I, Thirst. One of the last seven words of Christ.

John 19:28-29; Luke 23:34, 23:43; John 19:26-27; Matthew 27:46; 1 Corinthians 15:55; John 4:14, 7:38; Philippians 2:8; Matthew 5:6

We are walking in today:  I, Thirst.  One of the last seven words of Christ.
John 19:28-29 28) After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29) Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.  On the out skirts of Jerusalem, over looking the garbage dump, Jesus was crucified--on rough cut timbers with iron spikes.  The day began with a mock trial and the scourging of victims--Pilate had Jesus scourged by the Roman soldiers, it was not humane.  A lictor was an officer, trained  in the proper administration of this punishment.  The position of a lictor was usually held by officers who attended the magistrates and assisted them in the execution of justice.  In this punishment, the victim was stripped and tied to low stone column and he picked up his flagellum, which was composed of a short circular piece of wood to which was attached several strips of leather.  Each strip had pieces of bone, pieces of iron chains, nails, fish-like hooks, claws and glass sown to it.  According to the law there was no set number of stripes to be administered or to what point of the body upon which it could be inflected.  The lictor took up his position about six feet behind, Jesus.  The flagellum was brought all the way back and whistled forward and made a drum down sound as the strikes of the leather smashed against the back of the ribcage.  The bits of bones and the chain curled around the right side of the body and raised small semi-circle marks on the chest.  Again and again and again--the flagellum came back slightly lower each time and crashed against the skin and flesh of Jesus.  In a slow heavy pulsating rhythm, the victim of such beatings was often beat to death.  If not, he was a bloody pulp when the lictor had finished with his body.  After being paraded through the streets, Jesus was lead, surrounded by four Roman soldiers, to the executioner, who laid the cross beam behind Jesus and brought Him to the ground--quickly by grasping His arm and pulling Him backwards.  As soon as Jesus fell , the beam was fitted under the back of His neck, on each side the soldiers quickly knelt on the inside of His elbow, Jesus gave no resistance and said nothing, but He groaned as well as He fell on the back of His head, splinters of wood tore and ripped at His scalp.  Once began, this matter was done quickly and efficiently.  With His right hand, the executioner pulled the wrist of Jesus to find the hollow spot between the radius and ulna bones in the arm.  The executioner then took a nail and held it against that spot and raised the hammer--over the nail head and brought it down with force.  Two soldiers grabbed each side of the cross beam and lifted.  As they pulled up the beam they drew Jesus by the wrists.  With every breath, He groaned.  When the soldiers reached the site, the cross beam was affixed to an upright beam.  The cross beam was lifted higher and higher until the feet were no longer touching the ground.  At this point, the body must be writhing with pain.  Jesus had been enduring this kind of suffering on the cross for about 3 hours, from 9am to noon.  Throughout all of the commotion, surrounding the cross we have heard that Jesus kept praying  Father, forgive them for they know what they do (Luke 23:34).  The criminals, that are crucified with Him, even get caught up for a time with the hostile crowd, that was sneering at Jesus.  They were shouting out with the crowed assembled before them.  He saved others, let Him save Himself, if this is the Messiah, the Chosen One.  And yet another shouted if you are the King of the Jews, save yourself and us!  One of the criminals came to his senses, as he observed the Divine Suffer, enduring the sins of others and kept saying, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus--remember me when you come into the kingdom.  Jesus, remember me!  After sometime, once and for all with no repetition He responds--Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.  At some point during the 3 hours of the suffering, the Apostle John and four women drew nearer to the cross.  Jesus' mother was with them.  John 19:26-27 26) When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27) Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.  Towards the end of the 3 hours of the quiet darkness, that surrounded the city, the scene: Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?   I am thirsty.  It is finished.  Father into Thine hands, I commit My Spirit!
