Good Friday Tenebrae

GOOD FRIDAY TENEBRAE SERVICE

Trinity Lutheran Church

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray. Merciful God, your Son was lifted up on the cross to draw all people to himself. Grant that we who have been born out of his death may at all times find mercy in him, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

O Crucified Jesus,

Son of the Father,

conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

eternal Word of God,

we worship you.

O crucified Jesus, holy temple of God,

dwelling place of the Most High,

gate of heaven, burning flame of love,

we worship you.

O crucified Jesus,

sanctuary of justice and love,

full of kindness, source of faithfulness,

we worship you.

O crucified Jesus, ruler of every heart,

in you are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,

in you dwells all the fullness of the Godhead,

we worship you.

Jesus, Lamb of God,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, bearer of our sins,

have mercy on us.

Jesus, redeemer of the world,

grant us peace.

[a time of silence]

Almighty God, look with mercy on your family for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and 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. Amen.

HYMN “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross” #335

Passion Story from The 19th Chapter of Gospel of John

Printed at the end of this page

HYMN “Were You There”

THE BIDDING PRAYER

A brief silence follows each intercession.

We pray for the church throughout the world. . .

We pray for Pastor Laurie Jungling and Pastor Liz Eaton, our bishops, for our pastors, and all servants of the church. . .

We pray for the Jewish people, the first to hear the word of God. . .

We pray for those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. . .

We pray for those who do not believe in God. . .

We pray for God’s creation. . .

We pray for those who serve in public office. . .

We pray for those in any need. . .

and we pray for all afflicted in any way. . .

Finally, we pray:

THE 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 “Ah, Holy Jesus”

The Solemn Reproaches is an ancient text of Western Christendom dating to the 9th century. They were used at the ending of a Good Friday service. The reproaches follow the pattern of Psalm 78, which rehearses God’s continuing acts of faithfulness and Israel’s repeated rebellion.

Each reproach follows a similar pattern, calling to mind God’s saving acts and concluding with the same words: “but you have prepared a cross for your Savior.” Following each reproach the congregation responds with a prayer for mercy, “Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.”

The service may then conclude with worshipers departing in silence.

Solemn Reproaches

O my people, O my church, what have I done to you?

How have I offended you? Answer me.

I led you out of slavery into freedom, and delivered you through the waters of rebirth, but you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O my people, O my church, what more could I have done for you?

Answer me.

Forty years I led you through the desert, feeding you with manna on the way;

I saved you from the time of trial and gave you my body, the bread of heaven, but you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O my people, O my church, what more could I have done for you?

Answer me.

I led you on your way in a pillar of cloud and fire, but you led me to the judgment hall of Pilate; I guided you by the light of the Holy Spirit,

but you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O my people, O my church, what more could I have done for you?

Answer me.

I planted you as my fairest vineyard, but you brought forth bitter fruit;

I made you branches of the vine and never left your side,

but you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O my people, O my church, what more could I have done for you?

Answer me.

I poured out saving water from the rock, but you gave me vinegar to drink;

I poured out my life and gave you the new covenant in my blood,

but you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O my people, O my church, what more could I have done for you?

Answer me.

I gave you a royal scepter, but you gave me a crown of thorns;

I gave you the kingdom and crowned you with eternal life,

but you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O my people, O my church, what more could I have done for you?

Answer me.

I struck down your enemies, but you struck my head with a reed;

I gave you my peace, but you draw the sword in my name,

and you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O my people, O my church, what more could I have done for you?

Answer me.

I opened the waters to lead you to the promised land, but you opened my side with a spear; I washed your feet as a sign of my love,

but you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O my people, O my church, what more could I have done for you?

Answer me.

I lifted you up to the heights, but you lifted me high on a cross;

I raised you from death and prepared for you the tree of life,

but you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O my people, O my church, what more could I have done for you?

Answer me.

I grafted you into my people Israel, but you made them scapegoats for your own guilt, and you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

O my people, O my church, what more could I have done for you?

Answer me.

I came to you in the least of your brothers and sisters, but I was hungry and you gave me no food, thirsty and you gave me no drink,

a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me,

sick and in prison and you did not visit me,

and you have prepared a cross for your Savior.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

After a brief silence, the leader continues

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

By your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

As you reflect quietly, may these words serve as a blessing on your way:

Be at peace. May Jesus Christ, who for our sake became obedient unto death, even death on a cross, keep you and strengthen you this night and forever. Amen

Liturgy adapted from Sundays and Seasons.com.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

John 19 - NRSV

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, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and striking him on the face. Pilate went out again and said to them, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.”

Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “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.” From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.”

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. He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but the emperor.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

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, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’ ” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” 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, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill 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, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” 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 fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” 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, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus’ Side Is Pierced

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.”

The Burial of Jesus

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.