Good Friday: & Meditation

Good Friday

Christians observe Good Friday as the day Christ died. “Good” meant “Holy” in ancient traditions, and it is a holy day when we remember Christ’s death.

Today, we invite you reflect on one or more of the Bible passages from ’ last week. Put yourself in the story to see what Jesus is showing you. As you enter the scenes, listen to who is speaking, what’s being said, and who’s staying silent.

When you’re reflecting on the passages, resist any urge to find the “right” answer to the questions. Rather, wonder about the stories. Let your own experiences inform your wondering and be open to the Spirit guiding you.

After individual reflection, we turn to a community reflection. Christians were meant for community; we are meant to hear each other and to pray for each other. We ask you to respond to a question posed to us as a community: “What breaks God’s heart?”

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Individual Reflection

There are four stories that you can reflect on— choose any or all of them:

• Jesus Prays in Gethsemane, • Jesus Before the Council, • Pilate Hands Jesus over to be Crucified, and • The Death of Jesus.

As you read the passage, enter into the story; picture the scene and the people. Use your holy imagination. Where would you find yourself if you were there? What do you see and hear?

Community Reflection

After your individual reflection, we invite you to respond to the final question, “What breaks God’s heart?”

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Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

Read. Mark 14:32-42.

Reflect.

Keep awake! Have you fallen asleep or otherwise been absent from important moments in your life? Have you been absent from important moments in our community’s life?

How would Jesus respond to you in those moments?

[image: Photo by Stacey Franco on Unsplash ]

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Jesus before the Council

Read. Mark 14:53-65.

Reflect.

Stay silent or speak? Jesus is at first silent. But then he speaks. How did he choose when to stay silent and when to speak? What is Jesus showing you with those choices?

[image: painting by James Tissot (1836-1902), Brooklyn Museum, New York. Available at https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/tis-trial-pilate/.]

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Pilate Hands Jesus over to be Crucified

Read. Mark 15:6-15.

Reflect. Crowd shouting. Pilate asked questions that, if answered one way, could lead to Jesus’ release. But that’s not the response he got. Even with Pilate’s last question—“What evil has he done?”—the crowd only shouted, “Crucify him!” Why did the crowd not answer Pilate’s question?

Pilate acts to satisfy the crowd. Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified to “satisfy” the crowd. Have you acted only to satisfy other people before?

[image: painting by James Tissot (1836-1902), Brooklyn Museum, New York. Available at https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/tis-trial-pilate/.]

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The Death of Jesus

Read. Mark 15:33-39.

Reflect. Why? This is an unbearable scene. Jesus is being killed on the cross, calling out in words from Psalm 22. In Mark 15:25, it says that he was crucified at 9am, and here we are hours later. Why was Jesus killed?

Centurion’s faith. What would you say if you were facing Jesus that dark day, like the centurion?

[image: Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash ]

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Community Reflection: What breaks God’s heart?

We open our community reflection with a prayer from the Salt Project’s Practicing devotional:

Let me enter your heart, O God. Let me see what breaks your heart. Let my heart be broken too. Amen.

The events leading to Jesus’ death and his death are heartbreaking and terrible. There’s Jesus’ despair in the garden, Jesus’ betrayal by a disciple, the false testimony against Jesus, Peter’s denial that he knew Jesus, the crowd shouting “Crucify him!” And then Jesus’ death in the darkness. Surely these events broke God’s heart, just as they break ours.

On Good Friday, we must stay with this heartbrokenness. Jesus did not escape the suffering, and his disciples did not know that was coming.

There are times when we’re called to speak out about what breaks God’s heart.

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Respond.

In the space provided, respond together.

What breaks God’s heart?

You may take a moment in silence, listening to the Spirit. As you respond, whether in words or a drawing, look at the other responses. May we lift up those other sorrows to God.

Closing Prayer

God, thank you for the gift of our holy imagination. Each time we read your Word, it is alive to us.

Today we feel Jesus’ despair and grief. We mourn his death; we mourn his killing.

Just as our hearts break for Jesus today, our hearts break for the suffering in the world.

We ask you to heal the suffering in the world.

Send us your Spirit to know where we are called to be your hands and your body in this world. Help us to know what suffering we can ease.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Chestnut Ridge Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a progressive, community focused church where all are welcome.

We’re an Open and Affirming congregation that celebrates the spiritual gifts and human dignity of all God's beloved children. Based on God's gift of radical, unconditional love, Chestnut Ridge strives to be a faithful church in today's challenging world.

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Join us for Easter Sunday

9 a.m. In-person (rsvp required) & Online Worship Service:

www.chestnutridgechristianchurch.com

11 a.m. Outdoor Service, CRCC Cross

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Connect with us:

✧ Join us on Sundays: www.chestnutridgechristianchurch.com

✧ Support our ministry: www.chestnutridgechristianchurch.com/giving

✧ Read our weekly newsletter: www.chestnutridgechristianchurch.com/thisweek

Learn more about us:

✧ Learn more about the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): https://disciples.org/

Chestnut Ridge Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 2663 Johnson Ferry Rd. Marietta, GA 30068 www.chestnutridgechristianchurch.com

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