I mentioned several weeks ago, numerous times, our Savior's suffering takes place in five stages. His arrest in the garden, trial before the Jews, trial before the Gentiles, crucifixion and burial. And we find all five of those alluded to here in John chapter 19. And so, in coming to our text this morning, verses 21 to 27, we come to finish the fourth of these, his crucifixion, God willing, leaving the fifth, his burial, verses 38 to 42, until next week. John 19, beginning at verse 31. Therefore, because it was the preparation day that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, For that Sabbath was a high day, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled, not one of his bones shall be broken. And again, another scripture says, they shall look on him whom they pierced. Let's pray together. Our Father, we ask now that you would bless your word to our hearts. We read in your word that it's the power of God unto salvation, both for the Jew and Greek. And so we ask that Your Spirit might accompany this, Your Word, and it might come in saving and sanctifying power to every person present. Grant it, O Father, we pray You, for Jesus' sake. Amen. Our Savior is dead. Having finished the work of redemption given to Him by the Father, We learned last week that he bowed his head and gave up his spirit, verse 30. Thus, all that happens to him from verse 31 to the end of the chapter happens to his dead body. He's pierced with a spear, verse 34, and as we'll see next week, laid in a tomb, verse 42. all the while his spirit is with his father. Now, I want to suggest that basically, or generally, there are three things in verses 31 to 37. There's, first of all, a Passover lamb. And then, secondly, a fountain opened And then thirdly, a personal testimony. Notice first, a Passover lamb. All throughout this larger passage, there are several hints that point to the fact that Christ is our Passover lamb. In fact, the whole idea of the Passover is in the background to these wonderful chapters of Holy Scripture. We learned last week that when Christ cried, it is finished, he meant, in part, the entirety of the sacrificial system is now finished. All the types and shadows, including the Passover feast, were finished. And thus the Apostle Paul put it exceedingly plain to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 5-7, Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Now that the Holy Spirit, who inspired John to write this account, desired us to see in it the shadows of the Passover, is evident for at least two reasons. Notice first, it was preparation day, verse 31. Therefore, because it was the preparation day, that the body should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, for the Sabbath was a high day, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. The Jews viewed Fridays as preparation for the Sabbath. This would allow them to give the Sabbath wholly to worship. And so, generally speaking, the Jews viewed every Friday as a preparation day. It appears that this particular Sabbath, though, was special. For that Sabbath was a high day. That is, it was a special Sabbath. Now, if we were to compare verse 31 back with verse 14, we will learn this Sabbath was a high day because of the Passover feast. And if you recall when we considered verse 14 several weeks ago, I mentioned it's unclear exactly when the Passover was celebrated. There's different ways to harmonize the data. Some believe that the Passover was celebrated Thursday night. We know that's in part true because Jesus celebrated it on Thursday night with his disciples. Others believe that it was celebrated in addition to Thursday, also on Friday, and others believe also on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. But for our purposes, brethren, that are a little less complicated, it really doesn't matter so much. What does matter is that Jesus' crucifixion took place in connection or in relation to the Passover feast. This was the Passover week. And because of it, the Sabbath attached or associated with it, because remember, in the Old Covenant, the Sabbath, the weekly Sabbath, was the last day of the week. And because of that, this particular weekly Sabbath was a special Sabbath because of the relation that it had to the Passover feast. Our Savior was crucified, put plainly, during Passover week. And this of course underscores the fact that he is the fulfillment of all that the Passover shadowed or typified. The Old Testament law mandated that those put to death and hung upon a tree for capital crimes had to be taken down and buried before the evening. Otherwise, they would defile the land. And thus we read, for example, in Deuteronomy 21-22. If a man guilty of a capital crime is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God has given you as an inheritance. Now obviously, brethren, the Romans had no concern for the commandment found in Deuteronomy 21-22. But the Jews did, and the Romans largely accommodated them. And thus, seemingly, whenever a Jew was crucified, they would appeal to the Romans that they would ensure that the person put to death was dead that same day, and