Good Friday
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII Cycle C
Seasonal Theme
Jesus and his disciples move toward Jerusalem and the cross.
Theme For The Day
The complete forgiveness worked for us by Jesus on the cross by our God who loves us that much.
Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 52:13--53:12
The Suffering Servant
The New Jerome Biblical Commentary has an interesting description of this fourth Servant Song of Isaiah. "The style is heavy, sobbing, and recurrent with a frequent intoning of u and o vowels, h and l consonants, the sounds of a dirge." Appropriate for Good Friday, isn't it? So we have the portrayal of the suffering servant in this passage and then Jesus in the New Testament combined this suffering servant image with the messianic concept of the son of man. Looking back from the Good Friday event, we can read into this passage all kinds of predictions, many of which were really not there. Consider these:
1. "he shall startle many nations"
2. "despised and rejected by others"
3. "a man of suffering"
4. "he has born our infirmities"
5. "he was wounded for our transgressions"
6. "upon him was the punishment that made us whole"
7. "by his bruises we are healed"
8. "you make his life an offering for sin"
9. "he shall bear their iniquities"
10. "he bore the sins for many"
11. "and made intercession for the transgressions"
The servant is innocent; still he suffers with those who are sinful and puts his goodness into their attitudes.
New Testament Lesson
Hebrews 10:16-25
Forgiveness Of Sins And A Call To Persevere
In plain words the author seems to be saying to the Good Friday event that God is making a new covenant through the crucifixion. After this event there is no longer the need for rites and offerings for our sins. Jesus did this once and for all on the cross. Verse 17 even claims God won't even "remember" our wrong doings -- we are forgiven! And it's Jesus' blood which has been the final offering -- not that of bulls and scapegoats. Now we can approach the temple cleansed, "sprinkled clean." So we can hold fast to our faith and encourage each other to respond to the new covenant by meeting together and doing good deeds.
The Gospel
John 18:1--19:42
The Arrest And Crucifixion
We have the story of betrayal, arrest, trial, denial, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus as related in John. It's a very familiar story. Let me just point out a few things which are a bit surprising.
1. It is surprising that Peter was carrying a sword (18:10).
2. The "... another disciple" in verse 15 may have been John.
3. The third person to question Peter was a relative of the person whose ear Peter had cut off (v. 26).
4. It seems like Pilate allowed the scourging as an alternative to crucifixion.
5. Pilate's "Here is the man" (19:5) was much more meaningful than he knew. Jesus was the representative man, standing in our place.
6. Actually, the Jews had no power to crucify Jesus. So Pilate's comments in verse 16 are puzzling.
7. John sees a fulfillment of Psalm 22:18 when the guards took Jesus' clothing.
8. The words, "It is finished," John claims for Psalm 69:21.
9. Verse 35 seems to refer to the author John seeing it.
10. John's account of the burial is important for he names Nicodemus. Both he and Joseph of Arimathea were members of the Sanhedrin (see John 3:1-15).
11. Perhaps to fulfill Psalm 16:10 -- it was a new tomb.
12. Jesus did not come into contact with corruption. Usually those condemned for sedition would have been thrown into a common grave ... perhaps Pilate never did believe the verdict.
Preaching Possibilities
A. I hope you will offer your people the ancient Tenebrae service today instead of preaching. It follows the custom of dividing the passion story into seven parts and extinguishing one of seven candles each time you read a portion of the story. A verse of a hymn may be sung in between as well. Each time a candle is extinguished, lower the light in the sanctuary until it is completely dark after the final reading. Pause, and then make a cymbal crash representing the opening of the tomb. Carry out the new paschal candle to its place in the chancel and bring up the lights just enough for people to exit in silence.
B. Of course if you must preach, there is much, much rich material. Those who selected these three readings must have wanted us to present the New Testament Reading as what was accomplished, and the Gospel as the narrative of how it actually took place in Jerusalem.
The three key verses could be:
1. Isaiah 53:5, he is wounded for us.
2. Hebrews 10:18, forgiveness and no more offering for sin.
3. John 19:30, Jesus finishes the mission alone.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Title: Here Is The Man
Text: John 19:5
A. Begin by telling what seeing a cross today means to you.
B. Move to what the sight of a cross meant to those who lived in Jerusalem. Compare with hanging noose, electric chair, firing squad. Tell how even Pilate seemed to try to avoid Jesus going to a cross. Use clues from the scripture.
