TreOre "I Thirst" John19:28-29
Series: Lenten Sermons
April 19, 2025
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Good Friday, Tre’ Ore’ Service 5th Word - “I Thirst” 18-April-2025 Sermon Text: Joh 19:28-29 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" (29) Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth....... by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Episode Notes
Good Friday, Tre’ Ore’ Service 5th Word - “I Thirst” 18-April-2025
Sermon Text: Joh 19:28-29 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" (29) Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. The impossible battle was won! One man stood alone against the enemies of God’s children. His own people handed him over to their enemies. They didn’t want trouble - just peace. Peace through continued slavery. Still this one man fought for their freedom! Fought without a sword or spear! Defeated all one by one, until only he was left standing.
Suddenly the thirst of victory is overwhelming. He cries out to the Lord God to slake his thirst lest he die. The Lord God provides for His warrior… history records, Jdg 15:18-19 Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the LORD and said, "You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?" (19) So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore he called its name En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.” At Ramath Lehi the Lord God delivered His children from their Philistine oppressors through the hand of Samson armed with only a donkey’s jawbone.
A greater than Samson fights for you! Betrayed by His own apostle. Handed over by His own people to their oppressors. They cry out for His crucifixion. Still Jesus fights for them! He fights for you! Like Judas we sell Him out for wealth that thieves break in and steal. Like Peter we deny even knowing Him to fit into the crowds. We don’t want to be deplatformed. Like Caiaphas we scapegoat Him to remain #1 – in power of our own body and life. Like Pilate we ignore justice appeasing mobs. Like the brutal Roman soldiers we beat Him to a pulp mocking Him for His weakness as we ignore the hungry, poor, maim, lame, and blind. Like the Sanhedrin we trample His blood underfoot playing with our own pet sins - imaging we’ve tamed them. Still Jesus wages this battle FOR YOU!
The three hour darkness abates a new day dawns. History records, Joh 19:28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" The battle for justice has been won in the holy precious blood and the innocent suffering of Jesus. The God-Man has used the weapon of the cursed tree to crush Satan’s head. Physically He is exhausted. Traumatic shock fills us with thirst. Jesus’ thirst, like Samson’s, is one of victory not of defeat or weakness.
Satan deceived our first father Adam with the lie of seizing power to become our own gods through eating of the forbidden tree. Jesus takes Adam’s place, your place, my place, the place of every human being as the Cursed One! The Lord God lays on His only begotten Son all humanity’s sin. There in the darkness as God the Father abandons Him and Satan accuses Him of being the Accursed One. Jesus endures hell’s torment as He fights the battle FOR YOU!
He wins! All is accomplished! The victory won! We are rescued from sin, Satan, the world, and yes...even our own fallen flesh. Salvation isn’t a remodeling project. Jesus doesn’t begin salvation leaving you to complete it. He fulfills it all FOR YOU! Hear and learn – He thirsts to fulfill all righteousness FOR YOU! He will not leave one prophesy unfilled – one transgression unpaid for – one law not completed by Him FOR YOU! The Scriptures must be fulfilled by our Victor. He cries to His Father, “I Thirst!” Behold! The Spirit breaks the rock hard heart of the Roman guards through the Word Jesus preached through His pain. Joh 19:29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.” The three hours of pitch black darkness hadn’t soften the hearts of Jesus’ own countrymen. Still they mock, Matthew 27:49 The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him." Jesus has saved Elijah and even those who pierced Him. God the Father opens up a spring through His Son by the Spirit in Jesus’ living Word. Jesus drinks the sour wine FOR YOU! The bitterness is His that your spiritual thirst be quenched baptismal water’s sweetness. You are blessed for Jesus hungers and thirsts for you! He makes you righteous by His thirst! His suffering is FOR YOU!
Three years earlier at the feast of tabernacles Jesus preached, Joh 7:37-39 ....., "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. (38) He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." (39) But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. All is fulfilled! Let His blood be the sweet drink indeed washing away all your sins, filling you by the Holy Spirit with His Life! Assuring you of salvation victory! From our crucified and living Savior the water life flows to the world – to you – to me! Drink deeply within His Church! This is the reality of Christ’s cross - when St. John saw you sitting here in this congregation on this Good Friday...Revelation 7:17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Amen.
