Lectionary Readings
Isaiah 52:13—53:12
The innocent servant suffers; surely he has borne our sin.
Psalm 22
A desperate prayer of lament turns to thanksgiving and praise.
Hebrews 10:16–25
Jesus opens the sanctuary for us; trust in him, for he is faithful.
or Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:7–9
In Jesus, we have a great high priest who knows our weakness.
John 18:1—19:42
Jesus is arrested, put on trial, crucified, and buried.
— Gathering —
Call to Worship
Mocked and scorned,
look, the Savior of the world.
God’s sacrifice for us,
look, the Savior of the world.
Poured out,
look, the Savior of the world.
Prayer of the Day
Blessed Jesus,
you teach us to cling to Scripture
as you speak psalms from the cross.
You paint an image of mercy
as you tend to your mother’s grief.
You ask us to recognize the frailties of our enemies,
to give and to seek forgiveness,
for they know not what they do.
You amaze us as you commend your own spirit,
embracing God’s love peacefully.
Holy Christ, show us the blessings
in the cloud of sacrifice,
that we may sing of you when we sing,
our awesome God. Amen.
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Thanksgiving For Baptism
At the baptismal font:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
O Lord our God, we give you thanks
for the mercy you so freely offer us
through the grace of our baptism—
safe passage through the sea,
justice rolling down like water,
deliverance from sin and death forever.
By the power of your Holy Spirit,
poured out upon us in baptism,
teach us to love and serve you faithfully
and reconcile us to you and to one another
as members of one, living body;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Pardon
At the baptismal font:
In the name of Christ, I urge you:
Be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20
Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.
On this Friday we call Good,
we relive the story of your great passion,
your love bleeding on a cross.
Forgive us, O Christ, if we are on the wrong side
of this crucifixion story.
Forgive us, O Christ, if we are prideful enough to think
that we would not have abandoned you.
Forgive us, O Christ, for the ways we have shouted, “Crucify him,”
with our actions if not with our words.
Forgive us for not hearing the prayers of desperation
from people condemned,
from people who are isolated,
from people who carry violence and pain in their bodies.
Forgive us, O Lord, and let us not forget
that our enemies’ wounds are our wounds,
our neighbors’ pain is our pain.
Lifting water from the font:
Listen, the time has come at last.
Look, now is the day of salvation!
2 Corinthians 6:2
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God.
— Word —
Prayer for Illumination
At the lectern or pulpit:
Holy One, our strength in suffering
and our hope for salvation,
lift up your Word of life
and pour out your Spirit of grace
so that we may follow faithfully
all the way to the cross;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture
Before the readings:
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
Psalm 51:15
After the readings:
We proclaim Christ crucified—
the wisdom and power of God.
Thanks be to God.
1 Corinthians 1:23–25
Sermon
Ascription of Praise
After the sermon:
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
we bend our knees
and lift up our hearts,
giving glory to God forever. Amen.
Philippians 2:9–11
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Affirmation of Faith
Season of Lent, Palm/Passion Sunday, Good Friday
God’s reconciling act in Jesus Christ is a mystery
which the Scriptures describe in various ways.
It is called the sacrifice of a lamb,
a shepherd’s life given for his sheep,
atonement by a priest;
again it is ransom of a slave, payment of debt,
vicarious satisfaction of a legal penalty,
and victory over the powers of evil.
These are expressions of a truth
which remains beyond the reach of all theory
in the depths of God’s love for humankind.
They reveal the gravity, cost,
and sure achievement of God’s reconciling work.
Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.09
NOTE: In the service for Good Friday, the Prayers of Intercession may be replaced by the Solemn Intercession.
Prayers of Intercession
My God, my God,
why have you forsaken us?
We pray for those who cry by day . . .
Do not abandon them.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who cannot find rest . . .
Give them sleep that ends in praise.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who groan with needs,
for the poor, hungry, and marginalized . . .
