Good Friday - Tenebrae Service

[00:01:27] Speaker A: Yes. Sa. Good morning on this. On this Good Friday. I was talking with the school children this morning about Good Friday and then what that looked like, you know, didn't look so good. Right. But we call it good by faith. It's a dark night, a night full of darkness. It was dark, but. Dark hearts, dark deeds and words, dark understanding. And yet in Christ we see light by faith. He's full of light and giving light. And so. So that dark deed that dealt him death, you know, that is a beacon giving us hope and light. And so we call it good looking past appearances to a reality seen by faith and. And celebrate even as we also consider the reason for his foray into the darkness, his adventure into suffering, and his taking on of our suffering and death to the fullest extent. So this service is. Well, it's tenebrae. It's a service of darkness. And it's a series of readings and hymns. And we've done this before. At a certain point, you'll be invited to. It says in the bulletin to write your name on a piece of paper and nail it to the cross. We decided to just go with the nail. You just nail a nail into the cross and kind of go either way. Right. If you're putting your name on the cross, maybe it's a little bit more personal, like my name is on that cross. There's also the reality that we're absorbed into the cross. We are kind of lost in the cross. Paul says, I've been crucified with Christ and I no longer live. Christ lives in me. And so this morning, just doing a nail. It's our participation in the cross. We've been drawn up into it so that in it we die and Christ lives in us. So that's what that's for. Seems like there was something else. I guess not. All right. Oh, I have the wrong bulletin. Hopefully none of you have a Holy Thursday bulletin. Thank you. Do you need one, though? You're good with that one. Well, Larry's going to bring you any one anyway, so. Thank you, Larry. Oh, right, right, right. All right. All right, then. Let's stand and begin. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace. And with his stripes we are healed. O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. For your arrows have sunk into me and your hand has come down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation. There is no Health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head like a heavy burden. They are too heavy for me. I confess my iniquity. I am sorry for my sin. Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace. And with his stripes we are healed. Please be seated. From Isaiah, chapter 52. Behold, my servant shall act wisely. He shall be high and lifted up. And shall be exalted. As many as were astonished at you. His appearance was so marred beyond human semblance. And his form beyond that of the children of mankind. So shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him. For that which has not been told them, they see. And that which they have not heard, they understand. Who has believed what they heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant. And like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that we should look at him. And no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And as one from whom men hide their faces. He was despised, and we esteemed him not. From John, chapter 18. When Jesus had spoken these words. He went out with his disciples. Across the Kidron Valley. Where there was a garden. Which he and his disciples entered. Now, Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place. For Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers. And some officers. From the chief priests and the Pharisees. Went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him. Came forward and said to them, whom do you seek? They answered him, jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am he. Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, I am He. They drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, whom do you seek? And they said, jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I told you that I am He. So if you seek me, let these men go. This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken. Of those whom you gave me. I have lost not one. Then Simon Peter, having a sword. Drew it. And struck the high priest's servant. And cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter. Put your sword into its sheath. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me? [00:12:40] Speaker B: Go to Dark at ceremony all who feel the tempter's power, your redeemer's conflicts see. Watch with him in one bitter hour. Turn not from his griefs away. Learn from Jesus Christ to pray. Follow to the judgment. Hall you the Lord of life arraigned. O the word wood and the gall. All the things his soul sustained, Shun not suffering, shame or lust. Learn from him to bear the cross, Calvary's mournful mountain climb they're adoring at his feet. Mark that miracle of time. God's own sacrifice complete it is finished here in Christ. Learn from Jesus Christ to die. [00:14:31] Speaker A: From Isaiah, chapter 53. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace. And with his stripes we are healed all. We, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way. And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father in law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest. He entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest. But Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, you also are not one of this man's disciples, are you? He said, I am not. Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire because it was cold and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them. They know what I said. When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, is that how you answer the high Priest? Jesus answered him, if what I said Is wrong. Bear witness about the wrong. But if what I said is right, why do you strike me? Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, you also are not one of his disciples, are you? He denied it and said, I am not one of the servants of the high priest. A relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off asked, did I not see you in the garden with him? Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed, [00:18:23] Speaker B: Christ, the life of all the living Christ, the death of death our foe. Woo thyself for me once giving to the darkest depths of woe, through thy sufferings death and merit I eternal life inherit. Thousand thousand thanks shall be dearest Jesus unto thou. Ah, Thou hast taken on thee bonds and strifes a cruel rod, pain and scorn were heaped upon thee. O thou sinless son of God. Thus didst thou my soul deliver from the bondage of sin forever. Thousand thousand thanks shall be dearest Jesus unto thee Thou hast borne the smiting only that my wounds might all behold Thou hast suffered sad and lonely rest to give my weary soul, Yea, the curse of God enduring blessing unto me, Securing thousand thousand thanks shall be dearest Jesus unto the Thou hast suffered great affliction, and hast barred it patiently even death by crucifixion Holy to atone for me. How didst choose to be tormented that my doom should be prevented? Thousand thousand things shall be dearest Jesus unto thee, the poor old that wrought my pardon for thy sorrows deep and sore for thine anguish in the garden I will make thee evermore thank thee for thy groaning, sighing for thy bleeding and thy dying for that last triumphant cry, and shall praise thee, Lord of hosts. [00:22:14] Speaker A: From Isaiah, chapter 53. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people, and they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence and there was no deceit in his mouth. Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, what accusation do you bring against this man? They answered him, if this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you. Pilate said to them, take him yourselves and judge him by your own law. The Jews said to him, it is not lawful for us to put anyone to death. This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken, to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, are you the King of the Jews? Jesus answered, do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? Pilate answered, am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done? Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world. Then Pilate said to him, so you are a king. Jesus answered, you say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born. And for this purpose I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. Pilate said to him, what is truth? After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews? They cried out again, not this man, but Barabbas. Now, Barabbas was a robbery. Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him saying, hail, King of the Jews, and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, see, I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no guilt in him. So Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, behold the man. When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, crucify him. Crucify him. Pilate said to them, take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him. The Jews answered him, we have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God. [00:26:58] Speaker B: Sing my tongue the glorious battle Sing the ending of the fray now above the cross, the trophy Sound the loud, triumphant lay Tell how Christ the world's Redeemer as a victim one the day Tell how when at length the fullness of the appointed time was come he, the Word was born of woman left for us His Father's home blazed the path of true obedience shone as light amidst the gloom. Thus, with 30 years accomplished, he went forth from Nazareth, destined, dedicated, willing, did his work, and met his death like a lamb. He humbly yielded on the cross his dying breath. Faithful cross, true sign of triumph before all the noblest dreams. None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit. Thine equal be symbol of the world's redemption. For the weight that hung on thee. [00:29:31] Speaker A: From Psalm 69, you know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor. My foes are all known to you. Reproaches have broken my heart so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none. And for comforters, but I found none. They gave me poison for food and for my thirst, they gave me sour wine to drink. When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, where are you from? But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, you will not speak to me. Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you? Jesus answered him, you would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin. From then on, Pilate sought to release him. But the Jews cried out, if you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar. So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Stone Pavement. And in Aramaic, gabbatha. Now it was the day of preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, behold your king. They cried out, away with him. Away with him. Crucify him. Pilate said to them, shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered, we have no king but Caesar. So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus. [00:32:17] Speaker B: Dearest Jesus, what law hast thou broken that such sharp sentence should on thee bespoken? Of what great crime hast thou to make confession? What dark transgression. They crown thy head with thorns, they smite. They scourge thee with cruel mockings to the cross. They urge thee. They give thee gold to drink. They still decry thee, they crucify thee. Whence come these sorrows? Whence this mortal anguish? It is my sins for which thou, thou Lord, must languish. Yea, all the wrath. Woe thou dost inherit. This I do merit. What punishment and so strange is suffered yonder? The shepherd dies for sheep that loved to wonder. The master pays the debt, the servant so him who would not know him. Whate' er of earthly good this life may grant me, I'll risk for thee no shame, no crown cross shall daunt me. I shall not fear what foes can do to harm me, nor death alarm me. But worthless is my sacrifice, I own it. Yet, Lord, for love's sake, thou wilt not disown it. Thou wilt not accept my gift in thy great me, nor shame my weakness. And when, dear Lord, before thy throne in heaven, to me the crown of joy, at last trust is given. Where sweetest hymns thy saints forever raise thee, I too shall praise thee. [00:37:04] Speaker A: From Psalm 22. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me from the words of my groaning? O my God. I cry by day, but you do not answer and by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our fathers trusted, they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued. In you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man. Scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me. They make mouths at me, they wag their heads. He trusts in the Lord, let him deliver him, let him rescue him, for he delights in him. Yet you are he who took me from the womb. You made me trust you at my mother's breast. On you was I cast from my birth and from my mother's womb you have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is none to help. Bowls of Bashan encompass me. Strong bulls of Bashan surround me. They open wide their mouths at me like a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, it is melted within my breast. My strength is dried up like a potsherd and my tongue sticks to my jaws. You lay me in the dust of death, for dogs encompass me. A company of evildoers encircles me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me. They divide My garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O Lord, do not be far off. O you, my help. Come quickly to my aid. Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life, from the power of the dog. Save me from the mouth of the lion. You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. And he went out bearing his own cross to the place called the place of the skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this inscription. For the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. And it was written in Aramaic, in Latin and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, do not write the King of the Jews. But rather this man said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, what I have written, I have written. When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier. Also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said to one another, let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to see whose it shall be. This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, they divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. So the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, woman, behold your son. Then he said to the disciples, behold your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home, [00:42:15] Speaker B: Stricken, smitten and afflicted. See him dying on the tree. Tis the Christ by man rejected. Yes, my soul. Tis he. Tis he. Tis the long expected prophet, David's son. Yet David's Lord proofs I see sufficient of it. Tis the true and faithful word. Tell me, ye, who hear him groaning, was there ever grief, like his friends, through fear, his cause disowning foes, insulting his distress? Many hands were raised to wound him. None would intervene to save. But the deepest stroke that pierced him was the stroke that justice gave. Ye who think of sin but lightly, nor suppose the evil great here may view its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate. Mark the sacrifice of appointed See who bears the awful load. Tis the word. The Lord's anointed Son of man and Son of God. Here we have a firm foundation. Here the refuge of Christ, the rock of our salvation, is the name of which we boast. Lamb of God, for sinners wounded crucifies to cancel guilt nothing. [00:45:10] Speaker A: From Zechariah. Chapter 12. And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him as one weeps over a firstborn. After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said to fulfill the Scripture, I thirst. A jar full of sour wine stood there. So they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, it is finished. And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. [00:46:49] Speaker B: O sacred head, now wounded with grief and shame, weighed down, now scornfully surrounded with thorns, thine only crown. O sacred head, what glory, what bliss till now was thine. Yet, though despised at gory, I joy to call thee mine. How pale thou art with anguish with sore