Good Friday 21 March 2008 - MS Black Watch

Today the carpenter's hands are nailed to a cross.
Hands that once fashioned wood are now fastened to wood.

He who sought no crown now wears a crown of thorns,
and the purple robe of monarchy becomes a mockery.

Today he sets us free, himself imprisoned on a tree.
Today is God's Friday.
We come in worship.

HYMN: My song is love unknown

Good Friday God,
look graciously, we pray, on us your people.
On this day of passion, of tears and desolation,
may we walk with Jesus to the cross -
and see beyond the cross to meet with the living Christ.
Amen

First reading - Luke 23: 1-12

Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."
So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"You say so," Jesus replied.
Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."
But they insisted, "He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here." On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends - before this they had been enemies.

followed by silent reflection for a moment

HYMN:

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Sometime it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they took him to be judged?
Were you there when they took him to be judged?
Sometime it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they took him to be judged?

Second reading - Luke 23: 13 - 25

Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him." With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him."
But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

followed by silent reflection for a moment

Were you there when they shouted "crucify!" ?
Were you there when they shouted "crucify!" ?
Sometime it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they shouted "crucify!" ?

Third reading - Luke 23: 26-38

As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" , and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals-one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."
There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

followed by silent reflection for a moment

Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Sometime it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

Fourth reading - Luke 23: 39-49

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was an innocent man." When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

followed by silent reflection for a moment

Were you there when he bowed his head and died?
Were you there when he bowed his head and died?
Sometime it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when he bowed his head and died?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Sometime it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Reflection

Let us pray, brothers and sisters, for the holy church of God throughout the world,

that God may guide us and gather the church together to be a sign of reconciling love.

God of power and love defender of the poor and oppressed, call to account the rulers of this world,

so that people everywhere may enjoy justice, peace, and freedom, and a fair share
of the goodness of creation.

Let us pray for people, old or young, who are sick or dying,
people who are homeless or in prison, and for people who suffer from hunger or violence.

God of power and love,
strength of the weary, hope of the despairing,
hear the cries of your suffering children
and give us the courage to show forth your love by our lives.
We pray in the name of Christ our Saviour.
Amen.

HYMN: O Lord of our salvation

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

HYMN: The Love that clothes itself in light

May the living God remind us that this was not an ending but a beginning.
Light and love have filled our hearts and the darkness shall not overcome.

Lord, we believe: help us where faith falls short.

The service ends in silence

Back