The Liturgy of Good Friday

The Gathering

The ministers enter in silence.
All may kneel for a time of silent prayer

The Collect for Good Friday
Almighty Father, look with mercy on this your family for which	our Lord Jesus Christ was content to be betrayed and given up	into the hands of wicked men and to suffer death upon the cross;
who is alive and glorified with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,	now and for ever. Amen.

Hymn

There is a green hill far away,
outside a city wall,
where our dear Lord was crucified
who died to save us all.

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.

He died that we might be forgiven,
he died to make us good,
that we might go at last to heaven,
saved by his precious blood.

There was no other good enough
to pay the price of sin,
he only could unlock the gate
of heaven and let us in.

O dearly, dearly has he loved!
And we must love him too,
and trust in his redeeming blood,
and try his works to do.

The Service of the Word

First Reading

Christ offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective for ever, and then he sat down at the right-hand side of God. There he now waits until God puts his enemies as a footstool under his feet. With one sacrifice, then, he has made perfect for ever those who are purified from sin.

And the Holy Spirit also gives us his witness.

First he says,

'This is the covenant that I will make with them

in the days to come, says the Lord:

I will put my laws in their hearts

and write them on their minds.'

And then he says, 'I will not remember their sins and evil deeds any longer.' So when these have been forgiven, an offering to take away sins is no longer needed.

We have, then, my brothers, complete freedom to go into the Most Holy Place by means of the death of Jesus. He opened for us a new way, a living way, through the curtain -- that is, through his own body. We have a great priest in charge of the house of God. So let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, with hearts that have been purified from a guilty conscience and with bodies washed with clean water.

Hebrews 10.12-22 TEV

At the end the reader may say

This is the word of the Lord.

All	Thanks be to God

Hymn

Glory be to Jesus,

who in bitter pains

poured for me the life blood

from his sacred veins!

Grace and life eternal

in that blood I find,

blest be his compassion

infinitely kind!

Blest through endless ages

be the precious stream

which from endless torment

doth the world redeem!

Abel's blood for vengeance

pleaded to the skies;

but the blood of Jesus

for our pardon cries.

Oft as it is sprinkled

on our guilty hearts,

Satan in confusion

terror-struck departs;

oft as earth exulting

wafts its praise on high,

angel hosts, rejoicing,

make their glad reply.

Lift ye then your voices;

swell the mighty flood;

louder still and louder

praise the precious blood.

The Passion Gospel

The Passion is read by three voices
1. The Narrator
2. Jesus
3. Reader for all other single voices

In addition the congregation should contribute the voices of the crowd and other groups of voices. These sections are marked
“All” and are printed in bold.

