what Jesus says to them. He says to them, “Sister Mary, go tell my brothers.” He said, “I’m going to the Father and your Father, I’m going to my God and your God.” For the first time since Adam failed in that garden, a new Adam won the right, not just to get our sins forgiven. Not just to give us a free conscience, not just to give us a one way ticket to heaven, but this new Adam inviting us into the same intimacy of relational connection with heavenly papa that he has. The joy of the gospel friends is that I now am a son, I now am connected to the Father, I’ve been invited into the same relationship that Jesus has with the Father. And all the promises that are afforded Jesus are all the promises that are afforded me all by grace.
If you’re a guest here and you’re wondering what this random Cape Colored is doing getting so happy, it’s because I’ve tasted and seen of a historical fact. You see, the reality is the historicity of Jesus means that he lived on this earth, he died and he rose again. And more than 500 people, both in biblical accounts and extra biblical accounts tell of the resurrected lord Jesus. This is not some fancy hopeful reality, or a fancy hopeful hope, dream, this is a reality that happened. Jesus died and he rose again. And there’s evidence to prove it. In fact, if you’re a seeker here today, I want to encourage you to do the hard work because the Gospel is highly intellectually, satisfying as well as experientially satisfying. There’s more evidence to say that Jesus lived, died and rose again, than there is to say that Julius Caesar, ever lived on the earth.
And the primary revelation is that he’s a gardener. You see, Jesus now invites us into the same mission that he has, he’s called us to be co-gardeners with him. The earth’s sphere, our place of influence, our work place is meant to be a garden that begins to become beautiful and reflect the touch point between heaven and earth. Oh, friends, do you realize that we now live in the age of redemption where God is redeeming all things to be the way He always intended it to be? That’s what resurrection Sunday is about. It’s not just about new life that gets me to heaven, it’s about new life that redeems the whole of the universe. Everything the Bible says is coming underneath his feet, and he has been given the name which is above all other names.
It’s why we live in this incredible age of the breakout of God’s resurrection life. It’s why we see healings. It’s why we see the poor getting lifted up. It’s why we going after human trafficking. It’s why we’re engaging in society, not because we want to do good works, but because we are a people who’ve been infused with the resurrection life of God. It’s why we gather on a Sunday to celebrate, and it’s why we send you out to go and demonstrate because we’ve got resurrection life.
The same spark that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you and I. And we live our life book-ended with these two realities, Christ is risen. And Christ will come again. And our lives are slap bang in that middle and there’s a tension. Do we see everyone healed? No, we don’t, at the moment, but there is a day coming when all will be healed. Do we see our present suffering disappear? No, we don’t, at the moment, but there’s a day when there will be no more tears and no more suffering. The hope we have is not because we’re pinning it on some myth, the hope we have is because of the historical fact that Christ is risen. And Christ will come back again and until then, good news. The earth is getting better and better. It’s not gonna get worse and worse. There are more people now who are being trained in literacy in developing world nations than there ever has been. Infant mortality rate has decreased dramatically in developing world nations. The Gospel means that, not only do we get saved, but the goodness of God is displayed. They’re more Muslims getting saved today than any other time of history. Help me Jesus, this is outrageous.
Africa is being evangelized dramatically because the gospel has still not lost its power, resurrection life is still on display. You can go to Mozambique and see a tiny white woman from Laguna Beach called Heidi Baker. Who when she got there, there were less Christians than there were those who believed in Islam and animistic expression of faith. Now, in Mozambique, I think the last stats were more than 51% are born-again Christians. I’ll just throw this in for effect for those of you who are buying your ticket to leave South Africa. The Gospel means that the only demonstration that is to come for this nation is resurrection life, which transforms everything. Because the garden of the Lord will cover everything. Sooner or later, we’re gonna see all of the purposes for which God created South Africa to be. I thought that would go down well. As St. Julian of Norwich once said, that’s not me, it’s a woman. She said this, “In the end, all will be well, and if it’s not well, it’s not the end.”
Man: Yeah, that’s good.
Julian: You are carriers and curators of resurrection life, and God’s called you to the same mission that Jesus has to be a gardener about his Father’s business. Extending resurrection life, wherever you go, it’s why we’re embarking on a building project. Because when people come here, they get to experience resurrection life.
And when you leave here because you’ve come together as a family and we’ve celebrated on a Sunday resurrection day his life, we go with resurrection life. Somebody once said, “More bums on seats mean more lives changed.” I thought I’ll throw that out there, don’t worry I’m not gonna take up a second offering. I’m going to my Father and to your Father. Friends, Jesus chooses to reveal himself to Mary as a gardener, because he wants us to understand that you are now entering into the same ministry that he has. And that’s what resurrection life means. I want to say to you I’m so glad that Christ is risen and Christ will come back again. And until then, what was lost in the Garden of Eden is now being redeemed and restored in the garden of your life, in the garden of your job, in the garden of your family, in the garden of your community, in the garden of South Africa. Will you get some green fingers and change the world around you?
