Thank you for listening once again, the Cultivating Growth Podcast. Last week John and I began a new series of kind of conversations kinda centering around Jesus on the cross, specifically the statements that he makes while on the cross and we, I. Kinda open that up with looking at a couple that he said maybe towards the beginning of that circumstance.

And we're gonna take a look at three other ones that come from the cross. And the next week we'll follow up with the last two. So let's get, let's get to it. Well, Jeremy, as you mentioned, we're gonna really look at three different statements that Jesus makes while on the cross this week. Those three statements, two of them, very much center around his humanity.

His I. What he's feeling and experiencing on the cross. And the last one is more of still feeling that Jesus is experiencing while on the cross, but really centered around the anguish that he's experiencing in this moment. As his life quickly comes to a close, the first two statements that we're gonna look at.

First in John chapter 19 verses 26 and 27, Jesus is going to specifically talk to his mother and make arrangements for her once he is gone and then also there in John chapter 19, verse 28, his simple declaration that he is thirsty. So let's maybe talk about those two first. Both of these statements really point to Jesus being.

Man and experiencing the same emotions that anyone would experience in this moment. We speak often about the pain that he experienced through the crucifixion itself, the urging of the beatings that he endured. But there is also a great deal of emotional pain that he was experiencing. And I, and I think this very brief interaction with him and his mother and John the apostle.

Really speaks to not just the physical pain that Jesus was experiencing, but the anguish that he's experiencing as he sees his mother standing there watching her son die. Yeah. I mean, listen, there is no question that as Jesus kind of lived on this earth, he, he was, God, there's a question about. That he was deity, but at the same time, he was also man.

And, and you see that play out on the cross and, and you really see that play out in his interaction with his mother and with John, and most certainly in the, you know, just the statement of his, you know, physical thirst that he is that he's, you know, having to deal with. This really reminds me a little.

Bit of kinda what we talked about last week when we talked about Jesus and his forgiveness of, of everyone that was there. Mm-hmm. You know, then his interaction with the thief on the cross, that even in the midst of this very intense moment for him, he, he is still able to look. Outward. Yeah. And, and this is another kind of example of that.

Now it's different than the other, the first two that we talked about last week. But it is still with his understanding that as a son, the physical son of Mary, that he, he has a responsibility to her and it's interesting. Impressive in a lot of ways that even on the cross, he still feels that responsibility now.

Yeah. There's, there's all kinds of, you know, questions that raised about where Joseph is or where Jesus' brothers are and what's going on with all that. We don't have to answer any of that. Yeah. Outside to know that Jesus felt responsible for his mother. Even on the cross. And so he pulls himself up as we talked about last week, to spend the energy that it's gonna take to have this conversation with his mother and to have this conversation with John.

We've talked so often about how Jesus is just so selfless in everything that he does and where I'm teaching the high school class right now. We just kind of began a study in, in John chapter 13, and we're gonna work our way through John Chapters 13 through 17 when Jesus is having these. Last conversations with his closest of confidants and friends.

And I made the point in that class that if there was ever gonna be a time where Jesus was going to make something about himself, it would be these last few hours of his life. I. But he spends those last few hours serving and encouraging and helping and preparing, and he's doing that same thing literally while he is on the cross.

It's just remarkable. He's not, he's not thinking about the pain he's endured. He's not thinking about the mocking. That he is enduring currently as people are still hurling insults at him. He's not, he's not consumed with any of that. He looks down and he sees a mother who is no doubt weeping as she watches her son die, and he feels compassion for her and wants to make sure that she's cared for.

And, and even so, even in these last few moments, literally these last few moments. He is still looking out for and taking care of other people and, and certainly we can see, I mean that's, that's Jesus the son of God and that's just who He is. That's who he has always been. But it really sets a good example for us as well.

There's gonna be times in our lives where, I mean, we just feel like. The weight of the world is on our shoulders. We've got so much going on, or I'm experiencing so much pain or so much suffering, or whatever it might be. Even in those moments, we can and should be mindful of other people and we can and should show compassion to other people, and we have an opportunity to do so.

And so not only do we see this amazing characteristic of Jesus. But I think he just sets a great example for us to follow as well. It, it, well, certainly does, and I think it, it certainly kind of pinpoints, you know, kind of the responsibility that we have in kind of physical relationships in this world mm-hmm.

That we, we decide to take on. Yeah. And, and I think there are moments that, you know, maybe our own life becomes, you know, complicated or we, you know, fall into a, you know, a situation of distress or trouble and we put all of that responsibility on hold. Yeah. And, and I think Jesus is showing us here that listen, you know, just for instance, you know, I, I am a husband and I have a responsibility to my wife.

Mm-hmm. And, and there's nothing that I'm personally going through that puts that responsibility on hold. Right. Or the responsibility that I have as a father. I, I have children and, you know, there's nothing in my life that's going to, you know, say, well listen, now what I'm going through. Puts on hold all of my responsibilities.

I have parents, I have responsibility towards them. I mean, we have responsibilities as preachers of God's word. I mean, we, we have responsibilities in this world, and I think sometimes we, we get caught up in distress or we get caught up in trouble and we become so selfish. Really? Mm-hmm. In that moment, what We'd lose sight of all those responsibilities.

Well, Jesus isn't do any of that? His responsibility he has to his mother, his, he has a responsibility as deity we talked about even last week. Yep. I mean, he's, he'll teach, we'll talk a little bit about that here in just a moment. I mean, he's still fulfilling all these responsibilities in this moment of incredible physical, emotional, mental distress and strain that is under.

Yeah, and I think John even kind of alludes to just how important all of that was and the way that he. John kind of begins to wrap up this scene on the cross, because again, we're in John chapter 19 and in, in verses 26 and 27 is where Jesus speaks to his mother. And then in verse 28, it says, after this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst.

