Blood and water and Christ

This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth (1 John 5:6).

John—this was the disciple closest to Jesus’ heart.  John was the disciple who sat next to Jesus during the Last Supper.  When Jesus was on trial in the court of the High Priest, it was John who watched the proceedings while Peter was outside, denying any relationship with the Lord.  When Jesus was dying on the cross, John was the only disciple who risked coming near to show his support.  John took Mary into his home that day, and cared for Jesus’ widowed mother as if she were his own.  Two days later, John beat Peter to the empty tomb, and believed that his Master had risen from the dead.  John wrote an account of his years with Jesus; he also wrote three epistles about Christ, and Jesus blessed him with a Revelation of heaven that closes out the Bible. 

And John saw something else, something no other disciple saw because only John was close enough to witness it.  On Good Friday, when the soldiers came to confirm that Jesus was dead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water (John 19:34).  Jesus looked dead but the soldier wanted to make sure, so he shoved a spear into the Lord’s heart from the side, avoiding the rib cage and leaving Jesus’ bones unbroken.  Blood you would expect—but amazingly, water came from Jesus’ heart as well.  John writes, The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe (John 19:35).

Blood and water, flowing from Jesus’ pierced heart.  John tells us this detail because he believed it important—so important that he alludes to it again in today’s Epistle reading: This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

Blood and water, both connected with the Son of God.  Why are they so important? That’s what I want to talk about today.  We’ll take water first.

You know how important water is.  Without water, there can be no life.  Plants shrivel up and die without water.  Farmers worry more about getting adequate moisture than they do about applying fertilizer or pesticides.  Animals will travel miles to gather at a watering hole, risking the attack of waiting predators for a life-sustaining drink.  A person lost in the wilderness can last a long time without food, but if he cannot find water to drink he will be dead in a matter of days.

Water is also important for good health.  Unwashed wounds are easily infected.  If a town or village does not have a sewer system, garbage and waste rot in the streets and fill the community with all sorts of diseases.   Water is essential for life, and it is essential for quality of life.

It is no surprise that water plays an important role in the Bible.  God used water to wash the earth clean of evil people, while He kept Noah and his family safe in the ark.  God parted the water of the Red Sea to let the Israelites flee from Egypt, then used that same water to drown the hostile army pursuing them.  When those Israelites were thirsty in the desert, God made water flow from a rock so they could drink.  Over and over again, God used water to wash away bad things and give life to the people He loved.

In the New Testament, God put John the Baptist to work along the banks of the Jordan River.  His job was to prepare the way for the Messiah, the Savior God was sending from heaven.  John said, I baptize you with water for repentance (Matthew 3:11).  Following heaven’s command, he used water to rinse people clean of their sin so they would be ready to meet God in the person of Christ. 

Then one day Christ Himself came to John, seeking his baptism.  But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented (Matthew 3:14-15).  This baptism was not like the others John had performed.  Jesus was the sinless Son of God—He had no corruption to be washed away.  But Jesus was about to embark on a holy mission; it was time for Him to save mankind from sin, death, and Satan.  Jesus came to stand with us against the forces of terror and darkness, and in baptism Jesus pledged to honor God with His life on our behalf. 

Jesus took John’s baptism to a whole new level.  When our Lord was baptized, God the Father sent the Holy Spirit to rest on Jesus and support Him throughout His ministry.  When we are baptized, God’s Spirit comes down from heaven again, changing us from filthy outcasts to beautiful children of God.  John baptized for repentance; Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit, bestowing new life that will never be extinguished. 

When you speak of the water that gives life, you are speaking of Jesus.  When He talked with a woman at Jacob’s well, He told her everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:13-14).  Years later, John saw this living water in God’s revelation of heaven: the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb…Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life (Revelation chapter 22).  Jesus is the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world, and the water of life flows from Him.

Now let’s talk about blood.  God says the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life (Leviticus 17:11).  When your blood drains away, you die.  When your heart stops pumping blood, you die. Speak of blood and you think about matters of life and death. 

In the Old Testament, blood was used to ratify treaties.  The practice still survives today when two friends prick their fingers and rub them together, making a pact of blood.  God used blood to seal His covenants.  Abraham and all his descendants were to be circumcised, a shedding of blood that guaranteed them membership in the household of God.  When God announced His laws and promises to the Israelites at Mount Sinai, Moses sprinkled them all with sacrificial blood as a pledge of loyalty. 

But blood has another purpose; its loss is the price for breaking God’s Commandments.  In the law given through Moses, God established a system of sacrifices; when you sinned, an animal lost its blood in your place so you might be forgiven and continue to live.  This system stayed in place until Jesus shed His blood on the cross.  When Jesus gave up His lifeblood, no further sacrifices were needed.  The blood of God’s Son has more worth than any amount of human blood.  Jesus’ blood drowned death with God’s own life. 

Jesus’ blood does the same thing as the water of baptism—it purges away evil and bestows new life.  In fact, Jesus referred to His bloody death on the cross as a baptism; looking forward to Good Friday, our Lord said I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! (Luke 12:50) His first baptism in the Jordan was a thing of joy, the start of God’s generous plan of salvation.  But His second baptism--when Jesus completed His work by paying the price for our sins--was a terrible event, painful and humiliating beyond our ability to understand.  Jesus wanted to get it over with, to get past the suffering to the new life Easter would bring, not only for Him but for all believers. 

Jesus bled so He could share His blood with us.  Listen to His words: I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him (John 6:53-56).  Jesus showed us what He meant when He instituted the Lord’s Supper; Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:26-28). In the Lord’s Supper, Jesus ratifies our salvation by marking us with His blood.

When the soldier pierced Jesus’ heart, out gushed both blood and water.  A miracle to be sure—an unusual miracle that proves the worth of Jesus’ life on earth.  His work began in water when He was baptized.  His work ended in blood when He was crucified.  Jesus shed tears for our wretched state as sinners; He shed His blood to purify us and make us His own dear friends.  In Jesus, water and blood are combined in common purpose—they wash away our sin and bless us with everlasting life as children of God.  Water made Him one with us, His blood makes us one with Him.

There is an old familiar hymn that speaks to this subject.  Rock of Ages was written just after the American Revolution, but its words speak of freedom from something much more powerful than the British Empire.  Look carefully at the first verse: Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee; let the water and the blood, from Thy riven side which flowed, be of sin the double cure; cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.   Blood and water, both spilling from Jesus’ heart; they are His gifts to us.  He let Himself be pierced so these gifts would be available to everyone—gifts of forgiveness, new life, purity, and heaven.  John saw the water and blood first hand, and he saw how Christ used them and still uses them to work out our salvation; this is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood.  May you find comfort in the water of Jesus’ baptism and His blood given to you through Holy Communion; they are the bookends of His ministry, and His personal gift to you.