Unity Baptist meets for worship on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. We worship through music, prayer, giving, preaching and the response to preaching. You are welcome to join us. See our about page for more, read our history, listen to sermons going back to 2015.
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I have been sick this past week and spent a couple of days on bed rest. I’m 99% better but had to pace myself in order to get through the service without a coughing fit. The text is great and I did the best I could to bring the sermon.
The last installment in our series on post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. Next week: Pentecost.
This is the image referred to in the bulletin. You may have already seen this around. Thanks to the Robertson family and Unashamed Nation.
You don’t have to choose between honoring mothers on Mother’s Day and sharing the Gospel. Any message can and should begin with scripture and present the Gospel no matter happens in between. Elizabeth and Mary are not just characters in a shory; on this Mother’s Day we look at two of the most important individuals in the history of humanity.
Eating fish at every meal wouldn’t seem strange if you were a fisherman by trade. They also fished all night so our breakfast was more like supper to them.
All the disciples had trouble believing Jesus was alive even after hearing from the women who went to the grave, the two men that met Jesus on the road to Emmaus, and remarkably after seeing Jesus himself. It is a shame that we identify one disciple in particular as doubting Thomas.
Second week of post-resurrection appearances. We continue in Luke this week, going to John 20 next week.
Sometimes our faith is tested and we might wish it was easier to always believe. Take heart, even the disciples struggled at times.
Why did Jesus have to die? He saved others, why could he not save himself? Spoiler: that was not God’s plan. His purpose was to save us.
In the early hours of the morning,
after the Sabbath had ended,
a few women walked toward his grave
to finish matters left unattended.
They carried spices for anointing,
to honor custom and tradition.
For he had been quickly laid in the grave
on the day of Preparation.
So early on Sunday morning,
even before it was light,
they approached the tomb of Jesus
to set things back to right.
The stone, however, was rolled away
and no body lay behind it.
Was he taken by believers or hid by guards?
Their concern was how to find him.
They were startled by an angel,
dressed in white, a splendid vision.
“Why seek ye the living among the dead?”
he asked. “He is not here, he is risen.”
Filled with fear and excitement
at what the angel said,
they ran to tell the disciples
that Jesus was not still dead.
The eleven found the women’s story
understandably hard to believe.
But Simon Peter ran to the tomb,
for himself he just had to see.
The stone was moved, as they said,
and the sheet lay in its place.
But the napkin was to the side neatly folded,
that had covered Jesus’ face.
Peter saw the empty tomb,
Jesus’ body was gone for sure.
That didn’t mean he was alive.
Seeing is one thing; faith required more.
Mary Magdalene met Jesus,
and two believers on the road spoke with him.
Finally the eleven were in a closed room,
When Jesus did not enter but appeared to them.
It would take time for them to understand
all that Jesus had taught them.
His most important work was on the cross,
and by his blood he bought them.
The crucifixion, resurrection,
Great commission and ascension;
it seems like an awful lot
for a few lines of poetry to mention.
So here’s a thought, perhaps a challenge,
instead of letting your mind sit idle:
this story of Jesus and many others
are all right there inside your Bible.
He Cannot Save Himself
A poem for Good Friday
Many questions were asked of him, though no answer was heard.
Pilate pressed him to respond, but Jesus spoke not a word.
As prophesied by Isaiah, like a lamb he was silent.
Which angered the crowd even more, and they began to riot.
Governor Pilate faced the Jews, and in order to honor custom,
told them that at their choosing, he would release one prisoner among them.
He knew that Jesus was delivered out of envy, malice and vice.
But the crowd choose Barabbas, shouting “Crucify Jesus Christ.”
Pilate washed his hands before them, saying “I am innocent of this man’s blood.”
The crowd said “Let his blood be upon us, and upon our sons.”
They stripped off his own garments, placed on him a robe and crown.
And then pretended to worship, before him kneeling down.
They placed on his head a crown made of thorns.
Then they spat, hit and slapped him, and mocked him to scorn.
They compelled the man Simon to carry his cross.
And divided his garments, by casting lots.
They made for him a sign, placed over his head.
“This is Jesus, King of the Jews” the words read.
Thieves were crucified with him, on his left and his right.
One was loud and boastful, the other more humble, contrite.
“We are guilty of our crimes, and deserve to die this way.”
And when Jesus saw his faith, promised paradise that day.
“He cannot save himself” they mocked, as his blood fell to the ground.
But they were crucifying an innocent, in whom no guilt was found.
This was God’s plan of salvation, established before there was time.
Each event had been prophesied, and now fell perfectly in line.
The trial, the false witness, his hanging on a tree;
It was all prophesied clearly in Isaiah fifty-three.
So the words of their mocking are actually true, you see.
He could not save himself, for on the cross… he saved me.
-Clark J Bunch
Pastor, Unity Baptist
Unity Baptist Church 