Back to Worship Resources index
Good Friday witness material
There once was a man.
He was a teacher, a healer, a miracle worker.
He told stories.
Stories that linked people to God.
Stories that told people that God cared for them.
Stories that helped people come to God,
so that they could leave behind
all the wrong things they had done,
and live in peace and love and justice.
This man – the one that told stories,
was called Jesus.Hymn
This man Jesus got up people’s noses.
The noses of all the important people at the Temple,
where they liked things to happen the way they had
for centuries.
The important people at the temple saw God through strict rules of behaviour.
They had strict rules of language,
and they had many laws which made getting close to God quite difficult.
Jesus didn’t like that.
He wanted people to get to know God just the way he did.
He called God Father.
He was as close as that.
He loved God and God loved him
and he wanted the same for all people.Hymn
Jesus had some friends who helped him when he met with the crowds who came to hear him speak,
or to ask for healing.
They were called the disciples.
Now one evening they all had a meal together
and Jesus knew that his enemies were very close
and that his life was in great danger.
One of his friends called Judas
decided that he would help the important people of the Temple rather than stay faithful with Jesus.
So he left the meal in a hurry,
to betray him,
and Jesus knew what he was going to do.
Hymn
When the meal was over Jesus went into the garden to pray
and his friends fell asleep,
to tired to watch him and guard him.
And that’s when the enemies came
and they took Jesus away for questioning.And when Jesus would not answer the questions the way they wanted
they whipped him
and then when no- one would come forward and vouch for him
They took him away and crucified him.On a cross
with nails
and a crown of thorns thrust hard onto his head.
Crucifixion is deadly.And as he hung there dying,
he prayed to his father,
God.
He asked God to forgive those that had done this to him.And he died.
And Jesus did this so that we might know God and be free from all the wrong things we have doneAnd the world went dark,
right then in the middle of the afternoon.His friends took him and put him in a tomb.
And rolled a big stone in front of it
so that his enemies couldn’t get rid of the body
or wild animals make off with it in the night.But when the women came to the tomb three days later
the tomb was empty,
Jesus’ body had gone.
They cried.
They loved him so much
Who had taken him?And then he appeared!
He had risen from the dead and was alive and talking to them
He had defeated death and lives now, forever
still showing us the way to God.
AmenJan Maxwell 2008
Servant
‘During supper, Jesus, well aware that the Father had entrusted everything to him..... rose from the table. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet.’ [John 13: 3-5]
They entered the upper room
rejoicing, the undertow
of conceit hardly noticeable
but he knew that it was there,
festering beneath the surface,
like a badly healed wound.He wept inside;
there was so little time
and would they realise
that they, the chosen few,
were servants of humanity –
serving the living God
was easy by comparison;
and yet they could not
truly worship God
unless they waited
hand and foot upon
each other.....Hand and foot! He remembered,
with a surge of joy, the woman
in the Pharisee’s house who,
as they had reclined at table –
much as now, hearts fit to burst
with self-importance - washed
his feet with penitent tears
and dried them with her hair.And so he took a basin
and a towel and he, their Master
and their Lord, became
the lowest household slave.Two men perceived the import
of that deed – the one
avowed devotion vehemently
but would deny he even
knew him later on;
the other rose to leave.....
and it was night.Conflict
‘He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray.’ [Luke 22 v 41]
He walked through the night
like one in a trance,
glimpsing the trees around him
without seeing them;
and when he reached the glade,
he moved a little farther on,
away from where his friends
sprawled on the ground.Even though he knew within himself
at times, beyond a shadow of doubt,
that the eventual outcome
would be for the best,
still his spirit rebelled and
recoiled from the undertaking.
So amid the tears and sweat
his prayers flowed out
in deepest anguish:
‘Please don’t let it happen.’If only there was someone
with whom to talk it over,
coolly and detached as
in the light of day.
He looked across
at his three best friends
asleep on the grass
beneath the trees
and envied their simplicity:
how could they comprehend?Therefore he turned again
to his heavenly Father
and pleaded, not for the cup
to pass him by, but for the strength
to seize it with both hands.
And when he came, serene in spirit,
to rouse the sleeping men,
he did not need to watch
for the approaching torches.
