Good Friday:Service Leader

Opening:

Prepare your Hearts. Tonight we come together to remember, and to reflect on the Cross of Christ. We ask that from start to finish, a Holy Hush would fall over us and that we would as a people, seek to know nothing, speak nothing other than, the cross. When this service is over we ask that the spirit of Good Friday would carry on. So we ask that if you desire to fellowship with one another, not to do so in this space. Many will be getting together afterwards to eat and fellowship, but we ask that you don’t do that here if you can help. Tonight is not a religious ritual, but a an aroma of the crucified Savior. So when this service ends, I ask that that aroma doesn't. We as a people do not like somberness, mouring, or seriousness, but we bleieve that these affections actually serve our souls well. Christs words are “blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Sunday we long for the resurrection Comfort we have, but tonight Let us “Mourn with those who mourned” on this night 2000 years ago. Let us be reminded of the price of our sin, and the price that was paid through our Great Shepherd who say “I am the good shepherd. The Good shepherd lays his life down for his sheep.”

Isaiah 53 “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.”

Song: Man of Sorrows

Crucifixion Reading:

Luke 23:32–49 “Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 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. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.”

Prayer off Confession:

Oh Holy Father, we confess that we are not different then the men who crucified you. We confess this because we ARE the ones who have crucified you with our sin. Like the soliders we daily put you to the test. With unbelieving Hearts we doubt your authority, Your Plan and Purpose, And youre Divine love on display for us. We too often respond like the crimal questioning your ability, due to our Pain. Oh Lord forgive us for not speaking to ourselves and to One another “Do you not fear God?” We have slandered your innocence, and elevated our self-righteousness. And so we echo our Saviors prayed “Father forgive us, we trully know not what we do.” As Moses struck the rock and water flowed, Strike our hardened hearts and let the living waters flow from within us.

Assurance of Pardon:

Here the Good news Beloved Even as Christ hung upon the cross, He spoke mercy to sinners. To the repentant thief He said, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

This same Jesus, who gave up His spirit, has borne the full weight of our sin. And for all who turn to Him in repentance and faith, there is full and final forgiveness.

Therefore, in Christ, your sins are forgiven. You are no longer condemned, but received, cleansed, and reconciled to God.

Thanks be to God

Sermonette:

Preston Kohls : The Accomplishments of Christ

Lords Supper:

Luke 22:14–22 “And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” On the Night he was betrayed, The Lord instituted the Lords supper, replacing the passover meal, by himself becoming our Passover Lamb. On that night he said “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

What was he desirous to share with them? A Meal of remembrance of the exodus from Egypt and Pharoah? No, a meal displaying, and to us remembering, a far greater deliverance from Sin and Satan. He said “This is my body, which is given for you.” The cross had intention, it had a purpose. Jesus had his people inmind, and he spared no cost for their, our, redemption. Don’t make this time about you. Confess the sin of unbelief, and come be reminded of the price that was payed for you. You were a sinner when he died for you, do not make the mistake thinking you cannot come again to him until you are “clean” through anything other than this reminder. Pray and then come when you are ready.

Song: See the Destined Day Arise

Song: Jesus Thank you

Closing Prayer:

The Grace of the Cross - O my Savior, I thank You from the depths of my being for Your wondrous grace and love in bearing my sin in Your own body on the tree.

May Your cross be to me as the tree that sweetens my bitter Marahs, as the rod that blossoms with life and beauty, as the brazen serpent that calls forth the look of faith.

By Your cross crucify my every sin;

Use it to increase my intimacy with Yourself;

Make it the ground of all my comfort, the liveliness of all my duties, the sum of all Your gospel promises, the comfort of all my afflictions, the vigor of my love, thankfulness, graces, the very essence of my religion;

And by it give me that rest without rest, the rest of ceaseless praise.

O my Lord and Savior,

You have also appointed a cross for me to take up and carry, a cross before You give me a crown.

You have appointed it to be my portion, but self-love hates it, carnal reason is unreconciled to it; without the grace of patience I cannot bear it, walk with it, profit by it.

O blessed cross, what mercies do you bring with you!

You are only esteemed hateful by my rebel will, heavy because I shirk your load.

Teach me, gracious Lord and Savior, that with my cross You send promised grace so that I may bear it patiently, that my cross is Your yoke which is easy, and Your burden which is light.