Jn. 19:28-29- “I thirst,” - Only found in John
- It is the shortest of the words that Jesus speaks from the cross. In Greek it is just one word, dipso
There's an old "Kingston Trio" (Kingston Trio was formed in 1957 ) Tom Dooley, Lemon Tree, This Land is Your Land
– Brought American folk music into the mainstream
- In 1963 "Desert Pete came out about an old gold prospector "
- The story goes that he had sunk a well, in the middle of a desert. He had hooked up an old water pump to it, but, realizing it would be out in the heat all day, it's "leather" suction fitting would dry out. So, he hid a jug of water under a rock nearby. He tied a small can to the handle, and in the can he placed a note. (The note read:)
"To whom it concerns,
You've got to 'Prime the Pump', you must have faith, and believe! You've got to give of yourself, before you're worthy to receive!"
The note told the reader where to find the jug of water, but, it cautioned him "Don't go drinking it first" but, to "give it up", to pour it into the Pump, "then pump like mad, and buddy you'll quench your thirst!"
If the reader would follow the instructions, and pour the water into the pump, to wet the leather, and to Prime the Pump, then there would be more than enough water, to drink, and to refill the jug. The note went on: "Drink all the water you can hold, wash your face to your feet, leave the bottle full for others,.. thank ya kindly, Desert Pete!"
I THIRST
❶. Identifying Thirst
- Not the first time thirsty
- Women at the well “Give me to drink”
- It shows his humanity
- Human suffering
- A cry of agony
Jesus has been hanging on the cross for six hours (cf. Mark 15:25, 34).
- The combination of Jesus' loss of blood, his exhaustion, his nervous tension, and his exposure to the weather has generated a raging thirst.
-Jesus' cry, "I thirst," was not a polite and quiet request for a glass of water.
- THIRST - Parched, Craving to be satisfied, Desperate for a drink
- To be able to cry aloud “It is Finished”
Revelation 22:17 (AV)
… Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
❷ . Humiliating Thirst
- Created Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, Fountains of water
- Commands every storm cloud
- Counts every rain drop
- Could supply a banquet with wine
- Could feed multitudes with bread
- Jesus was offered two drinks
- The first He refused. Was just after 9:00
Matthew 27:34 (AV)
34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink
- "Gall" was poisonous liver bile. It was mixed with sweet wine and given to deaden the pain of dying. When they offered it to Jesus, He refused it. He was unwilling to dull the pain with narcotics or poison. He would faithfully and fully endure the pain
- The second around 3:00
John 19:29 (AV)
29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
- Gave “sour wine” ESV, NET, HCSB
- Made by fermenting with yeast (leavened)
- Yeast or leaven in the Bible is a symbol of sin
- Jesus taking the sins of the world into His body
- Hyssop was used to apply the blood to the doorposts
- Exodus 12:22 the hyssop branch was used to spread the blood of the lamb over the doors to protect the Jewish people during the night of the Passover
- Hyssop was also used in cleansing
- Remember this is Feast of the Passover.
- A hyssop branch was used to bring the sponge of vinegar (sour wine) to His mouth to show the cleansing and purification that was about to take place with Christ blood that was shed
- The end of this stalk pointed to the blood of the Lamb
- Jesus took this drink, taking the sins of the world into him
❸ . Intense Thirst
- Zacchaeus “Chief amon the publicans”
Luke 19:10 (AV)
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
- He thirsted to pluck us from the jaws of hell
- He thirsted to pay our redemption price
- He thirsted to set us free from eternal condemnation
- Now His work is done
- His desire was to be with the Father
Psalm 42:1–2 (AV)
1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
❹. Quenching Our Thirst
- Chasing the mirage of life
Sir Samuel Baker relates the following incident: “Many years ago, when Egyptian troops first conquered Nubia, a regiment (1000 men) was destroyed by thirst in crossing the Nubian desert. The men, being upon a limited allowance of water, suffered from extreme thirst, and, deceived by the appearance of a mirage that exactly resembled a beautiful lake, they insisted on being taken to its banks by the Arab guide.
It was in vain that the guide assured them that the lake was unreal, and he refused to lose precious time by wandering from his course. Words led to blows, and he was killed by the soldiers, whose lives depended upon his guidance.
At length the delusion vanished—the fatal lake had turned to burning sand! Raging thirst and horrible despair! the pathless desert and the murdered guide! Lost! lost! all lost! Not a man ever left the desert, but they were subsequently discovered, parched and withered corpses, by the Arabs sent upon the search.
- We are not unlike this regiment
- Our thirst cry is for fulfillment, satisfaction,
- Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes of chasing the wind
- Found in Jesus
John 6:35 (AV)
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
John 4:14 (AV)
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
