Here’s a link to a Spoken Word written and performed by Niko Snead for the Good Friday Services at Celebration Church. The video was filmed and edited by Javier Acosta. Great job Niko and Javi.
Related Post: 2014 Celebration Church full Good Friday script
A few people from various churches have asked me about our Good Friday service, so I’ve listed it below in a simple listing. Remember that we are a multi-site church so we create services and events that can take place in multiple places and they have freedom to make changes based on their environment and need. I should also say this production was a collaborative effort and could not have been possible without input from Alex Moore, Stacey Barr, Beth Luca, Dwight Fitch, Victoria Acosta, Kristian Sanchez, Javier Acosta, Haylee Thacker and with feedback and input from our campus pastors and associate pastors. Enjoy.
Good Friday – 2014
Pre-Service
3 Songs – 15 minutes
Song suggestions include:
– This Is Amazing Grace
– All Because of Jesus
– Sweetly Broken
– At The Cross
– This Is Our God
– Overcame – Jeremy Riddle
– Savior King – Hillsongs
– Your Great Name – Natalie Grant
– Lead Me To The Cross
– Stronger
Live Welcome with Just Like Jesus Bumper – 3
– Communication Card
– Kidztown and Club 56
Offering Introduction and Prayer Transition (with background music – keyboard pads) – 2
(Offering Collection begins as spoken word video plays)
Part One – FALLING PLATES VIDEO – (Spoken Word on video – recorded in a garden-like setting – Niko) – 3
Part Two – REJECTED – (Campus Pastor or Associate Pastor Sharing) – 5
2.A. Betrayed by Judas
Speaker: On the night before Jesus was crucified, He was in anguishing prayer, knowing what was about to happen. Then, He was betrayed with a kiss by one of his disciples, a friend, or at least a pretend friend named Judas Iscariot. Judas had spent three years with Jesus. Three years. Jesus had commissioned him, fed him, loved him, taught him, cared for him, and invested in him, but Judas betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver.
(Speaker 1 holds up small biblical purse with 30 pieces of silver)
Speaker 1: It sounds like a lot of money, but in reality, it was only enough money to buy a small field in that time period.
(Speaker 1 pours pieces of silver slowly into a metal bowl, creating a loud clanging sound with each quarter that falls)
2.B. Denied by Peter
Speaker 1: After Jesus was arrested, Peter followed Him to the home of the high priest, but had to stay outside the gate until a woman opened it for him. As he entered, the woman asked Peter, “You’re not one of that man’s disciples, are you?”
“No,” he said, “I am not.”
Because it was cold, the household servants and the guards made a fire. They stood around it, warming themselves, and Peter stood with them, warming himself. Once again, someone asked Peter, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?”
He denied it once again, saying, “No, I am not.”
Soon after, one of the slaves of the high priest, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” And for the third time, Peter denied it.
(Play Audio of Rooster Crowing)
2.C. Condemned by Pilate
Speaker 1: Jesus was taken to Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked Him.
Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent, much to the governor’s surprise.
It was Pilate’s custom each year during Passover to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. This year there was a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
(Crowd sound effect begins and continues until next cue)
As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas or Jesus?”
Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death.
So Pilate asked the crowd, “Then what should I do with Jesus?”
(Sound effect of crowd shouting, “Crucify Him!” continues until Speaker 1 pours water below)
“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What has He done?”
Then Pilate sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.”
(Speaker 1 pours water into the basin and begins washing his hands)
So Pilate released Barabbas to the people. He ordered Jesus to be scourged, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.
Part Three – CRUCIFIED –5
3.1. – Scourged
Speaker 2: Then the Bible says, “They took Him and had Him scourged.” Now, scourging was such that it often killed the victim. But Jesus was a young and strong man in his early thirties. He was in good physical condition. That could be why He didn’t die from the scourging. They stripped Jesus nearly naked, and shackled his hands over His head. Then soldiers stood on either side of Him and whipped Him brutally with what’s called a flagrum or a cat o’ nine tails. It was a wooden handle that had long straps of leather protruding from it. At the end of each strap was a ball of either metal or stone, and that would tenderize the human flesh. Sometimes there were hooks at the end, usually made of metal.
(Sound effects of Roman whips begin and continue through the next sentence)
Speaker 2: So the soldiers took turns doing their job, inflicting as much pain as possible on Jesus.
(Whips sound effects stop)
Speaker 2: At this point, for Jesus, the process of death has begun.
3.2. Nailed to the Cross – Jesus was forced to carry His cross to the place of death. The cross was an enormous wooden beam that you would use to secure a roof in an ancient home. This was recycled timber. Other men had carried it to their own crucifixion. It was covered with their tears and their blood, and their sweat.
On the way, Jesus was so exhausted that He collapsed under the weight of the cross. Simon of Cyrene, a bystander, was commanded to help Him carry the cross to the place of crucifixion. And then, this Carpenter who Himself had driven many nails, had the equivalent of railroad spikes driven through His hands and feet.
