Resurrection for the Thirsty

Welcome to episode 5 of the Seven Last Sayings of I AM That I AM. In this episode, we will discuss Jesus’ fifth saying as he died on the cross, paired with His fifth I AM statement.

The fifth statement Jesus made while dying on the cross is found in John 19:28. It reads, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished to fulfill the Scripture, said, 'I am thirsty.'This statement is also recorded in Matthew 27:34 and Mark 15:23.

Jesus thirsts, yet He is the living water.

Thirst is often discussed in the Bible in both literal and spiritual terms. For example, in Isaiah 55:1, it states, “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. "

And then in Matthew 5:6 reads “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. "

Jesus says in John 7:37-38 If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

John 4:14 says that whoever drinks the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

Revelation 7:17 tells us that the Lamb [Jesus is] in the center of the throne will be our shepherd [keep in mind Jesus already told us He is the good Shepherd], and He will guide us to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 21:6 says: Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.

And then in Revelation 22:17 we read: The Spirit and the bride will say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

In the flesh, Jesus was thirsty; He is the living water, and yet, He is thirsty. There comes a time in every believer's life, as they are crucifying the flesh, that they must reconcile their flesh and spirit: what they feel and what they know. That we feel has to come into line, it has to be reconciled with what we know to be true. The truth that has been established by God. Jesus knew He was the living water and yet His body was thirsty. He did not ignore the fact that He was thirsty. He acknowledged it and yet endured until the fulfillment of God’s promise.

The living water was thirsty so that when we believe in Jesus, we will never thirst, we will never go thirsty because life is no longer maintained by an outside force; instead, it is internal. For if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. For Jesus is the resurrection and the life. This brings us to our I AM statement, found in John chapter 11 verse 25.

The background of this statement is that Jesus has returned to Bethany. He comes back because Lazarus died three days ago. Jesus enters Bethany and meets Martha, Lazarus's sister. Martha believes that Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been there. She believes this based on previous miracles Jesus has performed. Jesus tells her, “Your brother will rise again.” She says, " I know in the resurrection. “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.”

Jesus can do more than we can imagine. We limit God based on previous miracles. In our thirst, our longing for life, for the fullness and the basic necessities of life, we can forget that Jesus has died and come back to life. He is the source and therefore the continuation of life. Jesus says, “Hey, it is in me. I am that I am. " Jesus will give it to us, and we will never be in need; we will always have life, and that life, that fullness in the Spirit, will give life abundantly to our flesh.

It is in Jesus’ resurrection power that life springs up in us; let him bring the dead back to life and sustain it with living water, for He is the “Resurrection for the thirsty”.