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GOOD FRIDAYMarch 29, 2024Pastor Tom SteersChrist the Saviour Lutheran Church, Toronto“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29The Good Friday service is marked by reflection on the cross of Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death that earned us salvation.The altar has been stripped to symbolize the stripping of Christ before His crucifixion. Our worship focuses on the adoration of our crucified Saviour who now reigns together with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.The opening portion of the liturgy includes no praise. It proceeds directly to the Prayer of the Day.Although somber, our service does not end on a note of despair. The closing litany, prayer, and hymn emphasize the triumph and redemption we have through the cross. Jesus has made complete payment for our sins through His death for us, and through faith in Him alone we are reconciled with our loving God and offered eternal life.At the end of the service, we depart in silence without the benediction. However, Christ's death is not God's final word. We keep vigil as we prepare to celebrate Christ's resurrection on Sunday morning.Silence is kept as the people gather.As the Pastor enters all stand for prayer. Pastor: “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3:16)Congregation: Amen.PRAYER OF THE DAYC: Almighty God, have mercy upon us, your children, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given over to the hands of sinners to suffer death on the cross. He took the penalty for our sins, so that through faith in Him we are forgiven and offered eternal life.We pray for Your grace and mercy in the name of our crucified and risen Saviour, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.Hymn 440 “Jesus, I Will Ponder Now”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DQvrT7OBDoCONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION(Page 184, Lutheran Service Book)Our Bible Readings: Old Testament – Isaiah 52:13-53:12Psalm Reading – Psalm 22, verses 1-18Epistle Reading – Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9Gospel Reading – John 19: 1-35Hymn 449 “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded”Text: Bernard of Clairvaux 1091 – 1153 Musical arrangement: Johann Sebastian Bach 1685 – 1750https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IwD-gIKU-cTHE SERMON –Today we remember a death.The liturgical colour is black.The mood is somber, and yet we call this Friday – ‘Good.’That may leave us with the question, ‘why is it called Good?’ What’s the meaning of this day, and even more to the point, what is the meaning of the crucifixion?It's Biblical that all human beings who have ever lived are guilty when tested against the Commandments of God’s Law.When seen by our Holy, perfect Lord, we’re all guilty. And we’ve been so since the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God and fell into sin.It’s an inherited condition. And left untreated, it’s fatal – 100 per cent of the time. Spiritually, eternally fatal. Because God in His perfection, although all-loving, can’t overlook sin.God can’t lie and say sin is OK; lying is a human trait.But the Bible also tells us, repeatedly, that God loves us, and in fact, the Apostle John who authored today’s Gospel text, wrote in 1st John, that “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” It’s been said that the entire story of the Bible can be traced in the shape of the cross. Because it is the story of the reconciliation of God, with man, through + Jesus Christ.The cross becomes a bridge that closes that huge divide, the gulf, between a loving, perfect Father, and His fallen children.And it is mind boggling for us that it was God, Himself, who provided the solution – who brings about the reconciliation.It was God who reached out to us by coming down to earth and taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.In the first Passover, God freed the people of Israel from physical bondage – slavery in Egypt.God told the people to make a sacrifice, to take a lamb without blemish, slaughter it, and put the blood over their doorways so the spirit of death would pass over them.Many years later, at the time of Passover, Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem triumphantly on Palm Sunday.The temple priests would have taken young lambs, without blemish, placed their hands on them, and while praying transferred the sins of people to the animal.Then it would be sacrificed.The death of the lamb was a symbolic payment for sin.What the temple priests didn’t realize, was that God’s ultimate sacrifice had just entered the Holy City.This could never be accomplished by the death of a lamb or goat, but only by a human being, yet one who was without sin.However, as the Apostle Paul wrote, “all have sinned.” So, God sent His only Son, to become the sacrifice to end all sacrifices, because He was the one person who kept God’s law perfectly – God’s lamb without blemish – Jesus Christ. Through the words of the Apostle John today, we find ourselves at the place where that sacrifice for sin happened.We have an account by the only Apostle we know who was an eyewitness to the crucifixion.The Roman authors Seneca and Cicero wrote that those who were crucified cursed and screamed loudly, as long as they could. But with Jesus we hear none of this.Christ didn’t curse His tormentors, the Roman soldiers, the religious authorities, or those who mocked Him.Although truly innocent, in agony, and about to die, He says, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”The suffering Jesus endured that first Good Friday began even before the cross.There were dozens of deep lashes across Jesus’ back from a flogging.There was a crown of thorns piercing deep into the skin of his head.Then spikes were driven through His hands and feet. And he hung this way on the cross for hours.But because Jesus experienced this incredible pain, He understands our pain both physical and emotional.Neither in times of suffering or sadness, does Christ desert us.We can take comfort that we have a Saviour who understands sorrow, that can empathize because of what He endured – for us.There are some who will blame the Romans, Pontius Pilate, the Jewish authorities, even Judas himself for Christ’s crucifixion.But as Martin Luther explained in a sermon some 500 years ago, “never forget that it was your