The Mother
‘Jesus saw his mother, with the disciple whom he loved standing beside her.’ [John 19: 26]
She looked at him
and saw that he was dying,
and rebelled against
the futility of it all.
Already he seemed
so far away from her,
like a stranger, almost.
She had known him
little more than
thirty years, such
a short time really
in the eons of eternity.The emptiness which filled
her heart was replace
by a kind of repugnance
as she looked at him –
a shadow of his former self –
his bleeding, sweating body
racked with pain; it was
revolting, repellent,
disgusting. Where was the glory
and majesty of Death
which people talked about?She shut her eyes
to try and efface the horror
of it all……. and saw
the stable and the blood
upon the straw, recalled
the stench of sweat
and warm animals –
felt their hot breath and the pain
of the child fighting
its way out of her womb,
from the darkness
into Light!Looking up, she caught his eye
and, meeting his tranquil gaze,
understood he knew that they
had travailed this journey before.
The ghastly gore of death
was no different to that of birth.
The glory came afterwards…..‘It is accomplished!’
he cried to the world;
and she smiled, through
the mists of her tears.Carol Dixon 2008
Longsuffering Lord,
We pay you lip service, not life service,
dabbling with our designer diets,
fussing over famine lunches,
we cut out the extras and give up
our daily ration of 'goodies' -
play acting at poverty.In this sacrificial season
change us in mind and heart,
so that the discomfort of Jesus' love
penetrates our comfortable lives
and instead of hoarding our riches
in steel-plated silos, grudgingly
sharing our surplus with those in need,
we learn the true meaning of living for others
as we journey with Jesus to the Cross.Carol Dixon 2006
It was a garden where
we fell asleep.
Our eyelids were heavy
with the passion of the day:
the farewell dinner,
as it turned out to be,
the crowds, jostling, hostile
and the heavy thunder
overhead. I can’t recall
much of what happened there
except a voice saying ‘Watch.’
But it seemed disembodied
in my fitful trance. There
were other voices, angry,
and a vague familiar sound –
the nasal ingratiating tones
of Judas. He seemed
to be calling to soldiers.
(I heard in my haze,
the thud of steel on leather.)I got up in a hurry, not even
a backward glance, disappearing,
diving deep into the dark
womb of the night, hoping
not to be discovered.
This is another garden
where I am sitting, waiting –
for what? I do not know.
I remember this was
a cold and gloomy place, full
of sepulchres and memory,
where nothing grew except
the chilling despair
of those who came to say
a bleak, black goodbye and left
lingering and longing.Today, as I sit reflecting,
the sun is warming my face.
A mild breeze is gently
teasing the branches.
Flowers have taken up in
all the nooks and crannies
where once were only weeds
and lichen. Birds sing lustily
in the budding trees and some
are lifting food for their early broods.
Earlier (it was just after dawn)
I met the gardener who
seemed remarkably bright
considering the hour.
He was whistling a dance tune.There is a rumour going round
that women saw a ghost.
Not surprising before dawn,
a time of fitful sleep
and disturbing dreams.
I don’t know what to think.
I saw, from a careful distance,
the entry of the spear,
the viscous trail
of blood and water,
the final jerk of death.
When they took him down,
already rigid, he looked
very dead to me.Perhaps I’ll wait here a while
and see if the gardener
comes by again. I could do
with cheerful conversation and
I must compliment him
on his green fingers!Stuart Brock 2006
It was not a place for the nervous to be at night;
the disciples were both nervous and bewildered.
In the pitch darkness their minds were in turmoil,
considering not just what Jesus had said, but how.
The disciples were both nervous and bewildered,
wondering where Judas had gone, on what mission;
considering not just what Jesus had said, but how
Judas’ eyes gleamed with tears as he left the supper room.
Wondering where Judas had gone, on what mission,
they fell silent, turned towards Jesus as he knelt in prayer.
Judas’ eyes gleamed with tears when he left the supper room:
remembering, they shivered, fearing that worse was to come.
They fell silent, turned towards Jesus as he knelt in prayer.
‘This is my body’, he had said. ’This, my blood.’
Remembering, they shivered, fearing that worse was to come
as the surrounding shadows seemed to deepen and close in.
‘This is my body’, he had said. ‘This, my blood.’
