Some Tips for Using

Redeemer At Home

Let’s face it: none of us come to “scattered at-home worship services during Covid” as a pro. We’re all beginners. There’s going to be some uncertainty and even awkwardness. That’s okay. We can laugh. We can grow. We can learn together.

That said, here are a few tips to get you started:

Zoom it up. Feel free to ask others to go through the service together online.
Split up the parts. Before you jump into the liturgy, divvy out who will lead each section.
Look it up. If you’re unfamiliar with one of the elements, there are brief explanations off to the right side.
Sing along. We know you probably don’t sing along with your computer too often, but we believe worship is meant to be embodied and participatory. So join in!

“I can’t imagine

more surprising places

for God to appear

than a manger or a cross.”

— Fred Rogers

Welcome

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If you are new to Redeemer or would simply like to connect more to this community, let us know below. We’d love to share more about this church and get to know you better.

CONNECT

Song of Preparation

Verse:

The Lord is our shelter

The Lord is our strength

He has proven himself

To be a help in trouble

Chorus:

Be still, still

Trust and understand

I am the True God, the True God

Be strong child

Watch and wait for me

Every restless heart will live in peace

Verse 2:

Our Father is working

Our God need not rest

He is sowing His seeds

Of blessing and peace in His people

Chorus:

Be still, still

Trust and understand

I am the True God, the True God

Be strong child

Watch and wait for me

Every restless heart will live in peace

Bridge:

He will accomplish

All he has promised

He will accomplish

All he has promised

Chorus:

Be still, still…

Be still, still

Trust and understand

I am the True God, the True God

Be strong child

Watch and wait for me

Every restless heart will live in peace

Ending:

When the mountains crumble and the earth shakes

In your mercy give us faith, give us faith

When the water’s raging and the winds blow

In your mercy give us hope, give us hope

When the sky is falling from above

In your mercy comfort us, comfort us

By Greg LaFollette

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Music at Redeemer seeks to remind us of the beauties of the Lord and express our deepest emotions: joy and praise, sadness and anger, love and gratitude, fear and hope. We sing because we believe God is the greatest hero and joy the world has ever known. He is mighty enough to receive cosmic praise, and tender enough to handle our most fragile whimpers and hurts.

Preparation

As a household, give a few moments to be still.

Take a few deep breaths.

Imagine: how did the friends of Jesus feel as they walked up the hill of Golgotha to witness his execution?

Take a few more deep breaths.

Call to Worship

Luke 23:46 & Psalm 46:10

“Jesus called out with a loud voice,

‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’

When he had said this, he breathed his last.”

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

We pause to remember Jesus our Savior

Who loved us and gave his life for us.

We pause to remember the dark hours when

Jesus bore our curse and suffered in our place.

So let us draw near to Christ,

Who suffered for our sins,

Carries our sorrows,

And heals our wounds.

He redeems us from the pit of death

And rescues us from the clutch of evil.

Hallelujah, what a Savior.

Let us worship the Man of Sorrows

And Lord of Life.

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In the Bible, God invites us to worship because it is not our natural impulse to come to Him. Still He calls, reminding us of His pursuing love. May we respond out of gratitude.

Opening Prayer

Almighty Father, we pray you graciously behold and hold us, your family, for whom our Lord Jesus was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and suffered death upon a cross. Help us remember and proclaim your great sacrifice and love in this hour. Through Jesus we pray, amen.

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Prayer is simply conversation with God. Our worship is filled with prayer as we seek to know and delight in our Father.

Song of Praise

Verse 1:

O sacred Head, now wounded,

With grief and shame weighed down

Now scornfully surrounded,

With thorns, Thine only crown

How pale thou art with anguish

With sore abuse and scorn!

How does that visage languish

Which once was bright as morn!

Verse 2:

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered

T’was all for sinners’ gain;

Mine, mine was the transgression,

But Thine the deadly pain

Lo, here I fall, my Savior!

‘Tis I deserve Thy place;

Look on me with Thy favor,

Vouchsafe to me Thy grace

Instrumental

Verse 3:

What language shall I borrow,

To thank Thee, dearest friend

For this Thy dying sorrow,

Thy pity without end?

O make me Thine forever,

And should I fainting be

Lord, let me never, never,

Outlive my love for Thee

James Waddell Alexander, Bernard Of Clairvaux, Paul Gerhardt, and Hans Leo Hassler

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Music at Redeemer seeks to remind us of the beauties of the Lord and express our deepest emotions: joy and praise, sadness and anger, love and gratitude, fear and hope. We sing because we believe God is the greatest hero and joy the world has ever known. He is mighty enough to receive cosmic praise, and tender enough to handle our most fragile whimpers and hurts.

