Blessings to you, the readers of this page, in Jesus Christ our Lord. May He guide you and protect you always.

And also => "The Gift Of Good Friday," a brief but important message by Kevin H. Dougherty

ORDER OF WORSHIP: 

Welcome
Opening Hymn - "Were You There?" - words and MIDI music, plus more
Invocation
The Lord's Prayer - with MP3 audio
Declaration Of Faith: The Apostles' Creed - with MP3 audio

Scriptures and Teachings - "Luke 23: The Trial And
   Crucifixion Of Jesus" 

Holy Communion
How To Find A Real, Live Church
Closing Hymn - "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross" -
    words and MIDI music
Benediction
   

Welcome

Hello Beloved,

If you have the Holy Spirit of Jesus abiding within you, then you are able to endure all trials, blessed with the peace which surpasses all understanding. If not, you remain deprived of the many blessings the Lord has waiting for you. If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour, you have the opportunity to do that right now by clicking => HERE! - http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/jesusdirect.html

Blessings to you in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Photo is Public Domain, from http://www.wga.hu/index1.html

Opening Hymn

"Were You There?"

This work is in the Public Domain. Words and music are both anonymous, Public Domain. The MIDI music file is also Public Domain, arranged and sequenced by Bill McGinnis, based on Public Domain sources.

MIDI music file at http://patriot.net/users/bmcgin/wereyou1.mid
ALSO SEE expanded HTML page with Music Video at => http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/wereyouthere.html

WERE YOU THERE? - Traditional American Spiritual, Words & Music
                       Public Domain


      Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
      Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
      Oh . . .
      Sometimes it causes me to tremble
           Tremble
                Tremble               
      Were you there when they crucified my Lord?


      Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
      Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
      Oh . . .
      Sometimes it causes me to tremble
           Tremble
                Tremble               
      Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

      Were you there when they pierced Him in the side?
      Were you there when they pierced Him in the side?
      Oh . . .
      Sometimes it causes me to tremble
           Tremble
                Tremble               
      Were you there when they pierced Him in the side?


      Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
      Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
      Oh . . .
      Sometimes it causes me to tremble
           Tremble
                Tremble               
      Were you there when the sun refused to shine?


      Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
      Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
      Oh . . .
      Sometimes it causes me to tremble
           Tremble
                Tremble               
      Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

HTML page at http://loveallpeople.org/wereyouthere.html

Please also see http://www.Christmusic.ws

Invocation

             O Lord, we come together in Your name,
             And as You promised, we know You are here.

             AND SO WE WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS,
             AND PRAY THAT YOU FIND PLEASURE HERE WITH US,
             AS WE, YOUR LOVING CHILDREN WORSHIP YOU.

             We now invite You to reveal Yourself,
             And share with us Your presence, openly,

             FOR YOU ARE EVERYTHING THAT WE DESIRE,
             AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE, WE GIVE TO YOU.

             In Jesus' holy name we pray, Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

MP3 audio file at internetchurchofchrist.org/lordsprayer.mp3 - free, Public Domain.

The Lord, Himself, taught us to pray like this . . .

                     The Lord's Prayer 
   

          Our Father, who art in heaven,
            hallowed be thy Name,
            thy kingdom come,
            thy will be done,
              on earth as it is in heaven.
          Give us this day our daily bread.
          And forgive us our trespasses,
            as we forgive those who trespass against us.
          And lead us not into temptation,
            but deliver us from evil.
          For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
            for ever and ever. Amen.

                      Source: Book Of Common Prayer, based on
                              Matthew 6:9-13    


          

Declaration Of Faith

The Apostles Creed

MP3 audio file at http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/apostlescreed.mp3 - free, Public Domain

  This historic affirmation of faith comes to us from the early 
centuries of the Christian church.

  
      I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
      Maker of heaven and earth:
      And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;
      Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit;
      Born of the virgin Mary,
      Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
      Was crucified, dead, and buried;
      He descended into hell;
      The third day he rose again from the dead;
      He ascended into heaven
      And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
      From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
      I believe in the Holy Spirit;
      The holy catholic church;     *
      The communion of saints;
      The forgiveness of sins;
      The resurrection of the body;
      And the life everlasting.

                             Amen.
      

                * Note: "catholic church" here means the entire body of
                  believers in Christ, not just one particular church.

Scriptures And Teachings

Luke 23 - The Trial And Crucifixion Of Jesus

MP3 audio file at http://www.loveallpeople.org/luke23.mp3 - free, Public Domain.

May the Lord bless these readings of His holy Word.

   23:1 And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.
   
   23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow
   perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar,
   saying that he himself is Christ a King.
   
   23:3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Are you the King of the Jews? And
   he answered him and said, You say it.
   
   23:4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find
   no fault in this man.
   
   23:5 And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirs up the people,
   teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.
   
   23:6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a
   Galilaean.
   
   23:7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's
   jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem
   at that time.
   
   23:8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad: for had
   desired to see him for a long time, because he had heard many things
   of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
   
   23:9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him
   nothing.
   