They’d listened intently, praying his meaning was other than death.
As the surrounding shadows seemed to deepen and close in,
rather the oblivion of sleep than this haunting sense of danger.
They’d listened intently, praying his meaning was other than death,
that this was not the end. Their minds were in turmoil;
rather the oblivion of sleep than this haunting sense of danger.
It was not a place for the nervous to be at night.
Val Towler 2006
Creator God, you spoke, and at your word the universe came into being,
drawn from the mass and mess of chaos.
You shaped its beauty by your hand,
carving the rock and loosing the river.Just for a moment bring to mind one of your favourite places and thank God for it.
Holy God we see your glory:
and we worship you.Jesus, you spoke, and at your word
sins were forgiven,
broken lives were made whole,
troubled minds found peace,
and women and men turned to follow you.And again bring to mind one of your favourite scriptures and thank God for its truth.
Holy God we hear your voice;
and we worship you.Holy Spirit, gentle as the dove,
wild as the wind,
you speak and at your word the good news
of God's love runs around the world.Perhaps now remember a time when God, Father, Jesus or the Holy Spirit, seemed particularly close to you – and respond appropriately to God.
Holy God we hear your voice;
and we worship you.(Adapted from ‘Prescription for Prayer’ - The United Reformed Church Prayer Handbook 2004)
Listen now to the stillness and quietness and recognise God with us.
Blessed are you Lord, God of Israel,
you have come to your people and set us free.
You have raised up for us a mighty Saviour,
born of the house of your servant David;
and today we remember and celebrate his triumphant,
humble entry into your city.Through your holy prophets you promised of old
to save us from our enemies,
to show mercy to us
and to remember your holy covenant,
renewed at the end of a bitter and bloody week.As we begin to celebrate again
the greatest of Christian mysteries,
take from us all that prevents us
from pondering your great sacrifice and gift,
that we might walk with Jesus
down the path of the coming week,
experience again the shame and defeat of the cross,
and rise triumphant through the suffering,
to new life.in the name of Christ who taught us to say together.......
Barry Hutchinson 2006
It was a night like any other night –
a supper party, followed by chat and chinwag
slipping with easy familiarity into deeper things,
subjects closer to the heart.In the candlelight, comfortable, replete,
a little muzzy from the wine,
listening to words which resonated within our souls
as if they were the words of God.Yet on that night something was different.
It began with a shock to the system:
our teacher, our leader, our Lord
removing the trappings of authority
to nakedly kneel at our feet in humble service.Then, as the meal progressed, a moment of tension,
an exclamation of intense sorrow and pain,
uncertainty among us as to who the betrayer was.
We barely noticed when Judas left the room,
excused by Jesus as someone who didn’t
really want to belong there, and the party went on.And party it was – with fun and laughter,
conversation, and what really mattered – love.
And afterwards the moment that remains imprinted
in all our memories: the breaking and sharing,
body and blood; and a new universe was born.‘As I am broken for you – be broken for each other,
As my life is poured out for you – pour out yourselves
for one another; and every time you lay down your life
in this way, for friend and enemy alike,
the world will recognise me, God’s life within each one.’And so the precious promise passed,
and we departed; a garden beckoned
in the darkness, and the agonising
loneliness of a cross; and in the morning
- joy, the joy of an empty tomb.Carol Dixon 2006
‘Christ leads us through no darker rooms
Than he has gone before.'
God's love sustains us as we walk
Through each and every door.There is no corner of our lives
Obstructive to his light:
And though we may not see his plan
He holds us in his sight.Christ's own experience of dark scenes,
The Garden and the Cross,
Is proof indeed he shares our pain
And knows our grief and loss.And Christ who walked this earth before
Through death has God's love proved.
Since nothing can that love disturb
Our faith cannot be moved.Christ's resurrection spreads its light
Around our bleakest days.
God's nature is made crystal clear -
Love shines through all his ways.‘Christ leads us through no darker rooms
Than he has gone before.'
Since he is with us where we go,
Fling open wide life's door!Stuart J Brock 2005
(Inspired by words of Richard Baxter.)
Tune:The water is wide (O waly waly)
The cross of Christ stands broad and tall,
A tree of life, whose arms spread wide;
Embracing everyone in need;
Reaching across the world's divide.The cross of Christ stands broad and tall.
