All Saints’ Church Renhold Bedfordshire, England
Good Friday Morning family Worship
Welcome:
Welcome to our Good Friday Family Worship where the service will follow Jesus during the last hours of his life, through readings,songs and various activities.
Opening Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
We have gathered together on this Good Friday to seek you.
Open our eyes afresh to see what you went through for us.
Melt our hearts with your love that we might love you more
and be willing to lay down our lives for the sake of others.
For the glory of your name. Amen
Hymn There is a green hill far away
1 There is a green hill far away,
without a city wall,
where the dear Lord was crucified,
who died to save us all.
2 We may not know, we cannot tell,
what pains he had to bear;
but we believe it was for us
he hung and suffered there.
3 He died that we might be forgiv'n,
he died to make us good,
that we might go at last to heav'n,
saved by his precious blood.
4 There was no other good enough
to pay the price of sin;
he only could unlock the gate
of heav'n, and let us in.
5 O dearly, dearly has he loved,
and we must love him too,
and trust in his redeeming blood,
and try his works to do.
Reading Matt 26: 17-30
Jesus Eats the Passover Meal with His Disciples
17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Where do you want us to get the Passover meal ready for you?”
18 “Go to a certain man in the city,” he said to them, “and tell him: ‘The Teacher says, My hour has come; my disciples and I will celebrate the Passover at your house.’”
19 The disciples did as Jesus had told them and prepared the Passover meal.
20 When it was evening, Jesus and the twelve disciples sat down to eat. 21 During the meal Jesus said, “I tell you, one of you will betray me.”
22 The disciples were very upset and began to ask him, one after the other, “Surely, Lord, you don't mean me?”
23 Jesus answered, “One who dips his bread in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will die as the Scriptures say he will, but how terrible for that man who will betray the Son of Man! It would have been better for that man if he had never been born!”
25 Judas, the traitor, spoke up. “Surely, Teacher, you don't mean me?” he asked.
Jesus answered, “So you say.”
The Lord's Supper
26 While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. “Take and eat it,” he said; “this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and gave it to them. “Drink it, all of you,” he said; 28 “this is my blood, which seals God's covenant, my blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will never again drink this wine until the day I drink the new wine with you in my Father's Kingdom.”
30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Thoughts: The meal that Jesus and his disciples were celebrating together was the Passover meal when they remembered how God had led them out of slavery in Egypt to freedom.
During this celebration Jesus gave a new meaning to the meal.
He broke bread to remind them that his body would be broken on a cross and he shared wine to remind them that his blood would be shed.
These symbols of broken bread and wine would remind Jesus’ followers in the future of the freedom from the slavery of sin that Jesus won for them on the cross.
Activity: Taste foods on the table – selection of foods from a traditional Passover meal can be tasted
When finished the meal having washed feet, presided over first communion and foretold his betrayal and arrest and that Peter would deny knowing him three times – went to Garden Gethsemane to pray
Thoughts: Jesus went through agony in the garden as he wrestled with the choice of whether or not to obey his father and be willing to die the death that we deserve.
He chose the Father’s will over his own.
Most of the disciples on the other hand chose to run away as soon as soldiers came to arrest Jesus.
Wejoin together in prayer and say together:
Jesus thank you that you chose to obey your Father.
Thank you that you chose to die the death I deserve for my sins.
Help me choose to obey you in every choice I have to make. Amen
Move outside to fire which has been lit
Dramatized Bible readingMatthew 26:69-75
Volunteers needed: Narrator, Peter, servant girl 1, servant girl 2, man
Enter Peter who goes to the front of the room and sits on a chair rather glumly.
Narrator: Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him.
Enter servant girl 1 who goes up to Peter and says:
Servant 1: You also were with Jesus of Galilee
Narrator: But he denied it before them all.
Peter: (agitated) I don't know what you're talking about.
Peter gets up from his chair and walks to one side where he stands looking miserable. Servant girl 2 walks past him, stops and looks at him.
Narrator: Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there.
Servant 2: This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.
Narrator: He denied it again, with an oath:
Peter: (more agitated) I don't know the man!
A Man walks near to Peter…..takes a good look at him and stands by him.
Narrator: After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said:
Man: Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.
Narrator: Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them:
Peter: (very agitated) I don't know the man!
Narrator: Immediately a rooster crowed.
Thoughts: Peter chose to deny knowing Jesus three times because he was afraid of what might happen to him.
He put looking after himself before following Jesus.
We can all do the same thing as Peter…..we can deny knowing Jesus especially when we are afraid of what others think of us, or might do to us.
Let us spend a few moments looking into the fire; Feel it’s warmth as Peter would have felt it; Its light reassuring him in the dark of the night.
Let us find some space for ourselves as we think about how we too may have denied Jesus in our lives, by our words or our actions, the times we may have denied knowing him to may be not save ourselves but to save embarrassment, ridicule or so we didn’t stand out and appear different from our friends.
Once the High Priests thought that they had enough evidence of Jesus guilt (of anything) they took him to the home of Pilate
Reading Matthew 27: 11-26
Pilate Questions Jesus
11 Jesus stood before the Roman governor, who questioned him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked.
“So you say,” answered Jesus. 12 But he said nothing in response to the accusations of the chief priests and elders.
