Readings, prayer and a sermon for Easter

 

Manuscript for the Easter Service

 EASTER ACCLAMATION

P Alleluia! Christ is risen!

C He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

458 CHRIST JESUS LAY IN DEATH’S STRONG BANDS

5 Here our true Paschal Lamb we see,
    Whom God so freely gave us;
He died on the accursèd tree—
    So strong His love—to save us.
See, His blood now marks our door;
Faith points to it; death passes o’er,
    And Satan cannot harm us.
        Alleluia!

6 So let us keep the festival
    To which the Lord invites us;
Christ is Himself the joy of all,
    The sun that warms and lights us.
Now His grace to us imparts
Eternal sunshine to our hearts;
    The night of sin is ended.
        Alleluia!

7 Then let us feast this Easter Day
    On Christ, the bread of heaven;
The Word of grace has purged away
    The old and evil leaven.
Christ alone our souls will feed;
He is our meat and drink indeed;
    Faith lives upon no other!
        Alleluia!

Tune and text: Public domain

 

P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

 

 

COLLECT OF THE DAY

P Let us pray.

Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 

OLD TESTAMENT READING Job 19:23–27

²³“Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
²⁴Oh that with an iron pen and lead
they were engraved in the rock forever!
²⁵For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
²⁶And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,
²⁷whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me!”

A This is the Word of the Lord.

 

EPISTLE 1 Corinthians 15:51–57

⁵¹Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. ⁵⁴When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
⁵⁵“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

A This is the Word of the Lord.

 

HOLY GOSPEL

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the sixteenth chapter.

 

¹When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. ²And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. ³And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” ⁴And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. ⁵And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. ⁶And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” ⁸And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

 

CREED

 

SERMON

 

Mark 16

“And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” (Mark 16:3)

As the sun was rising, it dawned on them: “There is a big stone covering the entrance to the tomb, blocking our way. How are we going to get in? How can we anoint Jesus’ body?”

It’s no wonder that they were frazzled, scattered in their thoughts. They were going through a lot. It was a horrible time. The unimaginable had just happened. Jesus their rabbi, teacher, hero, friend had been killed. They had so much hope in what He might do for them, for their nation, for the world. But now he’s dead. There’s this debilitating mix of grief and fear. What will the authorities do next? What trouble is coming next? These women and all the other followers of Jesus don’t know what to do. One thing they think of that they can do, is to make sure his body is decently cared for, properly buried according to their custom and traditions. They saw that Joseph of Arimithea and Nicodemus had done some preparation of the body with linen and spices, but it was hurried. “We should finish it. But, oh! No. we can’t. There’s that stone. Who can we get to move that stone?”

They couldn’t get to Jesus. I would have you consider this: What’s in your way? What would block you from your Lord and Savior? Do grief and fear frazzle your mind and scatter your thoughts? There’s so much to think about, so much to worry about, so much to do and plan for doing, who will roll away that big bulky stone of your worries and preoccupations that block the way for you to worship, to love, to trust your Savior Jesus Christ. Do the fears of life and death get so big that they block your way from the only one who can relieve them, the only one who can save you from them.

Other sins can become immovable impediments to your life with the Lord. Especially those ongoing sins, the sins you get comfortable with and you put off addressing them, or trying to fix them. When you don’t repent of sin, the way of faith is blocked. Who will roll that stone away?

Well in the case of Mary, and the other Mary, and Salome, someone had already rolled the stone away. They shouldn’t really have fretted about it so. At some point earlier that morning an angel rolled the stone back. He opened the way for them to get into the tomb, not so that they could find the dead body of Jesus and anoint it.  No, the angel opened the way to the tomb so they could see that it was empty and so that they could hear the good news that was being preached inside, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here.”

So also, when you think about whatever may be blocking your way, whatever big stones you have to contend with. There will be much that is bigger than your strength to move it. Your help must come from heaven. Believe that. Count on that. 

The bigger problem for these women that first Easter morning was that they didn’t believe. They knew Jesus. They loved Jesus. They had high hopes for Jesus. But when it came to the moment of greatest crisis, they didn’t expect He would be there to help them out. They gave up and assumed he was still in the tomb, stone cold dead. He told Him he’d rise. But they didn’t yet believe it.  And that lack of belief, that lack of faith was a bigger obstacle than the stone. It’s kinda strange that they would believe in Jesus for little things, like turning wine into water or healing lepers, but when it came to big things,like death and the life after death, they didn’t trust that he could do that. But that was exactly what He did, that’s the point of all that He does.

The hymn we just sang, Luther wrote it, putting down in verse what we believe:

Christ Jesus, God’s own Son, came down,

    His people to deliver;

Destroying sin, He took the crown

    From death’s pale brow forever:

Stripped of pow’r, no more it reigns;

An empty form alone remains;

    Its sting is lost forever.

        Alleluia!

We believe. I figure I’m talking to people who believe. In fact some of you have believed this for a long time, for many Easters. But as with anything, it can come to be old hat. It can be taken for granted, like an old piece of furniture in the corner, you don’t really use it much any more, but there’s no reason to throw it out.