Its breadth defies what sanction knows.
For what Christ did in dying there
Confounds the limits we impose.The cross of Christ stands broad and tall,
Of grace a universal sign.
For those who stand around its foot,
Nothing its peace can undermine.The cross of Christ stands broad and tall,
Coloured in flaming leaves of love;
Rooted in an eternal plan;
Pointing to heavens far above.The cross of Christ stands broad and tall,
Loving, we stand beneath this tree;
Grieving our evil put Christ there;
Praising - his gift has set us free!Stuart J Brock 2005
1. Foot washing
It was an embarrassing moment;
piling into the upper room, only
to discover the door servant wasn't there
- he's the one who usually washes feet.
We threw off our cloaks on the cushioned couches
and sat, awkwardly, preferring not to recline –
no-one wants to rest his head
next to his neighbour's hot and dusty feet.We knew that one of us should have got up
and served the others; but on the way here
we'd all grandly put our case for which of us
would be the greatest, would sit
in the highest seat in his coming kingdom;
menial tasks weren't on our menu.And so He took the basin and the towel,
stripped himself of all but his humanity,
knelt on the floor in front of each one
of us, and gently bathed our feet.
He wasn't even acting out the duties
of a slave; in that moment he became
the lowest of the low.There was no way I'd let him
touch my feet, abase himself
before me! He was my Master
and my Lord, for God's sake.
I couldn't comprehend why
he should do this when
it should have been me,
their so-called leader,
or one of us at least.‘Never!' I said, recoiling away from him.
I remember his reply to this day.
‘If I don't, then you won't belong to me.'
I thought back to the time on the boat,
that very first day when I fell at his feet.
‘Then, Lord, wash me all over,' I said.
‘Bathe me, in your beauty, and your love.
2. Denial
I told him I'd die for him, you know,
that night in the upper room,
and I meant it. He just looked at me
with that knowing smile of his,
and slightly shook his head, while his eyes
bored into my soul with such love
as he said he knew I wouldn't.
I didn't believe him, our course –
none of us did – we were all so sure
of ourselves, our faith in him,
in the future.Even later on, standing in the courtyard
by the flickering firelight, when I denied
I knew him, it was like someone else
speaking, it couldn't be me.
Or so I thought, until he looked at me
as they brought him out, battered, bruised,
draped in the purple robe, with that cruel crown
on his bleeding head, like a parody
of a puppet king.They say Pilate asked him if he was a king.
I wouldn't know. I don't speak Latin or Greek,
but John knew the interpreter -
John has quite a few friends in high places
which was how we came to be in the courtyard
in the first place, standing by the charcoal fire.
Every time I smell one now, I remember.I told him I'd die for him,
yet, when it came to it,
I suppose he died for me,
for all of us.
What kind of king does that?Carol Dixon 2005
Not by accident
were they drawn to the hill of glory,
Moses and the disciples after him,
to test and try the place
where this world wears thin
and eternity makes her presence felt
Spirit calling to spirit
yearning for fullness and expression,
melded, with no obscurity,
overshadowed, with no destruction,
love flowing and completing,
gentle, unobtrusive
insistent, compelling
We walk in their bright shadow
unable to enter except for
the great sacrifice of love
who draws us into himself
to bring forth life
in transcendent being.Barry Hutchinson 2005
1. What kind of king is this,
who gave his life for me,
to show me how to live
and died to set me free?
What kind of king is this
who came from heav'n above
to live among us here
and show God's love.
2. He rescued us from death,
part of God's mighty plan
to save humanity
through this one perfect man.
I cannot comprehend
a love so great, so strong,
that gives itself away
to right all wrong.
(2nd part of tune)
3. What kind of king is this
who walks the way of pain
that humankind may be
brought back to God again?
He is our sovereign Lord,
the one whom we adore,
and praise his holy name
forevermore.(original tune)
4. Behold the Man of love!
Behold the Crucified!
He is our God's own son
who came to earth and died
and rose again with power;
He is our king divine,
he lives and reigns with God,
Lord of all time.
(2nd part of verse slowly)
5. Behold the man of love,
Behold the king divine,
accept his sacrifice,
his love sublime.Carol Dixon 2005
Jesus, in dark Gethsemane
Sleep. Sleep.
