Our Savior Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Preparation for Holy Week: Good Friday - Service of Seven Words

               Our Christian Worship hymnal resources provide three separate Good Friday services: The Service of the Cross, the Service of Seven Words, and the Tenebrae Service. Usually, the first two are celebrated sometime between 12pm and 3pm, while the Tenebrae Service (Service of Darkness) is held in the evening. I’ve learned that Our Savior is used to having one evening service on Good Friday so we will adapt the Service of Seven Words for an evening service this year. Perhaps in future years two different services will be held, one at 12 and one in the evening. When this is practiced, only one of the services has any preaching, generally the afternoon service.

               The Service of Seven Words refers to the seven recorded occasions that Jesus spoke from the cross. A reading from either Psalm 22 or Isaiah 53 is read at the beginning. These passages from the Old Testament depict the suffering of the Messiah. Then the seven words are read with prayer and meditation between each reading. In place of one sermon, I will prepare a brief devotion on each reading. For the prayers after the reading, which can be flexible, I found prayers written by a Lutheran pastor from the 1500’s Joachim Mynsinger of Frundeck, translated by Pastor Paul Stratman and Pastor Johnold Strey, both WELS pastors. (https://acollectionofprayers.com/2016/04/15/the-seven-words-from-the-cross/)

               The closing of the service consists of the Bidding Prayer, an ancient collective prayer for many aspects of life. The overall feel and aspect of the service is somber, with many opportunities for silent reflection on the suffering and death of Christ, and for silent prayer. The paraments and vestments are meant to be very stark and simple. The altar has been stripped bare on Maundy Thursday already. No stole is worn by the minister. The congregation assembles in silence and departs quietly after a period of reflection.

               The themes, hymns, and readings throughout the Lent season point us again and again to the cross of Jesus Christ. Good Friday is the culmination of all that preparation. On Good Friday we focus on the culmination of Jesus’ life which he lived for us, which ends in the suffering and death he endured all for us. We call it good despite its somberness because of this truth: When we look to Christ on the cross, we see Christ for us.

               Easter is a grand time to invite friends to church, especially for those who have little experience with church. Would you invite someone to celebrate Good Friday with us? Perhaps the initial reaction would be to hesitate. Far better, you might say, to focus on the joyous, exciting, Easter Service. There’s some merit to that thinking. But Easter doesn’t come until after the cross on Good Friday. If you could convince someone to join you for worship on Good Friday and then to return again on Sunday, I think that would be ideal. You could explain that over the course of these days, the central teachings of the Christian faith are most clearly depicted. First, the seriousness of sin, God’s wrath against it, and the vicarious atonement made for us in Christ on Good Friday. Then, on Sunday, the joyous hope that is brought to us through Christ’s own bodily resurrection, which is therefore promised to all.

Announcements

Holy Week Worship Schedule

               3/24 Palm Sunday 9am

               3/28 Maundy Thursday 7pm

               3/29 Good Friday 7pm

               3/31 Easter Sunday 9am with brunch to follow

Bible Study Opportunity on Saturdays

               Mark your calendars for the first Saturday Bible Study opportunity on April 13th. The focus of our study is on Evangelism using the outline provided by Professor Vallesky in God’s Great Exchange. Materials will be provided. Plan on the gathering to be in the afternoon, more details to come.