THE WORD OF SUFFERING
JOHN 19:28
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”
Introduction:
This is the fifth word from the lips of Jesus as He hung there on the cross of Calvary. The first was the Word of Forgiveness, the second was the Word of Salvation, the third was the Word of Affection and the fourth was the Word of Anguish. Now we focus on the Lord in the climax of His suffering on the cross. We see in that suffering, the man that God chose to be our Savior. He was 100% Man and 100% God.
I. PROOF THAT JESUS IS GOD AND MAN
A. Jesus advised us, Matthew 11:27, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”
1. Jesus knows the Father face to face.
2. Man knows the Father by faith, not by sight. Faith is the belief of the truth. The Son has revealed the Father to those who have trusted Christ as their Savior, John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
B. Paul speaks of the MYSTERY OF GODLINESS, 1 Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,…”
1. There is no “controversy” here.
2. God has manifested Himself in human flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ.
3. Paul calls this the “mystery of godliness.”
C. The Deity and Humanity of the Savior.
1. He was “the Branch of the LORD,” Isaiah 4:2, “In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.”
2. He was Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
3. He was a Prophet like Moses, Deuteronomy 18:18, “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”
4. He was “the man of sorrows,” Isaiah 53:3a, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:” See also Micah 5:2; Mal. 3:1; Gen. 3:15; 2 Sam. 7:12-13; Isa. 42:1.
D. The One born in Bethlehem was the Divine Word.
1. The “Logos,” the incarnate Word of God, John 1:1, 14. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14-And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
2. Proof of His Sinless Humanity.
a. He entered this world as a babe, Luke 2:7, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
b. He grew in “wisdom and statue,” Luke 2:52, ” And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
c. As a man He experienced fatigue, John 4:6, “Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.”
d. He experienced hunger, Matthew 4:2, “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.”
e. Jesus suffered “thirst,” (our text).
II. THE INTENSITY OF HIS SUFFERING.
A. In previous messages we have seen that Jesus began to suffer the most excruciating agony in the garden of Gethsemane. His Soul was exceeding sorrowful.
1. He was brought before Caiaphas in the middle of the night.
2. Then He was brought before Pilate for a lengthy trail.
3. He was sent to Herod and suffered at the hands of the Roman soldiers.
4. He was returned to Pilate again for another weary delay and a beating.
5. He was sentenced to death and carried His cross to Golgatha.
6. There His hands and feet were nailed to the cross.
7. For three hours He hung there is the blistering sun until midday.
8. At midday God turned out the lights of heaven and there was total darkness upon the earth until 3:00 PM. God could not look upon His Son because He bore my sins.
9. At last He cried, “I thirst.” “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”
III. CHRIST’S DEEP REVERANCE FOR THE WORD OF GOD.
A. Jesus was the “Blessed Man” that meditated in God’s Law “day and night,” Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
1. The written Word was the basis for:
a. The forming of His thoughts.
b. That which filled His heart.
c. That which regulated His walk.
2. The Scriptures were His delight.
a. His defense against temptation.
b. His authority in regard to His teaching.
c. His appeal was ever to the Law and Testimony.
d. In His death-hour His mind dwelt upon the Word of Truth.
B. Jesus Examines Prophecy Concerning Himself.
1. He finds one prophecy remaining to be fulfilled.
a. Jesus was completely self-possessed, that is, in full command of his faculties, feelings, and behavior.
b. After 6 hours on the cross His mind and memory were unimpaired.
2. Jesus says, “I thirst.” Psalm 69:21, “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
a. Jesus had refused a drugged drink, Mark 15:23, “And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.” (Myrrh, a plant’s sap having anesthetic properties.)
IV. JESUS’ SUBMISSION TO THE FATHER’S WILL.
A. In Death as in Life, the Scripture was to the Lord the Authoritative Word of God.
1. Jesus came “that Scripture might be fulfilled.”
2. Here he shows Himself in active obedience to the Father.
B. Jesus went the whole distance to fulfill the Word of God.
1. He was denied cold water and given vinegar.
2. Here we see Him suffering yet.
CONCLUSION
“I thirst” were the words that fulfilled the last of the prophecies regarding the suffering of Jesus on the cross. Our Lord carefully looked to the Word of God so as not to leave anything undone.
I am so glad that nothing was left undone, for my salvation is based on what Jesus did for me on that day.
What did he do for you on that day? Have you received the salvation that He gave His life for on Calvary? Don’t you think it is time you made that decision to trust Christ?