How easy it would be, Lord,
To fall asleep.
Just like your disciples did…
Sleeping, sleeping.
Not looking out for you.
Not keeping guard for you.
Letting you down
When you need us most.
Keep us awake
Alert
To do your work
To worship you
To shoulder our own cross
To remember your nailed hands
Nailed that we might be
Forgiven.
Nailed to your cross
Hurting for us.
Let your Spirit keep us strong
and
Keep our faith alive
and
keep us awake, we pray.Nick Percival 2004
God we pray that
when we are tempted to take the first step towards evil
you will help us discern where it will lead
and give us the strength to resist.
When we are tempted to lead others into evil
through the words we say
the deeds we do
the attitudes we convey
enable us to see them in the light of your love
and to desire only their good.
When we have fallen into evil
give us hope of redemption and a new beginning
and enable us to break free.
Deliver us from the temptation that is too great for us.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ who leads us into victory. Amen.Rodney Ward 2004
When our life journey leads us through barren desert,
be our companion and our guide.When all we hear is the whistling wind
and the crunch of our lonely footsteps;
when we long for some words of comfort and encouragement,
help us recognise that there are times we must travel
in silence.When the sun beats upon us unmercifully;
a pressure that is unremitting;
when we are thirsty for the water of life,
help us be alert to find those places where we may rest
with you.When we are weary, and our feet ache
as we stumble over the stony wilderness way;
when the desert around us seems endless,
help us to step carefully and concentrate solely on
this moment.When night falls, and we still feel far from home
as shadows deepen and the cold begins to bite;
when we know that here we must stay until the morning,
help us look up, to the glory of the clear night sky, and see
and rejoice.Holy Spirit of God,
in the desert times of our lives,
guide and strengthen us
through the bewildering terrain
and show us, even in the wasteland,
the wonder and beauty around us.
be our companion and our guide.Ruth Crofton 2004
The desert is hot and arid,
it saps my strength,
my eyes burn for a glimpse of God;
Parched I pant for pools of living water;
I long to lounge again by the life-giving streams,
and let God's provident love flood my life.Bountiful God,
renewer of our strength in times of testing,
you provide bread for our journey –
nourishment for body, mind, and spirit,
and springs of water in the hard places in life
to satisfy our thirst for you.Forgive our flagging faith,
turn our fasting to feasting,
remove our stone-filled sandals
and humbly wash our feet,
until restored, renewed and re-invigorated
we plant seeds of joyful hope
in the desert places of our world.Carol Dixon 2004
The glory of our King was seen
To come in glory is surely
To come in splendour
In fine robes
Riding a horse.
We may think so
But not our Christ
He chose
A donkey
And simple clothes
Yet when he came riding by
The crowds waved
And cheered.
Would we?Hanging on a cross
Painful,
Humiliating,
Soul destroying,
Crucifying!
Where's the glory in that?
Yet in Christ
Up there
Upon his cross,
With arms stretched wide
His love was shown
And His
Glory seen.Lying in a tomb
Dead.
No glory now.
For two long days.
But then
On the first Easter Day
When Christ rose up
Alive forever
To love us
To guide us
The glory of our King
Is seen in all its
Fullness.Nick Percival 2004
Prayers based on the lectionary readings from Luke's Gospel
Lent 1. Luke 4.1-13
Jesus
journeying with us…
where we too
hear the seductive whisper
or glimpse the pinnacle
of overweening ambition
may we listen
for a better and a wiser word
and fix our eyes
on a far different glory.
Jesus
journey with us
even to your cross.
Lent 2. Luke 13.31-35
Jesus
journeying with us…
through situations
where we too
are rejected and ridiculed
may we know
that same gathering goodness of God
that whatever fires burn without
we are sustained by the blaze
of your Spirit within.
Jesus
journey with us
and grant us all your promises.
Lent 3. Luke 13.1-9
Jesus
journeying with us…
as we too see hopes fade
under the shadow of harsh reality
may we understand
the justice that is hidden
behind life's chance events
and the need for our own lives
to be moulded to some greater purpose.
Jesus
journey with us
and do not abandon us here.
