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The Last Words of Jesus Christ
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsAs death drew near on that Passover day, Jesus Christ, in His profound agony on the stake, expressed a human need that underscored His true fleshly nature. He spoke of His thirst, a simple yet poignant request to the crowd and soldiers who stood by, waiting for His end. Though He could have endured silently until death, He chose to ask for a drink, fulfilling an ancient prophecy and demonstrating His awareness of the scriptures concerning Himself. This act revealed the stark irony of the One who is the spiritual Water of life now suffering physical thirst. Jesus had previously refused pain-deadening wine offered to the crucified, yet in this moment, He sought relief from those who despised Him. A soldier responded, providing sour wine—vinegar mixed with water—commonly used to quench thirst among soldiers. Though it did not fully satisfy Him, it moistened His lips enough for Him to proclaim His triumph. This expression of thirst was further proof of His humanity, showing the real suffering He endured, and it left a profound impact on many present, including the hardened soldiers who witnessed His unique response to such torment.
Final Words of Jesus on the Cross
Sermon by Clyde FinkleaAs Jesus Christ hung on the cross, enduring immense suffering, He uttered seven significant statements, reflecting the completeness and perfection associated with the number seven in Scripture. Among these final words, His fifth statement revealed His physical torment and the fulfillment of prophecy. In the midst of total darkness from noon to three o'clock, He declared His thirst, as recorded in John 19, consciously aware of fulfilling the details of prophecy. This moment of thirst, foretold in Psalm 22:15, underscored His human suffering as soldiers offered Him vinegar on a sponge via a hyssop plant stalk, which He drank. This act not only highlighted His physical agony but also symbolized His role as the true Lamb at Passover, with hyssop being used in the Passover ceremony. Through this, He bore the weight of humanity's sins, taking on the punishment and pain alone, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to His mission even in the darkest hour.
Scripture Fulfilled in Christ's Death
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsIn the midst of His intense suffering on the cross, Jesus Christ cried out, "I thirst," fulfilling the prophecy of Psalm 69:21 as recorded in John 19:28-29. This act was not merely a response to physical agony but a deliberate fulfillment of Scripture, demonstrating His commitment to align every detail of His life and death with God's will. John emphasizes the reality of Christ's humanity and suffering, noting that Jesus felt genuine thirst during His crucifixion. Initially, His enemies offered Him sour wine mixed with gall and myrrh, which He refused, unwilling to dull His pain or mind. However, toward the close of His ordeal, when vinegar was brought in response to His cry, He received it, ensuring the prophecy was completed. This moment of physical thirst also carries a deeper significance, reflecting the spiritual thirst for righteousness that believers are called to embody, even in the face of suffering. Jesus' active participation in fulfilling this prophecy reveals His dedication to God's plan, showing that faith involves not only belief but also action to bring about the divine purpose.