NOTE: In this service, we put ourselves into the shoes of Jesus’ family and closest friends as they mourned his death. They did not have a funeral for Jesus, but they saw his body and knew that he died. In our culture, we have a funeral for people who have died, when we perform that ritual, it is clear that someone has passed away. Having a service that is funeral-like on Good Friday can hammer home to us in a very deep, visceral way that Jesus really died. Most people have been to many Good Friday services where it is explained that Jesus died for our sins. That is an important message, but not one that this service talks about. This service doesn’t talk about that since we are putting ourselves into the shoes of the disciples and Jesus’ family; just after he died they were in a time of shock, of wondering and not understanding.
It is probably helpful to give this explanation to attendees, so that they are not confused about what is happening. Perhaps even explaining the service the week before, but there may be visitors, so handing out a note with an explanation may be helpful.
For this service it’s important that the feel of a funeral be cultivated.
If you have a prelude at a funeral with special funeral-like music, do that now.
If there is a book to sign at a funeral, do that now.
If you use special bulletins at funerals, put the order of service in that type of bulletin.
If you have ushers giving out bulletins at a funeral, do that now.
If the minister walks solemnly into the service during a funeral with the congregation standing, do that now.
If you have special flowers on the sanctuary table for a funeral, do that now.
It’s important that songs sung in this service are “funeral-like” songs, not songs that explain the whole salvation story, since that is not a story that the disciples would have known on this day.
Try to find participants to do the tributes who can say their parts with conviction and emotion…not just reading. Think of how people who do tributes at funerals present their stories, and try to do that yourself.
Welcome & Opening Prayer
Dearly beloved, friends of Jesus,
we gather together in the sight of God,
filled with sorrow and grief.
Our friend Jesus has suffered and he has died,
and his earthly body has been laid to rest.
This is a tender time,
we have come to grieve and to comfort one another in our sorrow,
and to draw on God’s love and power.
We have come to remember all that Jesus said to us,
and to take comfort in the shelter of the almighty God.