Sermon Text: Joh 19:28-29 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" (29) Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. The impossible battle was won! One man stood alone against the enemies of God’s children. His own people handed him over to their enemies. They didn’t want trouble - just peace. Peace through continued slavery. Still this one man fought for their freedom! Fought without a sword or spear! Defeated all one by one, until only he was left standing.
Suddenly the thirst of victory is overwhelming. He cries out to the Lord God to slake his thirst lest he die. The Lord God provides for His warrior… history records, Jdg 15:18-19 Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the LORD and said, "You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?" (19) So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore he called its name En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.” At Ramath Lehi the Lord God delivered His children from their Philistine oppressors through the hand of Samson armed with only a donkey’s jawbone.
A greater than Samson fights for you! Betrayed by His own apostle. Handed over by His own people to their oppressors. They cry out for His crucifixion. Still Jesus fights for them! He fights for you! Like Judas we sell Him out for wealth that thieves break in and steal. Like Peter we deny even knowing Him to fit into the crowds. We don’t want to be deplatformed. Like Caiaphas we scapegoat Him to remain #1 – in power of our own body and life. Like Pilate we ignore justice appeasing mobs. Like the brutal Roman soldiers we beat Him to a pulp mocking Him for His weakness as we ignore the hungry, poor, maim, lame, and blind. Like the Sanhedrin we trample His blood underfoot playing with our own pet sins - imaging we’ve tamed them. Still Jesus wages this battle FOR YOU!
The three hour darkness abates a new day dawns. History records, Joh 19:28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" The battle for justice has been won in the holy precious blood and the innocent suffering of Jesus. The God-Man has used the weapon of the cursed tree to crush Satan’s head. Physically He is exhausted. Traumatic shock fills us with thirst. Jesus’ thirst, like Samson’s, is one of victory not of defeat or weakness.
Satan deceived our first father Adam with the lie of seizing power to become our own gods through eating of the forbidden tree. Jesus takes Adam’s place, your place, my place, the place of every human being as the Cursed One! The Lord God lays on His only begotten Son all humanity’s sin. There in the darkness as God the Father abandons Him and Satan accuses Him of being the Accursed One. Jesus endures hell’s torment as He fights the battle FOR YOU!
He wins! All is accomplished! The victory won! We are rescued from sin, Satan, the world, and yes...even our own fallen flesh. Salvation isn’t a remodeling project. Jesus doesn’t begin salvation leaving you to complete it. He fulfills it all FOR YOU! Hear and learn – He thirsts to fulfill all righteousness FOR YOU! He will not leave one prophesy unfilled – one transgression unpaid for – one law not completed by Him FOR YOU! The Scriptures must be fulfilled by our Victor. He cries to His Father, “I Thirst!” Behold! The Spirit breaks the rock hard heart of the Roman guards through the Word Jesus preached through His pain. Joh 19:29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.” The three hours of pitch black darkness hadn’t soften the hearts of Jesus’ own countrymen. Still they mock, Matthew 27:49 The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him." Jesus has saved Elijah and even those who pierced Him. God the Father opens up a spring through His Son by the Spirit in Jesus’ living Word. Jesus drinks the sour wine FOR YOU! The bitterness is His that your spiritual thirst be quenched baptismal water’s sweetness. You are blessed for Jesus hungers and thirsts for you! He makes you righteous by His thirst! His suffering is FOR YOU!
Three years earlier at the feast of tabernacles Jesus preached, Joh 7:37-39 ....., "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. (38) He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." (39) But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. All is fulfilled! Let His blood be the sweet drink indeed washing away all your sins, filling you by the Holy Spirit with His Life! Assuring you of salvation victory! From our crucified and living Savior the water life flows to the world – to you – to me! Drink deeply within His Church! This is the reality of Christ’s cross - when St. John saw you sitting here in this congregation on this Good Friday...Revelation 7:17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Amen.
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