For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 6:9).
What comes to mind when you think of the word mighty? I think of words like powerful, capable, strong and influential. What kinds of people do you think of as mighty? Political leaders? Business leaders? Religious leaders? NFL players? What about terrorists? Some of these people/groups use their might for goodness while others use it for evil. Whether through physical power, political power, financial influence or the ability to invoke pain and suffering, I think the adjective mighty can be used to accurately describe them all.
Mighty God is the name of Jesus we are studying today. According to scripture, Jesus embodied all the characteristics listed above (powerful, capable, strong, influential).
…He is the head over every power and authority (Colossians 2:10).
…all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10).
But Jesus’ might didn’t come from his political position, financial resources or physical strength. Because everything in the world belongs to God, he could have used any of these avenues to express his dominion over the world, but he didn’t. It wasn’t his plan. Jesus’ power and might came from love, not winning. From putting others’ needs ahead of his own, from serving.
Think of it this way – you can’t just give yourself the title of “mighty”. This characteristic is only valid when others esteem you as such. Its like being a leader – you aren’t a leader unless someone is following you. Jesus had power, strength and capability based on his position as God’s son. His influence, however, came from his love. People followed Jesus because he loved them, he served them and he put their needs ahead of his own, even to the point of giving his life in exchange for theirs.
Do you want to be influential? Do you want to be a leader? Do you want to be regarded as mighty? Try serving others, and putting their needs ahead of your own.
The greatest among you will be your servant (Matthew 23:11).