Thirsty
This morning we will continue our study on the sayings of Jesus from the cross. Today we come the fifth statement of Jesus. It is found in the gospel of John chapter nineteen. Please follow along as I read:
Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, "I am thirsty." A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. John 19:28-29 (NASB)
It had been a long day for Jesus. He had been arrested in the middle of the night. He had been bounced around from one court to another. He had been slapped around - pushed around - mocked. A crown of thorns had been placed on His head. They had used rods to beat the thorns into His scalp. He had been whipped. He had been beaten. They made him carry the cross. They nailed the nails into his hands and into his feet. Not for one second did he have a moment’s rest. Not for one moment had anybody offered him anything to drink - and now He says, "I am thirsty."
No wonder he was thirsty. There was the loss of blood. There was exposure to the elements - the wind, the heat, the sun. He had been on the cross now for 6 hours. Sweat rolls off him in buckets. It’s hot and it's dry and He says:
"I am thirsty."
Do you know what this statement shows me. It shows me:
I. The Humanity of Christ
Have any of you ever been thirsty? I have too. To be thirsty is common to us humans - isn't it?
Jesus was fully God - but I must never forget that He was fully human too. He lived in a body of flesh and blood just like each of us do. He knew what it was to experience pain. He knew what it was like to experience loneliness, sadness, joy, and anger. Jesus felt the same emotions and experienced the same feelings that all of us do! John chapter one puts it this way:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God............ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-2; 14 (NASB)
He became flesh - just like you and I - with all the emotions - with all the wants - needs that we as humans have. The book of Philippians says it this way:
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2:5-7 (NASB)
He was made into the likeness of men. He was made like you and me. He took on flesh and bone. And because He is fully human - we have this promise in the book of Hebrews:
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 (NASB)
Also from the book of Hebrews we find:
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. Hebrews 2:9 (NASB)
He became flesh and bone and because of that fact - He experienced the same physical needs that you and I experience. He became thirsty.
But let's not overlook:
II. The Sovereignty of Christ
As I think about this saying, I am aware that Jesus cried of thirst because He was truly thirsty. But that is hard for me to comprehend. Why? Because it is Christ who created the streams - the rivers - the lakes - and even the oceans. All the water of the world was created by Him. Do you recall the verses that we read in John chapter one. Let's read John again and look also at verse three:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. John 1:1-3 (NASB)
Jesus is the creator of the universe - He made all things. Or what about the verses in Colossians which say:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him.
Colossians 1:15-16 (NASB)
Do you recall the first miracle that Jesus performed? Do you remember what it was? He turned the water into wine. And now hanging on the cross He says, "I am thirsty." Isn't that a profound thought? All the water in the universe was created by Him and now He is thirsty.
But that's not all. Did you know that on two different occasions Jesus declared that those who drank of His water would never thirst again. In John it says:
"Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." John 4:14 (NASB)
Later in John it says:
"I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst." John 6:35 NASB
And yet He - as He is hanging on the cross says, "I am thirsty." How can this be? The book of Philippians tells us:
Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:8 (NASB)
"He humbled Himself" He gave up His godly powers and submitted to obedience - even to the point of death. Death on a cross.
But let's not overlook:
III. The Fulfilled Prophecies of Christ
Let's go back and look again at our text this morning:
Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, "I am thirsty." John 19:28 (NASB)
Jesus knew that all things were now accomplished. He had endured hours of torment. He had endured hours of suffering. He had not side stepped any of His responsibilities. He had not sought to avoid the cross. It was then and only then that Jesus asked for a drink. Only then did He say, "I am thirsty."
Do you recall that last week we talked briefly about Jesus fulfilling prophecies of the Old testament? Do you recall that we looked at Psalm twenty-two where it said:
They pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots. Psalms 22:16b-18 (NASB)
They pierced His hands and His feet - they divided His garments and cast lots for His cloak. All of that has been fulfilled. But that is not all. There are over three hundred prophecies in the Bible about Jesus.
This is only one of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled - the list goes on and on. Below I have put some of the prophecies down for you to look up later. I encourage you to do that when you get home.
Prophecies About Jesus
Messiah would be born of a woman. Genesis 3:15 Matthew 1:20
Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 Matthew 2:1
Messiah would be born of a virgin. Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:22-23
Messiah would be heir to King David's throne. 2 Samuel 7:12-13 Luke 1:32-33
Messiah would be called Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:23
Messiah would spend a season in Egypt. Hosea 11:1 Matthew 2:14-15
A massacre of children would happen at Messiah's birthplace. Jeremiah 31:15 Matthew 2:16-18
A messenger would prepare the way for Messiah Isaiah 40:3-5 Luke 3:3-6
Messiah would be preceded by Elijah. Malachi 4:5-6 Matthew 11:13-14
Messiah would be declared the Son of God. Psalm 2:7 Matthew 3:16-17
Messiah would be betrayed. Psalm 41:9 Luke 22:47-48
Messiah's price money would be used to buy a potter's field. Zechariah 11:12-13 Matthew 27:9-10
Messiah would be falsely accused. Psalm 35:11 Mark 14:57-58
Messiah would be silent before his accusers. Isaiah 53:7 Mark 15:4-5
Messiah would be spat upon and struck. Isaiah 50:6 Matthew 26:67
Messiah would be hated without cause. Psalm 35:19 John 15:24-25
Messiah would be crucified with criminals. Isaiah 53:12 Matthew 27:38
Messiah would be given vinegar to drink. Psalm 69:21 Matthew 27:34
Messiah's hands and feet would be pierced. Psalm 22:16 John 20:25-27
Messiah would be mocked and ridiculed. Psalm 22:7-8 Luke 23:35
Soldiers would gamble for Messiah's garments. Psalm 22:18 Luke 23:34
Messiah's bones would not be broken. Exodus 12:46 John 19:33-36
Messiah would be forsaken by God. Psalm 22:1 Matthew 27:46
Messiah would pray for his enemies. Psalm 109:4 Luke 23:34
Soldiers would pierce Messiah's side. Zechariah 12:10 John 19:34
Messiah would be buried with the rich. Isaiah 53:9 Matthew 27:57-60
Messiah would resurrect from the dead. Psalm 16:10 Matthew 28:2-7
Messiah would be a sacrifice for sin. Isaiah 53:5-12 Romans 5:6-8
In his book, Science Speaks, Peter Stoner applies the modern science of probability to just eight prophecies regarding Christ. He says, “The chance that any man might have ...fulfilled all eight prophecies is one in 10 to the 17th. That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.” (one hundred quadrillion).
Stoner suggests that “we take 10 to the 17th silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state 2 feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly... Blindfold a man and tell him he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up that one marked silver dollar. What chance would he have of getting the right one?”
Stoner concludes, “Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing those eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man,...providing they wrote them in their own wisdom.”
After everything had been accomplished. After everything had been fulfilled. Jesus said, "I am thirsty."