Lent 4. Luke 15.11-32
Jesus
journeying with us…
when we too
are at a place far from home
where new values and priorities
first delight then only disappoint
may we learn
that the love that has borne and sustained us
is a love that still searches and reaches
and longs to embrace us.
Jesus
journey with us
to the heart of love.
Palm Sunday. Luke 19.28-40
Jesus
journeying with us….
where we too encounter
the enthusiasm of the crowd
and dare to lift our voices
and hold hands high and heavenward
may we also recognise the silences
and the stumblings
and the stone cold hearts of tomorrow
that twist the story
and turn us from where
the road was leading.
Jesus
journey with us
to death
and to life.John Durell 2004
‘Do what you have to do', he told me… And I did, as we had arranged earlier, acting out of total love and obedience – but it all seemed to go horribly wrong.
I could tell from the looks on their faces that the others were disgusted by me, that they thought I had a devil inside me. I expected them to understand afterwards, thought they would realise that just as Jesus was to give his life for the world, so I had to give my life for him.
Of course, we had to make it appear that I had turned traitor, that I was somehow betraying my dearest friend, my beloved, my Lord. Otherwise the Sanhedrin and the Roman Governor would have been suspicious and the window of opportunity would have been missed. The timing was right, the Passover festival, and so was the mood – right for what had to be done…
‘Do quickly what you have to do', he said. I was as quick as I could be, for neither of us wanted to have second thoughts and the temptation not to go through with it was ever-present, pressing on us like blocks of stone. It was now or never.
Throughout his ministry, Jesus had been teaching the people of God that all the prophecies had come true, that he was indeed God's Messiah, their Saviour. He had performed signs and wonders, had healed and preached, had empathised and comforted. Yet they did not have ears to hear or eyes to see that the Suffering Servant, the Lamb of God, would have to complete what had begun in him… I truly thought that the other eleven would understand, if no-one else. Obviously, I thought wrongly…
You see, for the perfect sacrifice, two lambs (or two goats, really) have to be made ready. One, burdened metaphorically with every human sin, is sent out to die in the wilderness; the other, through whom sins are forgiven and redemption comes about, is offered on the altar to God, as a most acceptable and pleasing offering of love. I played my part and have had the reputation not of scapegoat, but wolf in sheep's clothing; not of dove, but of serpent, revolting nd repulsive; the one who, with a kiss, sent Jesus to his death. I have become the symbol of the humanity at its worst as a result of giving my best. Yet I will bear the reputation, the curses and the jeering, the spitting and damnation, for in Jesus' eyes there was nothing but unconditional love – and yes, gratitude as well, because I had my sacrifice to offer him, and I made it gladly…
It was black and cold in the wilderness of separation from him… The weight of all that sin was intolerable… and it broke my heart knowing what he was about to go through… yet, ‘Do quickly what you have to do', he said. Truly, I could not bear to live without him, so I hurried to obey him whilst I had the strength to move.
And it was night…
Val Towler 2004
Christ of the Passion
of the horror of our mocking
scourging
and baying for blood
Christ of the agony
beyond imagining
through the long lingering hours
of darkened noon
be for us the one sure point
in our confused and disordered lives
that being found in you
and even sharing in your sufferings
and becoming like you in death
we may yet be lifted up
and through your resurrection power
live the life which is
your gift
your promise
and your self.
AmenJohn Durell 2004
The chocolate bar,
the bag of crisps,
the extra piece of pie;
here are my temptations.
Temptation to convert the insecurity
I feel,
with the quick fix
and comfort zone.To turn away,
to close the door,
to close my ears and mind;
here are my temptations.
Temptation to turn from the calling to serve
and flee
when the world is battering at the doors
of my heart.To dream of lottery win,
of quick promotion,
of praise poured out and flowing;
here are my temptations.
Temptation to dodge reality and float away
in fantasy
when time is pressing and work awaits.
God will pick me up and sort it out.Such little temptations,
against the crisis of Jesus' testing.
Yet these are my temptations,
and they hold dominion over me.Lord, help me rediscover
Your word, to feed me;
Your love, to rule me;
Your wisdom, to guide me
in all my times of testing.Ruth Crofton 2005
Words and music by Tom Wright and Carol Dixon - 2004
Back to Worship Resources index