And so here, here is this man who has been up all night long. He's been drugged through the city. He's been. Beaten he's been mocked at and spit upon, and now hanging on a cross. And you can just imagine all of the physical toll that's been taken on him. But until all of these things were finished, only after all of these things were finished does he say, Hey, I'm thirsty.

You know, this is the, the most, the most relatable statement that could ever be said of someone in his situation. We'd all be feeling the same thing. Right, but he's not, he's not interested in any of that until he knows everything else that needs to be done and said is done and said, and then he says, I thirst.

And so I think the way that John kind of frames this, even furthers just the selflessness of Jesus upon the cross. He's not even interested in dealing with some of his own personal needs and feelings until. Everything that needs to be said has been said. Yeah, I mean, we will talk more about this next week, but you know, in that very next verse in John 19 of verse 30, you know, it says, you know, after he had received that sour wine, which he, he did receive, they put it into a sponge and put it on a reed and, and put it up to him, and he, he drank.

I. You know, we have then he's closing things down. Yeah. And, and I, I think you do make an interesting point that Yeah, it, it's after all of these other things important, more important things in his mind, and now he is. That physical understanding of, I, I, I could really use, you know, something to drink. And and he's given to him.

And you, you see the humanity of Jesus. Mm-hmm. And I think you see the humanity of Jesus and his conversation with his mother and John. Those things are coming to the forefront kinda after we saw his divinity at work. Last week. Mm-hmm. With him forgiving having the power to forgive even from the cross.

Now his humanity is coming to the forefront. Yeah. Well, let's talk about one more statement that Jesus makes before we close today. And this one's recorded for us in the gospels of Matthew and Mark. Matthew 27, verse 46. Mark chapter 15, verse 34. Both of these gospel writers record the statement for us that Jesus says, my God, my God, why have you?

Forsaken me now, it certainly appears as if Jesus is quoting here from Psalm 22 verse one. It's, it's a direct quote from that psalm. I think it really shows what, again, what Jesus is feeling in the moment as he has in large ways been abandoned by those that are closest to him. His friends, we know that they have scattered and they, most of them have, and most of them are not with him, but there is a feeling of loneliness.

That Jesus is experiencing on the cross as he calls back to this psalm that again, many of the Jews who would've been present and certainly those after the fact, would be very familiar with. Yeah, I mean, there's no question about it. There's really a couple things that stand out to me on that. I still think we're, we're seeing the emotional strain on Jesus from the human side is he is feeling, he's feeling the loneliness of, of this whole moment.

I mean, you could go back to where he was in the garden. Where he's praying to God literally hours before. Yeah. You know, this moment. And he's praying that this cup will pass from him, but he knows it is the father's will. That this, that this happens. And, and so you're seeing all of those things culminating, you know, here you also made mention of the Psalm 22 aspect.

I, I do think that's, that's interesting. It is literally the very. First line of Psalm 22. And, and certainly for the Jews in the area, they would've been familiar with this psalm. Mm-hmm. And we don't have the time to dive into the entirety of that psalm, but you could take a look at it. You know, here in just a moment or after this, listening to this, it, it is remarkably specific.

Mm-hmm. Psalm 22, about the scene that is literally un. Folding, you know, in this time. And it would've been interesting if, if he, he was able to, you know, bring to mind the things that are said in Psalm 22 and for, you know, the people there to kind of start to, to look around and to see some very specific things that are taking place.

And, and so he, I think he's able to accomplish multiple things. Yeah. You know, kind of with this, with this one phrase, you know, Jesus has been very clear throughout his. Life throughout his ministry that he is fulfilling prophecy after prophecy cementing in everyone's mind who he is and who he has been sent by and what he's here to do.

And even in these last breaths, he is continuing to do that. I mean, we just referenced that in John chapter 19, as Jesus kind of begins to wrap all of this up after all of it's been fin finished so that the scripture might be fulfilled. He says, I thirst And so. He is very much aware, as are those who are recording the events surrounding him, are aware of the fact that he is still in this moment fulfilling prophecy.

And I think you're right by pointing us back to Psalm 22 in such a direct manner, he is continuing that. Theme of helping everyone see that through him prophecy is being fulfilled. This is all a part of God's plan. And so to, to your point, Jesus is going through all of the emotions that we've talked about.

I mean, he's going through everything that He's, we've, we've talked about him experiencing the. The loneliness and the pain and the agony of it all. But even in that moment, he is still cognizant of what he was sitting here to do, why he is do, doing what he's doing here on the cross, and he's trying to help everyone else see that too.

And so I think this statement in particular blends some of that physical emotion and feeling that he is going through with him being deity. Fulfilling prophecy so that everyone around him can know that he truly was the son of God. Yeah. You know, this one statement kind of, you know, I think helps us, you know, really segue real well to what we'll talk about next week.

And to your point, that Jesus is fully aware and cognizant of what's happening. Yeah. And, and why it's happening. Maybe that's more important to say why this is taking place and, and he is fully aware and has all of his faculties available to him, but he is battling the human suffering. Yeah. That that is happening here.

And the emotional suffering and the mental toil. He's still pushing through all of that and, and what is most striking is he's able to push through all of that with. All of us. Mm-hmm. Ultimately in mind. That's it. Well, let's wrap things up in John chapter one. We're going all the way back to the beginning of John's gospel, but I thought it would be appropriate, since we've talked today a lot about some of the very human emotions and feelings that Jesus was going through and the blend of his humanity and his deity all the way back at the beginning, as John kind of introduces us.

To Jesus. He helps us see that from the very outset, as he says in John chapter one, in verse number 14, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.