Be rich this Christmas

1. Be Richthis Christmas – 22nd
December 2015
“He is before all things,and inhim all thingsholdtogether”( Colossians1:17).
There isa verse thatfor me sumsup the real meaningof Christmasbetterthananyverse inthe Bible.It
isjust one verse tuckedawayina corner of the New Testament.Butinit we findthe ABC’sof Christmas.
In 2 Corinthians8:9: “Foryou knowthe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,that thoughhe was rich,yet for
your sakes he became poor, sothat you throughhis poverty mightbecome rich.” The whole storyof
Christmasisinthat verse.Itsumsup the great truth behindababy’sbirth. Letus examine this verse,
firstfor the strengtheningof ourownheartsand second,thatwe mightteach these thingstoour
childrenandalsoto othersthatwe come incontact withduringthisfestive season.
Justthinkof the richestperson youeverknown. Inourcountrythere may be ministersbutif we takrthe
worldperspectiveone maysayBill Gates.There are several categoriesof richness.There isAverage
Rich:More moneythanmostpeople,butnotincrediblywealthy. The Rich:These are the basicmulti-
millionaires. The Incredibly Rich:Thatwouldbe Bill Gates, DonaldTrumpand to name a few andthe
otherson the Fortune 100 magazine listof the world’srichestpeople.Theyare yourbasicbillionaires.
Let me put itthisway. The Average Richflyfirstclass.The SuperRichown the jet.The IncrediblyRich
ownthe airline.ButJesusChristownsthe skies.The Bible says,“He wasrich.”It isspeakingof whathe
had before he leftheaventocome to earth.
The Bible saysthat all the gloryof God radiatesfrom Him“The Son is the radianceof God’sgloryand
the exact representation of hisbeing,sustainingall thingsbyhis powerful word. After he had provided
purificationforsins,he sat downat the righthand ofthe Majestyin heaven”(Hebrews1:3). In
Colossians1it alsosaysthat: “Forin him all thingswere created: thingsin heaven andon earth, visible
and invisible,whetherthrones or powers or rulers or authorities;all thingshave been created through
himand for him. 17
He isbefore all things,andin himall thingsholdtogether” (Colossians1:16-17). We
can learnwhenthe prophetstatesin Isaiah9:6, “Forto us a childis born, to us a son is given, andthe
government will be on hisshoulders.And he will be calledWonderful Counselor,Mighty
God,EverlastingFather, Prince ofPeace”.
Suppose youthoughtaboutitthisway: For the recordscalculate the accumulatedwealth…power…
influence…skill …genius… wisdom…insight… ability.Whateverthatvastsumcomes to,Jesushad
more in heaven.No manor collectionof mencouldcome close to Hisworth.He wasrich. He didn’t
leave heaveninsearchof riches.He hadthe universe athisdisposal.He wasn’tlookingformoney.All
the moneyinthe universe washisforthe asking. Theologiansspeakof the pre-existence of JesusChrist.
That simplymeansthatbefore Bethlehem, the Sonof Godexistedfromall eternityinheaven.Notasa
pauperor a beggar,but inglorioussplendor.
As we readin 2 Corinthians8:9 “For youknow the grace ofour Lord Jesus Christ,that thoughhe was
rich, yet for your sakes he became poor…” He Became Poor…What doesitmean?He wasrich in
eternity.He became poorintime.He leftheavenforaremote village inaforgottenprovince,tojoina
despisedrace,tobe bornof an obscure teenage peasantgirl inastable,wrappedinrags,placedina
feeding-troughinsteadof acrib.This much we all know.But notice the verb—Hebecamepoor... Not,He
was made poor.That’swhat happenstous. We are made poor bycircumstances suchas wrong
decisions,wrongactionsetc.ButHe himself,of Hisownfree will,became poor.That’ssomethingwe

2. wouldneverdo.He voluntarilygave upthe richesof heavenforthe povertyof earth.He whowas richer
gave it up freelyandbecame poorer thananyman haseverbeen. We understandriches.Andwe
understandpoverty.Buttochoose povertyisbeyondusandsomethingwe wouldneverdo.Butthat is
the heart of the gospel.The richestpersoninthe universe,of hisownfree will,became poorerthanthe
poor.
Theologiansalsohave awordfor this.Theycall itthe incarnation.The ideacomesfromJohn1:14 which
says,“The Word became fleshanddweltamongus.”The phrase “became flesh”reallymeanstowrap
yourself inflesh.Ithasthe ideaof God wrappinghimself inhumanflesh.That’swhathappenedat
Bethlehem.ItwasGod enteringthe humanrace inthe formof a man. God didthe one thingwe humans
couldunderstand.Godhimself came downandenteredthe humanrace.He became poorlike us.If it
was forus we’dschedule apressconference,call many TV stations,hire apressagent,have a parade,
call in the dignitaries, andmake a bigdeal soall the worldcouldsee.Butthat’snot God’sway. We can
readin the gospelsthatinsteadof flashandsplash, we readof a frightenedfather,anexhausted
mother,a dirtystable inwintertime,swaddlingclothesanda feeding-trough.There he is,ignoredbythe
mightyandpowerful—the DeityinDiapers.Immanuel—Godwithus.
Readingthe restof the passage in 2 Corinthians8:9: “For you know thegraceof ourLord JesusChrist,
thatthough hewasrich, yet foryoursakeshe becamepoor,so that you through hispoverty might
becomerich.” It says that We mightbecome rich…Here isthe purpose of Christmas.He came so that we
whowere poormightbecome rich…How doesthat happen?Itisby association withJesusChrist.
Trustingand believinginHimthroughFaithall the grace of God isavailable to usby virtue of our
relationshipwithJesusChrist. Thinkof it. All the riches…all the power… all the prestige of hisgood
name are mine…availedthroughHim!
But someone maysay,“Heyyou don’tdeserve that.”Indeed we don’t.That’sthe grace of ourLord Jesus
Christ.Through faithand our associationwithJesusChrist,suddenly we are made different andbecome
a newentity. It’swhathappenswhen one come toJesusChrist.He takesmysin andI take his
righteousness.Idon’tearnit;it isimputedtome…whichis grace by association. Once Iwaspoor
because IdeviatedfromGodswill andsintakingprecedence inmylife.Now Iamrich because Iam born
againthroughmy salvation...andthatisafree giftof God! That’s the grace of God. Andit happened
because of Christmas…the birthof oursaviour. He whowas rich became poorformy sake that I through
hispovertymightbecome rich.C.S.Lewissaiditthisway: “The Son of God became a son of man in
order that the sons of menmight become the sonsof God.”
this
Christmas