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Humility was a trait which Jesus displayed without human equal! He owned practically nothing. He had power that was beyond human imagination. His wisdom was the wisdom of the ages and more. And, yet in spite of all that He was, He was humble. Although, speaking of the soldiers at the Cross, “They took His garments,” He never lost sight of His mission; He was humility personified.

They Took His Garments (3/4)

A few hours before the horrid scenes at the Cross unfolded, it is also recorded that Jesus was among a group of men divested of His outer garments. Only this time, His garments were not removed by enemies; they were removed by Jesus Himself in an unforgettable display of humility. Our purpose in this message is to focus on that event and to contrast and compare it with the events of the Cross.

Jesus “...rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” (John 13.4-5). In the culture in which Jesus lived, it was common for a servant to gird himself with a towel while serving his master. The girded towel was much like a uniform is to us today; it symbolized servitude. Many years later, Peter alluded to this practice when he challenged his fellow-believers to “...be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.'” (1 Peter 5.5). What Jesus did literally in humbling Himself to serve others, Peter urged believers to do spiritually.

The Cross, because of the tremendous sacrifice that was involved, has become the symbol of human suffering, but it also has become the symbol of deliverance. The humility that Jesus demonstrated at the Cross was indicative of the perpetual willingness to serve that He manifested during His ministry. Somehow, and only through God's wisdom, the thing that was intended to harm and destroy, became the means by which life itself has been imparted to those who look upon it with love. Humanity now looks at the Cross with two and only two types of eyes; those that embrace what the Cross represents, and those who resent what it represents. The difference is entirely in the heart of the observer.

The Cross will always continue uppermost in importance in the minds of believers. How could it be otherwise? At the Cross, soldiers took Jesus' garments; in His ministry, He demonstrated that believers must be willing to give up everything. At the Cross, others forced Jesus to do their bidding; after the Cross, disciples willingly submit themselves to do His. At the Cross, multitudes watched Him suffer hours of agony; since the Cross, He delivers others from the pain and eternal penalty of sin.

When the soldiers took the garments of Jesus, the symbolism could not be stronger. Again to repeat what we observed earlier in this series, the soldiers forcefully took that which Jesus willingly gave. This was true of His clothes, His blood, and even His life. His willingness to give was and is the greatest motivation to serve that the world knows. Through that sacrifice, He draws men to Himself and to the Father. Believers see beyond the superficial at the Cross and are forced to deal with the real issues of life and to abandon the pseudo-issues that blind the eyes of the rest. Service suddenly becomes, not a chore but a delight, even when it involves pain and personal sacrifice.

Jesus said Himself that He did not come to be served, but rather to serve (Matthew 20.28) That declaration was reinforced with actions such that it was not and is not seen as mere words. Our service to Him must be of the same type and intensity.

Questions:

1. What was and is the greatest symbol of love and service?

2. How did others “force” Jesus to serve them?

3. When the Cross is viewed as intended, what does it mean to the believer?

4. In His wisdom, how did God ensure that the Cross would always be central in the hearts and minds of believers?

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

Watching Your Dollars Fly Away