Scripture Text; John 19: 23 – 30

Jesus Experienced Human Qualities

Have you heard the saying “Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink”? This was how the castaways of the latest TV show, ‘Survivor’ must have felt when they could not make any fire to boil their unclean water. In their desperation, they resorted to drinking drops of water from the leaves of plants. They expressed how miserable they felt. As Jesus hung on the Cross, stripped, beaten and dehydrated, His body cried out for water. In His humanity He cried out “I thirst”. This showed that Jesus experienced human qualities just like you and I would. From John’s gospel, we are made to realise that Jesus was both human and also the Son of God.

Jesus Experienced Human Sufferings

Sometimes when we go through certain trials and pain, we feel that nobody understands our pain and hurts, but be comforted that Jesus Christ understands us because He has gone through them Himself (Our pain is nothing much compared to His). He went through the following:-

• He suffered emotional anguish - Betrayal by his own beloved disciples.
• He suffered physical anguish - Undergoing the most terrible and cruel torture on the cross.
• He suffered spiritual anguish of sin (not that He sinned but He bore the weight and power of sin as the sacrificial
• lamb). He was abandoned by the Father and felt the pain of rejection that He has never felt before.
• He suffered psychological anguish - the torture and the pain and the overwhelming load that totally crushed on the
• personhood of the Son of God. As He has gone through all these pains He can understand and feel what we might go
• through.

Jesus Exhibited Complete Obedience To The Father’s Will

Jesus knew the suffering and pain He would go through but He desired to obey His Father and deny Himself. He could have easily saved Himself but chose to do His Father’s will. He became the sacrificial lamb for us because He loved us.
Are we willing to deny ourselves and follow Him because we love Him? Remember that obedience is greater than sacrifice.

Prayer Response

Dear Lord,
I know you really care and love me. Thank you that you understand all my pain and hurt that I am going through right now. I know that you allow trials to come my way not to harm me but to strengthen and mature me and mould my character. Help me always to do your will in whatever situation I happen to be in. Amen.