The story of any one of us is in some measure the story of us all. ~Frederick Buechner

The Two Trees

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Just about everybody has heard about that ancient tree in the Garden of Eden which bore the fruit that lured the first parents of the human race.  What was it about that tree? Satan probably hit the nail on the head when he said ” Ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil.” The lie was not the knowing of good and evil, it was that there was an opening among the gods. “Ye shall be as God.” Adam and Eve wanted to decide for themselves between good and evil, to be autonomous.

The correction for the fall in Eden was the kingdom of God, hence the second tree. Jesus said the kingdom was like a small mustard seed which when planted grows into a large tree so the birds of the air find a home. This tree brings men and women back into dependency on God into the kingdom of God. These people bear the fruit of the Spirit which is hanging all over this kingdom tree. The table is turned. Now the slaves of the pretender god of this world are being lured by the fruit of the kingdom tree. Sweet irony.

There’s a tree in the garden

In the garden of evil

Bears the fruit of the Spirit of God

And it’s free in the garden

In the garden of the devil

Took root from the smallest seed pod

 

And it grew to the heavens

To the heavens of God

But it drove down its roots in the sod

And it stays in the garden

The garden of the devil

A-blooming like Aaron’s bare rod

 

The fruit’s for a-picking

And many who fall

And who take the fruit home to their kin

There’s others are peeking

And yearning and seeking

What the god of this world calls sin.

 

“Stay away from that tree

Or you’ll answer to me. ”

Calls the prince of this world, undone

“Come with me if you dare

See the powers of the air

Get a piece of my town , Babylon.”

 

Oh the birds of the air

Make their nests in its heights.

And they cackle and caw, raise their voices

Yes the kingdom come

Is for everyone

All creation gives thanks and rejoices

 

Curt Mortimer

Curt Mortimer

Administrator and Instructor at Project 12
Curt has been a member of Jesus People USA for 20 years. He is the administrator and instructor of Project 12, JPUSA’s discipleship school. He is also the president of Cornerstone Community Outreach non-profit board which operates several shelters in the Uptown area of Chicago. He has three children that he visits twice yearly up in Wisconsin, one on the East coast just retired from the Coast Guard, and one waiting for him with Jesus. Curt is presently facilitating a Sunday Class for adults on the Apostle’s Creed and gives the sermon from time to time for Jesus People Covenant Church.
Curt Mortimer

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