Bulletin – Friday, April 18, 2025 – Good Friday

Friday, April 18, 2025
Good Friday

Opening Words

Today we gather to remember, so let us remember. Let us remember how the sky went dark. Let us remember how his mother was right there. Let us remember how the people standing around mocked him. Let us remember how all of his friends fled. Let us remember how in the midst of all that, Jesus still chose love. Let us remember and let us worship our Holy God. Amen.

Call to Worship

One:   God forbid that I should boast of anything
All:      but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One:   In Christ is salvation, life, and resurrection from the dead;
All:      and through Christ may we be redeemed and set free.

One:   May God be gracious to us and bless us,
All:      and may God’s face shine upon us.

Anthem – “I Come to the Cross”

I come to the cross seeking mercy and grace.
I come to the cross where You died in my place.
Out of my weakness and into Your strength,
Humbly, I come to the cross.
Your arms are open, You call me by name.
You welcome this child that was lost.
You paid the price for my guilt and my shame.
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come,
Jesus, I come to the cross.

Lenten Candle Tenebrae

One:   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.
All:      And the Word was God.

One:   Jesus came into our world.
All:      He brought life, and his life was the light of all people.

One:   The light shines in the midst of chaos, tyranny, and destruction.
All:      On this day, his light was extinguished by the powers and principalities of this world.

One:   We mourn his death.
All:      We mourn that such powers crucify people again and again, even till this day.

The Christ candle is extinguished

Sung Response – “Don’t Be Afraid” (MV #90)

Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger, my love is stronger than your fear.
Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger and I have promised, promised to be always near.

One:   Let us pray:
All:      O God, we mourn when innocent people are killed. Especially, we mourn those who are being killed because they dare to speak the truth, because they defend the environment and challenge racism, and because they seek justice and peace. O God, who cries with us, stay with us through these times and through the loneliness of the night. Comfort us as we mourn, as we pray for a world to come, a world of blessing you promised to those who mourn. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.

(Won Hur, Ebenezer United Church, Gathering L/E/ 2023)

Prayer of Confession

God of tender mercies, we admit that sometimes we don’t know what to do with ourselves. We anger quickly and love at a snail’s pace. We are confident that we would not yell ‘crucify’ standing with the crowd. We are sure that we would not fall asleep and leave you alone. Even in the best of times, we try hard to hear your spirit, but hear the voices of the surrounding culture. Help us to be honest with ourselves and with you. Amen.

Words of Forgiveness

Sung Response – “There is a Balm in Gilead” (VU #612)

There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.

There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.

Scripture Reading:         Mark 14:1-11

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

¹ Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. ² “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

³ While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

⁴ Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵ It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

⁶ “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸ She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. ⁹ Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. ¹¹ They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Sermon – “Two Roads Diverged in a Wood, and I…”

(Robert Frost)

Hymn – “Why is it Lord?”

Why it is, Lord, that when we’re stressed we feel things more and think things less?
We let the fear that is inside become our ruler and our guide.

We’re called to welcome stranger in, yet we let fear and hatred win.
When we ignore what’s just and true, O Lord, are we denying you?

In anxious times, Lord, make us wise to look within our inner lives.
When fear tempts us to cave in sin, may we seek truth and let love win.

Scripture Reading:         John 18:1-19:42

Jesus Arrested

¹ When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.

² Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. ³ So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

⁴ Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”

⁵ “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) ⁶ When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

⁷ Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

⁸ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.”

¹² Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus.

Peter’s First Denial

¹⁵ Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, ¹⁶ but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. ¹⁷ “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.

He replied, “I am not.”

The High Priest Questions Jesus

¹⁹ Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

²⁰ “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

²² When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

²³ “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” ²⁴ Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter’s Second and Third Denials

²⁵ Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”  He denied it, saying, “I am not.”

²⁶ One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” ²⁷ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.

Jesus Before Pilate

²⁸ Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor.

Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

³⁰ “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

³¹ Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected.

³³ Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

³⁴ “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

³⁵ “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

³⁶ Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

³⁷ “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

³⁸ “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. ³⁹ But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

⁴⁰ They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.

Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified

¹ Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ² And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe.

⁵ So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” ⁶ When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.” ⁷ The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.”

⁸ Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. ⁹ He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ Pilate therefore said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?” ¹¹ Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” ¹² From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.”

¹³ When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. ¹⁴ Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” ¹⁵ They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but the emperor.” ¹⁶ Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

So they took Jesus; ¹⁷ and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. ¹⁸ There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. ¹⁹ Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” ²⁰ Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. ²¹ Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘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 clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. ²⁴ So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill what the scripture says, “They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” ²⁵ And that is what the soldiers did.

Meanwhile, standing near 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 beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

The Death of Jesus

²⁸ After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. ³⁰ When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Hymn – “O Come and Mourn” (VU #136 verses 1, 2, and 4)

O come and mourn with me awhile,
O come now to the Saviour’s side;
O come, together let us mourn:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

Have we no tears to shed for him,
While soldiers scoff and foes deride?
Ah! Look how patiently he hangs:
Jesus, our love, is crucified.

O Love of God! O sin-filled world!
In this dread act your strength is tried,
And victory remains with love.
Jesus, our love, is crucified.

Scripture Reading:         John 18:1-19:42

³¹ Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. ³² The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴ Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

The Burial of Jesus

³⁸ Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. ³⁹ He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night.

⁴¹ At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴² Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Hymn – “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” (VU #135 verses 1 and 3)

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand:
The shadow of the 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.

I take, O cross, your shadow for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of his face,
Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame, my glory all, the cross.

Prayers of the People

One:   God in your mercy,
All:      hear our prayer.

All:      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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Anthem – “When Joy and Sorrow Meet”

There’s a place of quiet stillness ‘tween the light and shadows’ reach,
Where the hurting and the hopeless seek everlasting peace.
Words of men and songs of angels whisper comfort bittersweet,
Mingling grief and life eternal where joy and sorrow meet.
There is a place where hope remains in crowns of thorns and crimson stains,
And tears that fall of Jesus’ feet:
Where joy and sorrow meet.

There’s a place the lost surrender and the weary will retreat,
Full of grace and mercy tender in times of unbelief.
For the wounded, there is healing, strength is given to the weak,
Broken hearts find love redeeming:
Where joy and sorrow meet.
There is a place where hope remains in crowns of thorns and crimson stains,
And tears that fall of Jesus’ feet:
Where joy and sorrow meet.

There’s a place of thirst and hunger where the roots of faith grow deep.
There is rain and rolling thunder when the road is rough and steep.
But there is hope in desperation, there is vict’ry in defeat,
At the cross of restoration; where joy and sorrow meet!
There is a place where hope remains in crowns of thorns and crimson stains,
And tears that fall of Jesus’ feet:
Where joy and sorrow meet,
Where joy and sorrow meet.

Commissioning

Benediction