C. Move to asking what it is that Jesus did on the cross this day which so changed its symbolism.
1. He worked our forgiveness once and for all.
2. He demonstrated how much God loves us.
3. He made a new covenant with us based on God's grace.
4. He took our place and punishment.
5. He worked an atonement for us with God.
D. Return to your opening remarks about the meaning of a cross to you and wonder out loud what it meant to Pilate after he turned over Jesus to hang on it.
Prayer For The Day
You have worked a wonderful sacrifice for us today on the cross. We are sorry for our sins which made it necessary for you to hang there, dear Jesus. Help us always to revere the cross in our lives and to celebrate your love which it symbolizes. In your name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
A letter from missionary friends Barry and Alice Lang in Madan, Papua New Guinea, said, "Bilum is what people here use to carry all their personal possessions. The color and so forth indicate membership in a particular tribe. Mothers put their babies in them and hang them from a tree branch. The breeze rocks the infant to sleep. Jesus Christ carries his bilum of our heavy loads, mistakes, sins, worries, and problems. In many of our Lutheran churches, bilum is carved on the inside or outside as a constant reminder that Jesus carried our cross. We ought to help carry one another's burdens."
While on my way to a speaking engagement, I was worried about parish problems. The security machine at the airport went off because of my crucifix in my suit coat pocket.
There's the answer. We serve the Christ and it is he who sets the direction and our mission.
In the movie The Crying Game, the captive says to the captor who belongs to the Irish Republican Army, "There is a story of a frog and a scorpion. The frog carries the scorpion across a river on its back. Halfway across the scorpion stings the frog and the frog asks why. The scorpion replies, 'Because it's my nature.' "
Our nature is to sting rather than to love. Only with God's help can we change.
Retired Bishop Ronald Diggs of Liberia was arrested and told to stand trial on Good Friday. So all the Monrovia churches scheduled their Good Friday services for the court where he was to appear. On Thursday, they dropped the charges. The cross of Good Friday ought to free us -- from sin, from guilt, from fear, and from shame.
Jesus and his disciples move toward Jerusalem and the cross.
Theme For The Day
The complete forgiveness worked for us by Jesus on the cross by our God who loves us that much.
Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 52:13--53:12
The Suffering Servant
The New Jerome Biblical Commentary has an interesting description of this fourth Servant Song of Isaiah. "The style is heavy, sobbing, and recurrent with a frequent intoning of u and o vowels, h and l consonants, the sounds of a dirge." Appropriate for Good Friday, isn't it? So we have the portrayal of the suffering servant in this passage and then Jesus in the New Testament combined this suffering servant image with the messianic concept of the son of man. Looking back from the Good Friday event, we can read into this passage all kinds of predictions, many of which were really not there. Consider these:
1. "he shall startle many nations"
2. "despised and rejected by others"
3. "a man of suffering"
4. "he has born our infirmities"
5. "he was wounded for our transgressions"
6. "upon him was the punishment that made us whole"
7. "by his bruises we are healed"
8. "you make his life an offering for sin"
9. "he shall bear their iniquities"
10. "he bore the sins for many"
11. "and made intercession for the transgressions"
The servant is innocent; still he suffers with those who are sinful and puts his goodness into their attitudes.
New Testament Lesson
Hebrews 10:16-25
Forgiveness Of Sins And A Call To Persevere
In plain words the author seems to be saying to the Good Friday event that God is making a new covenant through the crucifixion. After this event there is no longer the need for rites and offerings for our sins. Jesus did this once and for all on the cross. Verse 17 even claims God won't even "remember" our wrong doings -- we are forgiven! And it's Jesus' blood which has been the final offering -- not that of bulls and scapegoats. Now we can approach the temple cleansed, "sprinkled clean." So we can hold fast to our faith and encourage each other to respond to the new covenant by meeting together and doing good deeds.
The Gospel
John 18:1--19:42
The Arrest And Crucifixion
We have the story of betrayal, arrest, trial, denial, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus as related in John. It's a very familiar story. Let me just point out a few things which are a bit surprising.
