Services on Good Friday remember Jesus’ crucifixion. We remember God’s purpose of loving and redeeming the world through the cross of our Lord, Jesus Christ. God was in control. God was not making the best of a bad situation, but was working out God’s intention for the world — winning salvation for all people.

The Seven Last Words service focuses on the things Jesus said while he hung on the cross for six hours:

• “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

• “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

• “Dear woman, here is your son.”

• “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

• “I thirst.”

• “It is finished!”

• “Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit.”

The source of our term for the Friday before Easter, “Good Friday,” is not clear.  It may be a corruption of the English phrase “God’s Friday,” according to Professor Laurence Hull Stookey.