Message Recap

Sunday’s Message was titled “Thirst” referring to Christ’s suffering on the cross culmination in the human condition of THIRST where He says, “I thirst.” Thirst meaning thirst for God, Thirst for his unconditional love, a thirst that we try to quench in so many other ways. Our pastor indicated that every one of us is an addict. Some to what we typically see as addictions like alcohol, drugs, and pornography. Others to more socially acceptable and esteemed addictions, power, money, applause, attention, adventure. But we can know they are addictions in that they never satisfy for long. They leave a person wanting more of the same, in stronger doses to get the same high. He concluded that all we really thirst for is Jesus Himself and illustrated it with the story of the woman at the well found in John 4: 1-26.
In conclusion we are to find that all we are addicted to, all of our thirsts can be quenched in Jesus.
And I say, that sounds good in theory, but what does that look like to someone who is addicted.
First, if it is true that the addiction is rooted in a basic need for unconditional love, validity, acceptance, from our creator, then I think one has to practice seeing themselves as dearly loved and of great worth. Our pastor says "He loves you enough to not let you continue the way you are." In other words, “I love you just the way you are, now lets get you out of sewage you are wading around in and get you cleaned off.” You have to recognize this on some level and behave in a way that shows you know your true worth.
Alcoholics Anonymous also in recognizing the need for something more tangible with which to work with in getting one from point a to point b on the path of recovery came up with the 12 step program, that has been adopted for so many addictions. Although, many want to weaken the very thing that makes it powerful and effective and that is a reliance on God, and a system that closely resembles anything you’d ever find in the Bible. Who would have made the connection between confession and recovery?
And the other way to step over from the theory of “all you need is Jesus” and practicing it is to become acquainted with those who are representations of Christ in this world. To have another human being both love you and accept as you are while at the same time want better for you is a rare and beautiful find. But Christians need to become that to a hurting world, so that they can make the leap from that which sounds good to that which is good.