Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  Brooke Robbins

 

I don’t know about you but I have always been reassured by the fact that God is there. I have always known that I can get a 24-hour consult, and that if I make poor decisions, (or should I say when I make poor decisions) I have someone who doesn’t shut the door in my face, doesn’t get distracted by the television, someone who does not get tired of me complaining.  At least, not that I know of.  I have always felt better knowing that I am not on my own, and personally, I have never felt that everything was in my hands. I have always thought that God had His hand in whatever I did, and I have liked that.   

 

When things have gotten messy, I am sure I have done my share of pushing the responsibility onto God as I sink to my knees. I am not ashamed to say that I sometimes do not take control of things because I am waiting for His guidance or assistance.  This is comforting to me, and I think I would be pretty terrified if I actually were all alone in my life, all alone in my choices and direction.

 

Above all, if I were to picture that I was about to be put to death violently by my friends-turned-traitors, I am positive that my first action would be to go crawling to God, probably in the fetal position and crying.

 

One of the striking things about our text today is that Jesus was in control of the situation. At a time when his best friends had betrayed him, he stood up to his punishment and took it like a man.  Like a man.  A Savior who had built his life and ministry on serving others was now in a most human-like position and needed to be served by others.[1] 

 

“I am thirsty.” Even in making his request, Jesus shows that he is in control.  He is calling the shots.  Thirst is one of the most basic human needs, right up there with food, air and sleep.  Jesus has this very human need, and now needs someone to serve him as it’s not possible for him to accommodate his own need.  From his position on the cross, he cries out for a drink to soothe his parched throat.  When Jesus made this request, I wonder what he hoped for.  Water would be the typical beverage associated with quenching a strong thirst and wine is the last thing I would think of.  But wine is what Jesus received, as there happened to be a jug of sour wine sitting nearby.  This wine was so sour, it resembled vinegar.  Talk about quenching a thirst: vinegar?  The man’s last request and he gets vinegar?

 

It’s a well-known tale of prison that death row prisoners are often allowed to request a final meal to consume before their lives are to end.  Sometimes prisoners request a favorite food, like steak and potatoes; other times, a comfort food, such as two pints of Ben and Jerry’s mint chocolate chip ice cream.  Other inmates get creative, such as the last inmate to be put to death in Iowa who requested one single olive.  Typically, prison systems attempt to fulfill the requests from within the food supply of the prison. Often, a frozen fish fillet is substituted for filet mignon, or hamburger steak for a real steak.  Very rarely do prison systems go out of their way to bring food in from the “free world”. [2]

We know what Christ’s last meal was, and in fact, he chose to use substitutes. He chose to use items that symbolized his life and sacrifice. But as for his last request, I believe we see it here in his cry, “I am thirsty.” 

 

Vinegar was the drink that Jesus said would “satisfy the scripture”. There are a couple of different scriptures that he could be referring to, but the overall consensus is that Jesus is referring to the 69^th Psalm, verse 21.  “[My enemies] gave me poison for food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”  Jesus knew he was fulfilling many prophecies, including both this Psalm and the prophecy of the sacrificial lamb. We see this in the way in which Jesus received the wine, on the end of a branch of hyssop.  This reference has created debate with many Bible scholars for a few reasons, one being that physically, the hyssop branch was not a particularly long branch and was not very strong. The weight of a soaking sponge would most likely be too much for the branch to support.  This has led scholars to question whether the hyssop was the actual branch that was used or if this is a reference made for symbolic reasons.  The hyssop branch had been used in previous stories in the Bible, most notably to wipe blood across the doorposts of homes at Passover time.  In this way, the hyssop was used to grant the last request of Jesus, the ultimate sacrificial Lamb.  While we cannot be sure whether the hyssop branch was indeed the branch used or whether this was a symbolic reference created by the author of John, we can note that even the last request of Jesus was not selfish.  Instead, he is still looking to the completion of God’s plan.  As we see in the next words of Christ, he remains in control through the end. [3]

 

I’ve heard stories of people who have died praying the Lord’s Prayer incessantly throughout their final hours, or people who have died with a Bible laid across their chest, open to Psalm 23.  Those stories make you wonder if they knew their time was coming.  They may have known, but in Christ’s last words, we see that he not only knew of his death, he remained in control of the situation.  “It is finished,” Jesus said, before bowing his head and giving up his spirit.  The author of the book of John says that Jesus gave up his spirit, willingly and at his discretion.  We are given the idea that Jesus remained in control of his destiny, and willingly chose to take his last breath. 

 

“It is finished.”   “It” could be a lot of things:  his life was finished, God’s plan was complete, humanity’s suffering was finished, the sacrifice was complete.  Jesus willingly took the blame for the sin of humanity, knowing all along how things would turn out.

 

There used to be a television show called “Early Edition”.  A man received the newspaper one day early, reading about the crimes and misfortunes the next day would bring. He spent his days attempting to save lives, stop burglaries, prevent fires: change history.  He would carry the newspaper around with him, and as he interfered in the events, the story would change and show the effects of what he’d done. It is tempting to wish we could see the future, or to wish we could change things of our past. 

 

Jesus was one who had the early edition for his life, knowing from the beginning that he was the Son of God and that the plan for him would require an early death.  Fortunately for us, he did not try to prevent his death. He did not whine about all of his unfinished business or try to hide from death.  He remained in control of his actions, lived the life that God called him to live and created an example for all humanity to follow. And when it was time, he said “it is finished” and bowed his head. 

 

This would be one of those times when I would likely need to go pleading to God, trying to understand everything. I would ask why, I would pray for life, I would pray for strength and perseverance as the day approached.  I, a mere mortal, would not be able to do this without God by my side.  Without Jesus by my side.

 

Is it wrong to need Jesus there with us?  No, for those feelings are human. But aren’t you glad that this human, this baby sent to Earth for our sake, was not just a human, but a Savior as well? Aren’t you glad that he acted in ways we can’t understand? And aren’t you glad that the Savior acted in these ways for a mere human like you?