Introduction:

As we listen to the Lord Jesus Christ speak from Calvary; the words we hear convince us that He loves us.  This love is revealed in a very special way in His fifth statement: John 19:28-30. 

Our Lord was crucified at 9:00 in the morning and spent the first three hours on the cross in broad daylight.  Then the darkness came, and at the end of that darkness, he cried, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”    

His first 3 statements centered on others:

·                     His enemies – “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”

·                     The Thief – “Today, you shall be with Me in paradise”

·                     John and Mary – “Woman, behold your son…”  “Behold your mother”

The central statement focused on the Father:

·                     “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

But in His last 3 statements, our Lord focused on Himself:

·                     “I thirst”

·                     “It is finished”

·                     “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit”

Body, Soul and Spirit were all offered by the Lord Jesus Christ in total submission to His Fathers will.  And, isn’t that what the apostle Paul says we are to do?  After understanding all that God has done for us, which Paul takes 11 chapters to explain, in chapter 12 in the book of Romans, Paul says:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."  (Romans 12:1-2, NKJV)

The shortest statement made from the cross is the one found in (John 19:29): “I thirst.”  This is the only statement that the Lord made from the cross that referred to His own physical needs.  This statement is going to help us see some amazing portraits of Jesus Christ: The Suffering of Christ…  The Obedience of Christ…  The Love of Christ.

A.                 The Suffering of Christ.

1.                  Jesus Christ was truly a man. 

a)                  The Humanity of Christ.

(1)                 He had a body just like ours as proven by the fact that…

(2)                 He got tired in John 4:6.

(3)                 He slept Matthew 8:24

(4)                 He got thirsty in John 19:28.

(5)                 He got hungry in Matthew 4:2.

(6)                 He got physically weak Luke 23:26.

(7)                 He died in Mark 15:37.

(8)                 He had blood Matthew 28:28, Hebrews 9:14, 10:19

(9)                 He had a soul Matthew 26:38

(10)             He had a will John 5:30

(11)             He had a spirit John 11:33

(12)             In His resurrected body he has flesh and bones (Luke 24:39), He ate (John 20:17) and ascended to heaven in His body (Acts 1:9).  Before and after His resurrection, His body was still a physical body. 

b)                  People near Him saw Him only as a Man (Matthew 13:53-58).

(1)                 Liberal theologian have denied our Lords deity, but in the early church there were those who questioned His humanity.  This is one reason why John wrote his first epistle:

Johns says in chapter one of his first epistle "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:1-3, NKJV)

Then he goes on to say in chapter 4 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.  And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world."  (1 John 4:1-3, NKJV)

But Peter gave the right answer when Jesus asked Him, "Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  (Matthew 16:15-16, NKJV)

2.                  Jesus Christ can truly understand our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15-16).

a)                  Come boldly to the throne of grace.

(1)                 There are people who think of God as being far removed from human life and concerns.  Jesus was the very Son of God, yet His divinity did not prevent Him from experiencing our feelings, our emotions, our temptations, our pain.

(2)                 In (John 11), when Jesus came to Bethany and saw all the people weeping over the death of Lazarus, (v.35) says that Jesus wept:

(a)                 What sort of human being would Jesus be if he could ignore the pain of Mary and Martha, and block out his own personal heartache over the death of his friend Lazarus?  And for once the Jews do not attack Jesus or attempt to discredit him.  They see him through their own tears and empathize with this wonderful person by exclaiming, “See how he loved him!”

(i)                 You are the “apple of His eye”… very valuable to God (Psalm 17:8).

(ii)                 Romans 12:15 weep with those who weep

(iii)                1 Corinthians 12:26 if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it

(3)                 God became man, He became Jesus, to share triumphantly the temptation and the testing and the suffering of men, in order that He might be a sympathetic and understanding High Priest.

(a)                 Weaknesses do not refer directly to sin, but to feebleness or infirmity.  It refers to all the natural limitations of humanity.   

(b)                Jesus knew firsthand the drive of human nature toward sin.  His humanity was His battleground.  It is here that Jesus faced and fought sin.  He was victorious, but not without the most intense temptation, grief, and anguish.

(4)                 Because of this, we can come boldly to the throne of grace, knowing that He understands us and can help us. 

(a)                 He knows our burdens we carry and the pain that we endure and in that very time of need, He can give us the grace to keep on going.            

(5)                 Wherever you go, you find hurting people.  Many experience physical pain while others are suffering from emotional pain that may not be as evident to us. 

