GOOD FRIDAY
Tenebrae, A Service of Shadows
April 2nd, 2021
This is the day of darkness when our Lord was misunderstood, forsaken, and
betrayed by his friends and was mocked, executed, and buried by the world. This is
the day that God took our sin and suffering upon Himself—a human helplessly
dying under a corrupt sentence by unconcerned politicians and religious
authorities.
That cross has a special meaning to Christians. It means there is no quick
cure to personal or corporate sin. It means there is no place so low that God cannot
be found there.
If we can hope for ourselves in our sin, in our pain, in our grief or death, it is
because on the cross we see God has taken up our burden. God loves us when we
have lost the power to love. God is with us when life runs out.
Because we Christians find God on this cross, we have found strength to
love a suffering world. In the strength of the cross there is no sin so dreadful that
we cannot confess it, no wound so repulsive we cannot name it. In the cross there
is no one outside of God’s grace and no experience outside of God’s care.
The resurrection of Easter is good news only because on Good Friday Christ
entered and suffered the darkest shadows of human experience so that they might
be overcome.
CCLI Copyright - 11243185 CCLI Streaming - CSPL054017
ORDER OF SERVICE
PRELUDE When I Survey the Wondrous Cross arr. Michael Burkhardt SILENT PRAYER OF PREPARATION (Use this prayer to center your hearts and minds on God)
Lord Jesus Christ, as I meditate in this service on Your death for me, let those final sentences which you spoke from the cross impart a personal blessing, that I may both worship in spirit and truth and be moved to sacrifice my whole life as an offering to you. Amen
LIGHTING THE CANDLES
CALL TO WORSHIP Kristin Adkins Whitesides
L: And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and the world loved darkness more than the light.
P: God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all.
L: God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
P: Everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light for fear his deeds will be exposed.
L: The Lord be with you. P: And also with you. L: Let us pray.
Unison:
Most gracious God, look with mercy upon your family gathered here for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed, given into sinful hands, and suffered death upon the cross. Strengthen our faith and forgive our betrayals as we enter the way of His passion; through Him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen
THE FIRST SHADOW: BETRAYAL
Hymn AVON
Alas, and did my Savior bleed and did my Sov'reign die? Would he devote that sacred head, For sinners such as I?
Matthew 26: 20-25 Lori Horne Pendleton
Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with his twelve disciples. And as they were eating, he said, "Truly, one of you will betray me." And they were very upset and each one began to tell him, "Surely not me, Lord?" And he answered, "The one who dipped bread in the stew with me is the one. The Son of Man is to go, just like it is written, but woe to the one through whom he is betrayed! It would have been good for him if he had not been born." And Judas said, "It isn’t me is it, Teacher?"
Isaiah 53: 3-4 Lori Horne Pendleton
L: He was despised and rejected by men.
R: A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. L: And as one from whom men hide their faces R: He was despised, and we esteemed him not. L: Surely he has borne our griefs,
R: And carried our sorrows.
THE FIRST WORD LUKE 23:32-33 Lori Horne Pendleton
There were two others with him, criminals who were being led away to execution; and when they reached the place called the Skull, they crucified Jesus there and the criminals with him, one on his right hand and the other on his left. Jesus said:
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." THE FIRST CANDLE EXTINGUISHED
THE SECOND SHADOW: DESERTION
Hymn AVON
Was it for crimes that I had done He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity, grace unknown, And love beyond degree!
Matthew 26: 30-31, 33-34 Alison Wright
After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away from me this night. It is written, 'I will strike down the Shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.'" But Peter answered and said unto him, "Even though all may fall away, I will never." Jesus to him, "Truly, I say to you that this night you shall deny me three times."
Psalm 38 Alison Wright
L: O Lord, rebuke me not in anger nor chastise me in wrath. For thy arrows have sunk into me and thy hand has come down on me.
R: I am utterly spent and crushed, my heart groans, I moan aloud.
L: Lord, all I long for is known to you, my sighing is no secret to you. My heart throbs, my strength is failing, my sight fades.
R: My friends and companions have deserted me. Even the dearest of them keep their distance.
L: Do not desert me, O Lord. R: O my God, be not far from me.
THE SECOND WORD LUKE 23:34-43 Alison Wright
As they cast lots to divide his garments, the people stood by, watching; while the rulers scoffed at him saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him vinegar, and saying, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews." One of the criminals who was hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deed; but this man has done nothing wrong." and he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power." And he said to him "Truly, truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
THE THIRD SHADOW: UNSHARED VIGIL
Hymn WONDROUS LOVE
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul, What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul, To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.