I don't know about you this morning, but I serve a risen Savior!  A Savior that they whipped all night long, because of Good Friday, He lives!  This is what really happened to Jesus as they spit on Him, divided His clothes, while being crucified, said the last seven words, Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.  This is why we have to walk in forgiveness!  Why there is no condemnation. Tell someone that if it was not for Calvary, the shedding of blood, where would you be?  1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  Because He died, we can live!  God paid it all, all to Him we owe!  Can't nobody suffer like Jesus!  Can't nobody forgive like Jesus!  Call on the God of reconciliation for your marriage to be restored!  Call on Jehovah Jireh, He is our provider, not the money!!  This is about the cross, must Jesus bear the cross alone and the whole world go free?  No there is a cross for you to bear, a cross for you and me.  He bore the cross is why there is no condemnation--that shedding of the perfect sacrifice has washed us and restored us back to the Father!  Hallelujah!  That is why we can seal it in the blood, the perfect, matchless blood of Christ!  We are to be a living sacrifice, we will suffer, a nail in a sure place, apply the blood, today, I, thirst.  He is a living water--John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.   John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  Fiveamprayer that is why we hunger and thirst after Him, who was able to walk the earth without sin?  Who has restored us to the Father because of His obedience--Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Can you imagine--there are many ways to die, but it was necessary for this all to happen because it was in God's plan.  The death of the cross was one of the most painful ways to die.  Thank You Jesus for standing in our steed to pay the debt that we could never pay!  He is living water!  God's word tells us that, Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.  Fiveamprayer, we are all thirsty for a word from God.  Thank You for showing up mighty in our lives and letting us know what to do!  Jesus paid it all, all to Him we owe!!  Hallelujah God!  He did it for me!  I thirst--get up early every morning to hear a word from God.  He has gone to prepare a place for us, He left us with the comforter!  We have the Spirit of the Lord, and have been given dominion over the devil.  We have the power to trample all over serpents.  You should be excited for what God has done for you!  Hallelujah God!  I thirst!  For more and more of Him and less and less of me!  Hallelujah God!  Thank You Lord for Calvary!  Surly He died on Calvary!  It is finished!  Thank You for the last seven words of Christ.  Hallelujah God!  You got to truly get a picture of forgiveness.  They spit on Him, punched Him, whipped Him, mocked Him and nailed Him to the cross.  While He was yet hanging on the cross, He asks the Father to forgive them, they know not what they do.  How many of us are looking to forgive those who are mistreating us while in the mist of the actual abuse?  God is not asking us to do more than Him--we must forgive to be forgiven, let not your prayers be hindered!!   Forgiving others helps you to be able to move on and place your focus on better things, thing that are lovely and are of a good report.  So how can it be that we can not forgive others for much smaller offenses, than what Jesus suffered!?  Jesus taught us in the Lord's prayer that we are to ask for forgiveness of our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Is anybody thirsty this morning?  They that hunger and thirst after righteousness, shall be filled.  Thank You Lord for filling us with more and more of You!  The water is just running over, a river flowing from your belly.  Our God is a God of reconciliation, it is He who mends marriages.  He is our Jehovah Rapha, we can stand on His word, by His stripes we are already healed!  Some of us were going through so much that we thought that we would go crazy--He is a keeper, with your mind stayed on Him!  Look to He who gives peace that surpasses all understanding!  Gaze upon He who gives joy unspeakable!  I thirst!  He needed a word from God, He needed living water.  You need a word?  Well done, good and faithful servant!  O the blood of Jesus, done signed my name!  Don't get in fear, we were not given that.  It is not in our DNA!  Look to God for a word--He pours out on us no greater love!  For He so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son!  Thank You Lord!  Praise Your name!  It is His perfect love that cast out all fear!  That same love covers a multitude of sins!  We commit our spirits into His hands, we are to worship You in spirit and in truth!  Crucify your flesh as Jesus was nailed to the cross.  Thank You God!  Resurrection weekend-- gooder and gooder Friday!  They are remembering what You suffered for us!  That You did not say a word--thank You!  We wanna say, He lives!  We repent and ask for forgiveness, that You forgive us with no condemnation--casting our sins into the sea!  Teach us Lord, how to forgive as Jesus was yet hanging on the cross pleading for those who placed Him there, to be forgiven by the Father!

We write in the blood, there is power of agreement and in unity there is commanded blessings:  I am thirsty, fill me Lord, to the overflow!
Welcome to the overflow...
He lives!  Our Savior lives!  He give us joy unspeakable, He has all power of heaven and earth in His hands.  When you go into the house on Sunday, you better start praising Him!  Praise Him like never before!  I am thirsty, fill me to the overflow!  Be thirsty all weekend, calling out to God to fill you!  Have a supernatural weekend!  Yea and Amen!