sins that placed the nails there.”It was our sins that Jesus was atoning for – not His own.As the prophet Isaiah wrote: “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was wounded for our iniquities, and by His wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53: 6)And yet if Jesus hadn’t suffered, if the crucifixion had not taken place, every one of us would have been destined to hell forever, eternally separated from God.The door between us and Heaven would have been shut.But God didn’t want that, so He created this glorious exchange – our sins, for Christ’s righteousness.A once, and for all, exchange.Jesus had no sooner said "I thirst," and sipped the vinegar offered to Him on the cross, when He said, "It is finished.”This wasn’t a cry of defeat. It was a shout of triumph.The battle was over, the victory won – forever.Sin, death and the devil were defeated because the final payment for sin had been made.According to some modern thinkers, man is a very fine and noble creature, striving to become better. He’s to be commended and admired. Sin is said to be only a sociological condition.But in the Bible, that’s not the way God sees it.There, man is a fallen being, with a carnal nature that cannot be reconciled to God by our own efforts. In Holy Scripture, man behaves in the same way we see in our daily news: war, murder, theft, greed, idolatry.And these are all a result of the original fall into sin. It’s behind every broken home, every troubled life, every sorrow and grief. But Christ loves us, and came to save you, and me, from the penalty of all this. It is God, who still reaches out to us through the Holy Spirit, with the gift of faith that saves. Christ continues to come to us in His Word and Sacraments found in His true Church.And here is the great power of the Gospel, of Christ's Good News.That we are saved through faith in Him, alone, despite our natures.We can learn from Jesus that while we’re mighty sinners – He’s an even mightier Saviour.The Apostle John wrote his Gospel in Greek.The Greek word for finished in the Bible, "tetelestai,” doesn’t simply mean, “it’s over.” It was the term used for a business contract successfully completed, and it meant: paid in full. That’s what Jesus was saying to us about salvation from the cross.No co-payment is necessary, or possible.When it comes to redemption, He’s done it all.The Apostle Paul explained in Ephesians, Chapter 2, verses 8 to 9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves – it is the gift of God so that no one can boast.”Our faith alone in Jesus as Redeemer saves us.And that is the best news we could ever hear, because we could never do it on our own.Today, when you look at the cross, I’d ask that you not only see the pain and agony of the crucifixion, but also see God’s love in Christ. Because God the Father didn’t send Jesus, and Jesus didn’t willing go to the cross out of anger or hatred.Many people wish that someone in their life would love them unconditionally, would love them so much they would die for them.The truth is, someone did.His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour.And so, may the knowledge of God’s love and forgiveness for you, keep your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.A LITANY FOR GOOD FRIDAYP: Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by?C: Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow. (Lamentations l:12)P: The Lord says:My people, what have I done to you?How have I offended you? 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.C: Holy God, holy and immortal One, have mercy on us. P: My people, what have I done to you?How have I offended you? 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.C: Holy God, holy and immortal One, have mercy on us. P: My people, what have I done to you?How have I offended you? I gave you a royal sceptre,but you gave me a crown of thorns.I raised you to the height of majesty,but you have raised me high on a cross.C: Holy God, holy and immortal One, have mercy on us. P: My people, what have I done to you?How have I offended you? 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.C: Holy God, holy and immortal One, have mercy on us. P: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.C: By Your holy cross you have redeemed the world. P: If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him.C: And through faith we shall also reign with Him. P: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You.C: By Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.+ SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT + P: Blessed are You O Lord, our God, king of the universe, for you have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. C: We give You thanks Father for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may faithfully take communion and receive the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come from the body and blood of Christ. P: Father, hear us as we pray as Jesus taught us. LORDS PRAYERC: 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.Preface P: The Lord be with you.C: And also with you.P: Lift up your hearts.C: We lift them to the Lord.P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.P: It is truly meet, right, and salutary, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to you, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Everlasting God.For in the mystery of the Word made flesh, You have given us a new revelation of Your glory; that seeing You in the Person of Your Son, we may be drawn to the love of those things which are not seen.THE WORDS OF OUR SAVIOURINSTITUTING THE LORD`S SUPPER P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.C: Amen.Lamb of God (Agnus Dei)P: Lamb of God You take away the sin of the world,C: Have mercy on us.P: Lamb of God You take away the sin of the world,C: Have mercy on us.P: Lamb of God You take away the sin of the world,C: Grant us peace. The Distribution(Our hymn during distribution is 627 “Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Saviour”)POST-COMMUNION PRAYERC: Lord Jesus, you carried our sins in Your own body on the cross. You came so that we might have life. May we and all who remember this day find new life in You, now and in the world to come, where You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.OUR CLOSING HYMN436 “Go to Dark Gethsemane” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alPJNxQStRY