If you’re here today and you don’t know what it’s like to have your sins forgiven, and your conscience cleansed, if you’ve never known what it’s like to come home to a father who loves you. And if you want to know what the Father is like, if you want to know what his character is like, you just need to look at Jesus. The Bible says, “He is the full representation of the Father.” If you ever want to know what God is like, you look at Jesus. He trumps all other revelations in scripture. He is the fullness of the Godhead revealed to us. He is kind, he is good, he lifts up the vulnerable, he puts the orphaned into families, he heals, he delivers, he brings freedom. He finds space for every single person, the fisherman, the tax collector, and the physician alike. That’s what’s the Father is like. And if you’re here and you’ve never encountered the love of a good father who’s not angry with you, who’s not waiting to smite you, who does not hate you, but has always loved you, today is a good day to respond to him.
By Julian Adams
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January 3, 2025
We are living in a world of dramatic change. The relentless pace of development often leaves us breathless and exhausted. The demand for innovative ways of communicating, inventing, and staying ahead of cultural trends can feel daunting and demoralizing. It can push us into a space where we find ourselves trying to copy rather than be authentic, to imitate rather than create. This pressure can lead us to believe that we need to be more creative, and that our individual stories do not matter. But nothing could be further from the truth. Your story, no matter how small, matters and is powerful. One of the remarkable aspects of ancient manuscripts, like the Bible, is that they tell the stories of individuals whose lives may seem small and insignificant. Yet, God chose to make their lives a memorial of what He could do with a life that the world deems insignificant. The incredible power of the gospel is that it changes lives one at a time. God is as interested in the individual story as He is in redeeming the cosmos. The aim of the gospel is not just dealing with personal sin; it is about restoring individuals to a relationship with a kind Father. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis beautifully said, "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." Justification addresses our standing before God, but our adoption invites us into a relationship with the Father. It allows us to partake of who He is and to live in a place of deep joy from who He is. Romans 3:23 reminds us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Many of us forget that the work of salvation has turned this verse around. Through Jesus, we have been restored to the glory of God. One description of the word "glory" refers to the divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, and splendor. It is the revelation of God's intrinsic worth and beauty. Do you see that? We have been restored to His divine quality, splendor, and beauty. In a world where it can be easy to feel like just another face in the crowd, remember that your story is significant. Your experiences, your journey, and your voice matter. Embrace the unique narrative God has given you and let it shine. You are not just a spectator; you are a vital participant in God's grand story. Your authenticity, creativity, and individuality are valuable. As you navigate the rapid changes of our world, hold on to the truth that your story has power and purpose. God sees you, knows you, and has a plan for your life that is uniquely yours. Let us celebrate the beauty and significance of each individual story, knowing that together, we contribute to a tapestry of divine splendor and glory.
By Julian Adams
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July 17, 2024
Rejection is a powerful force that can shape the trajectory of our lives, often in ways we don't fully realize until much later. For me, this journey began in childhood. I was born with a cleft palate, which affected my ability to speak, and coupled with my passionate devotion to Jesus, I faced daily ridicule and rejection throughout my school years. My speech and my fervent faith made me a target, and I found myself isolated and misunderstood. Despite the rejection, something beautiful began to grow within me: a deep and abiding friendship with Jesus. Through profound encounters with the Lord, I began to walk in the prophetic. This newfound gift led me to public ministry, where I started releasing prophetic words. However, beneath the surface, I was carrying an immense amount of pain that I hadn't dealt with. This pain manifested as a lifestyle of performance, driven by the need for acceptance and validation. Though I was a new creation in Christ, I was living as if I were still bound by my old wounds. In Matthew 23:27-28 (MSG), Jesus describes the Pharisees as "manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it's all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you're saints, but beneath the skin, you're total frauds." These words struck a chord with me because I realized I was living like a professional Pharisee. Outwardly, I appeared to have it all together, but inside, I was disconnected from the healing process that God wanted to take me through. This disconnect had a significant impact on my prophetic ministry. My words, especially those concerning sin, were often harsh and unkind, reflecting my damaged perspective of myself and the world. It wasn't until I began to address my heart issues that my approach to the prophetic truly changed. God started speaking to me about the connection between my gift, my performance, and my worth. Through this process, He took me back to moments of pain and difficulty from my childhood and even into my adult life. In one profound moment, God said to me, "Son, I want you to grow up and be a child." This statement might seem paradoxical, but it revealed a crucial truth: the posture of the kingdom is one of childlike fascination and trust. My journey into sonship transformed how I viewed the prophetic and how I ministered to others. No longer driven by judgment and legalism, I began to approach people with love, kindness, and the heart of the Father. Understanding my identity as a beloved child of God allowed me to see others through His eyes. This shift not only brought healing to my heart but also enabled me to minister more effectively and compassionately. Rejection and pain had shaped my early years, but God's love and healing power brought me to a place of wholeness. This journey has taught me that dealing with our heart issues is essential for authentic and impactful ministry. As we pursue wholeness, we open ourselves to deeper intimacy with God and greater effectiveness in serving His people. If you find yourself struggling with similar issues of rejection, pain, or performance, I encourage you to invite God into those wounded places. Allow Him to heal and transform you, just as He did for me. Embrace the posture of childlike wonder and trust, knowing that you are deeply loved and valued by your Heavenly Father. In this place of wholeness, you will find the freedom to live and minister authentically, reflecting the heart of God to a world in need.
By Julian Adams
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July 21, 2023
In my years of teaching people the prophetic and how to hear God's voice, I've learned several practices that help people hear Him. Here are a few of my most helpful!
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