CHURCHES TOGETHER IN WOODLEY
11.00am
11.00am
Online Service
Join us at 11am for a joint service from the Churches Together in Woodley.
REFLECTION ON THE CROSS
12 - 3pm
12 - 3pm
Eternal God,
in the cross of Jesus
we see the cost of sin
and the depth of your love:
in humble hope and fear
may we place at his feet
all that we have and all that we are,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Join us at St John’s
The church will be open for three hours from 12pm - 3pm for you to come for as long, or as little, as you wish, to reflect and pray. There will be readings and music dispersed throughout the three hours.
No booking needed but please wear a mask, sign in upon arrival and respect social distancing.
Reflection on the Cross
On Good Friday we reflect on the cross and on the death of Jesus.
The following readings are to give you time to reflect on the journey that Jesus took leading up to his death.
Pre-read: John 19
‘Come and see, come and see, come and see the King of love, see the purple robe and crown of thorns he wears. Soldiers mock, rulers sneer, as he lifts the cruel cross, lone and friendless now he climbs towards the hill. We worship at your feet, where wrath and mercy meet, and a guilty world is washed, by love's pure stream. For us he was made sin, Oh, help me take it in, deep wounds of love cry out 'Father, forgive’. I worship, I worship, the Lamb who was slain.’
(Graham Kendrick: 1989, Make Way Music)
Psalm 22: 1, 6-8
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?
6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. 8 ‘He trusts in the Lord,’ they say, ‘let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him’.
Matthew 27: 45-50 - The Death of Jesus
45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
“When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?”
Matthew 27: 51-56
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”
