For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-6
It may sound a bit strange, but during my growing-up years, I always looked forward to our Good Friday mass. In my opinion, Roman Catholics and the Orthodox commemorate Good Friday better than most Protestant denominations, because they do not try to get around the messiness of the day. I think we Protestants at times try to skirt Good Friday in order to get to Resurrection Sunday. Make no mistake about it, Easter is at the heart of our faith, and it is a glorious day. However, you cannot have Resurrection Sunday without Good Friday, or at least Resurrection Sunday as God intended it to be.
My home parish’s Good Friday mass was slow, calculated, and precise. It was full of bells and smells, with a walk through the Stations of the Cross punctuated by a darkened cathedral and strong incense. It invited the participants into the agony of Christ’s sufferings with all five senses. We mourned the graphic nature of Jesus’ death and did not make excuses for our sorrow because we knew that resurrection awaited the Savior. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and we celebrated that in an intentionally contemplative and introspective way. I have since come to see what I believe are some very serious theological and doctrinal errors in the teachings of Rome. Nevertheless, I learned some very good lessons as an outgrowth of the Good Friday services I attended throughout my childhood.
That type of service may not appeal to you, which is understandable. But we do need to remember, regardless of our denominational background (or lack thereof), that Good Friday was the climax of the Law and the Old Covenant, and it naturally brought with it death. We celebrate the passing of the old into the new, but we should not forget what it cost God to accomplish this reality. An Easter where Jesus wakes up from a good night’s sleep and proclaims a new day of God’s favor is relatively meaningless. An Easter where Jesus is gloriously, supernaturally, and powerfully raised from death, even death on a cross, is the power of God unto the salvation of all who believe (1 Cor. 1:18).
Our own Good Friday service will not look like a Catholic or Orthodox mass, but we will talk about and focus upon the death by crucifixion of Jesus Christ. We will worship and remember, we will contemplate and celebrate. We will consider the sights and sounds and smells of that first Good Friday, and then we will share in a time of communion with God and one another.
Our Resurrection Sunday services will be joyous celebrations, as they should be. We will meet at our regular worship times—9:00 am and 10:45 am. If you choose to attend the 9:00 am service, please feel free to mingle briefly afterward, but be mindful of the fact that parking/seating will be at a premium, and we want all our guests coming to the second service to be able to find a place to park and sit. Thanks in advance for your understanding. Also, so far this early spring, first service has been the service most are attending. So, if you prefer a bit more space during these waning days (we trust) of Covid-19, you may prefer the second service to the first.
Hoping that you all will experience a meaningful and wonderful Easter weekend, and that it will be full of joy, family, and the presence of Jesus of Nazareth, the Lamb of God who is now risen...risen indeed!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Jym