The Benefits of a Good Friday Service

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

No season on the Christian calendar proves the point of the Preacher of Ecclesiastes more than Easter, when the followers of Christ take special care to celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior. Though most churches, if not all, celebrate Resurrection Sunday each year, not all set aside a specific service highlighting the passion narrative leading to and culminating in Christ’s death on Good Friday.

Celebrating one, the other, or both is not an essential issue. The scriptures remind us that all such commemorations ultimately point to Christ Himself, thereby eliminating the requirement for any ecclesiastical observance by believers (Colossians 2:16-17). And yet, throughout its history, the church has benefited from highlighting these ‘holy days’ as a part of its liturgical rhythm. It should be true for any church that every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday. It is also good and fitting to make even more of the Gospel a few special days of the year.

I hope the pastor who reads this will consider setting aside a unique service of worship for both events of the Gospel story – one for Good Friday and one for Easter Sunday – If you do not already do so. Because each day’s events stand in such contrast to one another, they each beg of us their undivided attention. The tension between the two brings beauty to the whole. It is in giving each their due that the church best expresses their story and truth.

A Good Friday service that focuses on the suffering and death of Christ will, by its very subject matter, have an air of mourning about it, in contrast to the celebratory nature of Easter Sunday. Surely, when we survey the cross on which the king of glory died, we cannot help but mourn. And yet, knowing the end of the story from the beginning makes this service one of the most hope-filled of all worship services. Welcoming the gathered saints into the crucifixion story can be done in several practical ways. So, for those willing to at least consider it, I suggest the following strategies for planning a dedicated Good Friday service for your church:

Meet on Friday Evening

Holding the service on the Friday evening before Easter Sunday places the congregation into a tangible and timely scenario that emulates the gospel story’s narrative, which begins at the Last Supper on the night before the crucifixion. By God’s design, Christ’s inner travail, betrayal, and arrest inaugurated the dark night leading to His final day of suffering. An evening service provides a tangible way to experience a part of this story.

Observe Communion

The Last Supper was the institution of the first meal to be shared perpetually by the Church until Christ’s glorious return. Though different churches will vary in their frequency of celebrating the Lord’s Supper together, Good Friday seems a perfect opportunity to highlight the very purpose of the shared meal. What better way to remember the broken body and the blood shed by Christ than a dedicated service to that very event! In some ways, sharing communion on this special night primes our remembrance for all the meals to follow throughout the year, in the same way our minds are more acutely aware of the incarnation through the annual celebration of Christmas.

Another benefit of setting aside a service dedicated to sharing in this remembrance meal is the opportunity to slow down. Typically, communion is only a part of a church’s worship service, whether it’s every Sunday, once a month, or some other rhythm. Good Friday allows the entire service to be a meditation on the very theme of the Lord’s Supper. The meaning of the meal and the meaning of the evening go hand-in-hand.

Survey the Cross

The theology of the cross is the obvious centerpiece of the Good Friday service. Though we know ‘Sunday is coming,’ leaning primarily into the events surrounding the death of Jesus on the cross is imperative. Again, though this theme should always be a part of our gospel proclamation week in and week out, this service is an opportunity to dive deeper into our soteriology.

In a time when biblical literacy is waning, now would be a great time to teach on some of the less-traveled paths of the Bible leading to the cross. The fall of man in Genesis 3, the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, and the Lamb of God in Revelation are all vital backdrops to this central event in the Gospel story. Good Friday is an excellent occasion for a deep dive if you’re not regularly teaching or preaching on these passages at other times in the year.

Match the Mood to the Meaning

The most practical and creative way to make the most of a Good Friday service is to match the mood of various elements to the meaning of the evening. In this category are the aesthetic considerations that lend themselves to placing greater attention on the theme.

Perhaps the easiest way to go about this is to consider how you might dress, sing, act, decorate, and so on for a funeral as opposed to a wedding. Both events are quite different and yet oddly similar, aren’t they? Both are sacred occasions that draw our attention to one life season or another. They draw together family. They usually end in a shared meal. Both are treated as events due a special attention and honor. Both are serious occasions in their own way. But because of the occasion, we match the mood of non-essential elements to the meaning of each event.

Likewise, choose songs for the Good Friday service that match the theme. Not only should the lyrics center on the theme of Christ’s death and burial, but their performance should match the mood. Simplicity is key here. And speaking of keys, the minor key makes a huge difference – lean into it! Maybe most of your worship services are usually vibrant and joyful (rightly so!). But this service is exceptional, so make an exception by keeping the music pensive, mournful, and weighty. One of the most effective ways of doing this is a simple change in instrumentation. Strip down the band, if necessary, to fewer instruments or instruments that lend themselves to the mood you’re trying to set.

Consider dimmer or less spectacular lighting than might be your norm. As it reminds us of the blood of Christ, consider incorporating the color red somewhere. Strip away normal service elements that might distract from the mood (unnecessary announcements, light-hearted commentary, coffee service, etc.). Creating a contrast between what you usually do when your church gathers will make this service stand out, and its impact will be greater.

Point to the Empty Tomb

Ultimately, the point of a Good Friday service is to point to salvation found only in Jesus Christ. The Gospel would not be good news if the stone were not rolled away (1 Corinthians 15:17)! The whole Gospel includes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, so make this the final word of the service. Just because we lean on the cross for this service does not mean we leave the people there, especially as we suspect and hope that unbelievers will be in attendance.

Save the celebration for Sunday but leave the people with hope. A Christian funeral, though mixed with grief and pain, ultimately ends with joy and hope. Make it your aim to conclude your Good Friday service with that same tone. Lean into the promises of God, who would “not let His holy One see decay” (Psalm 16:10), and the words of Christ declaring, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19).

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Remember, there is “a time to be born, and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Every spring before we celebrate and worship the One who brings eternal life, we can honor and remember the same One who conquered death. As you seek to build up the church under your care, may you be encouraged to make the most of all the times and seasons we have each been given.

©2024 Jon Gilmore. Used with permission.