Order of Worship
Good Friday
April 18, 2025
Life and death stand side by side as we enter into Good Friday. In John’s passion account, Jesus reveals the power and glory of God, even as he is put on trial and sentenced to death. Standing with the disciples at the foot of the cross, we pray for the whole world in the ancient bidding prayer, as Christ’s death offers life to all. We gather in solemn devotion, but always with the promise that the tree around which we assemble is indeed a tree of life. We depart silently, and we anticipate the culmination of the Three Days in the Easter Vigil.
Enter in silence.
PRELUDE
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
arr. Johann Sebastian Bach
The cross is taken in.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Almighty God, look with loving mercy on your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given over to the hands of sinners, and to suffer death on the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
READING: Hebrews 10:16-25
In the death of Jesus, forgiveness of sins is accomplished and access to God is established. Hence, when we gather together for worship and when we love others, we experience anew the benefits of Jesus’ death.
[After the Holy Spirit says,] 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,” 17 he also adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF JESUS
FIRST WORD Luke 23:33-34
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
HYMN
Jesus, I Will Ponder Now
ELW 345, v. 1-4
Jesus, I will ponder now
on your holy passion;
let your Spirit now endow
me for meditation.
Grant that I in love and faith
may the image cherish
of your suff'ring, pain, and death,
that I may not perish.
SECOND WORD Luke 23:39-43
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Make me see your great distress,
anguish, and affliction,
bonds and blows and wretchedness
and your crucifixion;
make me see how scourge and rod,
spear and nails, did wound you,
how you died for those, O God,
who with thorns had crowned you.
THIRD WORD John 19:25-27
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, he took her into his home.
Yet, O Lord, not thus alone
make me see your passion,
but its cause to me make known
and its termination.
For I also and my sin
wrought your deep affliction;
this the shameful cause has been
of your crucifixion.
FOURTH WORD Mark 15:33-34
At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Let me view your pain and loss
with repentant grieving,
nor prepare again your cross
by unholy living.
May I give you love for love!
Hear me, O my Savior,
that I may in heav'n above
sing your praise forever.
FIFTH WORD John 19:28
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."
Ah, Holy Jesus
ELW 349, v 1-5
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.
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.
SIXTH WORD John 19:29-30
A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered;
for our atonement, while we nothing heeded,
God interceded.
For me, kind Jesus, was thine incarnation,
thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation;
thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
for my salvation.
SEVENTH WORD Luke 23:46
Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee;
think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
not my deserving.
PRESENTATION OF THE CROSS
Behold the life-giving cross,
on which was hung the Savior of the whole world.
Oh, come, let us worship him.
Behold the life-giving cross,
on which was hung the Savior of the whole world.
Oh, come, let us worship him.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;
if we endure, we shall also reign with him.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen
HYMN
Were You There
ELW 353
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
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, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
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, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
The Cross is taken out.
We depart in silence.
The service continues with the Festival of the Resurrection on Sunday.
Liturgical Text and Music from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, © 2006 and 2022 Augsburg Fortress. Reprinted and streamed with permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies License #SAS016761. All rights reserved.
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded. Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1607-1676, based on Arnulf of Louvain, d. 1250; tr. composite. Music: German melody, c 1500; adapt. Hans Leo Hassler, 1564-1612; arr. Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750. Public domain.
Jesus, I Will Ponder Now, Text: Sigismund von Birken, 1626-1681; tr. August Crull, 1846-1923, alt. Public domain. Music: Melchior Vulpius, 1570-1615. arr. hymnal version. Arr.© 2007 Augsburg Fortress. Music reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
Ah, Holy Jesus, Text: Johann Heermann, 1585-1647; tr. Robert Bridges, 1844-1930, alt. Music: Johann Crüger, 1598-1662. Public domain.
Were You There, Text and music: African American spiritual, arr.© 1999 Augsburg Fortress, Text and music reprinted and/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved.
