Bulletin for Good Friday

Good Friday

+ SERVICE OF THE WORD +

COLLECT OF THE DAY

P    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.

C    Amen.

Psalm 22

1My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,            and by night, but I find no rest.

3Yet you are holy,    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
5To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
7All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
8“He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

9Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
10On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.

12Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.

14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
15my strength is dried up like a potsherd,            and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
   you lay me in the dust of death.

16For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me;
they have pierced my hands and feet—17I can count all my bones—
they stare and gloat over me; 18they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

19But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
20Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!
   21Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

22I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
   and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.

25From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
26The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord!
   May your hearts live forever!

27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
28For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

29All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
   even the one who could not keep himself alive.

30Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
31they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

OLD TESTAMENT READING   Isaiah 53

4Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,smitten by God, and afflicted.
5But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,and with his stripes we are healed.
6All we like sheep have gone astray;we have turned every one to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
 

A    This is the Word of the Lord.

C    Thanks be to God.

P    Let us pray.

Merciful and everlasting God, You did not spare Your only Son but delivered Him up for us all to bear our sins on the cross. Grant that our hearts may be so fixed with steadfast faith in Him that we fear not the power of sin, death, and the devil; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C    Amen.

THE 7 LAST WORDS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

First Word: Luke 23:34

   33And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

447 JESUS, IN YOUR DYING WOES        sts. 1–3

Jesus, in Your dying woes,
Even while Your lifeblood flows,
Craving pardon for Your foes:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

2     Savior, for our pardon sue
When our sins Your pangs renew,
For we know not what we do:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

3     Oh, may we, who mercy need,
Be like You in heart and deed,
When with wrong our spirits bleed:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

Text: Public domain

Second Word: Luke 23:39-43

   39One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

447 JESUS, IN YOUR DYING WOES     sts. 4–21

4     Jesus, pitying the sighs
Of the thief, who near You dies,
Promising him paradise:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

5     May we in our guilt and shame
Still Your love and mercy claim,
Calling humbly on Your name:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

6     May our hearts to You incline
And their thoughts Your cross entwine.
Cheer our souls with hope divine:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

Third Word: John 19:25–27

25standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

7  Jesus, loving to the end
Her whose heart Your sorrows rend,
And Your dearest human friend:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

8  May we in Your sorrows share,
For Your sake all peril dare,
And enjoy Your tender care:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

9  May we all Your loved ones be,
All one holy family,
Loving, since Your love we see:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

Fourth Word: Matthew 27:45-46

   45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

10   Jesus, whelmed in fears unknown,
With our evil left alone,
While no light from heav’n is shown:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

11   When we seem in vain to pray
And our hope seems far away,
In the darkness be our stay:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

12   Though no Father seem to hear,
Though no light our spirits cheer,
May we know that God is near:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

Fifth Word: John 19:28-29

   28After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.

Jesus, in Your thirst and pain,
While Your wounds Your lifeblood drain,
Thirsting more our love to gain:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

14   Thirst for us in mercy still;
All Your holy work fulfill;
Satisfy Your loving will:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

15   May we thirst Your love to know.
Lead us in our sin and woe
Where the healing waters flow:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

Sixth Word: John 19:30

   30When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.”

16   Jesus, all our ransom paid,
All Your Father’s will obeyed;
By Your suff’rings perfect made:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

17   Save us in our soul’s distress;
Be our help to cheer and bless
While we grow in holiness:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

18   Brighten all our heav’nward way
With an ever holier ray
Till we pass to perfect day:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

Seventh Word: Luke 23:46

   46Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

19   Jesus, all Your labor vast,
All Your woe and conflict past,
Yielding up Your soul at last:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

20   When the death shades round us low’r,
Guard us from the tempter’s pow’r,
Keep us in that trial hour:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

21   May Your life and death supply
Grace to live and grace to die,
Grace to reach the home on high:
    Hear us, holy Jesus.

Text: Public domain

SERMON

Psalm 22:19

But you, O Lord, do not be far off!
   O you my help, come quickly to my aid!

We can pray a prayer like that confidently, because Jesus prayed it first.

Since Jesus prayed it, we know it’s a good prayer. And we can believe that the Lord will answer it.

We believe what we don’t see.

St. Paul before he had ever met or saw the members of the church in the city of Rome, wrote these words to them:  ”so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” (Romans 12:5)

I believe the same thing about you, members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, although you aren’t with me, although we aren’t together on this Holy night, we are one body in Christ.

We are incorporated into Christ. Incorporated has as it’s root word, “corpus”, body.

We are one body and this body has one head, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Where the head goes, so must the rest of the body.