(Speaker 2 holds up a railroad spike as a sound effect of nails pounding plays. There will be 3 sets of 3 pounds each. After the nailing stops, stage hands raise cross in silence.)
(As soon as the cross is in place, lead instrument for song below begins playing)
Speaker 2: Jesus’ cross was then lifted up and dropped into the ground, shaking His body violently.
3.3. It Is Finished –
Speaker 2: From the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In that moment, something legal, something spiritual, something eternal happened. Jesus traded places with us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says: “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Adam and Eve, in the Garden, substituted themselves for God and introduced sin to mankind. But here, in this place God substituted Himself for us, defeating the power of sin.
Then He cried out, “It is finished!” His last words might have been hard to understand, but they were triumphant just the same. Salvation through Him was available. It was finished.
Song – Your Love, So High by Hillsong – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MakjmEUkY6M – 5 –
(Worship Leader motions for everyone to be seated at the end of the song. Falling Plates video plays as soon as most of the people are seated)
Falling Plates Video –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08peJK0m510 – (Starting at 0:04 and ending at 3:55)
Part Four – ALIVE – 5
Campus Pastor –
– Resurrection, Letting Go/Decision Time
Communion – 8 – with At The Cross https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOY0mjjmx8Y or Worthy Is The Lamb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz5F4ntVKvU orequivalent song
Closing Announcements – 2
Baptisms – (timing t.b.a.)
Short Closing Song – 1
59 Minutes plus baptisms
Props List:
1. 6 foot table with black cover
2. Small container for 30 pieces of silver
3. 30 quarters ($7.50) or 30 silver dollars
4. Large metallic bowl for 30 pieces of silver to land
5. 1 Large Railroad Spike
6. Large Wooden Cross with stand
7. Water pitcher filled with water
8. Water basin
9. 1 small hand towel
Do you ever feel worthless? Good for nothing? Without purpose? Insignificant? Unlovable? Ordinary?
Did you know that God created you in His image?
He said so in Genesis 1:27: So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female. Genesis 1:27
It doesn’t matter if you are male or female; you were formed in the image of God. That means something. Your life is not an accident. God made you on purpose. You have worth. You have value. God formed you after Himself. He loves you and has amazing plans for your life. Every single day of your life was planned before you were even born.
The Psalmist wrote: I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made…Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began. Psalm 139:14a, 139:16
God didn’t create the planets, earth, sun, moon, stars, rocks, rivers, canyons, mountains, trees, birds, or animals like Himself. Instead, He formed you after Himself, in His image. He made you special.
If you ever struggle with feeling worthless, pray something like this and mean it: God, thank You for creating me in Your image. In that alone, I have great value.
My friend Shelton Kennedy went to be with Jesus one week ago today, a few hours after playing for two of our morning worship services. He is one of the only people that I have ever written a devotion about. I thought I would share it with you today.
Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
Shelton plays the synthesizer for one of our worship teams. When it is time for a rehearsal to begin, he is always in position ready to go. When we need for someone to play at another campus, Shelton is always willing to drive the extra distance to help out. When Hurricane Katrina destroyed our church sheet music library, Shelton produced a copy of every song that he had ever played with the band. He had saved them for years.
Last week, I noticed a crutch on the floor next to Shelton, so I asked him, “Shelton, is that yours?”
“Yes,” he answered. “I’m having some problems with my knee.”
“Are you o.k. to play?” I asked.
He smiled and said, “Yes, I’ll be fine as long as I’m not walking.”
Later, when asked asked again if he was sure that he could play. Shelton, smiled reassuringly and replied, “I’m on this team and a team’s a team.”
Whenever I think of Shelton, I will remember Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when brothers can live together in unity!”
Lord, help us all be more like Shelton.
Here are 3 simple ways for worship leaders to improve their worship leadership, regardless of their style of worship music:
1. Memorize the lyrics to the songs you are leading. If you don’t have time to memorize lyrics, then you aren’t spending enough time in preparation. The confidence monitor, lead sheet, hymnal, or cheat sheet might seem like your best friend, but it can also become your worst enemy. Use it as a reference, not as a guide. People want to see your eyes looking toward them during worship, not glued to the words.
2. Smile. People want to worship with a pleasant leader who enjoys the experience of leading them into God’s presence. A frowning worship leader is a distraction because his/her demeanor puts the attention on himself/herself instead of on the Lord. A smiling worship leader can point people to God simply through positive facial expressions.
3. Worship privately. If you aren’t regularly spending time in God’s presence, you aren’t going to be able to lead others into His presence. People can tell if you don’t know the way. They can tell if you’re faking it. Spend so much time with the Lord that it’s evident to those around you that worship is an important part of your life.
