When we consider what Jesus BECAME, we marvel that God’s salvation costs us nothing – it is ‘without money and without price’ Isaiah chapter 55 verse 1. Nevertheless, let us recall that it cost Jesus Christ everything! Paul writes, ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes HE BECAME POOR, that you through His poverty might BECOME RICH’ 2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 9.
Paul began this chapter on the importance of giving in his letter to the church in Corinth by mentioning the generosity of the Christians in Macedonia who, in spite of their own poverty, gave liberally, freely and willingly to the needs of others, including himself. He then went on to mention the supreme example of giving as seen in the life of the Lord Jesus. Unlike the Christians in Macedonia, He was abounding in wealth. Elsewhere, Paul emphasised how rich He was: ‘All things were created through Him and for Him’ Colossians chapter 1 verse 16. Yet, out of His great wealth, HE BECAME POOR to meet our deep need. The word used for ‘poor’ here, means ‘destitute’, which underlines the depth of His poverty. A ‘poor’ person is someone who has relatively less than others; however, a destitute person is someone who has nothing at all. The vast distance between ‘He was rich’ and ‘HE BECAME poor’ is immeasurable! He was so high in heaven that He could not have been higher; yet, He went so low that He could not have gone lower!
Without Christ, we are poverty stricken: ‘having no hope and without God in the world’ Ephesians chapter 2 verse 12. However, James, the brother of Jesus, wrote about what we can become: ‘Hath God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?’ James chapter 2 verse 5.
Born among cattle, in poverty sore, living in meekness by Galilee’s shore,
Dying in shame as the wicked ones swore: Jesus, wonderful Lord!
Wonderful, wonderful Jesus! He is my friend, true to the end;
He gave Himself to redeem me–Jesus, wonderful Lord!
Do you know this blessed One, Jesus, wonderful Lord? What a Christmas Day this will be today if you trust the Saviour of the world and say from your heart, He gave Himself to redeem me!
Have a blessed, Christ-filled Day.