A traditional responsive song for Passover is called the Dayenu. It is a song of gratitude for the many blessings God has bestowed upon Israel through the historical Passover.
I first became aware of it when listening to Exodus: An Oratorio in Three Parts, composed by David Itkin and narrated by William Shatner (yes that William Shatner).
I have been preaching through the book of Exodus this year and right before Palm Sunday we had just experienced the crossing of the Red Sea and the Song of Miriam. And then we took a break from Exodus for Holy Week to travel forward in the narrative to the fulfillment of the Passover in Jesus.
Part of our Good Friday service this year, we will be doing a responsive reading of an adapted version of the Passover Dayenu. Then we will do a responsive reading of a Christian version of the Dayenu.
I have written this version and will likely revise it several times in the future.
If you're looking for Good Friday service ideas, please feel free to use this and the PowerPoint version in a church service without credit. Just let me know you used it.
You are, however, not allowed to use or adapt this for any other purpose, including publication electronically or in print.
I first became aware of it when listening to Exodus: An Oratorio in Three Parts, composed by David Itkin and narrated by William Shatner (yes that William Shatner).
I have been preaching through the book of Exodus this year and right before Palm Sunday we had just experienced the crossing of the Red Sea and the Song of Miriam. And then we took a break from Exodus for Holy Week to travel forward in the narrative to the fulfillment of the Passover in Jesus.
Part of our Good Friday service this year, we will be doing a responsive reading of an adapted version of the Passover Dayenu. Then we will do a responsive reading of a Christian version of the Dayenu.
I have written this version and will likely revise it several times in the future.
If you're looking for Good Friday service ideas, please feel free to use this and the PowerPoint version in a church service without credit. Just let me know you used it.
You are, however, not allowed to use or adapt this for any other purpose, including publication electronically or in print.
Good Friday Order of Service
Opening Prayer
Opening Thoughts on the fulfillment of Passover
Song – Jesus Paid it All
Hebrew Dayenu
Sermon on Passover to Good Friday
The Lord’s Supper
Song – Above All (Old Rugged Cross Chorus)
Christian Dayenu
Closing
[Exit in the discipline of silence]
Opening Prayer
Opening Thoughts on the fulfillment of Passover
Song – Jesus Paid it All
Hebrew Dayenu
Sermon on Passover to Good Friday
The Lord’s Supper
Song – Above All (Old Rugged Cross Chorus)
Christian Dayenu
Closing
[Exit in the discipline of silence]
Dayenu
Traditional Passover Song (adapted)
How many are the abundant blessings which the Almighty has bestowed upon us?
If He had brought us out from Egypt,
and had not carried out judgments against them
it would have been enough!
If He had carried out judgments against them,
and not against their idols
it would have been enough!
If He had destroyed their idols,
and had not smitten their first-born
it would have been enough!
If He had smitten their first-born,
and had not given us their wealth
it would have been enough!
If He had given us their wealth,
and had not split the sea for us
it would have been enough!
If He had split the sea for us,
and had not taken us through it on dry land
it would have been enough!
If He had taken us through the sea on dry land,
and had not drowned our oppressors in it
it would have been enough!
If He had drowned our oppressors in it,
and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years
it would have been enough!
If He had supplied our needs in the desert for forty years,
and had not fed us the manna
it would have been enough!
If He had fed us the manna,
and had not given us the Sabbath
it would have been enough!
If He had given us the Sabbath,
and had not brought us before Mount Sinai
it would have been enough!
If He had brought us before Mount Sinai,
and had not given us the Torah
it would have been enough!
If He had given us the Torah,
and had not brought us into the land of Israel
it would have been enough!
If He had brought us into the land of Israel,
and not built for us the Holy Temple
it would have been enough!
Traditional Passover Song (adapted)
How many are the abundant blessings which the Almighty has bestowed upon us?
If He had brought us out from Egypt,
and had not carried out judgments against them
it would have been enough!
If He had carried out judgments against them,
and not against their idols
it would have been enough!
If He had destroyed their idols,
and had not smitten their first-born
it would have been enough!
