Friday, March 30, 2018

Good Friday Service of Darkness



The Tolling of the Church Bell

P: Not to us, O Lord, but to Your name give glory.
C: FOR YOUR NAME’S SAKE, O LORD, YOU WILL PARDON MY SIN.
P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C: BUT IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, GOD, WHO IS FAITHFUL AND JUST, WILL FORGIVE OUR SINS AND CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.
Silence for reflection and self-examination
P: Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love;
C: ACCORDING TO YOUR ABUNDANT MERCY BLOT OUT MY TRANSGRESSIONS.
P: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
C: FOR I KNOW MY TRANSGRESSIONS, AND MY SIN IS EVER BEFORE ME.
P: Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in Your sight.
C: SO THAT YOU ARE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR SENTENCE AND BLAMELESS IN YOUR JUDGMENT.  FOR I HAVE BEEN SINFUL FROM BIRTH, SINFUL FROM THE TIME MY MOTHER CONCEIVED ME.
P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives You all your sins.  As a called and ordained servant of the Word, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.


Psalm 22:1-11

P: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
C: WHY ARE YOU SO FAR FROM SAVING ME, SO FAR FROM THE WORDS OF MY GROANING.
P: O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
C: BY NIGHT TOO, BUT I FIND NO RESPITE.
P: Yet You are enthroned as the Holy One;
C: YOU ARE THE PRAISE OF ISRAEL.
P: In You our fathers put their trust;
C: THEY TRUSTED AND YOU DELIVERED THEM.
P: They cried to you and were saved;
C: IN YOU THEY TRUSTED AND WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED.
P: But I am a worm and not a man.
C: SCORNED BY MEN AND DESPISED BY THE PEOPLE.
P: All who see me mock me;
C: THEY HURL INSULTS, SHAKING THEIR HEADS:
P: “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him.
C: LET HIM DELIVER HIM, SINCE HE DELIGHTS IN HIM.
P: Yet you brought me out of the womb;
C: YOU MADE ME TRUST IN YOU EVEN AT MY MOTHER’S BREAST.
P: From birth I was cast upon you;
C: FROM MY MOTHER’S WOMB YOU HAVE BEEN MY GOD.
P: Do not be far from me,
C: FOR TROUBLE IS NEAR AND THERE IS NO ONE TO HELP.
The Choir Beneath the Cross of Christ

The Prayer of the Day

The Hymn O Sacred Head, Now Wounded LSB #450, v. 1
The Lord’s Supper Matthew 26:26-35

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”   When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:  “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’  But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”  Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”  “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.  

The Hymn O Sacred Head, Now Wounded LSB #450, v. 2

Gethsemane Matthew 26:36-46

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” 

The Hymn O Sacred Head, Now Wounded LSB #450, v. 3
Betrayal Matthew 26:47-56

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.”Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

The Hymn O Sacred Head, Now Wounded LSB #450, v. 4
The Palace of the High Priest Matthew 26:57-75

Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.Finally two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent.The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”“He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?” Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The Hymn O Sacred Head, Now Wounded LSB #450, v.5

The Praetorium Matthew 27:1-20

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. Now it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

The Hymn O Sacred Head, Now Wounded LSB #450, v. 6

Crucifixion Matthew 27:21-44

Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.“Barabbas,” they answered. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked.They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews. Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him

The Hymn O Sacred Head, Now Wounded LSB #450, v. 7

Death and Burial Matthew 27:45-66

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloilamasabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

The Sermon Hymn  "Jesus I will Ponder Now" LSB #440

The Sermon Are you the Christ …I AM” – John 18:33-37
The Good Friday Offerings are Gathered

The Prayers of the People of God at Friedheim for Good Friday

The Lord’s Prayer

The Words of Institution and the Distribution

The Distribution Hymns

Cross of Jesus, Cross of Sorrow LSB #428
Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted LSB #451
Were You There LSB #456

After the Prayer for Good Friday is read, the bell will be tolled and as all the lights are turned off, the Christ Candle will be removed to symbolize Christ’s entombment.  All lights will be turned off at this point.

The door will be closed to symbolize that all that was written concerning the Son of Man has been accomplished and that the tomb containing Jesus’ body has been shut. 

Please leave the sanctuary quietly after the Benediction.

The Benediction

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