I was driving to work this morning when I heard the familiar, yet different, sounds of a mandolin picking out the intro to a song.
Back when we traveled with The Heaven's Echos, this was a song we would do quite often, and I played the mandolin part. (Actually, as an aside, kind of a funny story... We did the song Peace Within and I played the mandolin on it. Then we went into the studio to record Garden Tomb and I played that intro and break over and and over and over again - then Sunday we had a singing at a church and I could NOT for the life of me play Peace Within! Every time I tried it came out as Garden Tomb! LOL) It is a beautiful song with a beautiful message!
I'm having trouble finding that particular version in Apple Music - but here's a link to one - https://music.apple.com/us/album/garden-tomb/282484922?i=282485102
Here's the lyrics -
When Mary saw Jesus in the Garden so soonShe thought he was the keeper who watched o're the tomb.
But she knew it was Jesus when he turned to say
Go tell my disciples I have risen today.
Chorus...
Early one morning at the breaking of dawn
Two women went out to the garden alone.
They were going to anoint Jesus with spices that day
But Jesus had risen the stone rolled away.
When they stooped over to look in the tomb
Two angels were sitting in that little room.
Why seek ye the living among the dead
For Jesus had risen the angels then said.
Chorus...
Early one morning at the breaking of dawn
Two women went out to the garden alone.
They were going to anoint Jesus with spices that day
But Jesus had risen the stone rolled away.
When Mary told Peter that Jesus was gone
He ran to the garden and John came along.
But the tomb it was empty what marvelous grace
For there lies the napkin that covered his face.
Chorus...
Early one morning at the breaking of dawn
Two women went out to the garden alone.
They were going to anoint Jesus with spices that day
But Jesus had risen the stone rolled away.
Let's take a look at this, shall we? First, it talks of the first Easter Sunday morning! The glorious day of Jesus' resurrection! The first, and most IMPORTANT fact, is that Jesus rose from the dead! He became the perfect sacrifice for our sins so that we can live forever! Don't get so into the song that this one simple fact of the Gospels is overlooked, for without the shedding of His blood and our acceptance of it, there is no hope of salvation!
So, moving onto the song. Starting with John Chapter 20 -
14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
So here we have Mary's interaction with Jesus, but she didn't know it was Him!
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
(the emphasis is mine, to show what's mentioned in the song)
Moving to the chorus, we turn to Mark Chapter 16 -
1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
Now let's turn to Luke 24 -
1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
And back to Luke 24 -
12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
And finally back to John Chapter 20 -
1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
Again - a GLORIOUS story, and told VERY very well in this song! One point that I must make, though, is the napkin. What's the significance of the napkin?!?
In the tradition of the time, if you got up from a meal and were finished, you would wipe your hands & face and just toss the napkin down. BUT - and this is extremely important - if you were NOT finished and you WERE COMING BACK, you folded your napkin neatly.
So what is Jesus saying? I'm stepping away from the table, but I'm not finished here on Earth. I WILL RETURN.
Hallelujah!!!!
