John 13

13.3
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God...

As we were reading the story of Jesus washing his disciples' feet, I noticed the preface for the first time. There's this literary relationship that we call a "cause-effect," and as I learned in my high school Bible classes, cause-effects tend to mean something. So here's my cause-effect.

Because Jesus:
 1. Knew the authority that he had from the Father
 2. Knew where he came from
 3. Knew where he was going

He could:
 1. Degrade himself
 In order to
 2. Serve others

The three things Jesus knew were foundational to his ability to live and serve others. Consider life as a journey. In terms of what he knew, each element affects a different aspect of the journey.

.:He knew where he came from: When you know your origins, you are able to better understand your purpose and meaning. Hence the problem of evolution, that we have no purpose. If I recognize that I was created by God in His image to cultivate and fill the earth, I have a sense of guidance.

.:He knew the authority he had from the Father: Authority is useless unless you realize that you have it because you won't utilize it. And in deriving his authority from a higher power, Jesus was also submitting himself to the will and plan of that power.

.:He knew where he was going: Every journey must have a destination and a hope, otherwise the beginning might as well be the end. Our hope for the future helps us to continue in our present existence, although as Christians our future hope is partially realized in our present relationship with God.