But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

This afternoon we gather to remember our Lord’s suffering and death.  To remember means to bring something back to our minds so that what happened in the past may continue to have an effect on us today.  Isaiah prophesied that God’s Servant would heal us in His wounds and give us peace.  When the cross is in front of our eyes, we remember and are able to respond to all our Savior did for us.  The criminal on the cross gives us a great example of how to respond to our Lord’s passion for us.  In his last moments of life, the criminal pleads, “Jesus remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”  Remembering that exchange between sinner and Savior, helps us bring back to our sinful minds, the assurance, that our salvation is secure in the same Savior we turn to every day of our lives.

Opening Announcements

The Bell Tolls

Invocation and Preparation of our hearts – In the name of the Father, who sent His Son to die for us.  In the name of the Son, Crucified in our place.  In the name of the Holy Spirit, who turns us to our Lord’s blood stained cross and reminds us how our sins are forgiven.  Amen

“This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1Jn.4:10)      He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.  He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.          All: Surely, he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 

Prayer – Almighty God, heavenly Father, graciously behold this Your family for whom Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and delivered into the hands of sinful men, and to suffer death upon a cross.  We pray this through that same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.   Amen

Hymn  “Alas!  And Did My Savior Bleed”  LSB 437

The Lord is Betrayed and Denied by His Own

Matthew 26:47-50     Matthew 26:69-75

Psalm 31:1-5 – In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.  Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.  Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.  Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.  Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

As His Own – We Confess Our Betrayal and Denial of Him – All we like sheep, have gone astray.  Every one of us, has turned to our own sinful way and desires, but it was our Fathers will that our sin be laid on Him and He would pay the price in our place.    All:  Dear Savior Crucified and risen for me, I believe in You, You are my only hope.  I love You, even though I know in my heart that I have betrayed You for much less than 30 pieces of silver.  I know I have denied You as my Lord and Savior.  I have denied even knowing You for far less than possibly losing my life.  I have done them all in my actions, the language I use, and how I live.  I have lived following the world, and satan, not You and Your will for me.  Dear Savior, I am sorry for all my sin.  Forgive me and cleanse me in Your innocent shed blood.      The proof of God’s amazing grace and love for us sinners, is seen in His Son hanging on the cross.  “That while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Because of Christ’s death and through our faith in Him as our Savior, God has assured us that we are forgiven in Him.  As a servant of our Savior, I announce the Grace of God unto all of you.  I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the X Son. and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

Prayers of Good Friday

Our Lord is Rejected and Condemned to Die

Matthew 26:56-67        Luke 23:1-11      Mark 15:3-15

Hymn  “O Sacred Head Now Wounded”  LSB 449

Our Lord is Crucified and Rejected by His Heavenly Father

Matthew 27:32-46

Hymn    “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”   LSB 425

Sermon  “Gone In One Day!”

Hymn  “Stricken, Smitten  and Afflicted”     LSB  451

Our Savior Dies and is Buried

Luke 23:46-49   John 19:31-42

The Christ Candle leaves the Sanctuary

The Strepitous is heard

The Christ Candle returns to the Sanctuary

We Stand and WHISPER the Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.       Amen.

PLEASE Leave in **Silence**…..AND……Attend Worship on Easter!  Zion offers two services to pick from 6:30am or 8:30am!  Bring your family and friends to celebrate our Lord’s Empty Tomb and plan on enjoying a time of fellowship by attending Easter breakfast which will be served between the services.

We are going to prepare the sanctuary for the Easter service  and set up for the Easter breakfast starting at 8am on Saturday April 4^th.

Please keep the following in your Special Prayers:

Bob Schultz as he awaits his crown of life. We pray for a quick and peaceful release and strength for Marilyn and his family.

Doyle Rettschlag who is making progress in his recovery from his surgeries and will begin cancer treatments soon.

Stan Buska, Marti Chaveriat’s brother who is dealing with health issues.

Jayne Gierach who is recovering from surgery.

Dennis & Karen Fredrick and family as they mourn the loss of their Grandson.

Karen Fredrick as she recovers from shoulder reconstruction surgery.

Those in the congregation needing healing & strength: Warren, Randy, Deanne, Dawn and others.

All men and women in the armed forces, especially those who are a part of Epic Fury campaign, Carson Lamp.

The families who lost loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives for our country’s freedom and safety.

We keep in our prayers all in our congregation who recently had surgery, waiting for test results, and are in need of healing and comfort.