   23:10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused
   him.
   
   23:11 And Herod with his men of war treated him with contempt, and
   mocked him and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to
   Pilate.
   
   23:12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together:
   for before they were at enmity between themselves.
   
   23:13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and
   the rulers and the people,
   
   23:14 Said unto them, You have brought this man unto me, as one that
   perverts the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you,
   have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof you
   accuse him:
   
   23:15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing
   worthy of death is done unto him.
   
   23:16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
   
   23:17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
   
   23:18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and
   release unto us Barabbas:
   
   23:19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder,
   was cast into prison.)
   
   23:20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spoke again to 
   them.
   
   23:21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
   
   23:22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil has he
   done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore 
   chastise him, and let him go.
   
   23:23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might
   be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests
   prevailed.
   
   23:24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
   
   23:25 And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was
   cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to
   their will.
   
   23:26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a
   Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross,
   that he might bear it after Jesus.
   
   23:27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women,
   which also bewailed and lamented him.
   
   23:28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep
   not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
   
   23:29 For, behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say,
   Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the paps
   which never gave suck.
   
   23:30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and
   to the hills, Cover us.
   
   23:31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done
   in the dry?
   
   23:32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be
   put to death.
   
   23:33 And when they had come to the place, which is called Calvary,
   there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand,
   and the other on the left.
   
   23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what
   they do. And they parted his clothing, and cast lots.
   
   23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them
   derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be
   Christ, the chosen of God.
   
   23:36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering
   him vinegar,
   
   23:37 And saying, If you be the king of the Jews, save yourself.
   
   23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of
   Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
   
   23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
   saying, If you be Christ, save yourself and us.
   
   23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Do not you fear
   God, seeing you are in the same condemnation?
   
   23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our
   deeds: but this man has done nothing amiss.
   
   23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into
   your kingdom.
   
   23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Truthfully I say unto you, Today shall
   you be with me in paradise.
   
   23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over
   all the earth until the ninth hour.
   
   23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was tore 
   in the midst.
   
   23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father,
   into your hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up
   the ghost.
   
   23:47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God,
   saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
   
   23:48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding
   the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
   
   23:49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from
   Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
   
   23:50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor; and he
   was a good man, and a just:
   
   23:51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) 
   he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for 
   the kingdom of God.
   
   23:52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
   
   23:53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a
   sepulcher that was hewn in stone, in which never man before was laid.
   
   23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
   
   23:55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed
   after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid.
   
   23:56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and 
   rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
   

Bible verses are taken from the King James Clarified New Testament (KJCNT), which is in the Public Domain, free for all people to use without restriction.

Holy Communion

A ceremony for Holy Communion is available to you HERE! - http://patriot.net/~bmcgin/pearl-holycommunion.html

If you are alone, you will needed to be both "Leader" and "Assembly," as described in the ceremony.

Closing Hymn

"When I Survey The Wondrous Cross"

This is considered by many people to be the greatest hymn in the English language. The poem is by Isaac Watts, and the music is the hymn tune HAMBURG, by Lowell Mason, based on the First Gregorian Chant. MIDI sequence by Bill McGinnis, attempting to present the original Lowell Mason arrangement.

MIDI music file at http://www.patriot.net/users/bmcgin/surveyb.mid
ALSO SEE expanded HTML page with more links at => http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/whenisurvey.html

WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS - by Isaac Watts, 1707 
                                      Public Domain


              When I survey the wondrous cross
              On which the Prince of Glory died,
              My richest gain I count but loss,
              And pour contempt on all my pride.

              Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
              Save in the death of Christ, my God;
              All the vain things that charm me most,
              I sacrifice them to His blood.

              See, from His head, His hands, His feet,
              Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
              Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
              Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

              His dying crimson, like a robe,
              Spreads o'er His body on the tree;
              Then I am dead to all the globe,
              And all the globe is dead to me.

              Were the whole realm of nature mine,
              That were a present far too small;
              Love so amazing, so divine,
              Demands my soul, my life, my all.

                                 Amen.
             


NOTES: Please don't let the unfamiliar phrasing cause you to miss the
power of this hymn. It is well worth spending the time to get the
meaning clearly.  This poem has been called the "greatest hymn ever
written in the English language." Isaac Watts revolutionized
public worship in his time, and this is his crowning achievement.

Similarly, the music is also superb, perhaps the most perfect
hymn music ever written. Based on a  Gregorian
chant, perfectly arranged for four-part choral singing. Lowell Mason 
considered this to be perhaps his most important musical contribution.
In my opinion, this is the arrangement which most perfectly captures
what Lowell Mason was hearing when he worked on this song.

Benediction

    _____________________________________________________________
       
      "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in
       all ways. The Lord be with you all." (2 Thessalonians 3:16 RSV)
         _____________________________________________________________

Blessings to you in Jesus Christ our Lord.

This worship service is now complete.

   
          Rev. Bill McGinnis

               Pastor - InternetChurchOfChrist.org      
               Director - LoveAllPeople.org

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