GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE

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SERVICE PROGRAM

Good Friday Worship Service
April 7, 2023
7:00 P.M.

Grace Lutheran Church
1787 Klerner Lane
New Albany IN 47150
(812) 944-1267

GOOD FRIDAY DIVINE WORSHIP
Service of Tenebrae
April 7, 2023

SILENCE, PLEASE!
[The service begins in absolute silence. The omission of an organ prelude is intended to intensify the somber mood of the service. We ask that you refrain from speaking with others once you enter the sanctuary so that nothing may prevent you from contemplating what Jesus suffered for you on Calvary. As you do so, you’ll hear the hammer blows in the narthex. Listen and reflect on those same sounds as they rang out on Golgotha that dreadful day. The blood price for your sins paid for by the One who knew no sin but became sin for us.

The word “Tenebrae” comes from the Latin word for “darkness.” As the service progresses, candles and lights will be extinguished until only a few are left. The strepitus at the end of the service is to symbolize the finality of the tomb’s closing and the great weight of judgment that fell upon Jesus. The Lord bless you in His presence this evening.]

OPENING VERSICLE: Isaiah 53:1-8

The LIGHTING of the CANDLES: “Were You There” – GLC Choir

The OPENING HYMN: “Upon the Cross Extended” (LSB 453 vs. 1, 3, 4)

(Please rise)
RESPONSARY:
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: AMEN.
P: Only hours ago the Governor, Pontius Pilate, asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the
Jews?”
C: JESUS ANSWERED, “MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD. IF IT WERE, MY SERVANTS WOULD FIGHT TO PREVENT MY ARREST BY THE JEWS. BUT NOW MY KINGDOM IS FROM ANOTHER PLACE.”
P: “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
C: “YOU ARE RIGHT IN SAYING THAT I AM A KING,” JESUS REPLIED.
P: Later Pilate asked you, “Do you want me to release to you ‘the king of the Jews?”
C: WE REPLIED, “NO, NOT HIM! GIVE US BARABBAS!”
P: Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. With every stroke, we laughed and cried,
C: HAIL, KING OF THE JEWS!
P: It was clear that Pilate desired to let this innocent man go free, but we wouldn’t hear it:
C: “IF YOU LET THIS MAN GO, YOU ARE NO FRIEND OF CAESAR. ANYONE
WHO CLAIMS TO BE A KING OPPOSES CAESAR.”
P: Finally, Pilate said to us, “Here is your king.” But we shouted all the louder:
C: “TAKE HIM AWAY! TAKE HIM AWAY! CRUCIFY HIM! WE HAVE NO
KING BUT CAESAR!”
P: And Pilate handed him over to be crucified. See him, there on the cross. See the sign
above his head: JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS.
C: LOOK AT HIS HANDS, HIS FEET, HIS SIDE: WHO BROUGHT THIS UPON HIM?
P: Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
C: SO IT WAS THOSE OTHERS, RIGHT? THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND ELDERS, PILATE AND THE ROMANS?
P: You heard Isaiah, didn’t you? “…he was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities.”
C: ALL OF US, RIGHT?
P: Yes, all of us, but be more specific.
C: MINE?
P: Yours and mine.
C: FATHER, FORGIVE ME, FOR I DID NOT KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING. HAVE MERCY UPON ME, A POOR, MISERABLE SINNER. O, FOR JESUS’ SAKE, TURN NOT YOUR FACE AWAY FROM ME.
P: Let us pray together:
C: HEAVENLY FATHER, FORGIVE US, THE SINFUL PEOPLE FOR WHOM THE PERFECT KING WAS GIVEN OVER INTO DEATH. WE BETRAYED HIM; WE DENIED HIM; WE SPITEFULLY USED HIM. WE ARE NOT WORTHY OF YOUR GOODNESS. BUT, FOR HIS SAKE FORGIVE US, RENEW US, AND LEAD US TO KNOW AND DO YOUR WILL; FOR HE LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU AND THE HOLY SPIRIT FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.
P: Lift up your hearts and receive the Lord’s mercy. The punishment that brought us peace was upon Jesus, and by his wounds, we are healed. Therefore, as his servant, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: AMEN.

(Please be seated)
A SONG of RESPONSE: GLC Choir: “Jesus, I Will Ponder Now”

(Please rise)
The PSALMODY: Psalm 22
(Read responsively, congregation – boldface)
O Lord, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.
Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast.
From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
Do not be far from me,
For trouble is near and there is no one to help.
Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me.
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
O Lord, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
ALL: GLORY BE TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING, IS NOW, AND WILL BE FOREVER. AMEN.

The COLLECT:
P: The Lord be with you.
C: AND ALSO WITH YOU.
P: Let us pray the collect together…
ALL: MERCIFUL AND EVERLASTING GOD, WHO HAS NOT SPARED HIS ONLY SON FROM PAYING THE PRICE FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, GRANT THAT OUR HEARTS MAY BE SO FIXED WITH STEADFAST FAITH IN HIM THAT WE MAY NOT FEAR THE POWER OF ANY ADVERSARIES; THROUGH THE SAME JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, OUR LORD, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, NOW AND FOREVER. AMEN.
(Please be seated)
FIRST READING: Acts 2:22-23 [“You…put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ”]
22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[a] put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: THANKS BE TO GOD.

