STATIONS OF THE CROSS REFLECTIONS

This year’s journey through the Stations of the Cross is guided by the artwork of Scott Erickson, helping us reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The stations move from Jesus’ temptation, betrayal, to the cross, his death and burial—and finally, to the the resurrection.

Halfway through, you’re invited to walk a prayer labyrinth and receive communion.

At each station you will see a title/description and a scripture on the image. 

Use the following questions, to help you enter more honestly and completely into the story of Christ’s betrayal, suffering, death, and eventual resurrection.  Use them as a prompt for prayer, confession, lament, worship, and thanksgiving.

Stations of the Cross

Jesus is Tempted

Question: What is tempting you away from following Christ at the moment?

Jesus is Betrayed

Question: How might you have betrayed Christ lately?

Jesus is Condemned

Prompt: Christ was condemned so you could be acquitted and counted ‘not guilty’. Task some time to thank Jesus for this incredible gift.

Jesus is Mocked

Question: Christ was mocked by those he loved and came to save.  In what ways might your life make a mockery of Jesus’ sacrifice?

Jesus Is Given His Cross

Prompt: Take a moment to remember and give thanks that when Christ took up the cross, he willingly chose to have “all our iniquities laid upon him.” (Isa 53:6)

Jesus Falls

Prompt: Our sins were so heavy, so great a burden, that even Christ collapsed under the weight of them. He was crushed by our sins and our selfishness.

Simon Carries Jesus’ Cross

Question: In what ways is Christ calling you to take up your own cross?  Are you embracing this or running from it?

Jesus is Stripped

Reflection: Crucifixion was intended to be a shameful and humiliating death.  The eternal sinless Son of God willingly became “Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised and rejected.” (Isa 53:3)

Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

Prompt: “He was pierced for our transgressions…” (Isa 53:5)  Look at your hands.  Give thanks that Christ bled from his to cleanse the blood from yours.

Jesus Dies

Reflection: All this, he did for you:

“He was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished,
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.” (Isa 53:8-9)

Proceed to the MPR, where you will find Station 11 and the beginning of the Prayer Labyrinth.

Prayer Labyrinth

Jesus is Buried

Enter now, into the tomb of Christ, represented by a prayer labyrinth and commune with Christ there. A prayer labyrinth is an ancient Christian prayer aid, a winding path, often found in Cathedral floors around the world, and is intended to be walked slowly and prayerfully. 

As Paul says in Romans 6:3-4 “Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

As you enter the labyrinth, imagine yourself going down into the death of Christ and being buried with Christ.  As you walk into the centre of the labyrinth, give over to God anything and everything in your life that is keeping you trapped or bound or enslaved to your old life.  Walk slowly, be honest, and name these things.

Please feel free to pass by others in the labyrinth, but do so carefully and quietly. If you want to stop, or pause, there are four ‘refuges’ built into the path, please use these so others can keep moving.

When you arrive at the centre, take some time to remember what the death of Christ means.  Everything you have ever done wrong, and everything you will ever do wrong, past, present, and future, is paid for and forgiven, because of Christ’s sacrifice, because he gave his body and blood for you.

His cross is your healing, your forgiveness, your freedom, and your victory.

When you are ready, take the elements provided, the body of Christ represented by bread, and the blood of Christ represented by the cup.  Receive these with joy and thanksgiving.

When you are ready, make your way out of the labyrinth.  As you go, recount each of the sins you named on the way in, and for each one simply say: “Christ has forgiven me of this.  I am a new creation.”

When you exit the labyrinth, move toward the chapel by following the arrows on the floor.  Go to the first of the Stations of the Resurrection.

Stations of the Resurrection

Raised

Prompt: Hallelujah!  Christ is Risen!  Therefore, as Paul goes on to say in Romans 6:5-10

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.  The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.”

Empty ToMB

Prompt: As you enter the chapel, imagine yourself as one of the disciples, who arrived at the tomb on that first Easter morning and found it empty, the grave clothes neatly folded.  What would you be thinking and feeling?  Take some time to sit and contemplate what the resurrection of Jesus means for you and for the world. Let the hope of the resurrection fill you with courage and strength. Ask the Holy Spirit to raise what seems 'dead’ in your life or in your heart.

Authority

Prompt: Put yourself in Mary’s shoes.  What would she be feeling when she first saw Jesus that day?  Does the promise of the resurrection of Jesus still affect you like this?

Disillusionment

Prompt: When Christ met the disciples on the Emmaus road, they did not recognise him.  Perhaps there are ways Christ is present in your life now that you have not recognised.  Ask him to reveal these to you.

Participation

Question: One of the powerful elements of communion is that it asks us to recognise Christ in ordinary things like bread and wine, and in the simple daily act of sharing a meal.  Have you recognised Christ in the ordinary gifts of life, lately?

Woundedness

Question: Another aspect of communion is that is asks us to recognise Christ in one another – in our community of faith, and even in strangers, and even in our enemies.  Have you recognised the presence of Christ in another person lately?

Forgiveness

Prompt: Take a deep breath and receive the peace of Christ, let the peace that forgiveness brings fill your body, mind, and heart.  Let go of your heavy burdens, including any unforgiveness you are holding toward others.  Give that over to Jesus, let him free you from that burden, it is too heavy for you.

Doubt

Reflection: Doubt is a natural part of faith.  Jesus does not condemn us for our doubts, but asks us to look again at his wounds, his suffering, and remember that even if we don’t have all the answers, we have this: a saviour who knows what it means to be human, to suffer as we do.  He understands.

Identity

Question: In what way do you need to trust in Christ’s help and provision again today?  Let go of trying to control life and give it over to Jesus.  He is with you, he knows what you need.

Wholeness

Prompt: We all fail sometimes, and even if we think those failures are catastrophic and unforgiveable, as Peter did on the morning he saw the risen Jesus, the truth is there is no sin in our life that is more powerful than the blood of Christ.  In Christ, our past failures do not diminish our future victory.  Let Christ love you and forgive you.

Teaching

Prompt: Take some time to pray for those you are trying to reach for Christ.  Give them over to him, and ask for them to meet Jesus as you have.

AScend

Prompt: When Christ ascended he was given the name above every name, and is now the ruler over all things.  Take a moment to submit to his Lordship over you and over all creation.  Honour him and give him glory.

Contemplative

Prompt: Imagine yourself among the first disciples, gathered together, uncertain and afraid, waiting for the gift that Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit.

Given

Question: Take a moment to ask God to fill you afresh with the Holy Spirit, breathe in deeply of his presence.  Let his love fill your heart.  Ask him for fresh power to do God’s will and to join with Jesus in making disciples of all people.  Ask him to send you out with power.

You have now completed the Stations of the Cross and Resurrection. Head back into the auditorium if you haven’t yet engaged with the prayer stations there.

Benediction

Go now, and as you prepare for Good Friday and Easter:

May Christ take you ever deeper into the meaning of his death,

May Christ lift you ever higher into the power of his resurrection.

And may your whole life: body, soul, and spirit,

Be kept blameless until the day of his coming again.

He who promised is faithful, and He will do it.

Go in peace,

Amen.