April
3, 2015
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
Good
Friday
Final Words Sermon Series
“It Is Finished…Into Your Hands I Commit My
Spirit”
John 19:30a NIV
Luke 23:43-47 NIV
Adapted from Adam Hamilton’s book
“Final Words From the Cross”
“The Finale…?”
A reading from the Gospel of John,
chapter 19, verses 30 a and Luke 23 verses 43 through 47 Listen to the word of
God for you and me His beloved children.
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is
finished.”
44
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the
afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was
torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I
commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
47
The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was
a righteous man.”
Let us pray…Pray for God’s word to be
heard through me or in spite of me…
We
have been journeying our way to the Cross of Calvary…stopping here and there to
hear what Jesus said in His last words from the cross, His last words of
ministry so to speak. These were the last words of His ministry here on earth.
Even from the cross, Jesus was still doing ministry. His anguish on the cross
was leading up of the climax of His ministry and the reason He was sent from
above. It is to this place that we have stopped and pondered as we await the
celebration of His victory.
We
have talked about His words “Father forgive them for they know not what they
are doing…” and realized that we are part of the “them” that Jesus was praying
for and about. We heard His words “Truly
I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” which are words of hope
for us knowing that we will one day be with Him where He is… We know there was
an “adoption” at the cross when he proclaimed “Woman here is your son…here is
your mother.” And then there was last week’s words…”My God, My God, why have
you forsaken me?”…Jesus knows our pain and our suffering for He Himself has been
there… We have heard that Jesus thirst just as we do but what is it that is
being thirsted for?
Now…here
we are at the end…His very last words He spoke before His death…“It
is finished” and… “Father, into your hands I commit my
spirit.” What power is found in these words of Jesus…what hope and joy
humanity has because of this redeeming work that was done this day… We would be
lead to believe that this was the end…the big finally but is it? Ok…let’s look
at these two phrases and see for our selves whether or not this is the end…
…“It is finished”
It
is finished. These are some of my favorite words from the cross. They are words
that let me know I have a future and a hope…they tell me that Jesus completed
what He came to do. He came and accomplished a way of and for salvation for you
and for me.
v It is Finished…the
sin we carry no longer can hold us for ransom…Jesus paid the ransom note.
v It is finished…The
curtain that was in front of the area that only the priest could go…the holiest
of holies…was torn from top to bottom as the veil was lifted and we who believe
are now given access to the throne room of God.
v It is finished
…loves redeeming work was done. Jesus bore the sins of the world…no mere man
could do that.
v It is finished…no
more sacrifices were needed. Jesus was and is the final sacrifice. Jesus is the
only way to God and it is only in, by and through His name we are saved.
v IT IS FINISHED!!!!
… “Father, into your hands I commit my
spirit.”
Jesus was done. He accomplished all that He came to do.
Now He was returning to the Father to sit at His right hand. But is this the
end? Is there all there is to the Easter Story? Well the answer to that was no
but those who were around Jesus at the time…His disciples, His mother, the
Religious Leaders…they all thought this was the end. They didn’t know any
better. They saw Jesus die on the cross and return to God. Here is the
Messiah…the One who would save God’s people…hanging on a tree. I am sure all of
their hopes and dreams died right there with Him. How could this be? I am sure
they walked away feeling something went wrong with God’s plan for His people.
Jesus said He was the Messiah but there was no freedom…freedom in the way they
thought it should happen.
2000
years later we still walk away at times thinking that something has gone wrong
with the plan God has for our lives. Broken dreams. A life of heart ace. Our
plans that we have worked so hard for falling apart before our eyes. Families
are torn apart. Despair and addiction all around. How could this be? Where is
the “Happily Ever After in that?” Our hopes and dreams are lying bare on the
ground…
But…but…perhaps
this isn’t the end. Maybe there is still hope for us yet. Maybe…as we see the
sun rise on a new day…we will see something new on the horizon. But do we dare
hope and pray? Perhaps things will be better in a couple of days. Let’s just
wait and see… Is there a new day dawning full of hope and promise?
Amen
Good
Friday service
John
19:30
Luke
23:46
Good
Friday Sermon
“Is
This The Finale?”