Come quickly to deliver them.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who endure illness and injury
and those who are close to death . . .
Bring them safely to your breast.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are mocked
or bullied by others
and for victims of evil and oppression . . .
Rescue them in your great love.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for ourselves as we recall
that we all go down to the dust
and that in Christ God went down to the grave,
that we may live and serve him.
Hear us as we pray in the name of Jesus,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Solemn Reproaches of the Cross
— Sending —
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
NOTE: In the service for Good Friday, the Blessing and Charge may be omitted.
Blessing and Charge
At the doors of the church:
May the steadfast love of God,
the abundant grace of Jesus Christ,
and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit
be with you this day and always. Amen.
Psalm 51:2–3
Remember the words of the Lord Jesus:
If any wish to be my disciples
let them take up the cross
and follow me. Amen.
Mark 8:34
The Lord’s Supper
JESUS MAFA, 1973
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
- I Want Jesus to Walk with Me (WALK WITH ME) GTG 775 (E)
- On a Barren Hilltop (KING’S WESTON) GTG 217 (E)
- O Sacred Head, Now Wounded (PASSION CHORALE) GTG 221 (O)
- Go to Dark Gethsemane (REDHEAD 76) GTG 220 (G)
WORD
- There Is a Green Hill Far Away (HORSLEY) EH 167 (E)
- Ah, Holy Jesus (HERZLIEBSTER JESU) GTG 218 (OEG)
- Rejected and Despised (CARDINAL) GTG 222 (OG)
- They Crucified My Lord (CRUCIFIXION) GTG 219 (OG)
EUCHARIST
- Jesus, Remember Me (REMEMBER ME) GTG 227 (G)
- In the Cross of Christ I Glory (RATHBUN) GTG 213 (OG)
- Sharing Paschal Bread and Wine (TENEBRAE) GTG 207 (G)
SENDING
- My Song Is Love Unknown (LOVE UNKNOWN) GTG 209 (G)
- I Need Thee Every Hour (NEED) GTG 735 (E)
- When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (HAMBURG/ROCKINGHAM) GTG 223/224 (EG)
- What Wondrous Love Is This (WONDROUS LOVE) GTG 215 (OEG)
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 22
Metrical
- Mijn God, mijn God / My God, My God (Dutch) [IRREGULAR] GWA 2
- My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me [IRREGULAR] PAS 22A
Responsorial
- O Sacred Head, Now Wounded UMH 752
- Lord, in You I Trust PP 38
Organ Music
- “Were You There?” King of Kings, vol. 1, arr. Uzee Brown Jr., GIA (ME)
- “No. 21, O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden,” 30 Kleine Choralvorspiele, op. 135a, Max Reger, IMSLP (M)
- “O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gross,” BWV 622, Orgelbüchlein, J. S. Bach, IMSLP (M)
- “Prélude funèbre,” Répertoire de l’organiste, No. 72, Guy Ropartz, IMSLP (MA)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
- “Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs,” Eleanor Daley, AMP, SATB, acap (M)
- “Tenebrae Factae Sunt,” Francis Poulenc, Editions Durand, SATB, acap (A)
- “O Vos Omnes,” Pablo Casals, Tetra, SSAATTBB, org (M)
- “Into Your Hands I Surrender My Soul,” Michael John Trotta, MSM, SATB, acap (A)
- “Psalm 22,” Rory Cooney, GIA, SAB, keybd (E)
- “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” arr. Gilbert Martin, TPR, SATB, org (E)
- “When Jesus Wept,” William Billings, CPDL, SATB, acap (M)
Art
- Lamentation, William H. Johnson, 1944 (WA)
- Lamentation over the Body of Christ, Dosso Dossi, 1517–18 (PD) (NAT)
- Broken Vessel, Lauren Wright Pittman, 2017 (VDL)
- Carrying the Cross of Christ, Gabriel Loire, 20th century (VDL)
- The Crucifixion, Aaron Douglas, 1927 (WA)
