THE SERVICE OF THE WORD

(Good Friday is part of the sacred Triduum, the three-day observance of Christ's Passover.  There is no Invocation nor Benediction. Also, this is not a funeral sermon for Jesus. Rather it is a day of repentance over sin and restrained joy and praise for the atonement Christ accomplished for us on the cross.  The concluding hymn ensures that the final note is one of triumph, for God's faithful know the end of the story.)

 

 

OPENING HYMN                   438

The congregation is invited to stand

P:  O Lord, open my lips

C: and my mouth will declare Your praise.

P: Make haste, O God, to deliver me;

C: make haste to help me, O Lord.

C: Praise to You, O Christ, Lamb of our salvation.

 

PSALM 27

P:  Forsake me not, O God of my salvation!

C: PSALM 27 in hymnal

P: Forsake me not, O God of my salvation!

 

The congregation may be seated

 

THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST                                  

 

John 18:1-11             (Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus)    extinguish a candle      450:1

 

John 18:12-27  (Before the High Priest and Peter's Denial)  extinguish a candle      450:2

 

John 18:28-40       (Jesus before Pilate)                               extinguish a candle       450:3

 

John 19:1-16a        (Jesus Prepared for Crucifixion)            extinguish a candle        450:4

 

Congregation is invited to stand

 

John 19:16b-24                             (The Crucifixion of Jesus)

extinguish a candle             450:5

 

John 19:25-30             (Jesus' Mother and His Death)

extinguish a candle             450:6

 

John 19:31-42                        (Jesus' Side Is Pierced)

                     450:7

 

One lighted candle remains

 

The congregation may be seated

 

OFFICE HYMN Lamb of God Pure and Holy   434

 

SERMON

 

HYMN                     Sing, My Tongue, the Glorious Battle   454

 

PRAYERS

P: Lord, have mercy.

C: Lord, have mercy.

P: Christ, have mercy.

C: Christ, have mercy.

P: Lord, have mercy.

C: Lord, have mercy.

 

LORD'S PRAYER

 

P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: Let us pray.  Almighty God, graciously behold this Your family for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and delivered into the hands of sinful men to suffer death upon the cross; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son , our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

 

P: Let us pray.  Almighty and everlasting God, You willed that Your Son should bear for us the pains of the cross and so remove from us the power of the adversary.  Help us so to remember and give thanks for our Lord’s passion that we may receive forgiveness of sin and redemption from everlasting death; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

 

The final candle is extinguished.

 

THE CLOSING OF THE BOOK (The Sealing of the Tomb)

 

The congregation is invited to sit

 

CLOSING HYMN   The Royal Banners Forward Go      455