(a)                 …and just as Jesus suffered physically and emotionally and can now sympathize with our weaknesses…

(b)                …in the same way, God will allow us to physically and emotionally go through tribulation, that we to, may be able to sympathize with others (2Cor.1:3-7).

B.                The Obedience of Christ.

1.                  “That the Scripture might be fulfilled…”  (v.28b). 

a)                  The need to obey the Word of God (Psalm 69:21). 

(1)                 Our Lords concern was noT His own physical need so much as the need to obey the Word of God.  In everything He said and did, Jesus obeyed the Word of God:

Speaking about His obedience, Jesus said "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work."  (John 4:34, NKJV)

He always wanted His Fathers will to be done; He said "I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me."  (John 5:30, NKJV)

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus "fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."  (Matthew 26:38-39)

Jesus said that "I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

(2)                 The Lord saved us, not to do our own will, but the will of God and our obedience to the Word of God will show to others the extent of our love for God:

Jesus said that "The world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do."  (John 14:31, NKJV)

(3)                 And not only did He “do” God’s will BUT He “finished” the work that He was sent to do:

In John 17 in His prayer to the Father He said "I have glorified You on the earth.  I have finished the work which You have given Me to do."  (John 17:4)

(4)                 More that twenty times in the four Gospels you find the phrases like “that it might be fulfilled” or “then was fulfilled” because Jesus is the Obedient Servant of God. 

b)                  The importance of obedience in our life.

(1)                 Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem rather than in Jerusalem?  Because the prophet Micah prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

(2)                 Why did Joseph and Mary take Jesus and go down to Egypt?  Because the prophet Hosea said it would happen.

(3)                 Why did Jesus minister in Galilee?  In obedience to (Isaiah 9:1-2).  All of His life Jesus obeyed the Word of God; in fact, let’s turn to Philippians 2:8:

(4)                 Do you obey the Word of God, even to the point of Death (Luke 9:23-26)? 

(a)                 Do you die to yourself in your marriage? 

(b)                Do you die to yourself in the work place? 

Jesus said "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels."  (Luke 9:23-26)

(5)                 You can miss the privilege of being used by God if you don’t obey (Esther 4:14).

(6)                 The most important thing in the life of God’s children is to know and do the will of God.  But not only knowing and doing, but knowing & doing the will of God from the heart (Eph.6:6).

(a)                 As Jesus got His directions from the Father through prayer and the Scriptures, we to must get our directions from the Father, daily in the Scriptures.

(b)                Proverbs 3:5-6 is a promise that never fails.

c)                  The importance of not only obedience but worship (2 Chronicles 20:20-22).

(1)                 Worship and Service go hand-in-hand (Matthew 4:10).

C.                The Love of Christ.

1.                  “I Thirst…”  (John 19:28). 

a)                  He endured our hell for us. 

(1)                 He was enduring real physical suffering, because He had a real human body.

(a)                 He had just emerged from three hours of darkness when He felt the wrath of God and separation from God (Matt. 27:45–49).

(b)                When you combine darkness, thirst, and isolation, you have—hell!

(c)                 there were physical reasons for His thirst (Ps. 22:15)…

Speaking about the Lord, the Psalmist said "My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death."  (Psalm 22:15, NKJV)

(d)                there were also spiritual reasons for His thirst (Ps. 42:1–2)…

Speaking about his nearness to God, the Psalmist says "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When shall I come and appear before God?"  (Psalm 42:1-2, NKJV)  

(2)                 Hell is a place of thirst (Luke 16:24 the rich man and Lazarus). 

(3)                 But You and I today can “give Jesus a drink” by sharing what we have with those in need (Matt. 25:34–40).

2.                  Living water is the only water that will quench thirst (John 4:13-14).

a)                  Men have two thirsts: (1) physical (2) spiritual.

(1)                 The Physical thirst (v.13) – “whoever drinks of this water will thirst again”

(a)                 A statement that should be written over every ambition that you have.

(i)                   What is it that you are hoping to achieve or attain in life?

(ii)                 What is it that you think will bring you satisfaction and happiness?

(iii)                What is it that you are pressing towards?  The goals that you hope to fulfill?

(iv)               Whatever it is, write over the top of it, “Drink of this water but you will thirst again.”

Isaiah writes “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy?  Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.  (Isaiah 55:2)

Jesus Himself said "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”  (John 6:27)

(2)                 It’s the excitement of the pursuit but the achievement is disappointing.

(a)                 Success really doesn’t mean much to the person who has achieved it.