thus their body would not hang upon the cross throughout the night. And so, in order to speed up their death, the Romans would break the legs of those executed. When a man was crucified, the majority of his weight rested on his lungs, which made breathing almost nearly impossible. As a result, most people would push up with their legs in order to shift their weight to enable them to catch their breath. This, of course, would prolong the crucifixion. Thus, the Romans would break their legs so that they could no longer push up and thus would die quicker by way of suffocation. And so the breaking of the legs was simply another way to hasten the death of the person crucified. But my point here, brethren, is this. We find in the first place, according to verse 31, given the fact that it was a preparation day and a high Sabbath coming, that it was Passover week, and this points us to the fact that Jesus Christ is our Passover Lamb. But there's another reason I suggest that, and that is the Old Testament prophecy. As the soldiers broke the other two men, broke the legs of the other two men, they found Jesus already dead. Verse 32. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, they did not break his legs. There wasn't any need to break his legs, obviously, because he was already dead. Verse 30. If you remember, bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. Brethren, that's what death is. when the spirit is severed from the body. But we find that they did not break his legs, not only because there wasn't a need for it, but in order to fulfill the prophecy. Verse 36, for these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled, not one of his bones shall be broken. Now, obviously, This scripture that's made reference to here being fulfilled, the Old Testament scripture that's being fulfilled, is likely texts such as Exodus 12, in verse 46. In one house it shall be eaten, that is the Passover lamb, you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. The Passover lamb alone wasn't to have any of its bones broken. But I want to here take a few minutes and wrestle with this question. What is the significance of having no bones broken, both in the type and anti-type? That Jesus' bones wasn't broken on the cross, fulfilled the Old Testament type, is evident. Everybody agrees with that. But why was it in particular that God refrained the Hebrews from breaking the bones of the Passover, and thusly, why was it that Jesus' bones were not broke on the cross? Well, let me suggest to you that we find an answer, at least in part, from Psalm 34. Look at verse 19. Now, to be fair, some commentators I think wrongly, though, understandably suggest that Psalm 34 and verse 20 is the Old Testament prophecy being fulfilled in John 19. And I suggest that in part it is, as we'll see in a moment. Psalm 34, 19, many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones. Not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of his servants and none of those who trust in him shall be condemned. I believe this song to be typical. That means to say it speaks first of David's experiences, typical or shadowy of Jesus experiences. And that means to say that this song, this passage not only is a prophecy that's fulfilled in Jesus, but it's also very relevant for all of God's people. I want to suggest that within this passage, we find hinted at at least two reasons behind the significance of not having the bone broken. I want to suggest that in the first place, it underscores the Father's providential care over Christ throughout his sufferings. Notice again verse 20. He guards all his bones, not one of them is broken. Brethren, surely the whole notion of the Passover lamb in the Old Testament not having its bones broken, fulfilled in Jesus on the cross, not having his bones broken, is in the first place to prove the fact that Jesus is a fulfillment of that type. But there's more to it. It also underscores the fact that the Father was servingly and graciously overseeing the totality of our Savior's sufferings. That is, nothing happened to Christ, but the Father allowed it. And he watched over his beloved son throughout the totality of his afflictions and sufferings, even to the point that he sovereignly overruled the normal procedure of breaking the bones of those crucified. I think that just simply underscores the fact that the Father's providence was overruling the entirety of the events on the cross. The Father watches over the very bones of his beloved children. And this is true, brethren, with regards to all of us. Because it's true in the first place of David, like I suggested. I think this psalm does speak of David's experiences. But it ultimately looks to Jesus. And it underscores the fact that though Christ was being exceedingly mistreated, He was being mistreated at the hands of godless and wicked men. Ultimately, the Father was the one who was orchestrating every single event. I think it's the principle or the concept is similar to those words of our Savior in Matthew 10 in verse 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. That is, the Father guards, He watches