350 Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee
Hymn # 172:1-5 O Sacred Head
The Order of Vespers p. 41
Sermon Hymn #143 O Dearest Jesus
Good Friday Vespers, 2022
7 PM Central Standard Time
The hymn tunes are linked to the name of the hymn.
The words are linked to the the hymn number,
using the TLH hymnal blog.
Live Streaming Service Here
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
Bethany Lutheran Church, Springdale, Arkansas
7 PM Central Standard Time
Use this link after the service for lower bandwidth
Hymn # 172:1-5 O Sacred Head
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 22 p. 128
KJV Psalm 22
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations.
29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. Sermon Hymn #143 O Dearest Jesus
The Sermon – The Gospel of the Old Testament, Psalm 22
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45
Hymn #153 Stricken Smitten
Prayers and Announcements
Hymn #153 Stricken Smitten
Prayers and Announcements
- Prayers for Pastor Jim Shrader and his wife Chris, Kermit Way and his wife Maria Ellenberger Way, Callie and her mother Peggy, C., and others under medical treatment.
- Those who are dealing with medical issues and loss.
- Our country, leaders, and military.
The Gospel of the Old Testament, Psalm 22
KJV Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
Starting an Old Testament class, one student, the son of a minister, said, "I am looking forward to learning about the Gospel in the Old Testament." The son is also a pastor.
Jesus said these words from the cross, which along with Isaiah 53, make up the longest Gospel passages in the Old Testament. This statement could be viewed two ways at once. One is that Jesus fulfilled what King David wrote a thousand years before. The other view is that of Jesus expressing His own anguish. He was not removed from pain, from desertion and betrayal. He felt this deeply, just as many have. This is called the cry of abandonment, experienced in many situations, in war, poverty, long stretched-out disease, and in bearing the cross.
Jesus was in every way as vulnerable as we are, and yet was without sin.
KJV Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
That is one of the greatest passages in the New Testament.
KJV Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
This next section counters the despair with faith and hope in deliverance. The Bible often emphasizes the worst, the greatest of our fears and then re-assures us of God's love and compassion. That means when things are at their worst, at the rock bottom - good news - they will soon turn around. The story of Israel and the New Israel of Christianity is this - God delivers time and time again, but people abandon the Promises, forget the Ten Commandments, and worship idols.
KJV Psalm 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
Yes, the crowds said to Jesus, "You are the great healer, the miracle-worker. Now show us what you can do!" And they say to believers today, "Why does God hate you and desert you?" Even worse, the great pseudo-intellectuals demean and ruin the Gospel by mixing in their pagan and rationalistic eyes, and they do it where they are protected, within the visible church and within the academic fortresses of our land.
Their faith was so weak that their heroes encountered German rationalism and loved it. They came back from studying in Europe and taught the same nonsense in America. Here is the prime example - "The original documents are gone. We no longer know exactly what the Apostles wrote." Yet God promised in many places and in many ways that His Word would last forever. As Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Word will never pass away."
KJV Psalm 22:9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. 10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
Where is this relationship found which is so close and intimate, the one between Father and Son? In the Gospel of John, the disciple Jesus loved. So this expresses the trust of the Son for the Father, and also our trust in Him through Holy Baptism.
11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
This is a perfect scene of the Roman cross, though written 300 years before Rome began. The crucifixion is so clear that students who go over it again- thinking about Jesus - are stunned by the precision. This is the suffering of the cross that Jesus endured for us. The soldiers gambled for His robe! He was dehydrated to the point of death. He had no strength. They nailed Him to the cross, hands and feet, horrible pain making everything else worse.
19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. 22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 23 Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. 25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. 26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. 27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdom is the Lord's: and he is the governor among the nations. 29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. 30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
The promise given to Abraham in Genesis 15:6 and related passages is here too - the Kingdom promised would be more numerous than the sand on the shore. All nations will worship before God, and they do. And the faithful witnesses of the past are preserved in the King James Version today.
One Old Testament student said, "Poetic passages in the Bible are more difficult to read." That is true because poetry came first, making transmission easier through those who memorized poetry. The meaning is more dense, so we must meditate day and night on the Teaching (Torah) of the Bible. Then the difficult passages came through with great clarity and power. That is the work of the Holy Spirit when we read the Scriptures, hear them read and explained, and recall them in our memories.
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