"I Thirst"

While on the cross Jesus uttered 7 cries. The first demonstrated Him thinking of others and not Himself - our Lord was selfless and not selfish as many of us tend to be. This trend or thinking of others is continued in the next two cries as He answers the prayer of the penitent thief and as He places His mother in the care of John the disciple. The 4th, or central cry deals with His relationship with the Father as He becomes sin for man and suffers the pains of hell and loss being separated from the Father. The final 3 cries all deal with Himself, His body, soul, and spirit.

Look with me at this simple cry in John 19…

Proposition: Even at the end of His life, when He requests something for Himself, He does it with all of humanity in mind. Interrogative: How can asking to have your thirst quenched have an impact on mankind?

TS: The cry "I thirst" may seem insignificant on its own, but when we consider the following we'll see it was possibly one of the most important cries from the cross. Consider first…

What it followed v. 28a

"After this…"

Jesus was thirsty after spending 3 hours alone in darkness

Warren Wiersbe said "When you combine darkness, thirst, and isolation you have - hell!"

“After this…"

Jesus had spent 6 hours in pain on the cross paying for man's sin

He had forgiven His executioners and those condemned alongside Him

He had provided for His mother

He had endured the pain and loneliness of Hell

What was the result of this agony?

THIRST!

WE cannot forget our Lord was in a human body

Just like we, when we are physically exhausted thirst, so did He!

We must consider what this 4th cry followed, but let's also consider…

Where it was leading v. 28b.

"Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished…"

"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst" The word for "fulfilled" here is teleioo("consummated"). The Lord had been observing one after the other the fulfillment of the Scriptures that foretold various aspects of his suffering. He had been crucified, and his hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16). His enemies had mocked him, using the very words of the psalmist (Psalm 22:8). The soldiers had gambled for his garment (Psalm 22:18). He had been abandoned by God and had cried out (Psalm 22:1).

Jesus knew that the Scriptures were being fulfilled, but one lacked,

Psalm 69:21 KJV 1900

They gave me also gall for my meat; And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

2. "Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished…

Being God, Jesus knew there was more to be said

Being man He could not with a dry throat and parched lips utter the final sayings

Being God He knew how His request would be answered - with vinegar

Being man He gladly accepted the vinegar filled sponge - Jack Pitts, FFPA, diabetic, thirsty on a house fire, with no water available took a bottle of saline from ambulance and used it to satisfy the thirst by wetting his mouth.

We must consider what this 4th cry followed, where it leads and lastly…

Why it was important v. 29c

It was important because it fulfilled Scripture Ps. 69:21

It was important because it demonstrated how accessible Christ was, and is

i. We picture Christ on the cross high above the earth where He could not be reached

His feet were most likely only 3-4 feet from the ground

We picture it difficult to come to Christ when He calls because of some great distance between us

All we must do is kneel before Him in faith

It was important because it demonstrated again the agonies of the cross

It was important because it gave the Lord the much-needed moisture His lips and throat needed so that He might utter His last 2 cries

Conclusion: Why is this cry so important, so pivotal? It demonstrates to us the humanity of the Lord. However, unlike you and I, when Christ asked for a drink to satisfy His parched lips, it wasn't out of selfishness, but out of selflessness. Listen to the words of the song I Thirst:

One day I came to Him, I was so thirsty

I asked for water, my throat was so dry

He gave me water that I have never dreamed of

But for this water, my Lord had to die

[Chorus]

He said, "I thirst," yet He made the rivers

He said, "I thirst," yet He made the sea

"I thirst," said the King of the Ages

In His great thirst, He brought water to me

Now there's a river that flows as clear as crystal

It comes from God's throne above

And like a river, it wells up inside me

Bringing mercy, and life-giving love

Do you thirst after Him today? Perhaps you're thirsty for something more. Maybe you're here and you're thirsty for forgiveness of sin, well what are you waiting for? Come to Christ right now and have your thirst quench finally. Just like the woman at the well, you too can taste of those living waters.