We’ve got to keep in mind that the obstacles we have to our faith in God, are bigger than our strength to move them. Or in other words, we believe that we cannot by our own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ our Lord, or come to Him, but the Holy Spirit has called us by the Gospel, enlightened us with his gifts, sanctified and kept us in the true faith.

The Holy Spirit brings us to faith and keeps us in the faith by the means of grace, by the Word of the Gospel and the Sacraments. So let’s keep on having those means of grace. Let’s keep listening to the Word of the Gospel, regularly. Let’s have the feast our Lord gave us for our forgiveness and faith. Let’s use the Gospel regularly, in fact, daily in our life. You can’t take faith for granted. Keep coming back to the Spirit’s means of grace, Word and sacrament.

Don’t take it for granted that everyone else around you believes this Gospel of Jesus. Don’t assume that they have his resurrection in their hearts and are trusting him for their own resurrection and new life. Mary and the other Mary and Salome were so shook by all the drama of their past several days that they didn’t expect, didn’t believe Jesus could be living. So there are people in your lives, people even in your homes perhaps who haven’t thought of it for a while, that they have a Redeemer who lives.

So keep this Easter Gospel at the top of your mind. Keep these things in your heart and in your conversation. Believe it. And act like you believe it. Remain faithful even unto death, because, thanks be to God, He has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

 

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

O God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, we thank and praise you for your mercy and your life. Make us glad in this heavenly Easter message that He who died for our sins rose again for our justification; that because he lives, we too shall live; that death has no power over us; that he has conquered sin, death and the power of the devil, and brought us into life and eternal salvation. 

Order our days by your Word, both law, that we may do what you command, and your Gospel, that we may trust your promises and rejoice always.

Fill our homes with such a sense of your goodness and your many gifts, especially the gift of eternal life in your Son, that Easter may be observed with the solemnity of sincere thanksgiving and celebrated with the joy of the blessed hope you’ve given us.

Be at work in all the nations of the earth. Tear down all that opposes justice and decency and your Gospel.

Grant that all believers throughout the world this day may find that your grace and peace are perfect and complete. Help all to be faithful to death, that they may receive the crown of life. By your Spirit, make us perfect in every good work to do your will, and work in us that which is well pleasing in your sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

 

LORD’S PRAYER

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.

 

BENEDICTION

P The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.

C Amen.

 

 

457 JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN TODAY

1 Jesus Christ is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

2 Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heav’nly king, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

3 But the pains which He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s king, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

4 Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Praise eternal as His love; Alleluia!
Praise Him, all ye heav’nly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

Text: Public domain

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book

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 © 2021 Concordia Publishing House.

Holy Saturday Devotion

 

Good Friday Service

 

Manuscript for Good Friday Service

 

Good Friday

 

St. Paul=s Lutheran Church

The Lutheran C Church Missouri Synod

Fredericksburg, IA

 

            O Lord, open my lips.

            And my mouth will declare your praise.

            Make haste, O God to deliver me.

            Make haste to help me, O Lord.

:          

            Christ has humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death:

            Even death on the cross.

 

            Hear my prayer, 0 Lord

            And let my cry come unto you.

 

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Almighty God, graciously behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death on the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

The sentiment of this collect sets the tone for our prayer and meditation tonight. God would have us be his family. That should be a nice warm thought. But because of our weakness and sin, we must with caution ask God, “behold this your family.” God is holy. We are not. Tonight we are struck with what it took to make up this difference. Jesus, the true Son of God, had to die.

 

440 JESUS, I WILL PONDER NOW

1     Jesus, I will ponder now
    On Your holy passion;
With Your Spirit me endow
    For such meditation.
Grant that I in love and faith
    May the image cherish
Of Your suff’ring, pain, and death
    That I may not perish.

2     Make me see Your great distress,
    Anguish, and affliction,
Bonds and stripes and wretchedness
    And Your crucifixion;
Make me see how scourge and rod,
    Spear and nails did wound You,
How for them You died, O God,
    Who with thorns had crowned You.

3     Yet, O Lord, not thus alone
    Make me see Your passion,
But its cause to me make known
    And its termination.
Ah! I also and my sin
    Wrought Your deep affliction;
This indeed the cause has been
    Of Your crucifixion.

4     Grant that I Your passion view
    With repentant grieving.
Let me not bring shame to You
    By unholy living.
How could I refuse to shun
    Ev’ry sinful pleasure
Since for me God’s only Son
    Suffered without measure?

5     If my sins give me alarm
    And my conscience grieve me,
Let Your cross my fear disarm;
    Peace of conscience give me.
Help me see forgiveness won
    By Your holy passion.
If for me He slays His Son,
    God must have compassion!

6     Graciously my faith renew;
    Help me bear my crosses,
Learning humbleness from You,
    Peace mid pain and losses.
May I give You love for love!
    Hear me, O my Savior,
That I may in heav’n above
    Sing Your praise forever.