Narrator:	Hear the passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.
Narrator:	Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them,
Jesus:	Whom are you looking for?
Narrator:	They answered,
All:	Jesus of Nazareth.
Narrator:	Jesus replied,
Jesus:	I am he.
Narrator:	Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, ‘I am he,’ they stepped back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them,
Jesus:	Whom are you looking for?
Narrator:	And they said,
All:	Jesus of Nazareth.
Narrator:	Jesus answered,
Jesus:	I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.
Narrator:	This was to fulfil the word that he had spoken, ‘I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.’ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter,
Jesus:	Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?
Narrator:	So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people. Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. The woman said to Peter,
Reader:	You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?
Narrator:	Peter said,
Reader:	I am not.
Narrator:	Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. Jesus answered,
Jesus:	I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.
Narrator:	When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying,
Reader:	Is that how you answer the high priest?
Narrator:	Jesus answered,
Jesus:	If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?
Narrator:	Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him,
All	You are not also one of his disciples, are you?
Narrator:	Peter denied it and said,
Reader:	I am not.
Narrator:	One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked,
Reader:	Did I not see you in the garden with him?
Narrator:	Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed. Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said,
Reader:	What accusation do you bring against this man?
Narrator:	They answered,
All:	If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.
Narrator:	Pilate said to them,
Reader:	Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.
Narrator:	The Jews replied,
All:	We are not permitted to put anyone to death.
Narrator:	(This was to fulfil what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.) Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him,
Reader:	Are you the King of the Jews?
Narrator:	Jesus answered,
Jesus:	Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?
Narrator:	Pilate replied,
Reader:	I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?
Narrator:	Jesus answered,
Jesus:	My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.
Narrator:	Pilate asked him,
Reader:	So you are a king?
Narrator:	Jesus answered,
Jesus:	You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.
Narrator:	Pilate asked him,
Reader:	What is truth?
Narrator:	After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them,
Reader:	I find no case against him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?
Narrator:	They shouted in reply,
All:	Not this man, but Barabbas!
Narrator:	Now Barabbas was a bandit. Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying,
All:	Hail, King of the Jews!
Narrator:	and striking him on the face. Pilate went out again and said to them,
Reader:	Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.
Narrator:	So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them,
Reader:	Here is the man!
Narrator:	When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted,
All:	Crucify him! Crucify him!
Narrator:	Pilate said to them,
Reader:	Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.
Narrator:	The Jews answered him,
All:	We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.
Narrator:	Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus,
Reader:	Where are you from?
Narrator:	But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him,
Reader:	Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?
Narrator:	Jesus answered him,
Jesus:	You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.
Narrator:	From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out,
All:	If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.
Narrator:	When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. Pilate said to the Jews,
Reader:	Here is your King!
Narrator:	They cried out,
All:	Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!
Narrator:	Pilate asked them,
Reader:	Shall I crucify your King?
Narrator:	The chief priests answered,
All:	We have no king but the emperor.
Narrator:	Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate,
All:	Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’
Narrator:	Pilate answered,
Reader:	What I have written I have written.
Narrator:	When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another,
All:	Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.
Narrator:	This was to fulfil what the scripture says, ‘They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.’ And that is what the soldiers did. Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother,
Jesus:	Woman, here is your son.
Narrator:	Then he said to the disciple,
Jesus:	Here is your mother.
Narrator:	And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfil the scripture),
Jesus:	I am thirsty.
Narrator:	A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said,
Jesus:	It is finished.
Narrator:	Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. After a short pause, the narrator continues. Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the Sabbath, especially because that Sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘None of his bones shall be broken.’ And again another passage of scripture says, ‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced.’ After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. Silence

The Intercession

The president introduces the prayers.

God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Therefore we pray to our heavenly Father for people everywhere according to their needs.

Let us pray for the Church of God throughout the world--

for unity in faith, in witness, and in service

for bishops and other ministers, and those whom they serve

for our bishop, and people of this diocese

for all Christians in this place

for those to be baptized

for those who are mocked and persecuted for their faith

that God will confirm his Church in faith, increase it in love, and preserve it in peace.

Lord, hear us.

All	Lord, graciously hear us.

Almighty and everlasting God,

by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church

is governed and sanctified:

hear our prayer which we offer

for all your faithful people;

that in their vocation and ministry

each may serve you in holiness and truth

to the glory of your Name:

through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Let us pray for the nations of the world and their leaders--

for Elizabeth our Queen and the Parliament of this land

for those who administer the law and all who serve in public office

for all who strive for justice and reconciliation

that by God's help the world may live in peace and freedom.

Lord, hear us.

All	Lord, graciously hear us.

Most gracious God and Father,

in whose will is our peace:

turn our hearts and the hearts of all to yourself,

that by the power of your Spirit

the peace which is founded on justice

may be established throughout the world;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray for God's ancient people, the Jews,

the first to hear his word--

for greater understanding between Christian and Jew

for the removal of our blindness and bitterness of heart

that God will grant us grace to be faithful to his covenant and to grow in the love of his name.

Lord, hear us.

All	Lord, graciously hear us.

Lord God of Abraham,

bless the children of your covenant, both Jew and Christian;

take from us all blindness and bitterness of heart,

and hasten the coming of your kingdom,

when Israel shall be saved,

the Gentiles gathered in,

and we shall dwell together in mutual love and peace

under the one God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let us pray for those who do not believe the Gospel of Christ-

for those who follow other faiths and creeds

for those who have not heard the message of salvation

for all those who have lost faith

for the contemptuous and the scornful

for those who are enemies of Christ

and persecute those who follow him

for all who deny the faith of Christ crucified

that God will open their hearts to the truth and lead them to faith and obedience.

