One of Jesus' favorite images for us is "sheep."  He referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd, and said that the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. In Micah 5:4, we find shepherding imagery used of the coming ruler or Messiah:   ⁴ And he will stand to lead his flock with the LORD’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.

Jesus' first coming included some amazing acts of strength and majesty including His miracles, exorcisms of demons and the Transfiguration when He appeared on a mountaintop with Moses and Elijah. For the most part, though, Jesus' earthly ministry didn't seem all that strong and majestic. In particular, His death on the cross must have seemed those witnessing it as an abject failure.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  In Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross, He paid the penalty for human sin once and for all and purchased our freedom!  That is most definitely a demonstration of strength and majesty.  Thankfully, we see that in hindsight, and it is the resurrection that assures us of Jesus' great strength and majesty.

We live on the resurrection side of both Good Friday and Christmas morning.  The Good News of great joy for all the people that Christmas brings is "old" news, in the sense that we've heard it many times before.  Yet, it is this old news and it alone that can transform our lives.  Jesus came into the world to rescue sinners, to demonstrate the Lord's strength and mastery over sin and death and to focus our lives on the majesty of the name of the Lord.  Take a moment right now to do just that--to focus on the majesty of the name of God:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Because of who God is and all He has done we have the promise and hope of eternal life!  Take some time to thank God for the strong and majestic act of salvation through Jesus, that at first glance seemed like a failure.

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, we do give You thanks and praise for the greatest act of strength in all history--Jesus' victory over sin and death!  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may live in the power of that victory and demonstrate Your truth in love to all we meet.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.