John 13:1-17 is not just about an honored teacher performing a shameful act to serve His pupils — It tells the story that God Himself, who has authority over all of the cosmos and reality itself — has taken on the role of a servant. Jesus’ people serve people because they are served-people.

John 12:37 says, "Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,..." The temptation for us might be to think, "How is that possible?!" But there's a lot to unpack with what Jesus is trying to teach us through John's gospel here.

As best we can, let us strive together to examine the totality of scripture so that we may see the glory and beauty of our Lord Jesus. Let us be a gospel-informed people who revel in the knowledge of Christ.

Mary's annointing of Jesus at Bethany reveals to us what true worship looks like. Where others around her saw waste, Jesus saw worship. She had been so shaped/changed by Jesus that she couldn't help but give him what was costly and fitting.

Like the council that formed after Lazuarus's resurrection, we have to options: Bow to Jesus and his Kingdom and face the fallout of the empire/culture or bow to the empire/culture and face the fallout of Jesus and his Kingdom.

If Jesus had come to the earth with the sword of God’s wrath and judgement against evil, none of us would have been left to tell about it. However, he did NOT come with a sword in his hands but nails—NOT to bring judgement BUT to bear it.

The first third of the Lazarus story reveals that Lazarus isn't the only main character–his sisters, Mary and Martha are as well. And what we learn is that the gospel is a story of our God doing all things well, not all things easily.