The Service in PDF format is at: March 29, 2024 GOOD FRIDAY Service
Video of service is at: YouTube
Peace Lutheran Church
We welcome you in the name of the Lord Jesus. We are honored with your presence. If you do not have a church home, you are invited to join us regularly. Please introduce yourself to Pastor Jeremy Lucke or one of the Ushers as you leave today and sign the guest book in the entryway. We continue to observe the guidelines for health safety. If you have any questions, please see an usher. Everyone is welcome.
~~~~~ Enter in Silence ~~~~~
CANDLE LIGHTING
Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Leader: We have an advocate with the Father; Jesus is the propitiation for our sins.
People: He was delivered up to death; He was delivered for the sins of the people.
Leader: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is put away.
People: Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted.
OPENING HYMN “What Wondrous Love Is This”
Alexander Means; Tim Smith; William Walker; Words: Public Domain ; Music: 2011 We Are Younger We Are Faster Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
What wondrous love is this
O my soul, O my soul
What wondrous love is this, O my soul
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul for my soul
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul
.
When I was sinking down
Sinking down, sinking down
When I was sinking down, sinking down
When I was sinking down
Beneath God’s righteous frown
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul
.
To God and to the Lamb
I will sing, I will sing
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing
To God and to the Lamb
Who is the Great I Am
While millions join the theme
I will sing I will sing
While millions join the theme I will sing
.
And when from death I’m free
I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on
And when from death I’m free
I’ll sing and joyful be
And thro’ eternity I’ll sing on I’ll sing on
And thro’ eternity I’ll sing on
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Let us pray. 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.
People: Amen.
† MESSAGE †
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When he said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Again he asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfil the word which he had spoken, “Of those whom thou gavest me I lost not one.” Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?”
So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him. First, they led him to Annas; for he was the father-in-law of Ca′iaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Ca′iaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
Reader: This is the story of God’s salvation.
People: Thanks be to God!
The first candle is extinguished.
Give Me Jesus
The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 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 secretly. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me, what I said to them; they know what I said.”
When he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” Annas then sent him bound to Ca′iaphas the high priest.
Reader: This is the story of God’s salvation.
People: Thanks be to God!
The second candle is extinguished.
Deep Were His Wounds
THIRD READING John 18:28-19:16
Then they led Jesus from the house of Ca′iaphas to the praetorium. It was early. They themselves did not enter the praetorium, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover. So Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have handed him over.” 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 any man to death.” This was to fulfil the word which Jesus had spoken to show by what death he was to die.
Pilate entered the praetorium again and called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me; what have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the world.”
Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again, and told them, “I find no crime in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover; will you have me release for you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barab′bas!” Now Barab′bas was a robber.
Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe; they came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again, and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no crime in him.”
So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 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 crime in him.”
The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God.” When Pilate heard these words, he was the more afraid; he entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?”
But Jesus gave no answer. 10Pilate therefore said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin.”
Upon this 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 sets himself against Caesar.” When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gab′batha.
Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 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.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
Reader: This is the story of God’s salvation.
People: Thanks be to God!
The third candle is extinguished.
HYMN “My Song Is Love Unknown”
John Nicholson Ireland; Samuel Crossman; Words: Public Domain ; Music: Public Domain
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me,
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
Oh, who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die?
My Lord should take frail flesh and die?
.
They rise, and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they save,
The prince of life they slay.
Yet cheerful he to suff’ring goes,
That he his foes from thence might free.
That he his foes from thence might free.
.
In life no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death, no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What my I say? Heav’n was his home;
But mine the tomb wherein he lay.
But mine the tomb wherein he lay.
.
Here might I stay and sing –
No story so divine!
Never was love, dear King,
Never was grief like thine.
This is my friend, in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend!
I all my days could gladly spend!
Jesus’ Death
Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol′gotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.
Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’”
Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom; 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 fulfil the scripture, “They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Mag′dalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the scripture), “I thirst.” A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished”; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Reader: This is the story of God’s salvation.
People: Thanks be to God!
The fourth candle is extinguished.
How Love Wins
Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining 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.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, “Not a bone of him shall be broken.” And again another scripture says, “They shall look on him whom they have pierced.”
After this Joseph of Arimathe′a, 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 leave. So he came and took away his body. Nicode′mus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds’ weight. They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
Reader: This is the story of God’s salvation.
People: Thanks be to God!
The fifth candle is extinguished.
O Divine Redeemer
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.
The sixth candle is extinguished.
Text: Gesangbuch, Munster, 1677; tr. Joseph A. Seiss, 1823-1904, Tune: Silesian Folk tune, 1842; 1978 Published by Augsburg Publishing Company, Minneapolis and board of Publication, Lutheran Church in America, Philidelphia
Beautiful Savior, King of creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I’d love thee, Truly I’d serve thee,
Light of my soul, my joy, my crown.
The final candle is taken out from the sanctuary as the lights are completely turned off.
The Strepitus is heard representing the closing of the tomb.
The light of Christ is returned as a sign of hope.
Please Leave in Silence
As you leave, you are invited to place your nail in one of the holes in the cross in the narthex.
