Good Friday 2012 at St Andrew’s: Covenants Broken

Leader:On this Good Friday, when the sun failed, when the crowds fell silent, when Jesus died, let us look at our world and regret our part in its wrongs. All:On this Good Friday, when Jesus forgave his enemies, let us worship God.

There is a green hill far away, without a city wall, where the dear Lord was crucified, who died to save us all. We may not know, we cannot tell, what pains he had to bear, but we believe it was for us he hung and suffered there.

The Broken Covenant: with Noah

O Lord, O what have we done? for we break your covenants with us. I made earth and sea and sky, And the creatures that live in them, And my rainbow bound them and you, But you trampled on them.

Thousands of marine animals and more than 1 million birds die each year as a result of plastic pollution.

The Broken Covenant: with Abraham

O Lord, O what have we done? for we break your covenants with us. I called Abraham and his wives, Their descendants like stars in heaven, More in number than grains of sand - But you turn from family.

The most common type of antisemitic incident in 2011 in the UK (300) involved verbal abuse randomly directed at visibly Jewish people in public.

‘‘Persistent staring, spitting, calling names, throwing of eggs or stones, and pulling women’s veils off are the overwhelming types of anti- Muslim hostilities

In Scotland, sectarianism is most often related to Protestant and Roman Catholic divisions within Christianity and the bigotry that manifests itself through abusive actions and words.

The Broken Covenant: with Moses

O Lord, O what have we done? for we break your covenants with us. I gave Moses ten laws to keep: How to honour and praise my name, How to live with each other well; But you could not keep them.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

In the book of Leviticus, the prohibitions on stealing are expanded to include dealing falsely in trade and negotiations.

You shall not covet your neighbour's house... your neighbour's wife... or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

The Broken Covenant: with Jesus

O Lord, O what have we done? for we break your covenants with us. I came down myself to you, I showed what forgiveness is, I poured out my blood like wine For the covenant-breakers.

Love one another as I have loved you.

If you do not welcome one of the least of these, you do not welcome me.

If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'

He died that we might be forgiven, he died to make us good, that we might go at last to heaven, saved by his precious blood. O dearly, dearly has he loved, and we must love him too, and trust in his redeeming blood, and try his works to do.

Leader:God forgives you. Forgive others. Forgive yourself. All (to each):God forgives you. Forgive others. Forgive yourself. Leader:Jesus has died. All:Let us watch in hope for his rising to life; for our world’s renewal.