This is my favorite Sunday. Because I get to talk fully about what Paul calls the unsearchable riches of Christ” in Ephesians 3:8. Romans 9:23 speaks of “the riches of His glory.” Romans 2:4 describes “the riches of His kindness, forbearance, and patience.” Romans 10:12 says He is “abounding in riches to all who call on Him.”
Text 2 Corinthians 8:9 “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.”
I. “He Was Rich.” How rich was He?
- He wasn’t rich like an earthly king. He was rich like the King of kings.
- Rich in power – by Him all things were made.
- Rich in glory – unapproachable light, eternal majesty.
- Rich in worship – angels cried “Holy” without ceasing.
- Rich in intimacy – face-to-face with the Father, in union with the Holy Spirit lacking nothing.
II. “He Became Poor.” How poor did He become?
- When He came to earth, the Scripture says He emptied Himself. (Philippians 2:7) Not just of otherworldly wealth, but of heavenly status, safety, and honor.
- Born in a borrowed stable. Laid in a borrowed manger. Rode a borrowed donkey. Buried in a borrowed tomb.
- One of the claims Jesus made, which led to His crucifixion was that He came from heaven (John 3:13). He existed in heaven before being born as a baby on earth.
III. “We Became Rich.” How rich are we?
- Rich in God’s mercy – new every morning.
- Rich in inheritance – co-heirs with Christ.
- Rich in access – boldly approaching the throne.
- Rich in grace – lavished, not rationed.
The riches of His grace. I celebrate the grandness of God’s grace… grace without buts. Not with reckless disregard for sin, but because I do not believe I honor God by diminishing the gift His Son died to give me.
We’ve been invited to a forever feast of grace and told, “Don’t hold back. This was prepared for you.”
We’ve been blessed to experience the riches of His glory. Watching the sunrise and knowing the Artist lives in you. Seeing the stars and remembering all that we see is just a whisper of His glory. Experiencing the personal ways He let’s us know He’s there and He cares. And He calls you His own.
And the Zenith of His glory is Jesus Himself. Colossians 1:27 says:“God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Being rich in Christ means… I have access to my Dad’s riches. I’m a trust fund kid. But my riches aren’t just in what He gives me. They’re in who He is to me. If I have the relationship; I have everything. If I only look to Him for stuff, then stuff is all I have.
In the relationship, I have:
- Continual access
- Security in His care for me. Knowing I’m ok, even it “it” isn’t.
- Fullness of joy. A whole-body joy without negative side effects.
- Supernatural peace that’s impossible to explain.
- Protection by unseen but ever-present heavenly powers.
- Wisdom from above, that will sometimes make me say, “Did I say that?”
- His unwavering affection
- Encouragement, when darkness turns to dawn.
- Inspiration – fresh truth.
When am I still living like I’m poor?
- When I live in shame, fear, and unlove.
- When I forget whose I am and live like I am my own.
- When I lean on my own understanding instead of trusting Him.
- When I believe the lies of the evil one about how my Father thinks about me:
So, when I spend time with the Lord, I thank Him for the love that commissioned Jesus to come. For the love that caused Jesus to accept the mission, endure it, and finish it. I ask Him to help me trust in the love He died to demonstrate to me.
He didn’t just bleed as a consequence of brutality. He poured it out as payment for our sin. Like one opening his wallet to pay a bill. He knew what He was paying for, and He knew who He was paying for.
His blood is my only cause for believing in His unchanging favor toward me down here. My only confidence on that day when I stand face-to-face before Him 0f hearing the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.”
We all want our friends and relatives to enjoy the gifts we give them. The Lord is no different. He delights in our enjoyment of the gifts He gives us.
At the top of that list: the gift of His Holy Spirit. I pray: “Lord, help me to enjoy the gift of Your presence with me.” He is literally the difference between life and death and activates all the other gifts.
Let us live like the godly rich. Not in the poverty of arrogance, but in humility. Not in the slums of fear, but in the glorious estate of the grace of God in Christ. Not as hoarders, but with generosity toward others, as philanthropists of grace.
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