Good Friday - 4/2/2021

 

Call to worship:

L: We do not gather to worship a Christ unfamiliar with our limitations.  

P: We come to worship the Christ who took our limitations unto himself.

L: We do not gather to worship a Christ who lays his cross upon us.

P: We come to worship the Christ who takes our cross upon himself.

A: O come, let us worship the Christ who reveals the divinity of true humanity! Amen.

Opening Hymn:   Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross   #301

1. Jesus, keep me near the cross;
there a precious fountain,
free to all, a healing stream,
flows from Calvary's mountain.

Refrain:
In the cross, in the cross,
be my glory ever,
till my raptured soul shall find
rest beyond the river.

2. Near the cross, a trembling soul,
love and mercy found me;
there the bright and morning star
sheds its beams around me.
(Refrain)

3. Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
bring its scenes before me;
help me walk from day to day
with its shadow o'er me.
(Refrain)

4. Near the cross I'll watch and wait,
hoping, trusting ever,
till I reach the golden strand
just beyond the river.
(Refrain) 

Opening Prayer: 

O Christ, help us to relive this day in your life that we may relive your life in our day. You went to your death – the innocent for the guilty, the gentle for the violent, the obedient for the rebellious – opening not your mouth. Now we have learned that, before our world can experience a resurrection like yours, we must experience a death like yours. Teach us how to die as you died, O Christ, that we might live as you lived – for God, enduring the cross and despising the shame. Amen.

Hymn:    Beneath the Cross of Jesus      #297

1. Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
the shadow of a mighty rock
within a weary land;
a home within the wilderness,
a rest upon the way,
from the burning of the noontide heat,
and the burden of the day.

2. Upon that cross of Jesus
mine eye at times can see
the very dying form of One
who suffered there for me;
and from my stricken heart with tears
two wonders I confess:
the wonders of redeeming love
and my unworthiness.

3. I take, O cross, thy shadow
for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
the sunshine of his face;
content to let the world go by,
to know no gain nor loss,
my sinful self my only shame,
my glory all the cross. 

Prayer of Confession: unison

Merciful God, this is a night of long-forgotten hosannas, a night of sleeping disciples and of betrayal with a kiss; this is a night of denials and scoffers, a night of whips and of washing our hands to our culpability in evil; this is a night of thorns and nails, a night of crying out with the psalmist: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”; this is a night when we glimpse human folly and feel, in the marrow of our bones, the depth of our own human frailty; this is a night when we witness the razor’s edge separating hope and despair, a night a acute awareness of how often we stand mute and frozen in the unfolding suffering of our world. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who 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 trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Presentation of our Gifts, Tithes, and Offerings

Offertory Prayer

God of infinite love and grace, as you exalted and lifted up your Son, so may our gifts lift up your servants who are hated and despised; as your mercy has brought us healing, so may our offerings be used to heal others; as your Son fed the poor until they were satisfied, so may our gifts tend to those in need.  Amen.

Scripture passage: Hebrews 4: 14-16, 5: 7-9

¹⁴ Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

⁷ In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. ⁸ Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; ⁹ and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 

Sermon Title:     A service of Tenebrae (shadows)  (link)  John 18: 1-19

After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. ² Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. ³ So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. ⁴ Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” ⁵ They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. ⁶ When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. ⁷ Again he asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁸ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” ⁹ This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, “I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.” ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. ¹¹ Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

¹² So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. ¹³ First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. ¹⁴ Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people.

¹⁵ Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, ¹⁶ but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. ¹⁷ The woman said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” ¹⁸ Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself.

Closing Hymn:  Were You There       #288

1 Were you there when they crucified my Lord?(were you there)
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (were you there)
Oh! sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (were you there)

2 Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? (were you there)
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree? (were you there)
Oh! sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? (were you there)

3 Were you there when they pierced him in the side? (were you there)
Were you there when they pierced him in the side? (were you there)
Oh! sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they pierced him in the side? (were you there)

4 Were you there when the sun refused to shine? (were you there)
Were you there when the sun refused to shine? ((were you there)
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when the sun refused to shine? (were you there)

5 Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? (were you there)
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? (were you there)
Oh! sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? (were you there)

(Reminder to leave the sanctuary in reflective silence and please return for the service on Easter morning.)