Good Friday Presbyterian Devotion: I Thirst - John 19 v 28

John 19:28     Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." NIV

If you were to ask about forty households over in Tazewell, just outside of Knoxville, what they would like for Easter, they would probably answer you with two words: clean water.

It seems so unreal to me that we have people living on our doorstep in the richest nation in the world who still do not have clean running tap water. You would think that with so many progressive technologies in the world that we would have solved this problem in East Tennessee long ago. And yet, despite having an amazing 21^st century technology corridor in Oakridge, there are still families within a forty minute drive of the ORNL who have water systems that belong to the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

Clean water, more than anything else in this nation of ours, should be a human right. In fact, clean water should be a human right throughout the entire globe because more people die each year from dirty contaminated water than from any disease, sickness, war, or natural disaster. Water is a basic necessity for all of us. Without water, we cannot live.

When Christ is dying painfully on the Cross, He is losing blood at a remarkable rate. It is seeping out of His body and gravity is painfully pulling it down to the foot of the Cross. He is dying horribly in the noon day sun. The heat is intolerable and the pain is excruciating; Jesus has become badly dehydrated and so He thirsts.

But Christ is also aware that he is dying, so what is the point of expressing His thirst. Does He want to temporarily relieve His agony, or is this another subtle temptation from Satan to try to get Jesus to use His power to quench His thirst, just as the Devil had tried to get Him to make bread out of stones at the beginning of His ministry? What better time for Satan to tempt Christ as He is suffering terribly on the Cross. I can even hear the Devil whispering in Christ’s ear: if You are the Son of God, then turn your salty blood-stained tears into cool refreshing water.

But Jesus will not succumb to this temptation either. He thirsts, but not for a cool sip of cold water; Christ thirsts for God. He thirsts for that living water, that eternal relationship, that everlasting bond between Himself and His Father in heaven. The Cross will not break that bridge and death will not overwhelm His hope. When Christ says “I thirst” I believe He is actually saying to God: I want more – I want more of Your presence in my life – I want more of Your love – I want more of being with You beyond death.

One life with one death is not enough for Christ. He wants everlasting life, so this is the most amazing prayer in all of human history: when Christ says “I thirst” He is asking God to open up humanity to the promises and experience of everlasting life. And if God relents and gives this to His Only begotten Son, then how can God refuse to give it to Christ’s people? This is the moment when humanity breaks through into the realms of eternity. Because Christ thirsts and asks for more, we who believe in Him, are given the same glorious and eternal opportunity.

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we thirst for You and Your righteousness in our lives. We thank You for enduring the Cross and for providing us with the opportunity of everlasting life. We know that we do not deserve such amazing love. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully and humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.