In the evening, Joseph of Arimathea, a rich disciple, asks Pilate for Jesus’ body, wraps it in linen, and lays it in his own new tomb, rolling a large stone across the entrance; Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sit watching. The next day, the chief priests and Pharisees persuade Pilate to secure the tomb with guards and a seal, lest the disciples steal the body and claim Jesus has risen.

Pastor Steve Bray from Mile One Mission in Newfoundland visits is this Sunday and talks about the importance of churches who are on mission to help missions.

From noon until three o'clock darkness covers the land; Jesus cries out, "My God, why have you forsaken me?" and dies. Immediately the temple curtain tears, the earth quakes, tombs open, saints are raised, the centurion confesses "Truly this was the Son of God," and the faithful women watch from afar.

Roman soldiers mock Jesus by stripping him, dressing him in a scarlet robe and crown of thorns, bowing in fake homage while beating him, then lead him away to be crucified. As Jesus hangs on the cross, passersby, religious leaders, and even the two criminals crucified alongside him hurl insults and taunt him, challenging him to save himself if he truly is the Son of God.

During the Passover festival, Pontius Pilate, following custom, offers the crowd a choice between releasing the notorious prisoner Barabbas or Jesus, whom he knows to be innocent, while his wife warns him in a dream to avoid condemning the latter. Swayed by the chief priests and elders, the crowd demands Barabbas's release and insists on crucifying Jesus, shouting down Pilate's protests about any crime committed.

In Matthew 27:1-14, the chief priests and elders of the people convene early in the morning to plot Jesus' execution, binding him and handing him over to Pontius Pilate the governor, while Judas Iscariot, overcome with remorse upon seeing Jesus condemned, returns the thirty pieces of silver to the priests, who deem it blood money unfit for the temple treasury and use it instead to purchase the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners, thereafter called the Field of Blood, before Judas hangs himself in despair. When brought before Pilate, Jesus acknowledges his kingship by replying "You have said so" to the governor's question about whether he is the King of the Jews, but he makes no further response to the chief priests' and elders' numerous accusations, leaving Pilate amazed.

In Matthew 26:69-75, Peter, warming himself in the high priest's courtyard, is accused three times of being a follower of Jesus—first by a servant girl, then by bystanders noting his Galilean accent, and finally by others—and he denies any knowledge of him each time, even invoking oaths and curses in the third denial. As the rooster crows immediately after, fulfilling Jesus' earlier prophecy, Peter remembers his vow to stand by his master and breaks down in bitter weeping.

Our guest speaker, Steve Freeman, uses his life story to detail how God has been working in and through him since he was brought into the world, nearly 4 months premature.

After being arrested, Jesus is taken to Caiaphas the high priest, where the Sanhedrin assembles and seeks false testimony against him to justify his execution, though the witnesses' accounts prove inconsistent until the high priest directly questions Jesus about being the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus affirms his divine identity by declaring that the Son of Man will be seen seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven, prompting the high priest to tear his robes, accuse him of blasphemy, and secure the council's verdict of death, after which they spit on, strike, and mock him.

In Matthew 26:47-56, Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss, leading to his arrest by a crowd armed with swords and clubs sent by the chief priests and elders. Despite a disciple's attempt to resist, Jesus surrenders peacefully, fulfilling scripture, as his disciples flee.

In Matthew 26:36-46, Jesus, overwhelmed with sorrow, prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking God to remove the cup of suffering but submitting to His will. Despite urging His disciples to stay awake and pray, He finds them sleeping, highlighting their weakness as He faces His impending betrayal and crucifixion alone.

In 1 John 2:7-14, the author emphasizes the commandment to love one another, presenting it as both an old truth known from the beginning and a new command exemplified by Jesus’ life. He encourages believers by affirming their spiritual growth, noting that the darkness of sin is fading as the light of God’s truth shines in them.

We celebrate today's river baptism by looking at scripture that supports the spiritual significance of baptism for Christians. It explains that through baptism, believers are united with Jesus Christ in his death, symbolizing the death of their old, sinful selves.

Elder Denny Perkins provides this Sunday's message from Titus 3, emphasizing living as godly citizens, marked by humility, peace, and good deeds, reflecting God's grace and mercy. Paul instructs Titus to remind believers to submit to authorities, avoid quarrels, and show kindness, as they await the hope of eternal life through Christ.

This week's message comes from Elder Bill Carter on Titus 2. instructing believers to live godly lives, with older men and women teaching younger generations to embody virtues like self-control, love, and good works. Paul emphasizes sound doctrine and behavior that reflects the gospel, ensuring the church's witness remains strong.

Titus 1, written by Paul, instructs Titus to appoint qualified elders in Crete who are blameless, faithful, and able to teach sound doctrine to counter false teachers. It emphasizes the importance of godly leadership and rebuking those who spread deceptive teachings for personal gain.

The 2025 Vacation Bible School theme "Magnified!" draws from Psalm 34:3, focusing on proclaiming God's greatness through daily lessons that highlight how God sees, cares for, loves, forgives, and keeps His promises to His creation, using Bible stories like Jesus and the Children, Jesus Calming the Storm, the Woman at the Well, Jesus and Nicodemus, and Jesus Teaching about Worry.

Psalm 19 celebrates God's revelation through creation and His law, describing how the heavens declare His glory and the perfection of His statutes. It concludes with a prayer for purity in words and thoughts, seeking to please God.

Psalm 18 is a song of David, praising God for delivering him from his enemies and Saul, celebrating God's strength, faithfulness, and power as his rock and salvation. David recounts God's mighty intervention, his own righteousness, and expresses gratitude for divine support and victory.

Psalm 17 is a prayer of David, pleading for God's protection and justice against his enemies, expressing confidence in his own righteousness and trust in God's deliverance. He seeks refuge in God, asking to be upheld and saved from the wicked who surround him.