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© 2024 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Passion Week
John 13:1-17; Mark 15:25-32
Howard Vanderwell and Norma de Waal Malefyt
Worship during Passion Week is vital to the nurture of our faith and the honor we show to God, but preferences differ on which day to worship. Some offer daily worship opportunities during Passion Week; some prefer Maundy Thursday; others prefer Good Friday. Here we provide resources for both Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
When the church worships on Maundy Thursday, it remembers the last evening that Christ spent with his disciples in the upper room. Three major events make up this evening: he washed the disciple's feet, he instituted the Lord's Supper, and he gave them the "new" commandment to love one another. The name of this day comes from the last of these. "Maundy" comes from the Latin “mandatum novum," referring to the "new commandment" Jesus gave his disciples in John 13:34.
In some traditions, worship on Maundy Thursday involves foot washing. And always on Maundy Thursday, the Lord's Supper is the central part of worship. There are many rich dimensions of meaning in the Lord's Supper that are fitting for this occasion, such as Christ's preparation for his death, his call to communal love, and his clear sense of anticipation of his coming kingdom.
If Maundy Thursday is your only time of worship during Holy Week it should also call attention to the events of Good Friday, including Jesus' trial, crucifixion, and resulting death and burial.
You will find helpful worship planning resources for Maundy Thursday in The Worship Sourcebook, pages 593-603. You will also find archived services for Maundy Thursday that we have provided in previous years—"Holy Week 2003" and "Holy Week 2004" (click on "Resources" and "Holy Week").
In keeping with the Lenten series of messages that we have been presenting, we suggest a sermon on the John 13 passage.
Sermon: "Were You There in the Upper Room When He Washed Their Feet?"
Scripture: John 13:1-17
The Scripture passage could be read very effectively by three readers—a narrator, Peter, and Jesus. Different voices for different persons in the event will make the reading "come alive" for listeners.
The sermon for this event easily lends itself to a narrative message. You can ask your listeners to come upstairs with you to make a visit to this upper room. You can use your biblical imagination to describe the neighborhood, the room, and the atmosphere in the room. There is some confusion in the room among the disciples. They don't quite know what to expect from Jesus, or just what the days ahead will involve, and what their role should be. The evening begins with a surprise from Jesus—a foot-washing from the person they least expected to do it. On Jesus' part, however, there is no confusion. He is very clear about his purpose, about what the evening will involve, about his need to confront Judas, warn Peter, and go to Gethsemane.
Draw your listeners into the commemoration of the Passover—the remembrance of the journey out of Egypt, the blessings pronounced, the cups of wine that are shared, and the washing of hands. What pain it must have involved for Christ for expose Judas as a betrayer in the midst of the Passover!
Then zero in on the foot-washing scene, which was apparently part of the Passover celebration. The pitcher, towel, basins, water are all there. The disciples are stunned when Jesus begins. The dialogue with Peter is typical of their resistance to this. What must have gone through their minds as they saw Jesus strip down to the robe of a slave, take the towel and tie it around his waist, and approach their feet? Did no one except Peter dare say anything? Did anybody reciprocate and wash Jesus' feet?
We can think of many reasons why this should NOT have happened this way. But why did it happen? Jesus was teaching them (us) about greatness. The disciples were caught up in being competitive and self-seeking at times, and they needed to learn the new definition of greatness (see Matt. 20:20-28 and Luke 9:46-48). Jesus was also trying to instill some humility in them. He was living out Philippians 2:6-8 before them, and that's why he spoke the words of John 13:13-17 to them.
If we had been there, how would we have reacted? What would we have said?
Song Suggestions:
”A New Commandment” SNC 134, WOV 664
"Meekness and Majesty" RN 158, SNC 109
"Make Me a Channel of Your Peace" PsH 545
"Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love" PH 367, PsH 601, RN 289, SFL 251, TWC 436, UMH 432, WOV 765
“Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service” PsH 603, RN 286
"May the Mind of Christ My Savior" PsH 291, RN 285, TH 644, TWC 560
"Were You There?" PH 102, PsH 377, SFL 167, TH 260, TWC 218
1. "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?"
2. "Were you there when he knelt to wash their feet?"
3. "Are you here to serve others in Christ's name?"
SATB Anthem Suggestions:
Instrumental Suggestions:
CHEREPONI [“Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love”]
Handbells:
PLEADING SAVIOR [“Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service”]
Organ:
TEMPLE [“Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”]
Piano:
Handbells:
WERE YOU THERE PH 102, PsH 377, SFL 167, TH 260, TWC 218, UMH 288
Organ:
Piano:
Handbells:
Glossary of Hymnal Abbreviations:
PH The Presbyterian Hymnal (Presbyterian Church USA; Westminster/John Knox Press)
PsH The Psalter Hymnal (Christian Reformed Church; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
RL Rejoice in the Lord (Reformed Church in America; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company)
RN Renew! (Hope Publishing Company)
SFL Songs for LiFE (children's songbook; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
SNC Sing! A New Creation (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Christian Reformed Church,
Reformed Church in America; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
TH Trinity Hymnal (Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church in America; Great
Commission Publications)
TWC The Worshiping Church (Hope Publishing Company)
UMH The United Methodist Hymnal (United Methodist Publishing House)
WOV With One Voice (Augsburg Fortress)
This Friday is called "good" because Jesus' death provides redemption for the world. We gather at the cross to remember his sorrow and give thanks.