We believe that, even though we can’t see it. So when He was on the cross, we are there too. We who have been incorporated into Him, by our baptism in Him, and by our faith in Him. We are at the cross to have our sins hung there.

We are at the cross to hear better, and more clearer than the soldiers who had their hands on Him, so when He says things like, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do,” we hear Him and know He’s not just talking about those soldiers, but about us.

We are at the cross and we can learn from Jesus how to pray with confidence the comforting words of Psalms that set our hearts at rest in God the Father’s care and grace and we pray there with Him, “Father, into your hands I commend my body and soul and all things.”

We are at the cross to find that our salvation is sure and certain, finalized and complete as He says, “It is finished.”

We are at the cross to die with Him, so we may rise with Him to that promised paradise with Him.

For where the head goes, so must the rest of the body.

Amen.

BIDDING PRAYER

A    Let us pray for the whole Christian Church, that our Lord God would defend her against all the assaults and temptations of the adversary and keep her perpetually on the true foundation, Jesus Christ:

P    Almighty and everlasting God, since You have revealed Your glory to all nations in Jesus Christ and in the Word of His truth, keep, we ask You, in safety the works of Your mercy so that Your Church, spread throughout all the nations, may be defended against the adversary and may serve You in true faith and persevere in the confession of Your name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C    Amen.

A    Let us pray for all the ministers of the Word, for all vocations in the Church, and for all the people of God:

P    Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified, receive the supplications and prayers which we offer before You for all Your servants in Your holy Church that every member of the same may truly serve You according to Your calling; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C    Amen.

A    Let us pray for our catechumens, that our Lord God would open their hearts and the door of His mercy that, having received the remission of all their sins by the washing of regeneration, they may be mindful of their Baptism and evermore be found in Christ Jesus, our Lord:

P    Almighty God and Father, because You always grant growth to Your Church, increase the faith and understanding of our catechumens that, rejoicing in their new birth by the water of Holy Baptism, they may forever continue in the family of those whom You adopt as Your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C    Amen.

A    Let us pray for all in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty:

P    O merciful Father in heaven, because You hold in Your hand all the might of man and because You have ordained, for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do well, all the powers that exist in all the nations of the world, we humbly pray You graciously to regard Your servants, especially [name], our President; the Congress of the United States; [name], our Governor; and all those who make, administer, and judge our laws; that all who receive the sword as Your ministers may bear it according to Your Word; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C    Amen.

A    Let us pray our Lord God Almighty that He would deliver the world from all error, take away disease, ward off famine, set free those in bondage, and grant health to the sick and a safe journey to all who travel:

P    Almighty and everlasting God, the consolation of the sorrowful and the strength of the weak, may the prayers of those who in any tribulation or distress cry to You graciously come before You, so that in all their necessities they may rejoice in Your manifold help and comfort; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C    Amen.

A    Let us pray for all who are outside the Church, that our Lord God would be pleased to deliver them from their error, call them to faith in the true and living God and His only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and gather them into His family, the Church:

P    Almighty and everlasting God, because You seek not the death but the life of all, hear our prayers for all who have no right knowledge of You, free them from their error, and for the glory of Your name bring them into the fellowship of Your holy Church; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C    Amen.

A    Let us pray for peace, that we may come to the knowledge of God’s holy Word and walk before Him as is fitting for Christians:

P    Almighty and everlasting God, King of Glory, and Lord of heaven and earth, by whose Spirit all things are governed, by whose providence all things are ordered, the God of peace and the author of all concord, grant us, we implore You, Your heavenly peace and concord that we may serve You in true fear, to the praise and glory of Your name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C    Amen.

A    Let us pray for our enemies, that God would remember them in mercy and graciously grant them such things as are both needful for them and profitable for their salvation:

P    O almighty, everlasting God, through Your only Son, our blessed Lord, You have commanded us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, and to pray for those who persecute us. We therefore earnestly implore You that by Your gracious visitation all our enemies may be led to true repentance and may have the same love and be of one accord and one mind and heart with us and with Your whole Christian Church; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C    Amen.

A    Let us pray for the fruits of the earth, that God would send down His blessing upon them and graciously dispose our hearts to enjoy them according to His own good will:

P    O Lord, Father Almighty, by Your Word You created and You continue to bless and uphold all things. We pray You so to reveal to us Your Word, our Lord Jesus Christ that, through His dwelling in our hearts, we may by Your grace be made ready to receive Your blessing on all the fruits of the earth and whatsoever pertains to our bodily need; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C    Amen.

The church is darkened, like the whole world was darkened on the day our Lord Jesus died.

C    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 and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Good Friday, Chief Service from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV^® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2018 Concordia Publishing House.