Day Four: Humanity

CONNECT

Share your answers with each other:

• What’s the longest you’ve gone without drinking water?
• What’s the longest you think you can last without drinking water?
• Imagine if you didn’t drink water for a long, long time. What do you think would happen?

Did you know that 70–75% of the human body is made up of water? Drinking water is essential for our survival. Most of our bodily functions need water; without it, these might stop working. This is why most scientists believe humans cannot survive without water for more than three days.

READ THE WORD

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. John 19:28–29

“I thirst.”

When Jesus was born on earth, He was fully human. Although He was the Son of God, He experienced all the pain, suffering, and needs we go through. Having a fully human body, He got tired, hungry, and thirsty—just like we do.

Why is this important? For Jesus’ death to be a valid sacrifice for our sins, He needed to be fully human. The Bible tells us that the punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). As a man, Jesus experienced life in a broken world, yet He never sinned. This made Him the perfect, spotless sacrifice to take our place. If Jesus had not been truly human, He couldn’t have represented us on the cross. Being thirsty and asking for water proved that Jesus was fully human.

HUDDLE

Parents to Kids

2–6 years old

• What makes you thirsty?
• Why do you think Jesus got thirsty while He was on the cross?

7–12 years old

• Why is it important that Jesus was fully human?
• How does knowing that Jesus experienced thirst and pain help us when we go through hard times?

Kids to Parents

• Can you share a time when you felt really thirsty or weak? How does it help to know that Jesus felt that way, too?
• How can we rely on Jesus when we feel weak or face challenges?

Because Jesus was fully human, He understands our struggles. He knows what it’s like to feel tired, weak, or in pain. When we go through tough times, we can turn to Jesus, knowing He has also experienced suffering. He was even tempted (Luke 4:1–13). But unlike us, He overcame it all, giving us hope in His victory over sin and death. This is our assurance from Him that He knows how we feel and He is with us through it all.

PRAY

Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to save us from our sins. Thank You, Jesus, that despite knowing our weakness, You still came to earth and suffered the punishment for our sins so that we may be forgiven. Thank You because You understand our hearts, fears, hopes, and desires. May we always lean on You, taking everything to You—every decision we make, every care that troubles our hearts, and every desire we have for our future and family. May You guide us by Your Holy Spirit to live the life that glorifies You and remain faithful to Your will. In Your name, amen.

DISCOVER

Did you know that Jesus was offered wine twice during His crucifixion?

Some Bible scholars say that the first wine mentioned in Mark 15:23, mixed with myrrh, was meant to ease Jesus’ pain as He endured the cross with full consciousness. However, Jesus refused this wine. He intentionally chose to go through all the suffering with full awareness.

The second wine in Mark 15:35 was sour. In the cultures of Greece and Rome, soldiers and workers consumed it as a common drink. It was a refreshing drink meant to keep someone conscious for as long as possible. This is the wine Jesus drank. By doing so, He chose to prolong His pain. Normally, one would drink the first wine and avoid the second wine to feel less pain. But Jesus chose the opposite. For Him, there were no shortcuts in taking our place.

What a Savior we have!