Dalkeith Baptist Church

31/05/2026

05/04/2026

Resurrection Sunday

It probably felt like hope was lost to Mary, Mary Magdalene, Salome and the other women approaching Jesus’s tomb on Sunday morning. Here, they had not only just witnessed the brutal crucifixion of their friend, son, and rabbi, but they also had to be wondering what would happen to his message. They believed him to be God, and now he was…dead?!

In hindsight, with the whole story in our minds – life,death and resurrection – it’s easy to forget how confused, scared and sad the women must have felt before witnessing the risen Christ. Even still, they carried on. They didn’t hide in their houses; they didn’t isolate themselves from the world; they didn’t stop loving Jesus. They woke up, donned their cloaks, and headed to the tomb. In this way, the women show us that no matter what trouble we face, we can put one foot in front of the other and just keep doing what we know to be right.

In Matthew chapter 28 verses 9 - 10 we read,
"So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”"

Their faithful service, vigil and service was rewarded by a commission. Now go and tell... So they did, and so now must we. He is risen.
Wishing you every blessing this Resurrection Sunday.

04/04/2026

Holy Saturday

Even after Jesus' death the religious leaders worried that there might be a "staged" resurrection by His disciples. They went to Pilate and told him so. We read of Pilate's response in Matthew 27:65-66.

“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.”

The authorities were determined to silence Jesus, even in death. But no human barrier could stop what God was about to do.

Holy Saturday captures the feeling of every "in-between" season.
The disciples mourned. The women waited. The soldiers stood guard. The world seemed lost. But something unseen was unfolding.

We, too, experience “Holy Saturday” moments—times when prayers go unanswered, doors remain shut, and God feels distant. Yet this sacred silence invites us to trust. Because just beyond the silence… is resurrection.

Even when God is silent, He is never absent.

03/04/2026

Good Friday

By the time the Roman soldiers had finished beating and scouring Jesus, He could barely stand, let alone walk. The crucifixion was to take place outside the city walls, and He was supposed to carry His cross to the place of ex*****on, but He struggled. So someone else was forced to do it for Him. In Mark Chapter 15 verse 21 we read - "A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross."

Simon of Cyrene didn't come looking for Jesus. He was on his way to Jerusalem, presumably because of the Passover. Yet here he has an encounter with Jesus like no one else ever experienced. He was forced to carry the cross. We don't even know if, at that time, he even knew who Jesus was. Mark's Gospel account mentions Simon's sons, Alexander and Rufus as if his readers should know who they were. Scholars believe that the Rufus, mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans is the same one. Rufus' mother is mentioned in that letter too. If that is so, it means that the whole family became believers, all because of that one encounter, even under such circumstances.

God can use even the most difficult and unlikely circumstances to draw lives to Himself, even when we least expect it. And such a real encounter is enough to impact not only our lives, but also those we come into contact with, such is the reality and power of the work of Christ.

02/04/2026

Maundy Thursday
Knowing that He had submitted in obedience to His Father's will, Jesus faced the mob who came to arrest Him with calm dignity.

Among those who came for Him was Malchus, the High Priest's servant. He had obviously been sent with the crowd so that he could observe and report back about everything that happened at the time of Jesus' arrest. He got caught up in the chaos and sustained a serious injury cause by the impulsive and hot-headed Peter.

We read in John chapter 18 verse 10 - "Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)"

And how did Jesus respond to this? His last miracle before His crucifixion was to restore and heal Malchus' ear. We read in Luke chapter 22: 50-51 -"And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, 'No more of this!' And he touched the man’s ear and healed him."

Even in the midst of turmoil and chaos, Jesus brought calm, and bore Malchus no ill will. With that one touch from Jesus, surely Malchus would have now realised who Jesus really was. He could no longer deny it. What would he tell the High priest now?

We don't know what happened to him, but his healing and restoration is a lesson to us this Maundy Thursday on the importance of not bearing grudges, and also how, if we are willing to do God's will, we too can know calm and peace in the midst of turmoil and chaos.