Upper Stories of John
Water: Part Five
As we close the upper stories of John’s gospel we enter Passion Week in Chapter 12. Jesus arrived at Jerusalem with destiny in His heart; He’s going to die and miraculously rise again, however, He wasn’t finished teaching His disciples.
During the last supper He did something unexpected, He laid aside His robe and tied a towel around Himself. Good lower story, but what’s the spiritual significance, the upper story, of those details? The Son of God laid aside His divine nature and took on the form of a servant as the Son of Man. A stretch? Paul didn’t think so,
(Jesus) who though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:6-7
Pouring water into a basin He began to systematically wash and dry the disciple’s feet. He explained to Peter and the others that the lower story of washing had a heavenly meaning. When you’ve repented and received God’s forgiveness you’re spiritually clean (experienced at your baptism), but there’s a daily forgiveness we need as well, only our feet need to be washed, Jesus said. Feet are symbolic of service, as Jesus exemplifies, and as we are forgiven, we in turn, forgive others. We don’t hold grudges, offenses, or anger against people: we forgive as He did.
After John witnessed the death of Jesus, he alone recorded that the soldiers stabbed His side with blood and water flowing out. Fascinating detail. Lower story? Sure, physically His body was drained of any life, however, the upper story points us to the spiritual reality of His blood poured out for us and His baptism with water and the Spirit. John began his gospel confirming Jesus’ life on earth, testifying to the truth that he witnessed, and now he completes the Jesus Story with this detail to ponder: blood for forgiveness and water as a public testimony.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive (blood) us our sins and to cleanse (water) us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
John continued this upper story of water when he penned,
This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the One who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 1 John 5:6-8
The Spirit declared Jesus was the Son of God (Ch. 1) and now He lives and works in us revealing Jesus in our life. When we’re water baptized we are publicly declaring His Lordship and when we celebrate Holy Communion we are reminding ourselves of His blood shed for us. Water is an upper story that John effectively uses to reveal Jesus to us; don’t miss it!
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