Good Friday 2nd April 2021
Our online reflection this Good Friday is from the Gospel of Mark. Please read through the Gospel accounts taking time to reflect on each one.
Mark Ch 14 v32-52
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ he said to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch.’
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36 ‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Simon,’ he said to Peter, ‘are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’
39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41 Returning the third time, he said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’
43 Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
44 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ 45 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. 46 The men seized Jesus and arrested him. 47 Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
48 ‘Am I leading a rebellion,’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.’ 50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.
51 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
Video - John Lyttle
Song - The Old Rugged Cross
Mark Ch14 vs53 - Ch15 vs15
53 They took Jesus to
the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the
law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a
distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with
the guards and warmed himself at the fire. 55 The chief priests and
the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they
could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many
testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. 57 Then some stood up
and gave this false testimony against him: 58 “We
heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three
days will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet
even then their testimony did not agree. 60 Then the high priest
stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is
this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But
Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the
Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 “I am,” said
Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the
Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 63 The high priest tore
his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You
have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then
some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists,
and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
66 While Peter was below
in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When
she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she
said. 68 But he denied it. “I
don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out
into the entryway. 69 When the servant girl
saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of
them.” 70 Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to
Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 He began to call down
curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” 72 Immediately the
rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter
remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows
twice you will disown
me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Very early in the
morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and
the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away
and handed him over to Pilate. 2 “Are you the king of
the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied. 3 The chief priests
accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked
him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you
of.” 5 But Jesus still made
no reply, and Pilate was amazed. 6 Now it was the custom
at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A
man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed
murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and
asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. 9 “Do you want me to
release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing
it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to
him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd
to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. 12 “What shall I do,
then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. 13 “Crucify him!” they
shouted. 14 “Why? What crime has
he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 15 Wanting to satisfy
the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and
handed him over to be crucified.
Song - Man of Sorrows
Mark Ch15 vs15-41
The soldiers led
Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together
the whole company of soldiers. 17 They put a purple
robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. 18 And
they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 Again
and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on
their knees, they paid homage to him. 20 And when
they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on
him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
A certain man from
Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on
his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22 They
brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the
skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with
myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they
crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each
would get. 25 It was nine in the
morning when they crucified him. 26 The written
notice of the charge against him read: the
king of the jews. 27 They crucified two
rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. 29 Those
who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So!
You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come
down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the
same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among
themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let
this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that
we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
At noon, darkness
came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And
at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi,
lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?”).35 When some of those
standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. 38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” 40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
Song - When I Surveyed the Wonderous Cross