of you and scorn out of thy face now languish that once was bright as morn. Grim death with cruel rigor hath robbed thee of thy life. Thus thou hast lost thy vigour, thy strength in this sat strife. What thou my horn has suffered was all for sinners gave mine. Mine was the transgression, but thine the deadly pain. O, here I fall, my Savior. Tis I deserve thy place. O God, me with thy favor and grant me to me thy grace. [00:49:47] Speaker A: For 2000 years after Jesus death and resurrection, the cross has been a symbol of victory, a sign of victory. We don't perform exorcisms regularly, although every baptism is an exorcism. Exorcisms aren't all that common, and maybe they should be here. But many places in the world, they're practiced just as often as in the ancient church. They were more common, but it is still done here in the United States. And one of the things that is done without fail in an exorcism is you have a cross there, a crucifix, Jesus there on the cross, because that. [00:50:58] Speaker B: That [00:51:00] Speaker A: chases away the demons, that the demons cannot stand. There are ancient texts about desert monks and others fighting spiritual warfare in more visible ways than we would maybe imagine in our modern world today. And there they are holding up the cross against the devil or making the sign of the cross on themselves, because that's what makes the devil flee. He can't stand it. For 2,000 years, the cross has been the symbol of victory for Christians, a sign of victory, a clear sign of victory that the foes can't stand because it says to them defeat. But the cross is a dark sign in the sense that by appearances, it doesn't show what it shows. Here's what I mean. When Jesus went to the cross, it looked like defeat. And when we hold up a crucifix, we're holding up a dying man. The sign doesn't immediately capture the meaning. Like somebody who had never heard of it before and saw it would just see it as the same as any other person who was crucified. Thousands and thousands of people were crucified, sometimes at the same time, all at once, by the Romans. The. The method of killing was not unique. But hidden in Jesus, weakness and suffering is victory and light. And so I'd like to reflect for a moment on its hiddenness just to make sure we're on the same page. Signs are meant to, well, are meant to show something. They're supposed to draw attention to something. And good signs draw attention and show you exactly what is meant to be signified right away. So, for example, there's a restaurant in town here that I enjoy that I think has terrible signage. And I just think they could have more business if they knew. I'm not going to say who it is, because I don't know, it doesn't seem right. But I just think if they had a better sign, I would have known about it a year earlier without having to search for that kind of restaurant. If they have a big sign, it might draw people. We could probably use a better sign here that's been talked about. So we recognize the need for signs to call attention and to draw people. But strangely, the sign of the cross does not immediately show that Jesus going to his death. It didn't look like victory to the people around him, just like the martyrs going to their death. It didn't look like victory either, but it was St. Ignatius going to the lions, going to be fed to the lions, wrote to the churches and said, essentially, this looks like my death, but it's not. In fact, don't stop this from happening, because while according to appearances, this looks like the end, it looks like the end of me. This is actually my birth into life. It needed to be that way. It's important for us that the cross be dark, be hidden in darkness. And here, here's why it's because as we watch Jesus go to the cross, giving up everything, giving up his comfort, his honor, his health, his life, his friends, he loses everything. And we watch the people doing it to him. Taking everything from him, casting lots for his clothes, spitting on him, rubbing it in, tormenting him, making him suffer and enjoying him it. We see the depth of human sin and confusion in those who knew him best, who had heard His Word for years at this point, who had followed him around, who had been taught by Him. We see. Cowardice, Such great weakness in everyone. Jesus was alone in what he did. No one had the strength to stay with him. Easter morning before they see Jesus, they're all hidden, they're all hiding, scared, locked in a room. That weakness extends to you and me. All of humanity is represented in that great darkness. There's no candle next to Jesus in that darkness. And within him there's faith. One of the things that I appreciate every time Good Friday comes around is, is the hope in the last part of Psalm 22. In fact, I'm going to pull it out right now. It's not as though Jesus didn't know what he was doing or what he was accomplishing or whether God would see him through. For kingship. Well, so he says, the afflicted shall eat and be satisfied. Those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord. And all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord. And he rules over the nations. The nations might be conspiring against him. All the forces of evil are pounding him with everything they've got. And humanity is lifted, you know, not a finger to help. In fact, they're joining in and participating in his affliction and death. But Jesus is the light in the darkness. Even not being understood darkness has not understood it. It's like there he is in the midst of the darkness, a light shining. But a light