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Good Friday • Year C
April 18, 2025
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Good Friday Bulletin Template
This Good Friday Tenebrae "service of darkness" incorporates the passion narrative from the Gospel of John, with traditional hymns from the Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW). As each section of the passion story is read a candle is extinguished, until all that remains is the Paschal Candle.
Historical Collect
Almighty God, look with mercy on your family of faith who are gathered here and across the world, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and given over into the hands of sinners and to suffer death on the cross; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Thematic Collect
God of all mercy and grace, look with favor on your world for which your Son suffered death on the cross. Draw us to him, grant us your salvation, and bring us to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.
The Common Thread
Christ suffered for all our sins; he bore the full weight of a world’s iniquities. Believers are made righteous because of him. His suffering was not only physical, but also emotional, as God forsook him when he bore our sins. He is our high priest, a higher priest who has made a way for the rest of us to draw near to God. His throne of grace is open to all who trust in his mercy and grace. Even Peter, the denier, was enabled to draw near to God with complete confidence, knowing “it is finished” because of Christ, not because of his faithfulness.
First Reading • Isaiah 52:13–53:12
How long have the prophets foretold the salvation that was to come? Centuries. Millennia. Now in these last days, God has spoken to us by his Son. Yet people still refuse to believe. “Who has believed?” The anointed one, by the will of the Lord, has also borne our sins. And people still will not believe. But that will never stop him from making intercession for transgressors like us.
Psalm • Psalm 22:1–31
Even God forsook his Son, as prophesied by David. As he took his sins upon himself, the Father removed himself from Jesus. The holy one was scorned by all. Yet by his great sacrifice for us, the ends of the earth will be caused to remember the Lord. Though not all will turn to God, Christ, being lifted up, will draw all peoples to himself (John 12:32), and everyone will confess him as Lord (Rom 14:11; Phil 2:10).
Second Reading • Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:7–9
Because of Christ, poor sinners are enabled to draw near to God with bold confidence. Sinners may draw near to God because their righteousness does not depend upon themselves, but instead, comes from Christ. Jesus has become the source of salvation for all who conform to the obedience of faith (Rom 1:5).
Gospel • John 18:1–19:42
The betrayal, arrest, trial, crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus is told in these two chapters. In the midst of it all, Peter’s final denial occurs as stark reminder to us all of why Jesus had to die. For his denial is the denial of all the disciples. Peter had at least followed those who arrested Jesus. Yet, this denial is not only that of Peter and the other disciples; it is our own denial. Or would we object and say with the once-proud Peter, “We will never deny you”? It was for the likes of faithless sinners such as us that Jesus fulfilled the will of the Father. He is faithful even if we are faithless (2 Tim 2:13).
SMALL INSERT FULL TEXTS: This version of the Good Friday small insert includes the entirety of the readings, rather than the truncated form of the small insert found on the right side of this page. Instructions for copying are included.
LARGE INSERT FULL TEXTS: This version of the Good Friday large insert includes the entirety of the readings, rather than the truncated form of the large insert found on the right side of this page. Instructions for copying are included.
Resources
Links to Worship Resources for this Service