Poem

By Christina Rossetti

This poem meditates on how we at times can be sluggish in grief, having hearts like stone more than hearts of compassion.

Am I a stone, and not a sheep,

That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,

To number drop by drop Thy blood’s slow loss,

And yet not weep?

Not so those women loved

Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;

Not so fallen Peter, weeping bitterly;

Not so the thief was moved;

Not so the Sun and Moon

Which hid their faces in a starless sky,

A horror of great darkness at broad noon –

I, only I.

Yet give not o’er,

But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;

Greater than Moses, turn and look once more

And smite a rock.

Song of Trust

Listen to this song meditating on the persistent goodness of God.

Verse 1:

Do You remember how Mary was grieving?

How You wept and she fell at Your feet?

If it’s true that You know what I’m feeling

Could it be that You’re weeping with me?

Arise, o Lord, and save me

There’s nowhere else to go

Chorus:

You’re always good, always good

Somehow this sorrow is shaping my heart like it should

And You’re always good, always good

Verse 2:

Well it’s so hard to know what You’re doing

Why won’t You tell it all plain?

But You said You’d come back on the third day

And Peter missed it again and again

So maybe the answer surrounds us

But we don’t have eyes to see

Chorus:

That You’re always good, always good

This heartache is moving me closer than joy ever could

And You’re always good

Verse 3:

My God, my God, be near me

There’s nowhere else to go

And Lord, if You can hear me

Please help Your child to know

Chorus:

That You’re always good, always good

As we try to believe what is not meant to be understood

Will You help us to trust Your intentions for us are still good

‘Cause You laid down Your life and You suffered like I never could

You’re always good, always good

By Andrew Peterson

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Music at Redeemer seeks to remind us of the beauties of the Lord and express our deepest emotions: joy and praise, sadness and anger, love and gratitude, fear and hope. We sing because we believe God is the greatest hero and joy the world has ever known. He is mighty enough to receive cosmic praise, and tender enough to handle our most fragile whimpers and hurts.

Introduction to Lament

Prayer of Lament & Intercession

Before you begin, remember that our Father invites us to come as we are with honest prayers. Nothing we bring can scare him away or diminish his love for us in Jesus.

Note: towards the end, there are prayer prompts for you to voice your own spontaneous prayers.

Tender and merciful Lord,

Father of comfort and all hope,

We come to you in the shadow of heartbreaking bloodshed,

Both across our country and in our very own community.

Why must this violence continue?

Why does this carnage plague us again and again?

You are the God of power and life—

Why do you let death strike so often?

When will you put an end

To your image bearers being slaughtered?

With a word you can end all darkness—

Why have you not spoken?

Will you please speak soon?

We know you are still good and you care for life.

Jesus wept and grieved at the death of his dear friend.

He suffered an excruciating execution

In order to bring life to death,

hope to gravesites,

and dancing to funeral homes.

We long for that day.

We know you long for that day too—

That your whole plan of salvation

is leading to a glorious celebration

When tears and pain are fully and forever removed.

We know our troubles don’t nullify your goodness.

We know this hatred doesn’t diminish your love.

We also know we are not innocent.

We confess our numbness and lack of compassion.

How easily we ignore the sorrow and struggle of our neighbors.

We confess our slowness to speak and act.

How quickly we spiritualize peacemaking amid real violence.

Have mercy on us through Jesus.

Help us feel again—sadness, anger, insecurity, disappointment—

That we might have the compassion of Christ.

Help us see where threats and the fear of them exist

That we might stand with those who are vulnerable.

Help us advocate for peace and oppose violence

That all people and creation might flourish.

We join our own voices together in our scattered homes

To intercede for our community and world:

[Take a moment to pray for each]

For those who lost a friend, a spouse, a parent, or a child to the shootings
For those who witnessed the violence and will live long with that scar of trauma
For ourselves to readily weep with those who weep, and to eagerly oppose violence and foster peace
For other pastors, counselors, and churches ministering to grieving people.
For the perpetrators of violence across this country who face justice to be led to repentance and faith
For an end to violence and hatred in our country, especially that towards women and people of color

Creator of all life and all that is good,

Bring your renewal. Bring your kingdom.

And by your Holy Spirit among us,

Make us your instruments of peace.

You alone can bring what our hearts long for.

You alone can heal the brokenhearted.

You alone can drive away fear forever.

You alone can usher in shalom.

Lord, come quickly.

Great and loving God,

to you we lament, confess, intercede, and hope in the name of Jesus,

The Man of Sorrows and the Prince of Peace.

Amen.

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This prayer helps us bring the troubled parts our world and hearts to Jesus. When we honestly voice our cries, we proclaim that God isn’t scared of our hurts or emotions, and that he is strong enough to help and heal.

