Good Friday 2026

CALL TO WORSHIP - Bruce

Welcome to this Good Friday service at City Hill Church. Our hope is that you would enter expectantly, worship deeply, and leave quietly this morning with your heart centered on the suffering of Christ for you and your salvation. This morning's service will be unique in that elements of liturgy, such as the public reading of Scripture, responsive reading, and confession, will be used more prominently. Liturgy means “work of the people.” It invites participation in worship, responding to God for who He is and what He has done. Our hope is that, instead of being spectators, you would respond communally and actively to God this morning.

This morning we remember and celebrate the crucifixion of Christ. He who is King of angels was arrayed in a crown of thorns, beaten, mocked, and forced to carry His own cross to Golgotha. We gather this morning like those who were gathered around the foot of the cross. We hear our voice among the mockers, and above them all the voice of the crucified Savior cries out, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” And as Christ breathed His last, we, too, echo those who gathered that day saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

May the Lord incline our hearts and open our eyes to His great love as we worship Him.

CORPORATE CONFESSION - Jenni

Celebrant: Like the disciples in Gethsemane, we fell away from prayer at the beginning of the trial.

People: Forgive us, O God, for we know not what we do.

Celebrant: Like Caiaphas and the high council, we spit in Your face and slapped the Son of God.

People: Forgive us, O God, for we know not what we do.

Celebrant: Like Peter, three times when questioned, we denied knowing the Son of God.

People: Forgive us, O God, for we know not what we do.

Celebrant: Like the people who cried out for Barabbas, we yelled, “Let Christ be crucified!”

People: Forgive us, O God, for we know not what we do.

Celebrant: Like Pilate, before the yelling crowds, we wash our hands and wrongfully say, “I am innocent of this man’s blood…”

People: Forgive us, O God, for we know not what we do.

Celebrant: Like the soldiers who prepared Jesus for His crucifixion, we have stripped You, placing a crown of thorns on Your head, bending our knees not to praise You, but to mock You.

People: Forgive us, O God, for we know not what we do.

Celebrant: Like the centurion standing at the foot of the cross, we hear Jesus of Nazareth cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In the distance, the curtain of the temple is torn, the earth begins to shake under a sky of darkness, and we look up filled with awe…

People: Truly this was the Son of God!

CONGREGATIONAL SONG - Man of sorrows

VERSE 1

Man of sorrows Lamb of God By His own betrayed The sin of man and wrath of God Has been on Jesus laid

VERSE 2

Silent as He stood accused Beaten mocked and scorned Bowing to the Father's will He took a crown of thorns

CHORUS

Oh that rugged cross my salvation Where Your love poured out over me Now my soul cries out hallelujah Praise and honour unto Thee

VERSE 3

Sent of heaven God's own Son To purchase and redeem And reconcile the very ones Who nailed Him to that tree

BRIDGE

Now my debt is paid It is paid in full By the precious blood That my Jesus spilled Now the curse of sin Has no hold on me Whom the Son sets free Oh is free indeed

VERSE 4

See the stone is rolled away Behold the empty tomb Hallelujah God be praised He's risen from the grave

READING – The Jesus Storybook Bible: "The Terrible Lie" -

You see, sin had come into God’s perfect world. And it would never leave. God’s children would be always running away from him and hiding in the dark. Their hearts would break now, and never work properly again.

God couldn’t let his children live forever, not in such pain, without him. There was only one way to protect them.

“You will have to leave the garden now,” God told his children, his eyes filling with tears. “This is no longer your true home, it’s not the place for you anymore.”

But before they left the garden, God made clothes for his children, to cover them. He gently clothed them and then he sent them away on a long, long journey—out of the garden, out of their home.

Well, in another story, it would all be over and that would have been... The End. But not in this story.

God loved his children too much to let the story end there. Even though he knew he would suffer, God had a plan—a magnificent dream. One day, he would get his children back. One day, he would make the world their perfect home again. And one day, he would wipe away every tear from their eyes.

You see, no matter what, in spite of everything, God would love his children—with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.

And though they would forget him, and run from him, deep in their hearts, God’s children would miss him always, and long for him—lost children yearning for their home.

Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve: “It will not always be so! I will come to rescue you! And when I do, I’m going to do battle against the snake. I’ll get rid of the sin and the dark and the sadness you let in here. I’m coming back for you!"

And he would. One day, God himself would come.

CONGREGATIONAL SONG - How deep the Father's love

How deep the Father’s love for us, How vast beyond all measure, That He should give His only Son To make a wretch His treasure. How great the pain of searing loss – The Father turns His face away, As wounds which mar the Chosen One Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross, My sin upon His shoulders; Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice Call out among the scoffers. It was my sin that held Him there Until it was accomplished; His dying breath has brought me life – I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything, No gifts, no power, no wisdom;  But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer; But this I know with all my heart – His wounds have paid my ransom.