over every single hair on your head. He guards, He watches over every single bone. Bones are insignificant. Hair is insignificant. And yet, our Father guards each hair and each bone of every single beloved child. And so, in the first place, I think that this concept of no bones being broken, while obviously it's to fulfill the type, it also underscores the Father's sovereign and gracious providence in watching over His beloved Son throughout His suffering. Listen. to the old reformer, Robert Roloch. He said, if God has ordained and said anything, it lies not in the hands of any man to disannul it. If God shall say, there shall not be one bone of my anointed broken, great Caesar and all the kings of the earth, the king of Spain and the pope, and all their adherents shall not be able to do the contrary. So, and then he gives this most wonderful application. In the midst of fear and danger, let us depend on the providence of God. But I think closely related to this first point is the second, and that is, it underscores the Father's open vindication of Christ after His suffering. Again, look at Psalm 34. Verse 21. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. The Father guarded every single bone, every single hair on the head of His beloved Son. And nobody touched Him outside of His sovereign will and providence. And then, As we'll see, God willing, next week, He takes that body of His beloved Son and He puts Him in a tomb. And then on the third day, He raises Him from the dead and He openly vindicates Him in front of all of His enemies. Brethren, I think this is in part the whole point behind not one bone being broken. The Father esteems the bones and the hair, the body of our beloved Savior, to the point that He orchestrates what will and will not happen to it. He Himself, as it were, tucks it neatly into the tomb, and then He Himself brings it forth, glorious, on the third day. Brethren, there's a host of wonderful application of all this to God's beloved people. The Father guards over every hair and bone of every single beloved child. And He will one day raise their bodies from the dead. And He will openly, in Christ, vindicate them before an unbelieving, wicked, godless world. This is true of David. Because if you think about it, strictly speaking, the psalm must be, first of all, interpreted of David. David could say that God guards all of my bones and not one of them be broken. Brethren, that doesn't mean that David never broke a bone. But it does mean that David had the same sovereign, gracious providence over his life as did his sovereign Lord to come. Or for example, let me illustrate it this way. Think of the other two people being crucified that day with Jesus. Now we learned in a previous study from Luke 23 that one of those thieves became a Christian. So at this point, both of their legs are broken. Both thieves. But one of the thieves on the cross is a Christian. And so, as such, has every right to apply this promise to himself, even though literally his bones were broken, brethren. Nevertheless, he could have said, had he known Psalm 34 and 20, he guards all of my bones and not one of them is broken. That is, my father supersedes all of the affairs that happened to me on this earth. And nothing shall happen to me. Not one hair shall fall from my head apart from my Father's sovereign will. Yes, it's true that in a literal sense, this applies only to Jesus. Only His bones were not broken. But in a spiritual sense, brethren, it applied to that other thief that was converted. And it applies to every single person present here who by faith is a member of Jesus' body. Not one bone in His body, brethren, not one bone in any of our physical bodies or spiritual bodies shall be broken apart from His sovereign will. And so we find in the first place, a Passover lamb. But secondly, a fountain opened. Verse 34. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a long sword, or spear, and immediately blood and water came out. Now, let me say in the first place, it's debated whether or not what the soldiers did to Jesus was common practice. That is, not everyone is agreed that piercing the side of those crucified was a common practice often done. It's possible that the Romans frequently pierced the sides of those crucified to ensure that they were in fact dead, but it's more likely possible, likely, that what this Roman soldier did to Jesus was a unique act done to fulfill Holy Scripture. But either way, if it was a common practice, or a somewhat common practice, or if it was a practice never done and only done in this instance, the point being, it was done so that, on the one hand, it would be proven again Jesus was really dead, but on the other hand, The presence of blood and water had deep, rich spiritual significance. Now again, it's debated. If I were to consult five, or let's say ten, of the best Reformed commentators on this question, whether or not the blood and water were merely biological, that is, it would have happened to anybody in a similar circumstance, that there would have been blood or a watery substance that came from the side, or else it was