Jesus – The Son of Man

John 13:3-5
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

We often preach Christ, the Son of Man. This is right, for He made it clear that he came to seek the lost, to seek and to serve. Indeed, He deliberately made himself the Servant King. And in thinking about that, let’s examine the Lord’s Supper.

First, note John’s words: He “knew that the Father had put all things under his power,” how often we forget just who this Jesus is. He is the agent of creation, the one of whom John wrote:

John 1:3
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Think of that! Here is the one who spoke, and the worlds began. This is the author of the universe, the maker, The Creator, The King. His journey from heaven to earth, to become a servant, is beyond our imaginations.

C. S. Lewis once used the analogy of thinking of yourself as becoming a snail or a slug — to explain to the other slugs what man is like.

But the Journey from the throne of Heaven was not a one way trip. Even at this moment, Jesus knew He had come from God — and was returning there. It is one thing to come from heaven; that’s very interesting. It’s entirely another to let us know you plan to make the return trip! As interested as I am in anyone from heaven, the man who can make the return trip has my undivided attention. And the message that man teaches? By word and by example, service to others; the lesson of love.

The service he is performing here was usually reserved for the lowest ranking servant of a rich household. It was the “dirty work.”

In this series of actions, we see the immense depth of Christ’s sacrifice. It is not just that he went willingly to his death on the Cross, it is also that he left his place of glory for the express purpose of doing so. Here, at the peak of that mission, his message is completely consistent with that sacrifice: He came to serve.

Consider this well, then, as you take the Lord’s Supper. You are remembering not only his death on the Cross, but the sacrifice of immeasurable glory which preceded his arrival. Even greater news is this: You are also proclaiming his imminent return, when we shall share in that glory.