SCRIPTURE READING – Luke 22:14-23 - Owami

14 When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But look, the hand of the one betraying me is at the table with me. 22 For the Son of Man will go away as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” 23 So they began to argue among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do it.

SCRIPTURE READING -Luke 22:39-46 - Charles

39 He went out and made his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he told them, “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.” 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. 44 Being in anguish, he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 When he got up from prayer and came to the disciples, he found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you won’t fall into temptation.”

SCRIPTURE READING – Luke 22:32-49 - Chenayi

32 Two others—criminals—were also led away to be executed with him. 33 When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots. 35 The people stood watching, and even the leaders were scoffing: “He saved others; let him save himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him. They came offering him sour wine 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 An inscription was above him: This Is the King of the Jews. 39 Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” 44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, 45 because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” Saying this, he breathed his last. 47 When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous!” 48 All the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, went home, striking their chests. 49 But all who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

COMMUNION AND SERMON - Bruce

As we read the account of the upper room and then the Garden, we find Jesus in Gethsemane in deep agony of soul as He anticipates what was coming his way. It was a dark night, a night of betrayal and abandonment as he saw His disciples leave him. It was also a night that clarified the necessity of what Jesus had to do.

Looking at Jesus agony in Gethsemane, what was it that prompted such agony of soul?

Some might say that he was thinking of the next day and the terrible death he would die? Yet others, lesser men and women, have died without flinching and with tons of courage. History is filled with the memories of people who have died as Martyrs. So it couldn’t have been the fear of Physical pain.

Maybe it was because he knows the disciples will abandon him. The truth of the matter is that Jesus holds us and He’s not going to let them go even if they let go of Him for a time!

It was what was in the cup that gave him such anguish. He looks into it and says he doesn’t want to drink this and asks His Father that it be taken away.

What is this cup that Jesus prayed would pass?

Read the following Scriptures to get an idea of this cup was that Jesus spoke of - Rev 14:10; Rev 16:19; Isaiah 51:17.

It was the cup of God’s wrath. At the very core of who God is, is that He is a Holy God. Because of this, sin cannot go unpunished and every bit of wrath is just. We don’t want justice from God, we want mercy. The Bible tells us that Jesus, in a display of divine mercy, became our propitiation – Romans 3:21-26; Hebrews 2:17-18; 1 John 4:10 (unfortunately some translations translate this as sacrifice of atonement when it is really propitiation). Propitiation is “a sacrifice that bears the wrath of God and makes God favourable toward us.”

It was the cup of our salvation. It was the punishment for our sin. The cup of our salvation was a cup of poison for Jesus as he bore the full measure of the Father’s wrath against sin so we wouldn’t need to. So think through the last week in your life and take note of the moments of sin. Realise Jesus drank it all – to the last dregs.

Why did the Father not take this cup away from the Son?

There was no other way – this was God’s plan for the salvation of man that was set in motion before the world was even formed. Jesus saved me from God and the punishment God would give out because of my sin

What would be our appropriate response to the truth that Jesus bore the Father’s wrath in our place? How should this impact our Christian lives today?

Psalm 116:12–14 CSB

12 How can I repay the Lord for all the good he has done for me? 13 I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. 14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

We need to take hold of this as our cup of salvation.

How grateful we should be that God does not release His fury on us.

We should be humbled since this was not something we deserved.

Hate sin

I will lift up the cup of my salvation and call on the name of the Lord. We say, “Lord, fill it again”. We drink the sweetness of His salvation – His grace and fullness.”

Communion

Let partake of communion together!

He took the bread and said, "This is my body broken for you" - holding nothing back

He took the cup and said, "This is my blood which is given for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

CONGREGATIONAL SONG – Crowns

VERSE 1:

There is a hill I cherish Where stood a precious tree The emblem of salvation The gift of Calvary

VERSE 2:

How is it I should profit While He is crucified Yet as His life was taken So I was granted mine

CHORUS:

My wealth is in the cross There's nothing more I want Than just to know His love My heart is set on Christ And I will count all else as loss The greatest of my crowns Mean nothing to me now For I counted up the cost And all my wealth is in the cross

VERSE 3:

I will not boast in riches I have no pride in gold But I will boast in Jesus And in His Name alone

VERSE 4:

And when I stand in glory My crowns before the Lord Let this be my confession My wealth is in the cross

RESPONSIVE READING – Tenebrae - Bruce

Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

People: O what a gracious Savior.

Luke 23:43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

People: O what a merciful Savior.

John 19:26–27 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, 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.

People: O what a beautiful Savior.

Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

People: O what a costly redemption.

John 19:28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”

People: O what agony He endured for us.

John 19:29–30 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

People: O what a costly redemption.

Luke 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

People: O what a costly redemption.

CLOSING VIDEO: What's good about Good Friday