Good Friday Lectio Divina

Steph Modder and I created a Lectio Divina experience for our Good Friday service tonight. It's kinda an abbreviated Stations of the Cross...sorta. I thought I'd share what we put together in case you are looking for a devotional tool for today. Illustrations designed by awesome NCC artists Dylan and Abi Byrd. Check out their work here.

Song: True Love


Jesus is Condemned to Die
Very early in the morning the leading priests, other leaders, and teachers of religious law — the entire high council — met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?"Jesus replied, "Yes, it is as you say." Then the leading priests accused him of many crimes, and Pilate asked him, "Aren't you going to say something? What about all these charges against you?" But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate's surprise. Now it was the governor's custom to release one prisoner each year at Passover time — anyone the people requested. One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, convicted along with others for murder during an insurrection. The mob began to crowd in toward Pilate, asking him to release a prisoner as usual. "Should I give you the King of the Jews?" Pilate asked. (For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.) But at this point the leading priests stirred up the mob to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. "But if I release Barabbas," Pilate asked them, "what should I do with this man you call the King of the Jews?" They shouted back, "Crucify him!" "Why?" Pilate demanded. "What crime has he committed?" But the crowd only roared the louder, "Crucify him!" So Pilate, anxious to please the crowd, released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him.
NLT (Mark 15:1-15)

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
NLT (Isaiah 53:7)

• What events in your own life have you “blamed” on Jesus?
• Is there a time in your life when you were falsely accused? How can you follow Jesus example when you are falsely accused?

Jesus Carries His Cross
So they took Jesus and led him away. Carrying the cross by himself, Jesus went to the place called Skull Hill (in Hebrew, Golgotha).
NLT (John 19:16b-17)

Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.”
NLT (Luke 9:23-24)

• What cross has Jesus asked you to carry?

Song: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus


Jesus is Crucified
And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means Skull Hill). They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it. Then they nailed him to the cross. They gambled for his clothes, throwing dice to decide who would get them. It was nine o'clock in the morning when the crucifixion took place.
NLT (Mark 15:22-25)

My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead. My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count every bone in my body. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my clothes among themselves and throw dice for my garments.
NLT (Psalm 22:14-18)

Song: Were You There?- Verses 1 and 2


Jesus Forgives
Jesus said, "Father, forgive these people, because they don't know what they are doing." And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. The crowd watched, and the leaders laughed and scoffed. "He saved others," they said, "let him save himself if he is really God's Chosen One, the Messiah." The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" A signboard was nailed to the cross above him with these words: "This is the King of the Jews." One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself — and us, too, while you're at it!" But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you are dying? We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
NLT (Luke 23:34-43)

• In what area of your life do you need Jesus to forgive you?
• Who do you need to forgive?

Jesus Dies
At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o'clock. At about three o'clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
NLT (Matthew 27:45-46)

Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last.
NLT (Luke 23:46)

Song: How Deep the Father’s Love


Jesus is Buried
As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who was one of Jesus' followers, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance as he left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting nearby watching.
NLT (Matthew 27:57-61)

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55; Hosea 13:14)

• What do you need to bury in your own life?

Song: Were You There?- Verse 3
Song: Lead Me to the Cross
Song: Beautiful Scandalous Night