13 So Pilate said to him, “Don't you hear all these things they accuse you of?”
14 But Jesus refused to answer a single word, with the result that the Governor was greatly surprised.
Jesus Is Sentenced to Death
15 At every Passover Festival the Roman governor was in the habit of setting free any one prisoner the crowd asked for. 16 At that time there was a well-known prisoner named Jesus Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to set free for you? Jesus Barabbas or Jesus called the Messiah?” 18 He knew very well that the Jewish authorities had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous.
19 While Pilate was sitting in the judgment hall, his wife sent him a message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, because in a dream last night I suffered much on account of him.”
20 The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask Pilate to set Barabbas free and have Jesus put to death. 21 But Pilate asked the crowd, “Which one of these two do you want me to set free for you?”
“Barabbas!” they answered.
22 “What, then, shall I do with Jesus called the Messiah?” Pilate asked them.
“Crucify him!” they all answered.
23 But Pilate asked, “What crime has he committed?”
Then they started shouting at the top of their voices: “Crucify him!”
24 When Pilate saw that it was no use to go on, but that a riot might break out, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, “I am not responsible for the death of this man! This is your doing!”
25 The whole crowd answered, “Let the responsibility for his death fall on us and on our children!”
26 Then Pilate set Barabbas free for them; and after he had Jesus whipped, he handed him over to be crucified.
Thoughts: Pilate knew that the people had chosen to crucify a sinless man instead of a murderer.
Instead of doing the right thing and releasing Jesus, Pilate sinned and condemned Jesus to death.
He washed his hands as a way of trying to wash away his guilt, but guilty hearts cannot be washed clean with soap and water.
Pilate washed his hands but not as Jesus had washed the feet of his disciples earlier that evening – Jesus had performed an act of servant ministry of demonstrating the depth of his love for them and us while Pilate washed his hand to try and wash away his guilt and sin in condemning an innocent man to death.
We use the expression washing our hands of something today when we give up on something, perhaps something we should not give up on. Neither Pilatenor us can wash away our sins, our short comings, only through Jesus is this possible
Move back to chapter House
Read Matt 27: 32-44
Jesus Is Crucified
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene named Simon, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus' cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha, which means, “The Place of the Skull.” 34 There they offered Jesus wine mixed with a bitter substance; but after tasting it, he would not drink it.
35 They crucified him and then divided his clothes among them by throwing dice. 36 After that they sat there and watched him. 37 Above his head they put the written notice of the accusation against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Then they crucified two bandits with Jesus, one on his right and the other on his left.
39 People passing by shook their heads and hurled insults at Jesus: 40 “You were going to tear down the Temple and build it back up in three days! Save yourself if you are God's Son! Come on down from the cross!”
41 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the Law and the elders made fun of him: 42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! Isn't he the king of Israel? If he will come down off the cross now, we will believe in him! 43 He trusts in God and claims to be God's Son. Well, then, let us see if God wants to save him now!”
44 Even the bandits who had been crucified with him insulted him in the same way.
Activity: Make crosses out of two sticks, two nails
Hold our crosses as we listen to Matt 27:45-54
The Death of Jesus
45 At noon the whole country was covered with darkness, which lasted for three hours. 46 At about three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud shout, “Eli, Eli, lemasabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why did you abandon me?”
47 Some of the people standing there heard him and said, “He is calling for Elijah!” 48 One of them ran up at once, took a sponge, soaked it in cheap wine, put it on the end of a stick, and tried to make him drink it.
49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see if Elijah is coming to save him!”
50 Jesus again gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
51 Then the curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split apart, 52 the graves broke open, and many of God's people who had died were raised to life. 53 They left the graves, and after Jesus rose from death, they went into the Holy City, where many people saw them.
54 When the army officer and the soldiers with him who were watching Jesus saw the earthquake and everything else that happened, they were terrified and said, “He really was the Son of God!”
Sing – There is a redeemer
There is a Redeemer:
Jesus God's own Son,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
Holy One.
Thank you, O my Father,
for giving us Your Son
and leaving Your Spirit
'til the work on earth is done.
Jesus, my Redeemer,
Name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah,
all for sinners slain.
Thank you, O my Father,
for giving us Your Son
and leaving Your Spirit
'til the work on earth is done.
When I stand in glory,
I will see His face,
and there I'll serve my King forever,
in that holy place.
Thank you, O my Father,
for giving us Your Son
and leaving Your Spirit
'til the work on earth is done.
We plant our Crosses in the sand around the base of the big cross before we quietly move outside and gather around the tomb in the Easter Garden
Read Matt 27: 57-61
The Burial of Jesus
57 When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea arrived; his name was Joseph, and he also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went into the presence of Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate gave orders for the body to be given to Joseph. 59 So Joseph took it, wrapped it in a new linen sheet, 60 and placed it in his own tomb, which he had just recently dug out of solid rock. Then he rolled a large stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there, facing the tomb.
Thoughts:As we leave Jesus today in the tomb with a stone across it, let’s finish by focusing on the love that Jesus showed us in giving up his life.
What more could God have done to show us His love?
Jesus himself said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for
one's friends.” (John 15:13)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus as we leave this place,
Keep our hearts burning with gratitude and love, for all that you have given to us.
Enable us to walk in humble obedience with you.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be among
you and remain with you always. Amen
All readings from The Good News Bible except dramatised reading which is based on NIV.
Copyright:
Liturgy based on Good Friday, Jane Hulme, 2015; There is a redeemer; 1982 Universal Music - Brentwood Benson Publishing (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.), CCLI Song Number 11483
All Saints Renhold CCLI Number ??