Pastor Tom Grieb continues our series, "Famous Last Words."

Christ’s fifth word uttered from the cross is just one word in Greek.  In English it’s three.  “I am thirsty.”  The spotlight is not only on Christ’s suffering, which was intense, but on Christ’s humanity.  The fact that Christ was fully human serves to highlight just how intense his suffering really was.  In the mix of that Jesus cried out for something to drink.  Just as you and I get thirsty, Jesus did as well.  In this case Christ’s thirst was borne out of a tremendously excruciating circumstance.
In effect, Christ’s call for something to drink reinforces the fact that we have someone who identifies with us.  In effect, Jesus knows how we feel.  His is not just sympathy, but empathy.  The great thing about Jesus though is that he not only empathizes with us but seeks to meet our every need.  He’s the One who said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.  As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’”  (John 7:38)