Song of Trust

Chorus:

Come, O Come

Be our light

Drive out the darkness

Come, Jesus, Come

Verse 1:

Every year under the thorn

Every wrong that we have known

Every valley will be raised

Ancient ruins will be remade

Chorus:

Come, O Come

Be our light

Drive out the darkness

Come, Jesus, Come

Verse 2:

Every weapon made for war

Every gun and every sword

Will be melted in the flame

To be used for gardening

Chorus:

Come, O Come

Be our light

Drive out the darkness

Come, Jesus, Come

Verse 3:

In the emptiness of grief

Through the night of suffering

In the loss and in the tears

God of comfort, O be near…

Chorus:

Come, O Come

Be our light

Drive out the darkness

Come, O Come

Be our light

Drive out the darkness

Come, and end all the violence

Come, do not be silent

Come, we cling to your promise

Come, break all injustice

Come, Jesus come

By Paul Zach, Isaac Wardell, Dan Marotta, John Swinton

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Music at Redeemer seeks to remind us of the beauties of the Lord and express our deepest emotions: joy and praise, sadness and anger, love and gratitude, fear and hope. We sing because we believe God is the greatest hero and joy the world has ever known. He is mighty enough to receive cosmic praise, and tender enough to handle our most fragile whimpers and hurts.

Assurance of Grace

Drawn from I Peter 2:24 & Isaiah 25:8-9

Be assured of grace and know you are forgiven:

Jesus himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,

that we might be dead to sin, 

and alive to all that is good.

And be assured of hope and know that He is returning:

He will swallow up death forever.

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears

from all faces;

he will remove his people’s disgrace

from all the earth.

The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;

we trusted in him, and he saved us.

This is the Lord, we trusted in him;

let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

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The assurance is a powerful reminder that God always has grace for the wayward. He never leaves us in our sin. For all who trust in Jesus, this grace is assuredly and undoubtedly yours. Sin is not powerful enough to sway God’s love and grace for you.

Scripture Set-up

We briefly unpack the text to set up your reflection on this passage.

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For centuries, Christians have gathered to hear God’s word preached, explained, and applied. We believe the word of God contained in the Bible are words of life, joy, and true freedom.

Scripture

Luke 23:32-43

Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

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Since the earliest days of Christianity, followers of Jesus have read Scripture as part of their worship. We believe God meets us in His word and that we are people who need to be shaped by this encounter.

Reflection

Take an extended time to prayerfully ponder and apply this passage. If you’re with others, share your responses together. Feel free to journal or draw your thoughts and emotions.

Consider Jesus’ response to the rulers and soldiers that were mocking him as he hung dying. He asked his Heavenly Father to forgive them. Jesus was mocked for not displaying extra-human power to save himself. Yet, he displays a different type of power — and humility. What emotions greet you as you read and imagine this exchange playing out? How does it shape you to understand Jesus’ actual power, and the grace that accompanies it?

Contrast the way the two criminals respond to Jesus. What is it about the second criminal’s response that leads Jesus to say, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”?

Prayer:

Spend a couple moments in silence, meditating on Jesus’ death and the cost of being the Great Redeemer.
Ask God for the grace to tell the truth about your own need and brokenness, just as the criminal did in his final moments.
Thank God for the faith to trust in Jesus, and for the hope that extends beyond our death.

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For centuries, Christians have found a variety of ways to slow down and consider God and His word. Especially if this is an unfamiliar practice, we encourage you try being present in this way, asking the Holy Spirit to fill the sacred moment.

Song of Response

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of Glory died

My richest gain I count but loss

And pour contempt on all my pride

See, from his head, his hands, his feet

Sorrow and love flow mingled down

Did ever such love and sorrow meet

Or thorns compose so rich a crown

Were the whole realm of nature mine

That were an offering far too small

Love so amazing, so divine

Demands my soul, my life, my all

By Isaac Watts

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Music at Redeemer seeks to remind us of the beauties of the Lord and express our deepest emotions: joy and praise, sadness and anger, love and gratitude, fear and hope. We sing because we believe God is the greatest hero and joy the world has ever known. He is mighty enough to receive cosmic praise, and tender enough to handle our most fragile whimpers and hurts.

Benediction

2 Corinthians 13:13

Open your ears to hear and your heart to receive these words of God’s blessing:

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit

be with all of you.

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God gets the final word of our service—and it is one of grace. Receive this blessing from the mouth and heart of our Father.

CONNECT

PRAY FOR ME

GIVE

Sources: ESV Bible, NLT Bible, The Message

Good Friday – Redeemer At Home

March 28, 2021