Good evening and welcome to our Good Friday service as we remember our Lord’s passion. As a reminder throughout this worship service, your bulletin does have a lot of scriptures marked. I would ask this evening that you not try to follow along but that you just listen. Ordinarily, I like you to read, but on nights like this, it is good to just sit and hear. We will be interspersing the scripture and song throughout.
So hear the call to worship now:
The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus saying unto him, “Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover?” And he said, “Go into the city to such a man and say unto him, the master saith, my time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at thy house with my disciples.” And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them, and they made ready the Passover.
Let us stand and sing hymn number three, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy.’
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Heavenly Father, we come into your presence. We praise your name and thank you for all of your goodness. We mourn and lament and confess our sins to you, knowing that we are the reason why this evening was necessary, why your son was born and lived and died for us. Be with us, forgive us of our sins, and let us enter into and remain in your presence as your beloved children now and forever.
We pray this in the name of Jesus who taught us to pray by praying, “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” Amen.
You may be seated.
We now hear about Jesus’s final Passover meal.
And when the hour was come, he sat down and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, “With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, I will not eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
And he took the cup and gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come.”
And he took bread and gave thanks and break it and gave it unto them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me.” Likewise, also the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the New Testament in my blood which is shed for you. But behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly, the Son of Man goeth as it was determined, but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed.”
And they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing.
Let us now sing hymn number 460, ‘Let Us Break Bread Together.’
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Please join with me in the prayer of great thanksgiving.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, strong and faithful God; all your works, the height and the depth, echo the silent music of your praise. In the beginning, your word summoned light; night withdrew, and creation dawned. The waters were gathered upon the face of the Earth and life appeared.
When the Earth had grown full in abundance, you created in your image man and woman, the stewards of all creation. You gave us breath and speech that all the living might find a voice to sing your praise and to celebrate the creation you call good.
So now, with all the powers of Heaven and Earth, we proclaim the ageless hymn of your glory:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of power and might; Heaven and Earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
So we now come as we prepare to come to the Lord’s table. I ask that we each take a few moments to reflect upon ourselves, to confess to the Lord silently any that needs to be confessed, to seek his forgiveness, to offer forgiveness to those whom you may believe have wronged you or who you hold in unforgiveness.
Please let us take a few moments of silence.
Let us pray:
Lord, we ask your forgiveness. We come to your table because we have heard your call and we come to this table because you bring us to the foot of the cross. We lay our burdens down there; we leave our sin behind. Help us to be repentant people. Forgive us of our sins, make us worthy of Your love. Lift us up, fill us with the hope that the cross gives to us by the death and the life of Jesus. Let us now come to your table worthily. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
On this last supper of the Lord’s, during the meal, they were celebrating God’s first earlier great act of deliverance, delivering his people from bondage and slavery in Egypt. During this meal, as they remembered that first act, Jesus took the bread, and after giving thanks, he blessed it and he broke it, saying, “Adonai Elohim,” and he gave it to his disciples saying, “Take, each of you, and eat; this is my body broken for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
At the close of the meal, he took the cup and after giving thanks, he also blessed it, saying, “Adonai” [Music] “Elu,” and he gave it to his disciples saying, “Take, each of you, and drink; this is the blood of the New Covenant, my blood shed for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
As the Apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth, reminding us, “Every time we eat this bread and we drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he returns.”
Now I am standing here as a caretaker only; I am standing here in the place of Jesus this evening. And he, through me, invites you to come to his table, to sit with him, to fellowship with him, and enjoy this union in Christ that all who belong to him get to enjoy. We invite all who profess faith in Jesus to come.
This is not a Presbyterian table, a Baptist table, or a Methodist table; this is the Lord’s table, and he’s inviting you to come. We ask this evening that we all come forward to receive the elements. You may please eat them as you are served.
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Let us pray:
Lord, we thank you for the gift of yourself. We thank you for these elements, and we ask that you set them apart for us; that you use them to fill us and help us to discern and recognize your presence within them, within us. Let us know and experience the union we have with you, to know that you have taken our sin upon yourself and that you have instead clothed us with your own robes of righteousness. That you have washed us, that you have made us clean, and you have made us whiter than snow.
We ask this and pray this in your name. Amen.
Our next hymn is number 461, ‘In Remembrance.’
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Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane and saith unto the disciples, “Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder.”
And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here and watch with me.”
And he went a little further and fell on his face and prayed, saying, “Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
And he cometh unto the disciples and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, “What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
He went away again the second time and prayed, saying, “Oh my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done.”
And he came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. And he left them and went away again and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Then cometh he to his disciples and saith unto them, “Sleep on now and take your rest. Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; for behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.”
And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came and with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign saying, “Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; hold him fast.”
And forthwith he came to Jesus and said, “Hail, Master!” and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, “Friend, wherefore art thou come?”
Then came they and laid hands on Jesus and took him.
And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together and led him into their counsel, saying, “Art thou the Christ? Tell us.”
And he said unto them, “If I tell you, ye will not believe. And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me nor let me go. But hereafter shall the Son of Man sit on the right hand of the power of God.”
Then said they all, “Art thou the Son of God?” And he said unto them, “Ye say that I am.”
And they said, “What need we of any further witness? For we ourselves have heard from his own mouth.”
And the whole multitude of them arose and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”
And Pilate asked him, saying, “Art thou the king of the Jews?” And he answered him, “Thou sayest.”
Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, “I find no fault in this man.”
And they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.”
When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.
And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he was desirous to see him for a long season, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
Then he questioned him with many words, but Jesus answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.
And Herod with his men of war set him at naught and mocked him and arrayed him in gorgeous robe and sent him again to Pilate.
And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, “Art thou the king of the Jews?” And Jesus said unto him, “Thou sayest.”
And when he was accused of the chief priests and the elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, “Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?”
And he answered him to never a word, insomuch that the governor marveled greatly.
Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas.
Therefore, when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, “Whom will ye that I release unto you: Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?”
For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
When he had set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him saying, “Have thou nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.”
But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
The governor answered and said unto them, “Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”
Pilate saith unto them, “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” They all say unto him, “Let him be crucified.”
And the governor said, “Why, what evil hath he done?” But they cried out the more, saying, “Let him be crucified.”
When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person; see ye to it.”
And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”
Then released he Barabbas unto them, and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.
And they stripped him and put on him a scarlet robe, and when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head and a reed in his right hand.
And they bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
And they spit upon him and took the reed and smote him on the head.
And after that, they had mocked him. They took off the robe from him and put his own raiment on him and led him away to crucify him.
Let us now sing hymn number 327, ‘The Old Rugged Cross.’
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So let us change for we will now hear the Seven Last Words, the seven last statements made by Jesus.
And there were also two other malefactors led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him and the malefactor, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
Then said Jesus, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” And they parted his raiment and cast lots.
And the people stood beholding, and the rulers also with them derided him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he be the Christ, the chosen of God.”
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar and saying, “If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.”
And the superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew: “This is the King of the Jews.”
Our next song is 323, ‘At the Cross.’
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Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts to every soldier a part. And also his coat; now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it who it shall be,” that the scripture might be fulfilled which saith, “They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots.” These things therefore the soldiers did.
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, “Woman, behold thy son.” Then saith he to the disciple, “Behold thy mother.”
And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
Our next hymn is 324, ‘When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.’
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And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, “If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us.”
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, “Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss.”
And he said unto Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”
And Jesus said unto him, “Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.”
Our next hymn is number 320, ‘Beneath the Cross of Jesus.’
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Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, “Eli, Eli, Lama sabachthani?” that is to say, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Some of them that stood there when they heard that said, “This man calleth for Elias.”
And straight away one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink.
The rest said, “Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.”
Our next hymn is 316, ‘O Sacred Head, Now Wounded.’
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And it was about the sixth hour and there was darkness over all the Earth until the ninth hour, and the sun was darkened and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” And having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Our next hymn is 314, ‘What Wondrous Love is This?’
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After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, “I thirst.”
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar, and they filled a sponge with it and put it upon hyssop and put it to his mouth.
Then Jesus, therefore, had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.”
And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.
Our final hymn is 315, ‘Were You There?’
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So, you.