that's veiled in the cross and revealed by faith. It's revealed when Jesus returns to his disciples and says, peace be with you. Not to get too excited yet. Celebrate that on Sunday. But we have to have that in view. No human being is alight next to Jesus in that darkness. And so you and I, You and I, need to learn again, need to remember our own participation in darkness, our own sin, our own participation in his suffering and death. By our participation in broken human nature. It was our ancestors, Adam and Eve, who rejected the light of God's word and were thrown into the darkness, threw themselves into the darkness, shut out the light and became unreceptive to God's Word. And if we think that we can hold a candle to God's Word, if we think that we can find light apart from His Word, then we remain unreceptive. We live in the age of enlightenment. We live in a time when we're tempted especially to think that we know better than God's Word, that we've been enlightened. But that enlightenment in encouraging our own ambitions to find wisdom and happiness apart from God just throws us deeper into the darkness. You see Jesus there on the cross. Looks like darkness, but there's light to be found. But the only way to find that light is to enter the darkness. We're all going to, if you choose, put a nail into the cross and Jesus. It's not just Jesus there dying on the cross. I mean, it is. But then he unites us to Himself in His death and resurrection, so that we all are there with him on the cross. He unites us to Himself in His death. And it's there in the death of ourselves, in the death of our own ideas that would compete with his, that would compete with His Word, that would not submit to His Word. It's there in the death of ourselves. That's repentance. That's where we become receptive to all that Jesus has to give. We get absorbed into the cross. I've been crucified with Christ. I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And then we follow. The uncomfortable thing is that following him is still following him into the darkness. You and I don't know. Everything about what's around the corner tomorrow or the next day or in the future. Following Jesus means following him wherever he leads and letting go of our attempts to control the future or cover our back, our attempts to manage what other people think of us. All of those kinds of things we can just nail into the cross. Let all that worry and self concern be absorbed in the cross. And then we learn to listen to him and to follow Him. And that's going to mean facing suffering, walking straight into it, and listening to him and following wherever he leads. His life is our life. Our life looks like his by faith. That sign of the cross, it's a dark sign. And that then requires faith. We who extinguish the light of God's Word, that can't happen. We who shut off the light of God's Word right back there near the beginning must give up our own light and submit to his light. We enter the Darkness. Take up our cross and follow him and discover that he is the light. He has come to give the truth in Jesus name. Amen. So at this time I invite you to come forward and and put a nail in the cross. Participate in the cross of Christ. And in the meantime we'll sing as you walk. We'll sing hymn 4:34. The nails are coming. [01:05:45] Speaker B: Lamb of God, pure and holy, who on the cross did suffer ever patient and lowly thyself to scorn didst offer. All sins thou borest for us else had despair reigned o' er us, have mercy on us, O Jesus. O Jesus, Lamb of God, pure and holy, who on the cross did suffer ever patient and Lord, holy myself to scorn its discover. [01:07:30] Speaker A: Let's just keep running the words through. Start over. When we finish, just sing the whole time. [01:07:39] Speaker B: Sad despair reigned over us. Have mercy on us, O Jesus. O Jesus, Lamb of God, pure and and holy, who on the cross is suffering ever patient and lowing myself to scorn bit. Have mercy on us, o jesus, [01:09:09] Speaker A: o [01:09:11] Speaker B: jesus. [01:09:21] Speaker A: From Psalm 31. In you, O Lord, do I take refuge. Let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness deliver me. Incline your ear to me. Rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me. For you are my rock and my fortress, and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me. You take me out of the net they have hidden from me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. Since it was the day of preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, for that Sabbath was a high day, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness. His testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth. That you also may believe. For these things took place, that the scripture might be fulfilled. Not one of his bones will be broken. And again another scripture says they will look on him whom they have pierced. After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about 75 pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now, in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been laid. So, because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. For while we were still weak at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person, and one would dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Almighty God, graciously behold this, your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and delivered into the hands of sinful men, to suffer death upon the cross through the same Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. [01:15:30] Speaker B: It.