Humble Majesty

“Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!” Php.2:8

When Queen  Elizabeth II visited the United States, she came in majestic fashion. She brought 4000 pounds of luggage, including two outfits for every occasion, a mourning outfit in case someone died, forty pints of blood plasma and white kid-leathered toilet seat covers. She also brought her own hairdresser, two valets and many other attendants. The price tag for the trip exceeded 20 million dollars.

Contrast this with Jesus’ entry into the world: “Jesus, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!” Php. 2:6-8

The power of the cross reveals a humble majesty. In Jesus we find an amazing blend of holiness and humbleness, of glory and grace. Angles announce his birth, yet he lies in a manger. Throughout his earthly ministry, he rebukes the boastful but welcomes the broken.

We deepen our understanding of our Lord’s humble majesty as we study the name given to him. He is the Lamb of God and also the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. He is the King of Kings and yet a lowly Servant who washed the feet of sinners.

Before such humble majesty, the psalmist urges us to “rejoice with trembling.” (Ps. 2:11) Who is like the God who became flesh so he could dwell among us? Is it any wonder that Psalm 95 invites us to shout joyfully, but a few verses later, invites us to bow low, yes, even to “kneel before the Lord our Maker?”(vs. 6)

We respond to this humble majesty in all these ways. Yet our worship can become stale, perhaps even boring, if we lose the tension between his amazing humility and his awe-inspiring majesty. True worship requires that we maintain a balance between abounding in joy and humble reverence.

“Come, let us worship and bow down! Majesty in our midst. His gentleness has made us great.” (see Psalm 18:35)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are my brother and yet you are, from all eternity, the King of Kings. I rejoice and tremble in your presence today.…Amen.

Pastor Barry Keurulainen