Churches have a long history of worship on Good Friday. In some traditions, worship occurred during the afternoon hours of 12:00 to 3:00 p.m., the hours of darkness while Christ was on the cross. In others, worship occurs Friday evening. Either way, worship on this day usually includes the reading of the account of Christ's passion and death. Sometimes it is structured along the lines of the seven last words of Christ from the cross, or a series of readings from the entire passion story, or a service of Tenebrae in which increasing darkness in the worship space or the extinguishing of candles reminds us of the deepening shadows of suffering that Jesus experienced. Good Friday worship is always somber worship because of this narrative that we remember.
Historically, Good Friday worship drew on three themes: (1) recalling the events of Jesus' suffering and death, (2) opening up the meaning of these events and increasing our understanding of the grace of God, the atonement for sin, and the redemption made available, and (3) deepening our devotion and love for Christ who paid the ultimate price for us and our salvation.
Many traditions include the Lord's Supper in their Good Friday worship so that we participate in his body and blood as we focus on his dying and remember that it was for us.
You will find helpful worship resources for Good Friday in The Worship Sourcebook, pages 605-623. You will also find archived services for Good Friday, including Tenebrae worship, that we have provided in previous years—"Holy Week 2003" and "Holy Week 2004" (click on "Resources" and "Holy Week").
In this sermon we ask worshipers to stand before the cross and assimilate the significance of what has happened there.
Sermon: "Were You There at the Cross When He Died?"
Scripture: Mark 15:23-32
One of the most sacred, and intensely private, moments of life is to be present when someone dies. Worship on Good Friday is that kind of a sacred and private moment.
Yet as we stand here at the cross, we discover that this very private moment is a very public spectacle. Jesus' journey through the streets of the city as he carried his cross attracted crowds. The same is true of his crucifixion—crowds and religious leaders milling around, some of them participating in the perverse "fun" of jeering him! The abuse that he received during his trial continues here (see Mark 15:25-32).
Yet, observers of his death must admit there is much here that cannot be seen. The seven last words, the quiet composure with which he endured his suffering, the mysterious hours of darkness, and the earthquake with its repercussions all combine to shout to us that this was a death of epic significance. These are clearly the six hours that have shaped the world and in which our redemption has been accomplished.
Our testimony to having experienced that gift and received its benefits moves us to the Lord's Table to "proclaim his death" until he comes again.
Song Suggestions:
"Ah, Holy Jesus, How Have You Offended" PH 93, PsH 386, RL 285, RN 183, TH 248, TWC 231, UMH 289
"Kyrie Eleison/Lord Have Mercy upon Us" PsH 258, RL 566, SFL 43, TWC 821
“Kyrie” SNC 50, WOV 601
“Kyrie” RN 86, SNC 52, WOV 602
“Lamb of God” SNC 253
"O Christ, the Lamb of God" PsH 257
"O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" PH 98, PsH 383, RL 300, RN 235, TH 247, TWC 221, UMH 286
"Were You There?" PH 102, PsH 377, SFL 167, TH 260, TWC 218, UMH 288
1. "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?"
2. "Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?"
3. "Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?"
"Jesus, Remember Me" PsH 217, RN 227, SFL 168, SNC 143, TWC 822, UMH 488, WOV 740
"Beneath the Cross of Jesus" PH 92, RL 310, TH 251, TWC 216, UMH 297
"What Wondrous Love" PH 85, PsH 379, RN 277, SFL 169, TH 261, TWC 212, UMH 292
"When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" PH 100, PsH 384, RN 292, SFL 166, TH 252, TWC 213, UMH 298
SATB Anthem Suggestions:
Instrumental Suggestions:
HAMBURG [“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”]
Organ:
Piano:
Handbells:
HERZLICH TUT MICH VERLANGEN/PASSION CHORALE/ACH HERR, MICH ARMEN SÜNDER [“O Sacred Head, Now Wounded”]
Organ:
Piano:
Handbells:
HERZLIEBSTER JESU [“Ah, Holy Jesus, How Have You Offended”]
Organ:
Handbells:
Alternative Harmonization for Organ:
ST. CHRISTOPHER [“Beneath the Cross of Jesus”]
Organ:
Piano:
Handbells:
WERE YOU THERE PH 102, PsH 377, SFL 167, TH 260, TWC 218, UMH 288
Organ:
Piano:
Handbells:
WONDROUS LOVE [“What Wondrous Love Is This”]
Organ:
Piano:
Handbells:
