At our church we have an annual Easter Egg hunt that brings in our families as well as people from the community. Part of this hunt is a short worship service. During this time we sing songs and have fun and I like to show a short video that tells the story of Easter. This is the video that we will be using this year. It does a really good job of sharing the story on a kid level. If you are looking for a resource for your Easter or Good Friday service be sure to check this one out!
easter
Good Friday Ideas: Crucify
To me one of the big parts of the story of the cross is when the crowd chooses Barabbas over Jesus. In that moment when they all yell, “CRUCIFY!” I want to think that I would be different. I want to think that I would say, “we want Jesus and not Barabbas.”
But knowing what I know I think I would have to stand and shout for His death. It sounds harsh. It sounds wrong, but here is what I know.
I am a sinner.
Every time I try to forget that I find myself chasing after sin again. I am a sinner and because of that I deserve to die. The only way for my sins to be paid–the only way for me to have a relationship with God–was for Jesus to die.
I can’t believe that the King of kings would choose to suffer and die for me. But I do know that my whole life, all of me cries out for a savior so I have to stand with the rest and shout, “CRUCIFY!” because I can’t save myself. (For that same idea in poem form check out The Cost.)
I have this idea for a responsive reading that will probably never work, but if it did it would be pretty powerful. The reason that it might not work is the spirit of the readers. I don’t know if they are really going to be into the whole “crucify him” line, mainly because every responsive reading I have ever been a part of has the audience just sounding like a horrible monotone robot. But maybe if it is just one line it might work.
Crucify Responsive Reading
The audience has one line that they repeat after the main reader. It is in bold.
I have tried to be good enough on my own
Crucify Him
I have tried to fix my own life
Crucify Him
I have tried to control my thought, my actions, my speech, my life
Crucify Him
But at every turn I seem to fail
Crucify Him
I am wrong, messed up broken, and desperate
Crucify Him
I am a sinner plain and simple
Crucify Him
I am lost and lonely and empty inside
Crucify Him
I need something, someone to make me whole
Crucify Him
I need someone to make me clean
Crucify Him
I need someone to make me new
Crucify Him
GOD! I have tried to be good enough
Crucify Him
But I have failed again and again
Crucify Him
But I stand here in this place and say
Crucify Him
Because I need a savior.
Then silence, silence for so long that it hurts. Close by singing “Once Again” by Matt Redman or “Wonderous Cross”