Worship into the Week- Good Friday 2026

 

Good Friday- 

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

This passage is often read 

as part of the passion of Christ.

It is referred to as the "Fourth Servant Song"

or the Suffering Servant.

The servant of God brings atonement through suffering.

One person bears the sins of many and this substitute sacrifice 

brings about the payment for others which is accepted by God.

This suffering and death provides 

forgiveness and righteousness for others.

This servant suffers greatly and yet in this 

state of despair and humiliation, he saves.

He has not paid for his own sins, but the sins of others.

He is compared to a lamb led

 to slaughter with silent suffering.

But, there is ultimate victory 

when the sacrifice is accepted by God

 for the sake of others.

Complicated and yet simple,

 in that one man is received as perfect

 and able to pay for the sins of the whole world.

The greatest gift ever- for me.

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Worship into the Week- Maundy Thursday 2026

Worship into the Week

Psalm 116: 12-19

For Christians this Psalm is often said 

to represent Christ's Passion.

The "cup of slavation" refers to the Eucharist 

and the institution of the Lord's Supper which

 is connected to events for Thursday of Holy Week.

These are words that Jesus sang 

before his own journey in Holy Week.

The Psalm recounts where the writer 

was saved from death and distress. 

The question then becomes:

"What can I give back to God for all this salvation?"

The way forward includes a heart of gratitude, 

worship, keeping vows, taking up the "cup of slavation"

 and living as a faithful servant of God.

This life becomes a public witness in a community.

God sees the people here and brings comfort when 

one of the faithful dies.

"The LORD cares deeply." NLT

The writer offers a free offering of praise

 rather than a fulfilling a mandatory obligation.

A reminder to us that God desires our 

free and heart-felt praise 

and not the rote repetition of words and actions.

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Worship Bulletin

Garden of Gethsemane from our Jan. 2026 Tour

This sign has been "touched" so many times

 the writing is getting hard to read.

The Last Supper- 

A gift from a family friend in 1990.

A wonderful reminder for Maundy Thursday.

The Garden of Gethsemane-

a gift from a family friend in 1995.

 

Worship into the Week- Message of Encouragement

 Worship into the Week-

 The Lord's Obedient Servant   Isaiah 50:4-9a

Here we have a faithful servant of God who has 

endured challenging abuse- both physical and emotional

This is known as the third "Servant Song" and shows

the determination of this servant to remain steadfast

in his commission of  bringing comfort to the weary.

He allows God to bring the justice and he carries out his goal.

God brings him daily strength and wisdom 

and allows him to to blessed 

with an understanding of God's will for him.

He moves forward with confidence 

that "the Sovereign LORD is on my side!"

That changes how he steps into the future and he trusts

that God will be his deliverer and vindication.

We can certainly learn that even in the hardships we face,

 there are still many people to bring 

hope and encouragement to each day.

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Worship into the Week- Spirit Within You

 

Worship into the Week-

Ezekiel 37:1-14

In this section of Scripture Ezekiel has a vision 

of a valley of dry bones that comes back to life

with the Spirit and God's Word.

We have the exiled, despondent and hopeless house 

of Israel who felt dead in their exile.

God comes back with a new story

 for these very dry bones.

God is able to resurrect what is "utterly dead".

God demonstrates His power and promises

 to restore His people back to their land, restore their nation, 

and put His Spirit within them.

Ezekiel must depend on God's power.

Then the bones rattle and come together with flesh.

There is a body but no breath.

Then Ezekiel speaks God orders and Breath-

 (Ruach - breath or wind)

as the Spirit enters and they come to life.

They stand as a large army.

This is the good reminder for us 

to listen to the word of the Lord!

It brings us to Life.

Supplies:

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Mount Precipice- Nazareth

 Mount Precipice in Nazareth is the Biblical site 

where the angered leaders attempted to throw Jesus off a cliff.

He had declared himself the Messiah in the synagogue.

 Luke 4:28-30

Mount Precipice is located on the southern 

outskirts of Nazareth. It overlooks the Jezreel Valley.

We were here on a beautiful sunny day in January 2026. 

We often have to delete Mount Precipice from our tour 

because it is often late in the day when we arrive.

Rush hour traffic in Nazareth often keeps us from this spot.

Nazareth was a very small village at the time of Jesus.

Today it is the largest Arab city in Israel 

and serves as a major cultural and economic center.

Today there are 81,000 residents 

with 69% Muslim and 31% Christian.

Most of the population of the nearby city 

of Nof HaGalil is Jewish.

They renamed it in 2019 to distinguish

 it from the Biblical city.

Cyclamen flowers bloom here in the wild along the rocks.

This sign was at the top of Mount Precipice.

We don't have the information that 

Jesus jumped from the mountain.

Luke states in

v.30 "but he passed right through

 the crowd and went on his way."

Jesus had read from the book of Isaiah 

and then told them that He 

was the fulfillment of the Scripture.

This was the beginning of the story that "no prophet 

is accepted in his own hometown."

This story shares the rejection of Jesus by his townspeople. 

He knows the challenge when we face the same sort 

of rejections by friends and family.

Worship into the Week- Unfamiliar Paths

 

Worship into the Week-

Isaiah 42:14-21

God has been silent for awhile.

He acts with a plan that is like a birthing.

It is time to deliver His people from the 

spiritual blindness that marks their 

days and keeps them captive.

They have seen and heard many things, 

but act like

 they are deaf and blind.

They don't pay any attention 

and can't see what He is doing in their lives.

They live out their days in darkness,

 but God promises to be with them, 

and to walk with them in the unfamiliar paths.

He will make the rough places smooth.

Blindness will turn to sight 

and they will once again live in the light.

The people will not be forsaken.

The Lord has been patient, 

but He is working out His plan of salvation.

They will sing a "new song."

Lord, help me to remember when I am fumbling

 in the dark to not be stubbornly blind,

 but to know and feel your leading. Amen

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A Wee Bit of Green

I went to Ireland in 2000 

and came back a bit Irish.

My family has indulged me and listened to 

Celtic music ever since that trip.

 St Patrick was a very real

 church man and saint. He was a man of faith.

Greenery is such a treat and very special after a long winter.

Mid-March has us waiting and waiting for the bright green 

outside and the sweet growth of spring. 

I have been collecting these vintage postcards

 for many years. Back when they were 2 for $1.

Many of these are from 1909-1912.

It is fun to gather the green things for Spring.

I made the  little Irish bunny

 30 years ago this year.

These postcards are very unique. 

They have a pull out section of very old photos- 

probably 100 plus years ago.

 One is of Irish country life 

and one has photos of County Mayo.

Ah, yes, time to plan another trip to Ireland.