supernatural, you'd get five on one hand and five on the other. And so, brother, I just don't know, to be honest. But what I do know is this, and all ten of the commentators agree, if it was biological or supernatural, it was all intentional to communicate spiritual truth. Spiritual truth. John informs us immediately, blood and water came out. Now, Again, here we find that John attaches this to an Old Testament scripture, that is, the Roman piercing his side with a spear, verse 37. And again, another scripture says, they shall look on him whom they pierced. And so here we have to take a few minutes and go back to the passage that Pastor Den read. and look in the context of Zechariah 12 and 13 to answer the question, what is then the significance of the blood and the water? The significance of the piercing of the side with the spear is one, to prove that he was really dead, and secondly, to fulfill the prophecy. But what is the spiritual significance behind the presence of the blood and the water? Well, Let's go back to Zechariah 12 and notice, first of all, in verse 10. Zechariah 12, 10. And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication. Then they will look on me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son and grieves, and grieve for him as one grieves. for their firstborn. Now this is a wonderful prophecy of the gift of the Holy Spirit at the day of Pentecost and the subsequent conversion of many Jews. And many of those Jews were guilty of plotting to arrest Jesus, hand Jesus over to the Romans who crucified Jesus and pierced him. So even though these Jews who were converted subsequent to the Day of Pentecost never literally pierced Jesus, they're said to have pierced Jesus through the Romans, just like when Peter said of them that they crucified the Lord of Glory. Well, they crucified Him because they gave Jesus over to the Romans who crucified Him. And thus they pierced Jesus because they gave Jesus to the Romans who pierced Him. Many within the Jewish leadership had Jesus arrested and thus in that sense indirectly they crucified him and or they pierced him and here's the prophecy that when the Holy Spirit comes on the day of Pentecost many of those men will have that literal image of Jesus on the cross and his side being pierced as a means to break their heart and cause them to repent from their sins and mourn over their sins and find forgiveness for their sins. All of this, of course, as the result of the Holy Spirit's effectual ministry in their hearts. In that day I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication. It's the Holy Spirit, brethren, that shows them their sin, breaks their heart for it, and causes them to cry out for grace through believing and humble prayer. And that's why the Spirit here is identified as the Spirit of grace and supplication. Because the Holy Spirit would enable them to cry out for grace through supplication or through prayer. And yet, here in verse 10 of chapter 12, we're not told directly, are we, or given much help specifically with regards to answering our question. But, we do have further information down in the next prophecy in the first verse of chapter 13. In that day, a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In other words, this is all going to take place in the same day. Gospel days. Jesus' crucifixion, subsequent gift of the Holy Spirit. But notice this fountain opened is then spoken of as given for two reasons. For sin and for uncleanness. Now, Brethren, it's most evident here that the phrase for sin refers to the guilt of sin which is remedied by the blood. And uncleanness refers to moral impurity which is remedied by the water. In other words, Jesus' death would secure salvation that would remedy man's two-fold problem. Sin and uncleanness. Guilt and filth. In fact, there's a sense in which If we were to take a spear and stick it into the side of the Old Testament scriptures, or perhaps take a spear and stick it into the side of the entirety of the Old Covenant sacrificial system, blood and water would come forth. One man said you could take the Old Testament and squeeze it and water and blood would come up. And the water and blood signify the gracious provision of God in Jesus' death of fixing man's twofold problem with regards to sin, its guilt, and its filth. Now, what I want to do then is to take a few minutes and show you that. And we could do so by reading the entirety of the Old Testament. and thereby squeezing out from it all the blood and water. Or just take a sample text or two from the book of Hebrews. And so let's do the latter of those two options. And notice Hebrews 10 verse 19. And as I read this passage, keep in mind these two concepts of blood and water. Hebrews 10, 19. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God. Now here's my text that I want to point you to. Verse 22. Let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith. Listen, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Now the notion of sprinkling is obviously a reference back to the high priest who every year went beyond the veil into the Holy of Holies and he there sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat. And that blood made atonement for the people's sins symbolically for another year. The notion of bodies being washed with pure water just simply underscores the fact that before he entered into the first of those two rooms, before he entered into the tabernacle or the temple proper, he had to first of all wash himself with holy water that was deposited in a basin that was located just before the entrance into the tabernacle, the temple. And that underscore the washing away or the cleansing of moral impurity. So we can put it like this. The high priest, as he entered into the tabernacle or temple, he did so washed in water carrying blood. Washed in water carrying blood. Now this phrase in verse 22, heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, by evil conscience means a condemning conscience. Condemning because of sin's guilt. And thus the cleansing has reference to sin's filth, blood and water. Or else, another example, back up to chapter 9 and verse 19, you find both of them here as well. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people, according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people. In other words, he sprinkled the people and the book of the law with blood and water. Why? Because it underscored their need and God's gracious provision of a redemption that both address their guilt and filth. And that's why, brethren, Irrespective of any biological necessity. That's why when Jesus sighed, was pierced with a spear straightway. Immediately, blood and water flow. Why? Because Zechariah the prophet, 800 years before, foretold in Zechariah 13.1 that there was coming a day when a fountain would be opened for sin and uncleanness. When blood and water, when all that was shadowed and typified in the old covenant sacrificial system would be finished. Now, let me, before we move on to the last heading, take a few minutes and just make some applications from all of this great theology. First, true conviction concerns the guilt and filth of sin. That is, sinners must come to know they're guilty and filthy. That sin not only leaves them guilty, but also and equally filthy. For example, think of a person driving a car. He broke into a bank and he's making a getaway. And he's driving quickly, recklessly, and he runs into a pole. And his car catches on fire and now he's burned. all over his body as the result and has several serious injuries. His problem is basically twofold. He's guilty and he's a mess. He has legal and personal problems. And brethren, that's similar to us, all of us, in Adam and in our own personal sins. We have legal problems, we have personal problems. We're guilty and filthy. And that's the whole point, brethren, why Jesus went to the cross. Not merely to atone for our guilt, but also to remedy our filth. The salvation we find in Christ not only addresses our guilt, but dear brethren, equally and fully our filth. And thus a poor sinner has to come to know. by the work of the Holy Spirit in his heart, that he is not only guilty before God because of his sins, but he's filthy. He needs blood. He needs water. Poor sinner friend, you need blood to atone for your sins and to remedy your guilt problem, but you also need water to remedy your filth problem. That's why when the Holy Spirit of Christ is working in the hearts of sinners, he causes them to feel something of their guilt and their filth. Now it's possible that he makes a poor sinner to know one more than the other, but nevertheless, a poor sinner needs to come to know both because both are true. And when God, the Holy Spirit is given as the spirit of grace and supplication, both will be believed, in some measure, in the heart of the poor sinner. And that poor sinner will say, with Augustus toppling, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. Let the water and the blood from thy rib inside which flowed be of sin the double cure. Cleanse me from its guilt and power. Cleanse me from its guilt and its filth. And brother, where do you find the remedy for sin's guilt and filth, but from that fountain open up for sin and uncleanness? True conviction concerns the guilt and filth of sin. Secondly, true conviction results from looking to the cross. Look again at the text. They shall look on him whom they pierced. And then Zechariah 12 10. They shall mourn. My friends, one way a poor sinner gets to know their sin, their guilt and filth, is to look and to hear those words, darkness and thunderings, sounded forth from Mount Sinai. That's one way where you can come to know your sin. The Bible says that. It's through the law that a knowledge of sin is had. Another way you can come to know your sins is, through the scriptures, to go and to look into that eternal resting place for the wicked. And there, hear the shrieks and cries of the damned, crying out under the weight of their just punishment. That's another way you can know your sins. and what your sins deserve. But you know, a better way than even those is to come to Mount Calvary. and there look upon Christ, and see Him upon the tree, and see Him groaning under the weight of His Father's