video:
text:
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
Opening
prayer, Prayer of confession and
Assurance
of Forgiveness
Invitation
to Prayer
and
Service of Tenebrae
–
The Service of
Shadows
(with 7 candles)
1. THE SHADOW OF
BETRAYAL
Matthew 26:20-25
2. THE SHADOW OF INNER
AGONY
Luke 22:40-44
3. THE SHADOW OF LONELINESS
3. THE SHADOW OF LONELINESS
Matthew 26:40-45
4. THE SHADOW OF DESERTION
4. THE SHADOW OF DESERTION
Matthew 26:47-50, 55, 56
5. THE SHADOW OF ACCUSATION
5. THE SHADOW OF ACCUSATION
Matthew 26:59-67
6. THE SHADOW OF MOCKERY
6. THE SHADOW OF MOCKERY
Mark 15:12-20
7. THE SHADOW OF DEATH
7. THE SHADOW OF DEATH
Luke 23:33-46
Hymn: Were You There… (United Methodist Hymnal
#288)
FINAL READING
John 1:1-4
John 1:1-4
led by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
April 3, 2015
&
Good Friday prayer vigil
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
April 3, 2015
&
Maundy
Thursday
Opening
Prayer and 1st reading:
Psalm
116:1-6, 12-19 (NRSV)
2nd
reading - Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14 (NRSV) and 3rd reading -
1
Corinthians 11:23-26 (NRSV)
4th
reading - John 13:1-17, 31b-35
sermon,
“Lenten Reflections” (as in the bulletin), “A Teachable Moment”
video:
text:
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
sermon blog
meditation
blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
prayer
of confession
“As
the Deer”
“More
Love, More Power”
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=662949973811361&set=vb.174161846023512
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXtjIFABQ6I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXtjIFABQ6I
“How
Beautiful”
foot
washing
Communion
– part 1
Communion
- part 2
Prayer after communion
Benediction
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
April 2, 2015
&
Palm Sunday
John 19:28-29
(The Amplified Bible)
sermon, “What
Do We Thirst For? . . .”
video:
text:
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
sermon blog
meditation
blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
Children’s Message – “That
slipper snake”
-
Mystery
box – rubber snake
video:
text:
Sacred
Dance introit, distribution of the palms
to
“Hosanna” by Kirk Franklin
praise
hymn, “Hear Our Praises”
praise
hymn, “How Majestic Is Your Name”
praise
hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness
praise
hymn, “Break Every Chain”
offertory
hymn, “Light The Fire Again”
Communion
hymns, “I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever”
closing song,
“God You Reign”
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
6th Sunday of
Lent
Palm Sunday
March 29, 2015
&
Mark 15:21-36a
(The Message)
Psalm 22:1
Psalm 22:1
sermon, “You
Are Never Alone”
video:
text:
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Children’s Message – “The
Protection of the Trinity”
-
Mystery
box – jackknife (from Ted)
video:
text:
praise
hymn, “I Will Call Upon the Lord”
praise
hymn, “Standing In The Need of Prayer”
praise
hymn, “It’s Amazing”
praise
hymn, “For Those Tears I Died”
offertory
hymn, “ At The Cross”
Communion
and Communion hymns, “Ain’t Jesus Good” and “I Will Bless The Lord”
closing hymn,
“Let Everything That Has Breath”
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
5th Sunday in
Lent
March 22, 2015
&
John 19:25-27
Ephesians 1:3-14
Romans 8:15
sermon, “You
Are Chosen”
video:
text:
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Children’s Message – “God's
Love Letter; God is writing your story”
-
Mystery
box – a pencil
video:
text:
praise
hymn, “Step By Step”
praise
hymn, “Lord, I Lift Your Name On High”
praise
hymn, “Jesus, Messiah”
praise
hymn, “I Stand Amazed”
offertory
hymn, “May Jesus Christ Be Praised” (“When Morning Gilds the Skies”)
Communion
and Communion hymn, “There Is A River”
closing hymn,
“Shout To the Lord”
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
2nd Sunday in
Lent
March 8, 2015
&
Luke 23:32, 39-43
sermon, “So
This Is Paradise”
video:
text:
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Children’s
Message – “Thirsting for God”
-
Mystery
box – bottle of grape juice
video:
text:
centering
hymn, “Surely the Presence”, Greeting and Announcements, Opening Prayer
praise
hymn, “Forever”
praise
hymn, “Everlasting”
praise hymn,
“To God Be the Glory”
praise
hymn, “I Worship You Almighty God”
offertory
hymn, “The Love Of God Goes On”
Communion
hymn, “10,000 Reasons”
closing hymn,
“Better Is One Day”
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=648698805236478&set=vb.174161846023512&type=2&theater
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=648698805236478&set=vb.174161846023512&type=2&theater
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
2nd Sunday in
Lent
March 1, 2015
&
Luke 23:23, 33-34
sermon, “You
Are Forgiven”
video:
text:
http://pstruthsermons.blogspot.com/2015/02/you-are-forgiven.html
https://pstrfoss.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/you-are-forgiven/
https://pstrfoss.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/you-are-forgiven/
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
Children’s
Message – “Jesus is our superhero”
-
Mystery
box – Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Scooby Doo
-
and a
candy cane
video:
image:
text:
centering,
“Surely the Presence”
praise
hymn, “I Sing the Mighty Power of God”
offertory
hymn, “Make My Life A Prayer to You”
Communion
hymn, “Praise the Lord! Ye Heavens, Adore Him”
closing hymn,
“Our God Reigns”
Stetson
Memorial United Methodist Church
1st
Sunday in Lent
February 22,
2015
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2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights
reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
See all 37,180+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
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