The Good Friday service brings us through the darkest day in the life of Christ. Having been left by his disciples to his captors, Jesus is tried, abused, tortured, and sentenced to death as his own people called out for his crucifixion. And all this in order that he might "die for our sins, in accordance with the Scriptures."
Because this is the divine purpose of his death, the service on Good Friday carries a very solemn tone. There is no opening hymn or greeting, but an immediate acknowledgement of our sins. Confession is made, but no absolution is pronounced. The story of the Passion is read in its fullness, and then we receive the sacrament reserved from that we shared on Maundy Thursday. And then we end the service with an acknowledgement of our hope and a request for God's blessing on the basis of what Christ had accomplished on the cross.
To fully enjoy the glory of Easter, it is best to have experienced something of the tragedy of Good Friday...
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