Good Friday

 Meekness and majesty manhood and deity
In perfect harmony the Man who is God
Lord of eternity dwells in humanity
Kneels in humility and washes our feet
 
Father’s pure radiance perfect in innocence
Yet learns obedience to death on a cross
Suffering to give us life
Conquering through sacrifice
And as they crucify prays Father forgive
 
O what a mystery meekness and majesty
Bow down and worship for this is your God
This is your God​​
 
Graham Kendrick-lyrics © Thank you Music

Readings 
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Hebrews 10: 16-25 
John 18: 1-end of 19

Anthem:
The Reproaches – John Sanders
Were you there when they crucified my Lord – NEH 93
Hymn:
When I survey the wondrous cross – NEH 95
 
Philippians 2: 5-8
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. (The Message)

A few hours more,
A few minutes more,
A few instances more.
For thirty three years it has been going on.
For thirty three years you have lived fully minute after minute.
You can no longer escape, now; you are there, at the end of your life,
at the end of your road.
You are at the last extremity, at the edge of a precipice,
You must take the last step,
The last step of love,
The last step of life that ends in death.
 
You hesitate.
Three hours are long, three hours of agony;
Longer than three hours of life,
Longer than thirty three years of life.
. . .
You must decide, Lord, all is ready around you.
You are there motionless, on your Cross.
. . .
See.
He has taken his heavy heart,
And,
Slowly,
Laboriously,
Alone between heaven and earth,
In the awesome night,
With passionate love,
He has gathered his life,
He has gathered the sin of the world,
And in a cry,
He has given all.
Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.
Christ has just died for us.
(Michel Quoist – Prayers of Life – Gill and Macmillan 1963 pp 130-131)
 
From noon on, darkness came over the whole land (Matthew 27:45)
 
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:5)
 
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
 
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ my God
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood
 
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?
 
Were the whole realm of Nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all!
 
Fr. Derek Akker