Introduction

Greetings, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. What an honor and privilege it is to gather together as a family, united by our shared faith, to delve into the rich tapestry of God's Word. Today, we turn our hearts and minds to a poignant moment in the narrative of our Lord Jesus Christ's crucifixion as recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter 19, verse 28.

It reads: "Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.'"

These three simple words, "I am thirsty," uttered by our Savior in His final moments on the cross, hold a depth of meaning that we may often overlook. Today, we will take time to reflect on these words, to understand their significance, and to draw from them the life-giving water of wisdom and truth.

Thirsting in Torment

As we look at the crucifixion narrative, we find Jesus on the cross, His body wracked with pain, His spirit burdened with the weight of the world's sin. The physical torment He endured is beyond our comprehension. The Roman method of crucifixion was designed to be a slow, agonizing death. It was a punishment reserved for the worst criminals, a public spectacle meant to deter others from committing similar crimes.

Jesus, the sinless Son of God, was subjected to this brutal form of execution. He was beaten, whipped, and nailed to a cross. His body was pushed to its limits, and in His humanity, He experienced extreme thirst. This was not just a physical thirst, but a spiritual one as well.

In His cry, "I am thirsty," we see Jesus fully embracing His humanity. He was God in human form, and He experienced human needs and human suffering. He knew what it was to be thirsty, to feel the dryness in His throat, the longing for a drink of water. This was a real, physical thirst, a testament to the reality of His human nature.

But this was not just a physical thirst. It was a spiritual thirst as well. Jesus, in His final moments on the cross, was separated from His Father because of the sin He bore on our behalf. He was cut off from the source of living water, experiencing a spiritual thirst that was even more agonizing than His physical thirst.

This thirst, this longing for connection with His Father, was a part of the torment Jesus endured on the cross. He was not just suffering physically, but spiritually as well. He was bearing the weight of our sin, our separation from God, and it was a heavy burden to bear.

The Testament of Thirst

In the context of the crucifixion narrative, Jesus' declaration of thirst serves to highlight His humanity ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO