CHRIST BECAME POOR SO THAT WE MIGHT BE RICH

Proclamation:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”  2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Corinth.  In order to help the generous believers in Macedonia, who are undergoing a severe trial, Paul is requesting a generous gift from the believers in Corinth. (2 Corinthians 8:1-3)  Since the believers in Corinth excelled in everything, including faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness, and love, Paul is asking them to excel in the grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)  He reminded them that The Lord Jesus, The Christ, was rich but became poor for their sake, so that they through His poverty might become rich.  Paul encouraged them to match their willingness to help with following through and actually helping by giving according to their means. (2 Corinthians 8:11-12)  He urged them to share so that none of the believers would do without.  Then he quoted from the Old Testament scriptures (Exodus 16:18) to support his request. (2 Corinthians 8:13-15)  He ended by saying that he was sending Titus to them to collect the offering.

Application:

The Bible teaches us that we should help those who are in need.  Those of us who have should share with those who have not.  It is better to give than to receive. (Amos 20:35)  When we help those who are in need, we are actually lending to The Lord and He will repay us for helping them. (Proverbs 19:17)  When we are generous and provide a blessing to others, we will also be blessed. (Proverbs 11:25)  Remember what Christ did for us.  He left the splendor of heaven, came to earth and became poor, and was rejected and crucified for us.

Who We Really Are Determines What We Do

"In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him...Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man...he said "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."  Luke 10:25-37 (NIV)

Luke, the physician, recorded this parable regarding the good Samaritan which Jesus spoke in response to a lawyer who was questioning Him.  The lawyer asked Jesus who was the neighbor that he should love as he loved himself.  After Jesus told him the parable about a man who was robbed, beaten, and left for dead on the side of the road.  He told him that a priest walked past him and did nothing.  A Levite, a religious person who worked in the temple, also walked past him and did nothing.  A Samaritan, a non-religious person of a different culture, saw the man as he was walking by, had compassion for him, cleaned and bandaged his wounds, took him to an inn, and took care of him.  Then Jesus asked him which man of the three was a neighbor to the beaten man.  When the lawyer answered "The one who had compassion for him", Jesus told him to go and do likewise. 

The point is that our title, or position, or religious affiliations do not determine our behavior.  Our behavior is determined by the convictions within our heart.  "Who we really are inside determines what we see, and what we see determines what we do." (Unknown)  If we have the Christ-like compassion for others within us, then we will do what we can to help those who are in need.  If we don't have it within us, then we won't help others.  The lawyer asked Christ "who is my neighbor?"  The much more important question for us today is, "who are we?"   Who we are will determine what we will do.  If we love our neighbor as ourselves, then we will help those that we can.  Those who help the poor are lending to The Lord God, and He will repay the debt. (Proverbs 19:17)  He who blesses others shall himself be blessed. (Proverbs 11:25)  If we give, then it shall be given back unto us, and we will receive more than we gave. (Luke 6:38)  Let us share with those who are less fortunate and in need.  Remember the words of The Lord Jesus, it is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35)

Love Is Giving Not Receiving

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words The Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "  Acts 20:35 (NIV)

Luke, the careful researcher and accurate historian who was a travelling companion and the personal physician of the Apostle Paul, recorded here the words of Paul as he spoke and quoted The Lord Jesus.  Paul's point was that he did not preach and teach for money, he worked to provide for himself, and to use his earnings to help support the poor.  He also encouraged the people to do likewise, because as Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Too many people today are selfishly concerned with what they will receive, and care very little about giving to help others.  This attitude also pervades many of our relationships.  We often say that we love our friends, but we are more concerned with what we can get from them, or what they can do for us  We use our friends, we don't love them.  That is not Christ-like behavior.  Jesus was a giving person, and He taught that it was better to give than it was to receive.  He loved His friends, he shared information with them (Matthew 5:1-2), he shared food with them (Matthew 14:19-21), and He was willing to give up His life for them. (John 15:13-14)  His love was and is more concerned with others than with Himself.  Love is kind and it is not self-serving. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)  Love is giving and not concerned about receiving.  God is love. (1 John 4:8 and 4:16)  It is better, and more Christ-like, to give to others than it is to receive from them.