The Shadow of Suffering
RF: The Shadow of Suffering
R2: Isaiah 53:1-6
R4: "Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
R2: I Peter 2:21-24
R3: To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
R2: Mark 15:16-20 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace
[R1 turn back to audience]
and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him,
R4: "Hail, king of the Jews!"
R2: Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.
[R4 pay homage]
And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
RF: Jesus was betrayed, denied, deserted by his disciples, separated from His Father, insulted, accused, flogged, beaten, bruised, laughed at. Jesus deserved a crown of gold, we gave Him a crown of thorns. Why did Jesus have to suffer? How could any good come out of all this pain? The prophet Isaiah knew the answer: "for by His wounds we are healed".
(extinguish candle)
Let us silently meditate in prayer on the suffering of Jesus.
Song: The Sacrifice of Love (The Precious Blood of Jesus)
RF: The Shadow of Suffering
R2: Isaiah 53:1-6
R4: "Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
R2: I Peter 2:21-24
R3: To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
R2: Mark 15:16-20 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace
[R1 turn back to audience]
and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him,
R4: "Hail, king of the Jews!"
R2: Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.
[R4 pay homage]
And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
RF: Jesus was betrayed, denied, deserted by his disciples, separated from His Father, insulted, accused, flogged, beaten, bruised, laughed at. Jesus deserved a crown of gold, we gave Him a crown of thorns. Why did Jesus have to suffer? How could any good come out of all this pain? The prophet Isaiah knew the answer: "for by His wounds we are healed".
(extinguish candle)
Let us silently meditate in prayer on the suffering of Jesus.
Song: The Sacrifice of Love (The Precious Blood of Jesus)