1. It is surprising that Peter was carrying a sword (18:10).
2. The "... another disciple" in verse 15 may have been John.
3. The third person to question Peter was a relative of the person whose ear Peter had cut off (v. 26).
4. It seems like Pilate allowed the scourging as an alternative to crucifixion.
5. Pilate's "Here is the man" (19:5) was much more meaningful than he knew. Jesus was the representative man, standing in our place.
6. Actually, the Jews had no power to crucify Jesus. So Pilate's comments in verse 16 are puzzling.
7. John sees a fulfillment of Psalm 22:18 when the guards took Jesus' clothing.
8. The words, "It is finished," John claims for Psalm 69:21.
9. Verse 35 seems to refer to the author John seeing it.
10. John's account of the burial is important for he names Nicodemus. Both he and Joseph of Arimathea were members of the Sanhedrin (see John 3:1-15).
11. Perhaps to fulfill Psalm 16:10 -- it was a new tomb.
12. Jesus did not come into contact with corruption. Usually those condemned for sedition would have been thrown into a common grave ... perhaps Pilate never did believe the verdict.
Preaching Possibilities
A. I hope you will offer your people the ancient Tenebrae service today instead of preaching. It follows the custom of dividing the passion story into seven parts and extinguishing one of seven candles each time you read a portion of the story. A verse of a hymn may be sung in between as well. Each time a candle is extinguished, lower the light in the sanctuary until it is completely dark after the final reading. Pause, and then make a cymbal crash representing the opening of the tomb. Carry out the new paschal candle to its place in the chancel and bring up the lights just enough for people to exit in silence.
B. Of course if you must preach, there is much, much rich material. Those who selected these three readings must have wanted us to present the New Testament Reading as what was accomplished, and the Gospel as the narrative of how it actually took place in Jerusalem.
The three key verses could be:
1. Isaiah 53:5, he is wounded for us.
2. Hebrews 10:18, forgiveness and no more offering for sin.
3. John 19:30, Jesus finishes the mission alone.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
Title: Here Is The Man
Text: John 19:5
A. Begin by telling what seeing a cross today means to you.
B. Move to what the sight of a cross meant to those who lived in Jerusalem. Compare with hanging noose, electric chair, firing squad. Tell how even Pilate seemed to try to avoid Jesus going to a cross. Use clues from the scripture.
C. Move to asking what it is that Jesus did on the cross this day which so changed its symbolism.
1. He worked our forgiveness once and for all.
2. He demonstrated how much God loves us.
3. He made a new covenant with us based on God's grace.
4. He took our place and punishment.
5. He worked an atonement for us with God.
D. Return to your opening remarks about the meaning of a cross to you and wonder out loud what it meant to Pilate after he turned over Jesus to hang on it.
Prayer For The Day
You have worked a wonderful sacrifice for us today on the cross. We are sorry for our sins which made it necessary for you to hang there, dear Jesus. Help us always to revere the cross in our lives and to celebrate your love which it symbolizes. In your name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
A letter from missionary friends Barry and Alice Lang in Madan, Papua New Guinea, said, "Bilum is what people here use to carry all their personal possessions. The color and so forth indicate membership in a particular tribe. Mothers put their babies in them and hang them from a tree branch. The breeze rocks the infant to sleep. Jesus Christ carries his bilum of our heavy loads, mistakes, sins, worries, and problems. In many of our Lutheran churches, bilum is carved on the inside or outside as a constant reminder that Jesus carried our cross. We ought to help carry one another's burdens."
While on my way to a speaking engagement, I was worried about parish problems. The security machine at the airport went off because of my crucifix in my suit coat pocket.
There's the answer. We serve the Christ and it is he who sets the direction and our mission.
In the movie The Crying Game, the captive says to the captor who belongs to the Irish Republican Army, "There is a story of a frog and a scorpion. The frog carries the scorpion across a river on its back. Halfway across the scorpion stings the frog and the frog asks why. The scorpion replies, 'Because it's my nature.' "
Our nature is to sting rather than to love. Only with God's help can we change.
Retired Bishop Ronald Diggs of Liberia was arrested and told to stand trial on Good Friday. So all the Monrovia churches scheduled their Good Friday services for the court where he was to appear. On Thursday, they dropped the charges. The cross of Good Friday ought to free us -- from sin, from guilt, from fear, and from shame.
