Final Words of the Lamb of God - #3 - Anguish

3. The Word of Physical Anguish

John 19:28

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!”

Forsaken of God the physical anguish begins to set in. The desert travelers of the East will tell you that when they have endured the pain of thirst, they would give all the gold on earth for even a single drop of water.

Luke 16 tells the story of the beggar Lazarus, who lay ill daily at the gates of the rich man who lived sumptuously. Both died, Lazarus being carried to the bosom of Abraham, and the rich man to the torments of hell. The tormented man lifted his eyes to gaze across that great impassible gulf, begging that the tip of Lazarus’ finger might be dipped in water and placed on his tongue to ease for even a second the torment he endured.

 Psalm 69 records the prophecy of Christ's own physical torment on the cross:

3 I am weary with my crying;

 My throat is dry;

 My eyes fail while I wait for my God.

20 Reproach has broken my heart,

 And I am full of heaviness;

 I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none;

 And for comforters, but I found none.

21 They also gave me gall for my food,

 And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Jesus became sin for the salvation of sinners. The Suffering Savior endured the torments of wretched humanity and there was none who could give relieve His suffering in that horrible moment. 

One of the great privileges and challenges of being a pastor is to bring comfort to those who are hurting. The privilege is that I am many times allowed to be the presence of Christ to people whom I would not be otherwise so that I can comfort them. The challenge is that I so often want to do so much more, and feel quite helpless. This is when I must rest on my faith in God that He can and does what I cannot. 

Standing at the welfare line, I can't feed all those hurting people, but God can.

Standing in the broken home, I can't reconcile a marriage, but God can.

Standing in the hospital room, I can't heal anyone, but God can.

Standing at the graveside, I can't fill the void left behind, but God can.

Oh God can, and He does. Why? Because Jesus hung on the cross. He has felt our pain. He has born our burdens and known anguish in body and soul. He sympathizes with us.

So what can we do? Be the presence of Christ. Offer comfort whenever and wherever you can. Be compassionate and kind to the least of these.

Jesus says tells His church, “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Mark 9:1

Would you not have willingly offered that cup of water to Jesus as He hung on the cross? Surely you would. Okay, then offer to a thirsty person who lives in your own neighborhood. 

Let us not add to the misery of this world, but relieve its suffering in the name of Christ.