SECOND READING: Acts 7:51-53 [“And now you have betrayed and murdered him… ”]
51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: THANKS BE TO GOD.

(Please rise)
GOSPEL HYMN: “Ah, Holy Jesus” (Choir & Congregation)
vs. 1: Men vs. 2: Women vs. 3: Cong. & Choir

All Men sing:
1. Ah, holy Jesus,
How hast thou offended,
That we to judge thee have in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted!

All Women sing:
2. Who was the guilty?
Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee!
‘Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee;
I crucified thee.

Congregation and Choir sings:
3. For me kind Jesus,
Was Your incarnation
Your mortal sorrow and Your life’s oblation;
Your death and anguish and Your bitter Passion
For my salvation.

GOSPEL: Luke 23:32-38 [There was a sign above his head that read “INRI”.]

P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 23rd chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.

SERMON: Pastor Bruce Kischnick
Theme: “They Got It Wrong!” Text: Luke 23:32-38

(Please rise)
PRAYERS of the CHURCH:
P: Gracious and merciful Father, as we confront the cost of our sin this night and contemplate once again your great sacrifice for our sins, fill our hearts with contrition and lead us to repentance. Leave us not without comfort, Father, but speak to us of forgiveness and hope.
C: HEAR US, FATHER, AND FORGIVE US.
P: Dearest Jesus, Our Redeemer and King, with thankful hearts we speak of your love and seek from you a benediction of peace. You gave yourself freely that we might not suffer the penalty of our sin. You became the bridge by which we traverse the great gulf that lay between us and heaven. We give you our love. Leave us not without comfort, Lord Jesus, but speak to us of forgiveness and hope.
C: HEAR US, JESUS, AND FORGIVE US.
P: Holy Spirit, Holy Fire, touch our hearts once again that within us might be kindled ever-increasing faith. Let us not follow Jesus at a distance, but draw us near to him that we might ever walk in his Way. Leave us not without comfort, Holy Spirit, but speak to us of forgiveness and hope.
C: HEAR US, HOLY SPIRIT, AND FORGIVE US.
P: Tonight, Almighty God, comfort and defend your people everywhere. Uplift those whose hearts are downcast. Heal those who are ill. Strengthen those who are weak. Defend those who serve us in the Armed Forces and are far from home. Bring your joy to those who sorrow and grieve. And, above all, turn their hearts toward you that in you they find all that they need, now and forever.
C: AMEN.

OUR LORD’S PRAYER (whispered)
(Please be seated)

+ + + THE SERVICE OF DARKNESS + + +

WORDS from the CROSS:
Luke 23:33-35 — “Father, forgive them…”

Luke 23:39-43 — “…today you will be with me…”

HYMN: GLC Choir “Beneath the Cross of Jesus”

WORDS from the CROSS:
John 19:25-27 — “Dear woman, here is your son…”

Mark 15:33-34 — “My God, My God, why…”

HYMN: GLC Choir “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”

WORDS from the CROSS:
John 19:28-29 — “I am thirsty.”

John 19:30 — “It is finished.”

Luke 23:44-46 — “Father, into your hands…”

HYMN: Congregation & Choir: “Were You There”

Choir Only
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, trem – ble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Congregation Joins in:
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, trem – ble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, trem – ble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?

A FINAL READING: Mark 15:42-47 The Strepitus

The PREPARATION: (The Christ-Banner is taken down from the cross and prepared for burial as the choir begins the closing anthem.)
Special Music: “Go to Dark Gethsemane” – GLC Choir

SILENCE: (The congregation is asked to leave the sanctuary in silence, following the service leaders, as the Christ-Banner is taken out of the church to the tomb. The Christ Candle follows the banner to the tomb, but then returns to the Sanctuary to symbolize the hope that remained in Jesus’ own words that He would rise again at the third day. May the symbolism of these acts lead you to ponder the suffering and death of our Lord as you anticipate the joy of Easter and his Resurrection.)

The BURIAL

A MOMENT OF SILENT MEDITATION AND PRAYER
(At the pastor’s signal, please disperse quietly to your cars,
and God go with you. Depart in peace. Amen.)

+ + + Soli Deo Gloria + + +

PRINTABLE PDF FOR APRIL 7, 7 p.m. Service: GOODFRIDAY.PDF

GOOD FRIDAY — April 7 at 7:00 pm — Jesus’ Sacrifice on the Cross
EASTER SUNDAY — April 9 — Victory of the Resurrection
6:30 am + Sunrise with Communion
8:00 & 10:30 am with Communion
EASTER MORNING BREAKFAST — SERVED CONTINUOUSLY 7:30 – 10:00
NO SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES for children through adults on Easter.

 
 

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