If He had smitten their first-born,
and had not given us their wealth
it would have been enough!
If He had given us their wealth,
and had not split the sea for us
it would have been enough!
If He had split the sea for us,
and had not taken us through it on dry land
it would have been enough!
If He had taken us through the sea on dry land,
and had not drowned our oppressors in it
it would have been enough!
If He had drowned our oppressors in it,
and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years
it would have been enough!
If He had supplied our needs in the desert for forty years,
and had not fed us the manna
it would have been enough!
If He had fed us the manna,
and had not given us the Sabbath
it would have been enough!
If He had given us the Sabbath,
and had not brought us before Mount Sinai
it would have been enough!
If He had brought us before Mount Sinai,
and had not given us the Torah
it would have been enough!
If He had given us the Torah,
and had not brought us into the land of Israel
it would have been enough!
If He had brought us into the land of Israel,
and not built for us the Holy Temple
it would have been enough!
Christian Dayenu
How many are the abundant blessings which the Lord Jesus Christ has bestowed upon us?
If He was born of the virgin in a manger,
but wasn’t baptized to identify with humanity
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He was baptized to identify with humanity,
but did not perform miracles and cast out the demonic forces
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He performed miracles and cast out the demonic forces,
but did not speak in parables to reveal the Kingdom of God
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He spoke in parables to reveal the Kingdom of God,
but did not explain the meaning of the parables
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He explained the meaning of the parables,
but did not confront the powerful religious hypocrites
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He confronted the powerful religious hypocrites,
but did not fulfill the Passover in the Lord’s Supper
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He had fulfilled the Passover in the Lord’s Supper,
but he did not endure the scourging under Pontius Pilate
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He endured the scourging under Pontius Pilate,
but He did not endure the cross for the forgiveness of sins
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He endured the cross for the forgiveness of sins,
but was not laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He was laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea,
but was not resurrected from the dead
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He was resurrected from the dead,
but He did not send the Holy Spirit to all His followers
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He sent the Holy Spirit to all His followers,
and will not come again in power and glory
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He comes in power and glory,
but will not prepare a place for us in the Kingdom of Heaven
it will be more than we deserve.
Jesus Christ. Crucified for your sin. The remnants of bread on your tongue, to remind you that His body was broken for you. The taste of the fruit of the vine in your mouth, to remind you of his blood spilt for the forgiveness of your sin. Behold your God who died for you. Jesus Christ – the Passover lamb.
[Exit in the discipline of silence.]
How many are the abundant blessings which the Lord Jesus Christ has bestowed upon us?
If He was born of the virgin in a manger,
but wasn’t baptized to identify with humanity
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He was baptized to identify with humanity,
but did not perform miracles and cast out the demonic forces
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He performed miracles and cast out the demonic forces,
but did not speak in parables to reveal the Kingdom of God
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He spoke in parables to reveal the Kingdom of God,
but did not explain the meaning of the parables
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He explained the meaning of the parables,
but did not confront the powerful religious hypocrites
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He confronted the powerful religious hypocrites,
but did not fulfill the Passover in the Lord’s Supper
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He had fulfilled the Passover in the Lord’s Supper,
but he did not endure the scourging under Pontius Pilate
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He endured the scourging under Pontius Pilate,
but He did not endure the cross for the forgiveness of sins
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He endured the cross for the forgiveness of sins,
but was not laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He was laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea,
but was not resurrected from the dead
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He was resurrected from the dead,
but He did not send the Holy Spirit to all His followers
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He sent the Holy Spirit to all His followers,
and will not come again in power and glory
it would have been more than we deserve.
If He comes in power and glory,
but will not prepare a place for us in the Kingdom of Heaven
it will be more than we deserve.
Jesus Christ. Crucified for your sin. The remnants of bread on your tongue, to remind you that His body was broken for you. The taste of the fruit of the vine in your mouth, to remind you of his blood spilt for the forgiveness of your sin. Behold your God who died for you. Jesus Christ – the Passover lamb.
[Exit in the discipline of silence.]
PowerPoint Slides of Both Versions of the Dayenu
| good_friday_message_slides.pptx |
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