This is a Meditative Service for personal reflection for Good Friday. Please click onto the link for the Bible passage and sing along if you feel able to do so. Try and use the times of silence (about 60 seconds) as an opportunity to think about the reading and meditate, on all that took place on that first Good Friday.
OPENING WORDS
For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
Hebrews 4:14
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are – yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16
SONG: LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Let us now spend some time as we look upon the work of Jesus Christ as the suffering servant, remembering that we who now benefit from His death can take time to look back from the other side of the resurrection, in a time of grace and hope.
The Suffering Servant
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Silence
Let us now with hopeful gratitude enter with Him into the shadow of death as we read the words of Psalm 22, which became the cry of despair from the Cross, followed by words of assurance and promise.
The Cry From The Cross
Psalm 22:1-18
Silence
All The Ends Of The Earth Shall Remember
Psalm 22:19-31
Silence
SONG: HOW DEEP THE FATHER’S LOVE FOR US
The Arrest In The Garden
John 18:1-14
Silence
Jesus Sentenced To Be Crucified
John 19:1-16
A PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Lord Jesus, loving and suffering with us and for us, we are ashamed of our unfaithfulness, yet we look to you, forgive us, we beseech you.
God made us alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us; He took it away, nailing it to the Cross.
The Crucifixion
John 19:17-29
Jesus Dies On The Cross
Mark 15:33-39
Silence
SONG: WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS
The Burial of Jesus
John 19:31-42
Silence
A LITANY FOR GOOD FRIDAY
Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow.
The Lord says. My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you Answer me! I led you from slavery to freedom, but you led your saviour to the Cross. I brought you out of Egypt, but you handed me over to the high priests.
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal one; have mercy on us.
My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you Answer me! I led you on your way in a pillar of cloud, but you led me to Pilate’s court. I bore you up with manna in the desert, but you struck me down and scourged me.
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal one; have mercy on us.
My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you Answer me! I gave you a royal scepter, but you gave me a crown of thorns. I raised you to the height of majesty, but you raised me high on a cross.
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal one; have mercy on us.
My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me! I gave you saving water from the rock, but you gave me gall and vinegar to drink. For you I struck down the kings of Canaan, but you pierced your saviour with a lance.
Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal one; have mercy on us.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
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.
By your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
SONG: ABOVE ALL POWERS
A PRAYER 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 sinners 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.
SONG: THERE IS A GREEN HILL
They Took Him Down – Jimmy Owens
They took Him down, His Poor dead body,
And prepared Him for His burial.
They took Him down, His poor pale body,
Drained of life, ashen and stained with its own life blood.His healing hands now pierced and still;
Serving hands, that broke five loaves to feed five thousand,
Holy hands, often folded in fervent prayer;
Poor gentle hands, now pierced and still.His poor torn feet, now bloodied and cold;
Feet that walked weary miles to bring good news to broken hearts;
Feet once washed in penitent’s tears;
Poor torn feet, now bloodied and cold.His kingly head, made for a crown,
Now crowned – with thorns.
His poor kingly head, crowned with thorns.His gentle breast, now pierced by spear-thrust,
Quiet and still;
His poor loving breast.His piercing eyes, now dark and blind;
Eyes of compassion, warming the soul;
Fiery eyes, burning at sin;
Tender eyes beckoning sinners;
His piercing eyes, now dark and blind.His matchless voice, fountain of the father’s thoughts
Stopped – and stilled – to speak no more.
Silence now where once had flowed
Wisdom and comfort, Spirit and life;
His matchless voice, stilled to speak no more.They took him down, His poor dead body and prepared him for his burial
And we thought that was the end … but it was only the beginning!
revPACman 
Excellent reflection, Paul.
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