Lord, hear us.

All	Lord, graciously hear us.

Merciful God,

creator of all the people of the earth,

have compassion on those who do not know you,

and by the preaching of your Gospel with grace and power,

gather them into the one fold of the one Shepherd,

Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray for all who suffer--

for those who are deprived and oppressed

for all who are sick and handicapped

for those in darkness, in doubt and in despair,

in loneliness and fear

for prisoners

for the victims of false accusations and violence

for all at the point of death and those who watch beside them

that God in his mercy will sustain them with the knowledge of his love.

Lord, hear us.

All	Lord, graciously hear us.

Almighty and everlasting God,

the comfort of the sad, the strength of those who suffer;

hear the prayers of your children who cry out of any trouble:

and to every distressed soul grant mercy, relief, and refreshment,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us commend ourselves and all God's children

to his unfailing love,

and pray for the grace of a holy life,

that, with all who have died in the peace of Christ,

we may come to the fullness of eternal life

and the joy of the resurrection.

All	Merciful Father,

accept these prayers,

for the sake of your Son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Proclamation of the Cross

A wooden cross may be brought into the church
and placed in the sight of the people.
Hymn

When I survey the wondrous cross

where the young Prince of Glory died,

my richest gain I count but loss,

and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

save in the cross of Christ, my God:

all the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them to his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet,

sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,

or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

that were an offering far too small;

love so amazing, so divine,

demands my soul, my life, my all.

The minister says these devotions.

We glory in your cross, O Lord,

and praise you for your mighty resurrection;

All	for by virtue of your cross

joy has come into our world.

God be gracious to us and bless us:

All	and make his face shine upon us,

Let your ways be made known on earth:

All	your liberating power among all nations.

Let the peoples praise you, O God:

All	let all the peoples praise you.

We glory in your cross, O Lord,

and praise you for your mighty resurrection;

All	for by virtue of your cross

joy has come into our world.

Almighty God,

as we stand at the foot of the cross of your Son,

may we know your love for us,

that in humility, love and joy

we may place at his feet

all that we have and all that we are;

through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

All	Amen.

Hymn

A collection may be taken.

Take up thy cross, the Saviour said,

if thou wouldst my disciple be;

deny thyself, the world forsake,

and humbly follow after me.

Take up thy cross, let not its weight

fill thy weak spirit with alarm;

his strength shall bear thy spirit up,

and brace thy heart and nerve thine arm.

Take up thy cross, nor heed the shame,

nor let thy foolish pride rebel;

thy Lord for thee the cross endured,

to save thy soul from death and hell.

Take up thy cross then in his strength,

and calmly sin's wild deluge brave,

'twill guide thee to a better home,

it points to glory o'er the grave.

Take up thy cross and follow Christ,

nor think til death to lay it down;

for only those who bear the cross

may hope to wear the glorious crown.

To thee, great Lord, the One in Three,

all praise forevermore ascend:

O grant us in our home to see

the heavenly life that knows no end.

The Liturgy of the Sacrament

The holy table is covered with a fair linen cloth.

If Holy Communion is to be distributed the consecrated elements	are placed on the holy table in silence.

The Lord's Prayer

Let us pray for the coming of God's kingdom

in the words our Saviour taught us:

The Lord's Prayer is said.

Before the distribution the president says

Jesus is the Lamb of God

who takes away the sins of the world.

Happy are those who are called to his supper.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,

but only say the word, and I shall be healed.

The president and people receive the communion.

The Prayer after Communion

Silence is kept.

The service may conclude with one of the following prayers	without a blessing or dismissal.

Lord Jesus Christ,

Son of the living God,

set your passion, cross,

and death between your judgement and us,

now and at the hour of our death.

Give mercy and grace to the living,

rest to the faithful departed,

to your holy Church peace and concord,

and to us sinners eternal life and glory;

for you are alive and reign with the Father

and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

or

Most merciful God,

who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ

delivered and saved the world:

grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross

we may triumph in the power of his victory;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The ministers depart in silence.

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Good Friday Liturgy Page 19 With Communion

Good Friday Communion

Brian Elliott

2001-06-14T07:00:00