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Topic: ABUNDANCE THROUGH JESUS’ POVERTY
2 Corinthians 8:9
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.
When we think of God, we think of the most powerful and richest being in the whole universe. But do you know that our Lord Jesus was born into a poor family? We know this from the offering His mother Mary brought to the temple after Jesus was born, according to the Law for purification (see Luke 2:22–24). She brought a pair of turtledoves or young pigeons, which was the only type of offering the poor could afford (see Leviticus 12:2, 8).
But with Jesus in their lives, Mary and her husband Joseph didn’t remain poor. Wise men came to Jesus with treasures—“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell and worshipped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).
Jesus’ presence brought gold, frankincense and myrrh—two of the most expensive spices—to His family. The wise men must have come with quite an entourage for the Bible records how all Jerusalem was fearful when the wise men came to the city (see Matthew 2:3). Can you imagine the amount of gold, frankincense and myrrh which accompanied that entourage, and which was given to Jesus’ parents?
My friend, the moment you are born again, you have Jesus in your life. And when you have Him in your life, get ready for His abundant supply to come your way! But don’t look for the blessings, look to Jesus—He is the power to get wealth (see Deuteronomy 8:18). The presence of the Son of the living God in your life attracts good things. Because of His grace toward us, Jesus, though He was rich, was made poor at the cross for your sake so that “you through His poverty might become rich.”
Beloved, when you have Jesus in your life and when you know that He has paid the price for your abundance, you can boldly declare, “Jesus was made poor at the cross for my sake so that through His poverty, I am made rich in all things!”