(b)                There’s disappointment when you finally achieve, because it doesn’t satisfy.

(c)                 It is like salt water; once you drink you will only crave more & more.

The Lord said through Jeremiah "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns--broken cisterns that can hold no water.  (Jeremiah 2:13 cf. 1 John 2:15)

(3)                 The Spiritual thirst (v.14) – “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst”

(a)                 Jesus is saying if you are thirsty for God, come to Me and drink.

(b)                He alone can satisfy your thirst for God…  He alone can fill that spiritual void in your life.

!!! 3.                  Living Water – The Feast Day (John 7:37-39).

a)                  This Was Not Only A Commemoration but an Anticipation Of What Was To Come. 

(1)                 They Were Looking For Messiah To Come And Lead Them Spiritually Out Of The Wilderness And Lead Them Into The Promised Land Eternally. 

(2)                 On the last day of the feast, the Priest in their priestly garments would make a processional down from the temple mount winding down to the pool of Siloam which means, by interpretation “the one who is sent.” 

(3)                 Everyday previously when the priest made this processional down to the pool of Siloam they would dip their pitchers in the water and read Isaiah 12:3—Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation, and they would then make their way back to the temple and ascend to the alter circling it one time and read Psalm 118:25ff— O Lord, do save, we beseech You; O Lord, we beseech You, do send prosperity!  This would express the cause of their praise & to remind God of His promises.  Then they would pour it out on the courtyard of the temple right around the altar.  And this was done to remind the people and to celebrate the fact how the Lord provided water for them in the wilderness, “the rock smitten” which of course we know speaks of Jesus. 

(4)                 But on the last day, “the Great Day of the Feast”, the priest would make this processional down to the pool of Siloam but they would not bring back water, instead they would make their way back up to the temple mount where the people were congregating, but there was no water to pour out, signifying historically that there came a time when the supernatural flow of water from the rock stopped, when they got into the promised land.  The manna no longer fell, the stream no longer flowed.

(5)                 And so the great day of the feast was celebrating the fact they made it in and now there was no longer any water supernaturally provided.  And so they would come back this time with empty jars pouring nothing showing that God had brought them into the promised land, and that wasn’t happening in the same way miraculously any longer, but with this twist, as they would pour out their empty jars when no water was being poured out, they would read from the Scripture that spoke of Messiah’s coming: Isaiah 44:3—For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring.  This verse speaks of the Messiah.

(6)                 So they would go to the pool of Siloam which means “the one who is sent” Messiah, so they would come back with empty vessels pouring out nothing around the altar, reminding them of what God had done in the past but also now showing symbolically “send Messiah” the one who is going to pour out water upon those that are thirsty, His Spirit upon the dry ground and then as they said this verse, they had the people bow in silent prayer, praying that Messiah would come that He might pour out His water upon us.  At this moment when it is completely quiet this is when Jesus cried out and said (v.37-38).    

(7)                 The translation of the Greek text here is a little weak; literally what Jesus said was there shall gush torrents of living water.

(8)                 Not just a trickle, not just a stream, but a torrent of living water flowing forth out of your life.

(9)                 From that area of your life that never seems to be satisfied, there now gushes a torrent of living water.

(10)             Jesus was talking about this `epi or the overflowing relationship with the Holy Spirit.

(a)                 More than just the indwelling of the Spirit within the believer.

(b)                More than being filled with the Spirit.

(c)                 More than just overflowing with the Spirit.

(d)                The Spirit gushing forth out of your life like a torrent of living water.

(e)                 Does this describe the relationship that you have with the Holy Spirit?

!!!! b)                  The living water comes from Christ, He alone is its source (John 7:37; Rev.21:6)

(1)                 Jesus’ teaching is a fountain of life.

(a)                 “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63).

(b)                “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (Jn7:37)

(c)                 “I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts” (Rev 21:6)

(d)                “And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev.22:17)

(2)                 The water Jesus gives is the Holy Spirit.  The presence of God’s Spirit in your life takes away the frustrated soul-thirst and turns you into a fountain where others can find.

I.  I Thirst (John 19:28-30).

A. The Suffering of Christ.

1.  Jesus Christ was truly a man.

2.  Jesus Christ can truly understand our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15-16).

B. The Obedience of Christ.

1.  “That the Scripture might be fulfilled…”  (v.28b).

C. The Love of Christ.

1.  “I Thirst…”  (John 19:28).

2.  Living water is the only water that will quench thirst (John 4:13-14).

3.  Living Water – The Feast Day (John 7:37-39).