wrath, and then hearing Him say, it is finished, and then watching the Roman soldier take that spear and stick it into his side, and to reflect upon the reality that ultimately speaking, it wasn't the Romans, it wasn't the Jews, but it was my sins that pierced my Savior's side. My young friend, my old friend, if you want to come to grips with your sin and know yourself and take the place as a helpless, guilty, filthy sinner, yes, go to Sinai. Yes, go to hell. But more than that, go to the cross. Because there, clearer than anywhere else, you behold your sin. And my friend, that's why the cross has to be preached to poor sinners. The law has to be preached, yes. Hell has to be preached, yes. But my friend, the cross has to be preached. Because it's a humble, believing side of the cross that breaks the heart of the sinner like nothing else. Now, my friends, that's true for the poor sinner. But it's also true for the poor saint. And that's why we ever have to walk and live in the shadow of the cross. Because it was our sins that held him there. It was our sins that pierced His side. We, in our sins, pierced Christ. My friends, it's a believing, humble apprehension of that reality that breaks our hearts ongoingly, evangelically, graciously as Christians, and humbles us and causes us to appreciate the one who bore the wrath of God in our place. True conviction results from looking to the cross. And then finally, I've already intimated this, true salvation entails liberty from sin's guilt and filth. That is, the cross provides a remedy to man's twofold need, justification and sanctification. In other words, Jesus died not only to deliver us from sin's guilt, but equally and also to deliver us from sin's bondage. Matthew Henry said, the blood and water signify the two great benefits which all believers partake of through Christ, justification and sanctification. Blood stands for remission. water for regeneration, blood for atonement, water for purification. And the two must always and ever go together. Brethren, how would it look for us to try to put our fingers in the side of our Savior's side? and keep one, the blood or the water, from flowing out. Brother, which one would we go without? We need blood to atone for our sins. We need blood to deal with sin's guilt. But we also and equally need water to wash our filthy hearts. We need blood and we need water and we need both equally and always. Now, what I want to do is to spend a few minutes here. And make application of this truth to Christians. Because, brethren, it's very important to keep in mind that sinners need the blood and the water from Jesus' side. But so too, Christians, ongoingly and continually, need the very same blood and water. Now we need it differently, of course. We don't need to be re-justified. We don't need to be reborn again. But we nevertheless just as much need the blood and the water as any poor sinner. And, for proof of it, I want to suggest the example of David. Look back very quickly to Psalm 51. Verse 1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your lovingkindness, according to the multitude of your tender mercies. Now listen. David is appealing here as a Christian to his father that his father would remember his covenantal tender mercies. This is a covenant child. David's a gracious, converted, forgiven, adopted son. He's making application to God in his covenant mercies. But notice what it is that he asks for. Two things. Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Brother, David needed the blood and the water. Blot out my transgressions. That has reference to forgiveness. And that's by the blood. The washing of verse 2 has reference to ongoing purification and cleansing, moral renewal. And that has reference to the water. David desperately needed, my friend, both the blood and the water. Now let me remind you of the difference between judicial forgiveness and parental. David was already forgiven judicially. He was a justified person. And thus he didn't need to be re-justified. He was already born again. He didn't need to be reborn again. But what he needed was ongoing parental forgiveness and renewal. He needed to be reminded that his sins had already been atoned for. He needed to be reminded that he had been forgiven. He needed to be reminded that he had been renewed, that he'd been regenerated, that he has been sanctified. In other words, he needed that guilt that remains on the conscience of a child of God, and that filth that remains on the conscience of the child of God to be removed. And what would remove it, brethren, but the blood and the water? Basically, David is asking the same thing that John would speak about many years later in 1 John 1 and verse 9. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, that's blood, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, that's water. Let me put it like this. Where does the sinning Christian go? Well, my friends, let me suggest to you that the first place the sinning Christian must go is to the fountain open for sin and uncleanness. That fountain will stay open until the day of our Savior's return. And it will stay open only in so far as in heaven as we reflect upon it and are reminded of it because remember Christ will bear those marks in his body for all eternity to remind us of his loving kindness and grace. But then we won't need fresh applications of the blood and water because our consciences will never again become guilty and defiled. But until then, my friend, every Christian must learn the art and must know how and why he or she must make daily trips back to the fountain open for sin and uncleanness. There to find fresh parental forgiveness. The burden, the guilt of our sins committed for that day taken away. And fresh application of the water. The filthiness, the unrighteousness of our sins washed and cleansed and purged afresh. Same thing in verse 7. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean. That's blood. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. That's water. Dear dying lamb, said the hymn writer, thy precious blood shall never lose its power till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more. But until that day, brethren, the fountain stays open, and it stays open for sinners and saints, for sin and uncleanness. Well, let's come then, thirdly, to a personal testimony. Verse 35. And he who has seen has testified and his testimony is true and he knows that he's telling the truth. So that you may believe. Brethren, evidently, John is here referring to himself. John had seen these things and testified of them. He saw the entirety of the events that Friday afternoon. But I think in particular he's making reference to the spear and to the blood and to the water. Christ here, or John here, is testifying that Christ is the Passover Lamb. And John is here, likewise, testifying that Christ is the fountain opened. But notice, in closing, the reason why John testifies. so that you may believe." He wrote these things under the inspiration of the Spirit that his readers would believe these events, that his readers would read about these events and believe them. Now, I believe that John wrote this book for Christians, that their faith might be strengthened and increased. But if we were to compare this verse with Chapter 20 and verse 31, we would find that John not only wrote the book to strengthen the faith of Christians, but to also cause the faith of sinners. In other words, when John says that he's testified of all these things, in particular to the spear, the blood and the water, he's saying, I've testified of them. I've written them down by divine inspiration that everybody who reads about it, everybody who hears about it in the proclamation of the gospel, Christian or not, would believe them. In other words, It wasn't merely John's intent or desire or purpose that his readers and hearers would believe these things. But brethren, likewise, it was the intent, purpose, and goal of the Holy Spirit of God who inspired John that those who hear and read about these events would believe them and be saved. And so let me apply it, first of all, to saints. That is, the New Testament Gospels in general, Jesus' crucifixion in particular, were all written and recorded in the pages of the New Testament to strengthen your faith, Christian. And that in several ways. One, because of the historical facts. They're here proven true. You've placed the weight of your soul upon historical facts. truth. Jesus lived, he died, he atoned for our sins. But I think even more to the point is this. Jesus really shed his blood and water and that blood and water, dear Christian friend, was shed for you and thus all of your sins have been atoned for and all of your filth has been cleansed and that blood and that water will never lose its power until the whole church of God Be saved to sin no more. My friend, the Holy Spirit of Christ has written this account through John for this express purpose that you, Christian, might believe. Christian, you need to spend time in this text. You need to spend time beneath the shadow of the cross and beneath this fountain that's open for sin and uncleanness. But poor sinners, this too was written for you. God the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle John to record these events. Here's why, in part. The Holy Spirit inspired John to record these events because God desires you, poor sinner, to read about them and to hear them and to believe them for yourself. Be saved and have eternal life. This passage, the whole of the scriptures, But in particular, this passage, and especially the blood and the water, was recorded here by the Holy Spirit through John for you, Christian and non-Christian, saint and sinner, all of us, that we might believe. Well, may God help us to that end. Let's pray. Our Father, we thank you for our Passover lamb, we thank you for our fountain opened, and we thank you for this inspired, infallible testimony of John. And thus, Father, we pray that all of us, saint and sinner, might come for the first time or afresh, and partake of our Passover lamb, and stand beneath the cross, and be washed in the blood and the water of this fountain from Jesus' side. Oh, granted, our Father, we pray and ask for Jesus' sake. Amen.