287 – Word Of Suffering

Illustrate Humor: Based on a True story – church in Romania – God tells a new pastor to stand at window of an elderly lady from his church and yell…” repent or go to hell” This lady was a highly influential person in the church and has been a member for over 30 years… when the young pastor did it – she became irate and had a board meeting and they fired the pastor. Soon two men walked into a Sunday service to give their lives to Jesus… they asked them how did they hear of Jesus – and they said, we were hiding in an attic of a lady’s apartment ready to harm her and rob her when we heard a voice yelling at us… :repent or go to hell.”

1 PP SLIDE: Sermon Study 287 – WORD OF SUFFERING

2 PP SLIDE: Key Passage: John 19:28-29 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." [29] A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.

Ø The human body is ⅔ water.

Ø The body absorbs cold water faster than hot water.

Ø By the time you are 70-years-old, you will have required 1½ million gallons of water.

Ø Studies show that increasing water consumption can decrease fat deposits. Water is a natural appetite suppressant.

Ø If you loose 2% of your body’s water supply, your energy will decrease by 20%. A 10% decrease in water, you will be unable to walk, and a 20% decrease – you’re dead.

3 PP SLIDE: 1. Why did Jesus say “I am thirsty?”

 John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

Note 1: Before Jesus declared His thirst – He declared His separation from God the Father.

 Mark 15:34 (from Psalm 22:1) - And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Was Jesus expressing His natural, biological need of water? With all the other agonizing and painful torture of the nails, thorns, stripes… why would Jesus concentrate on His need of water? Was it His body crying out for the need of water? Or was it His soul crying out for the Lord’s presence?

4 PP SLIDE: 2. Which Scriptures were being fulfilled?

 Psalm 42:1b-2 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. [2] My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

 Psalm 63:1b - O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

 Psalm 69:21 - They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.

5 PP SLIDE: 3. What is the cost of this water?

 Isaiah 55:1-2 - "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. [2] Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

 Rev 21:6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.

 Rev 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.