John 13:1-20 | What's the connection?

5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
-Philippians 2:5-11

The passage in John is rich with theological context. The central point of Jesus' actions is rooted in His love for His own. John drives the point that His love is expressed in His service to His disciples. I want us to consider part of what is happening in this section. Jesus knows that the Father has given Him all things and knows that He had come from God and that He was going to God. So what does He do? He lays aside His garments and takes a towel, girds Himself with it and turns to serve His disciples.

Let me draw the picture here, because I find it very heavily theologically significant. Jesus lays aside His form to take up a lowly form. He set His garments aside to pick up the garb of the servant. Is this not exactly what Jesus had done in laying aside the fullness of His glory to take upon the humble human form? And then check out what happens! He washes the feet of the disciples (that which comes in contact with the world), then it says He takes His garments and sits down again. It never says He took off the towel. He kept the form of the servant even when He took back His glory. Consider the weight of that.

It is out of this that Jesus teaches how we must serve one another. We must be willing to lay ourselves aside and care for people where they are at. I think that is a powerful reality. And it begins with a much deeper truth - humility before the Lord.

What connection are you making?