Good Friday
Service
Do
this service in a darkish room. If you have candles, find seven of them. If
not, pretend. DON’T RUN TO THE STORE OR YOUR NEIGHBORS FOR CANDLES. ~Louie
Light
all the candles – Read the poem The Crucifixion by James Weldon Johnson aloud.
Jesus,
my gentle Jesus walking in the dark of the garden, the Garden of Gethsemane,
“Sorrow is in my soul, Stay here with me a little while and watch with me.”
Jesus,
my burdened Jesus, praying in the dark Garden, “Father, Oh, Father, this bitter
cup, this bitter cup, let it pass from me.”
(Extinguish the first candle. Pray
silently for a moment.)
Jesus,
my sorrowing Jesus, the sweat like drops of blood on his brow. While the
disciples slept he prayed, “Oh Father, not as I will, Not as I will, but thy
will be done.”
Oh
look at black-hearted Judas, sneaking through the garden, leading his
crucifying mob. O God strike him down! Why don’t you strike him down before he
plants his traitor’s kiss upon my Jesus’ cheek?
(Extinguish second candle. Pray silently
for a moment.)
They
take my blameless Jesus and drag him to the Governor, To the mighty Roman
Governor, Great Pilate seated in his judgment hall. He said, “I find no fault
in this man. And Pilate washed his hands.”
But
the mob cried out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him. His blood be on our heads.” They
beat my Jesus, they spit on my precious Jesus. They dressed him in purple robes
and put a crown of thorns on his head. They pressed it down, Oh they pressed it
down and they mocked my sweet King Jesus.
(Extinguish third candle. Pray silently
for a moment)
Up
Golgotha’s rugged road I see my Jesus go. I see him sink beneath the load, I
see my drooping Jesus sink. And then they laid hold on Simon, Black Simon, yes,
Black Simon. They put the cross on Simon and Simon bore the cross.
(Extinguish the fourth candle. Pray
silently for a moment)
On
Calvary, On Calvary, they crucified my Jesus. They nailed him to the cruel
tree, and the Hammer! The Hammer! The Hammer! rang through Jerusalem’s
streets. The HAMMER! The HAMMER! The
HAMMER! Rang through Jerusalem’s streets.
Jesus,
my lamb-like Jesus, shivering as the nails go through his hands. Jesus my
lamb-like Jesus, shivering as the nails go through his feet. Jesus, my darling
Jesus, Groaning as the Roman spear plunged in his side. Jesus, my darling
Jesus, groaning as the blood came spurting from his wound. O look what they have done to my Jesus.
(Extinguish the fifth candle. Pray
silently for a moment)
Mary,
weeping Mary, sees her poor little Jesus on the cross. Mary, weeping Mary, sees
her sweet baby Jesus on the cruel cross, hanging between two thieves.
And
Jesus, my lonesome Jesus, called out once more to his Father, “My God. My God,
Why have you forsaken me?” And he dropped his head and died.
(Extinguish the sixth candle. Pray
silently for a moment.)
And
the veil of the temple was split in two; The midday sun refused to shine. The
thunder rumbled and the lightning wrote an unknown language in the sky. What a
day! Lord what a day! When my blessed Jesus died. O I tremble, yes I tremble,
when I think how Jesus died. Died on the steps of Calvary for sinners like you
and me.
(Extinguish
the seventh candle. Listen to the following.)
Prayer –
O God, the man we did not notice yesterday
died today and left us alone. Forgive us for not being able to see. Amen.
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