Luke 22: 40-42, 44-46 Leslie Robertson
And he proceeded out of the Mount of Olives, as usual with his disciples. And when they got there he said, "Pray that you won't be tested." And he went away from them about a stone's throw and began to pray. "Father, if You are willing, let this cup pass away, Yet not my will but Yours." And being in great agony he was praying with great feeling and his sweat came like blood dropping to the ground. And when he came back to the disciples he found them sound asleep. And he said, "Why are you sleeping?"
Responsive Reading Leslie Robertson
L: Lord, we confess we are like the disciples. R: It is easy to shrug off another's worry.
L: With troubles of our own, how can we carry someone else's load. R: And when things are going well, we don't want to be bothered. L: Yet on the cross, even as you suffered, you did not forget the
suffering of your mother.
R: Lord, make us mindful of the burdens of others.
THE THIRD WORD JOHN 19: 25-26 Leslie Robertson
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother...and to the disciple:
"Woman behold your son! Son behold your mother." THE THIRD CANDLE EXTINGUISHED
THE FOURTH SHADOW: FORSAKENESS
Hymn WERE YOU THERE
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Mark 14: 55-63 Tim Billings
Now the chief priests and the whole Council tried to find testimony against him, but they were finding none. For many were giving testimony against him but their testimony was not
consistent. And some stood up and began to offer false testimony against him saying, "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands'." And not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. And the high priest came forward questioning Jesus and saying, "Do you make no answer to what these men are accusing you of?" But he was silent. Then they asked, "Are you the Christ the Son of the Blessed One?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man coming in clouds of glory from heaven." And tearing his clothes, the high priest said, "What need have we of further witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. How do you judge him?" And they all judged him to be worthy of the death penalty. And some began to spit on Jesus, and they blindfolded him and beat him. "Guess who hit you!" they said. And the guards slapped him.
Responsive Reading: Psalm 22 Tim Billings
L: My God, my God, why hast thou abandoned me, R: Why art thou so far from helping me?
L: Our ancestors put their trust in you. R: They trusted you and were saved. L: But I am no longer a man, I am a worm,
despised and scorned by everyone!
R: All who see me make fun of me: They stick out their tongues and shake their heads,
L: "You trusted the Lord", they say, "Why doesn't he save you, Why doesn't he help you?"
THE FOURTH WORD Matthew 27: 39-46 Tim Billings
"The passers-by hurled abuse at him: they wagged their heads and cried, 'You would pull the temple down, would you, and build it in three days? Come down from the cross and save yourself, if you are indeed the Son of God.' So too the chief priests with the lawyers and elders mocked at him: 'He saved others' they said, 'but he cannot save himself. King of Israel, indeed! Let him come down now from the cross, and then we will believe him. Did he trust in God? Let God rescue him, if he wants him, -- for he said he was God's Son.' Even the bandits who were crucified with him, taunted him in the same way. Darkness fell over the whole land from midday until three in the afternoon; and about three Jesus cried aloud, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
THE FIFTH SHADOW: CRUCIFIXION
Hymn WERE YOU THERE
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Based on Mark 15: 16-20, 24-32 Alison Wright
Then the soldiers took him to the whole Roman guard. And they surrounded him and stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him and made a crown of thorn branches and put it on his head. And they knelt around him in mock homage, saying, "HAIL KING OF THE JEWS." They struck him with a rod and spat on him. When they had finished they put his own clothes on him and led him away to be crucified. There they stripped him and gambled for his clothes and sat to watch him die. And the rulers and the people and even the robbers began to make fun of him till he was dead.
Hymn Response Beneath the Cross of Jesus ST. CHRISTOPHER 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. 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 smitten heart with tears Two wonders I confess, The wonders of his glorious love And my unworthiness.
THE FIFTH WORD - John 19: 28 Alison Wright
After that, Jesus, aware that all had now come to its appointed end, said in fulfillment of Scripture, "I thirst."
THE SIXTH SHADOW: DEATH
Hymn HAMBURG
See, from his head, his hands his feet Sorrow and love flow mingled down Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown
Psalm 22: 14-15 Lori Horne Pendleton
I am poured out like water and my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted within me. My strength is dried up like a piece of clay and my tongue sticks to my jaws, and thou dost lay me in the dust of death.
THE SIXTH WORD John 19: 30 Lori Horne Pendleton
Having received the wine, he said: "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up the Spirit.
THE SEVENTH SHADOW: BURIAL
Matthew 27: 57-60 Kristin Whitesides
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. and Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed.
THE SEVENTH WORD Luke 23: 44-46 Kristin Whitesides By now it was about midday and there came a darkness over the whole land, which lasted until three in the afternoon; for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus gave a loud cry and said: "Father, into thy hands, I commit my spirit."
THE EXIT OF THE CANDLE SYMBOLIZING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST SILENT MEDITATION
THE LORD'S PRAYER (Unison) DEPART IN SILENCE
Organist: Dan Miller
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, WINCHESTER, VA www.fbcwinc.org