Text: Public domain

 

THE OLD TESTAMENT READING: 

Isaiah 52&53. 13 See, my servant will act wisely ; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. 14 Just as there were many who were appalled at him ‑‑ his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness‑‑ 15 so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descen­dants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the trans­gression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied ; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was num­bered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.  (NIV) 

 

The Passion according to St. John.

John 18:1-11

    When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. [2] Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. [3] So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. [4] Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" [5] They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. [6] When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. [7] So he asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." [8] Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go." [9] This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: "Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one." [10] Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) [11] So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"

 

It had to be this way. It was the cup set before Jesus to drink. As awful as it seemed at the time, the death of the Son of God was planned by God from the beginning. Isaiah foreknew it and preached about it saying “by his wounds we are healed.. . . The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” We can’t look away from these heart wrenching scenes, because there is God’s love for us, in a glorious presentation.

 

Almighty God, graciously behold this your family, and receive our unending thanks for your plan of salvation through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

 

John 18:12-27

    So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. [13] First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. [14] It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

    [15] Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, [16] but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. [17] The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." [18] Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

    [19] The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. [20] Jesus answered him, "I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. [21] Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said." [22] When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?" [23] Jesus answered him, "If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?" [24] Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

    [25] Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, "You also are not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not." [26] One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?" [27] Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

 

If only there was some easier way to save us from our sins. Is there some side way around that we could just sneak by, unrecognized? Is there a way we could avoid coming face to face with the suffering and death of our beloved Lord, Jesus. Can’t we just deny our sins -- deny the need for so much fuss -- deny our problems and our sorry state? Peter would have liked to try to avoid the truth and hide who he truly was. To truly behold the cross and the death of the Son of God means to truly understand and admit who we are as sinners and what part we play in the Lord’s condemnation.

 

Almighty God, graciously behold this your family, and teach us to be continually honest with ourselves, honest to others, and honest to you. Amen.

 

John 18:28-40

    Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. [29] So Pilate went outside to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" [30] They answered him, "If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you." [31] Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death." [32] This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

    [33] So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" [34] Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" [35] Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" [36] Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." [37] Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." [38] Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

    After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in him. [39] But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" [40] They cried out again, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.

 

Jesus the holy innocent one is condemned and punished. Barabbas the criminal is set loose, scot free. That little incident was for us. It was recorded to let us feel the shame for what was done to Jesus. And for us to feel the joy of the prisoner set free, the condemned pardoned, the sinner absolved.

 

Almighty God, graciously behold this your family, and take away our guilt and sins. Amen.

 

John 19:1-15

    Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. [2] And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. [3] They came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with their hands. [4] Pilate went out again and said to them, "See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him." [5] So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold the man!" [6] When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him." [7] The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God." [8] When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. [9] He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. [10] So Pilate said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?" [11] Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin."

    [12] From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar." [13] So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. [14] Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" [15] They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."

 

Things seem so wrong, so disturbing, so out of whack. The Son of God who came from heaven to earth ought not to meet his end so. The Lord of Life isn’t supposed to die. The King of the Universe ought not be treated so by such an insignificant prefect and his brute squad. In the family, there’s got to be a great deal of trust. When things seem so wrong, the family trusts that there is love and goodness and that the Father wants what’s best for us. And our Father is surprisingly good at using the strangest things, the unfair things, even the horrible things of sin and death, to work out His will for our good.

Almighty God, graciously behold this your family, and, as you have promised, so work out all things for our good. Amen.

 

 

John 19:16-24

    So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.

    So they took Jesus, [17] and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. [18] There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. [19] Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." [20] Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. [21] So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but rather, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.' " [22] Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."

    [23] When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, [24] so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots."

So the soldiers did these things,

 

When Jesus talked about the cross, he often said things like this: “When I am lifted up I will draw all people to myself.”

 “Now is the Son of Man glorified.”  To the unthoughtful and the uncaring, Jesus on the cross looks inglorious, defeated, a loser. But to us, His family, we are never so proud, so awed, so thankful as when we behold the cross and our salvation there. There is our beloved Jesus fulfilling all Our Father’s promises. There is our beloved Savior and brother making all things right for this dysfunctional family.  There is our King giving us the Kingdom.

 

Almighty God, graciously behold this your family, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who endured the cross, scorning its shame. Amen.

 

 

John 19:25-30

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

    [28] After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." [29] A 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. [30] When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

 

Jesus gave up his spirit. No one took his life from Him. He was in control throughout and willingly did what His Father had willed for him to do. He did it and we benefit. Because there is certainly nothing we could have done anything about it ourselves. It had to be he who would give up his spirit for us; it would have to be he who would take care of our sins for us; it would have to be he who would beat death for us; it would have to be he who would bring us into his holy family.

 

Almighty God, graciously behold this your family, for whom your Son Jesus gave up His Spirit. Amen.

 

John 19:31-42

    Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. [32] So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. [33] But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. [34] But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. [35] He who saw it has borne witness— his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth— that you also may believe. [36] For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken." [37] And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced."

    [38] After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. [39] Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. [40] So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. [41] Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. [42] So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

 

The Lord=s Prayer.

 

 

 

 

 

Good Friday Devotion

 

Holy Thursday Devotion