Related Post – What We’ve Forgotten About Worship
I was an 11-year-old kid in a sea of senior citizens. Bored to tears, I stared at the back of the old wooden pew. The pastor was preaching, but I was clueless as to his topic. Suddenly, he paused, took a deep breath, and said, “I’m sorry, everyone. I keep thinking about something that happened to me this past week. I was sitting in a restaurant waiting for my hamburger to arrive when a lady across the room passed out from exhaustion.”
Suddenly, he had my full attention. I listened intently as he shared with the congregation about how he helped the lady even though he was tempted to ignore her plight.
Before that day, I thought my pastor was an old dude who never left his study. Suddenly transformed, he was a man who ate hamburgers in restaurants and helped people in need, even though he secretly didn’t want to.
Because of his story, my pastor became much more interesting to me and I cared a lot more about what he had to say.
As I reflect on his words some 30 plus years later, I see a lesson for pastors and speakers: We should tell personal stories.
Here’s why. People don’t want to trust pastors and speakers. Think about it. If they trust us, it seriously complicates their lives. They know we might tempt them to question their own belief systems. We might share something with them that will change the direction of their lives. We might persuade them to risk love, offer forgiveness, admit failure, abandon success, or give money.
To combat this, pastors and speakers should share inspiring true stories filled with good intentions, right actions, and positive outcomes. True stories build faith in our people, which builds faith in our leadership, which builds faith in our future together. Faith helps people believe their best and give their all.
In the end, people don’t want more information. They’re already drowning in a sea of information forgetfulness. They can get free information online without having to get out of bed, drive to a church building, serve in the nursery, or give money. What they really want is us. They want our faith, our words, our hope, our love, our encouragement, our enthusiasm, and our guidance.
People hunger for personal experiences that build up their faith. If these personal experiences are not possible, they want true stories that feel like personal experiences. In a manner of speaking, a good story allows us to be their emotional avatar, causing them to see, feel, taste, hear, and smell our experiences as if they lived it themselves.
Telling personal stories breaks through the invented stories of people so they can see who we really are beneath the surface. So, let’s be transparent. Let’s be real. Let’s share great stories. Let’s show people who we really are and in turn, they’ll care more about what we really have to say.
Everything we do is a part of our worship. In fact, we worship from the minute we open our eyes in the morning to the moment we close them at night. We do this by giving praise to someone or something in what we do, in what we think, and in what we say. When we do this, we give this person or thing a position of high authority in our lives. However, this understanding of worship has been forgotten in our current society. Worship today has been minimized to a genre of music or a time in corporate worship when we sing songs to God. Although music styles and singing are important tools we use in expressing ourselves to God, they fall far short of total submission to God. Only through the giving of our entire lives can we rightly worship God in a way that is holy and pleasing to Him.
Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1
Lord, help us to daily present our bodies to You as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing in Your sight. This is the best form of worship we can offer You.
Imagine you were swept away from the struggles of life and found yourself in a vast multitude surrounding God’s throne. You look through an emerald rainbow at the One seated there, who appears solid and translucent simultaneously. You are startled yet spellbound by the rumblings of thunder and flashes of lightning emanating from the throne, all adding to the majesty of the One seated there. Suddenly, you notice 24 elders dressed in shimmering white with golden crowns sitting on 24 thrones before the larger throne.
And then, you hear it. It’s the sound of never-ending praise coming from four worship leaders like you’ve never seen before. They cry out, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming!” This causes the 24 elders to fall down and worship the One on the throne.
Immediately, you find yourself doing the same.
Holy, holy, holy are You, Lord God, the Almighty One!
(For further study, see Revelation 4)
Almost everyone has an opinion about worship style. Interestingly enough, most people do not refer to (or even care about) biblical worship, but comment more about music style, sermon methodology, tradition (or the absence thereof), and permissible clergy (and laity) clothing.
When Isaiah saw the Lord in Isaiah 6, he experienced the greatness of God, realized the extent of his own sinfulness, and witnessed his sin being atoned for. However, the end result of his worship experience was Isaiah saying, “Here am I, send me.” God wants our ultimate worship. He formed us after Himself so we could experience His presence and accomplish His purposes. When we realize who He is and all He has done for us, our only reasonable response to Him is worship.
Full surrendered worship of all that we are for all that He is. That is the best worship style.
Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God; this is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1
I was seven years old. As I sat in the hard pew, I held tight to the crinkled hymnal that seemed huge in my small hands. And as the congregation stood to sing, I read these words for the first time:
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, and it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to Thee.*
I’m older now and I don’t often think of those lyrics, but the meaning is still true. If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. If we seek after Him with all of our heart, He will do everything He can to have strong relationship with us.
Think about it.
If God has already allowed His Son to die for us, why wouldn’t He embrace us when we reach out to Him?
He wants our worship. He desires our friendship. He wants us to draw near to Him.
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. James 4:8a
*Fanny Crosby, I Am Thine, O Lord
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