SONG – “His Glory Appears”
You gave me hope
You made me whole
At the cross
You took my place
You showed me grace
At the cross where You died for me

And His glory appears
Like the light from the sun
Age to age He shines
Oh, look to the skies
Hear the angels cry
Singing, “Holy is the Lord”

SCRIPTURE READING – John 1:1-5, 10-14, and 16
In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
    and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.

OPENING PRAYER
O God of light and life, we gather together on this Good Friday, humbled in the presence of Your love and faithfulness. Open our hearts this day to the goodness of Good Friday, that we might receive the gracious blessings that come to us through Jesus Christ, the Word who was made flesh. Amen.

SONG – “Old Rugged Cross”
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it someday for a crown

O that old rugged cross so despised by the world
Has a wondrous attraction for me
For the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary

In the old rugged cross stained with blood so divine
A wondrous beauty I see
For t’was on that old cross Jesus suffered and died
To pardon and sanctify me
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true

Its shame and reproach gladly bear
Then he’ll call me someday to my home far away
Where his glory forever I’ll share

SCRIPTURE READING – John 19:16-24
Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.
Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’”
Pilate replied, “No, what I have written, I have written.”
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.” So that is what they did.

REFLECTING ON JESUS’ IDENTITY

HYMN – “Near the Cross”
Jesus keep me near the cross
There a precious fountain
Free to all a healing stream
Flows from Calvary’s mountain
In the cross, in the cross
Be my glory ever
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river

Near the cross a trembling soul
Love and mercy found me
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me

Near the cross, O Lamb of God
Bring its scenes before me
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadows o’er me

Near the cross I’ll watch and wait
Hoping trusting ever
Till I reach the golden strand
Just beyond the river

SCRIPTURE READING – John 19:25-27
Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

HOMILY

PRAYERS OF CONFESSION
Lord have mercy;
Christ have mercy.

HYMN – “Here is Love”
Here is love vast as the ocean loving kindness as the flood
When the prince of life our ransom shed for us his precious blood
Who his love cannot remember? Who can cease to sing his praise?
He can never be forgotten throughout heaven’s eternal days

On the mount of crucifixion fountains opened deep and wide
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy flowed a vast and gracious tide
Grace and love like mighty rivers pour incessant from above
Heaven’s peace and perfect justice kissed a guilty world with love

Let me all Thy love accepting, love Thee ever all my days
Let me seek Thy kingdom only and my life be to Thy praise
Thou alone shalt be my glory, nothing in the world I see
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me, thou Thyself hast set me free

SCRIPTURE READING – John 19:28-30
Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

SILENCE

SCRIPTURE READING – John 19:31-37
It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also may continue to believe.) These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and “They will look on the one they pierced.”

HYMN – “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus”
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again
Nothing  but the blood of Jesus

O precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Nothing can for sin atone
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Not of good that I have done
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

SCRIPTURE READING – John 19:38-42
Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

CLOSING PRAYER
We adore you O Christ and we bless you because by your Holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world. Amen.

BENEDICTION
Believe in Jesus of Nazareth.
Believe in the King.
Believe and find life.
And then take up your cross and follow Him
in the way of self-sacrificing love. Amen.