Jesus Became Poor For Us
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
Poverty for us is something we want to avoid. We do everything to make money and if we can, build our wealth. Unfortunately, it has been increasingly difficult financially for many. In this past year, the economy has taken a hit because of the lockdowns and restrictions on businesses. Many have had to take a pay cut or worse, been laid off work. It’s been the toughest on those on the bottom rung of society. These are the folks who come to seek food and help at CCDC.
These past weeks, we have seen more coming to CCDC who are slipping deeper into poverty. For example, Glenda didn’t receive her disability check and was evicted when she couldn’t pay her rent. Gene has struggled with his income dropping dramatically because he has few customers for his carriage rides on the Circle.
Those in poverty also can face daily struggles with their health. Chara told us how her mom contracted Covid-19 and her dad battled cancer. With tears in her eyes, she told us she was so grateful for our concern and prayers. Our prayers have been answered — her mom is now well and her dad in remission.
Jesus understands our poverty. Jesus left the riches of Heaven behind. He said goodbye to his heavenly place of infinite power and royal position, and he entered into this world of poverty. Paul states specifically that Jesus became poor. Really dirt poor. He was born in a barn.
But what Jesus did was more than live a poor lifestyle; he entered poverty in numerous other ways.
He was poor in reputation. He grew up in Nazareth, a backwater town that had a bad reputation for crime and pagan practices. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Jesus was poor in social status. He was called by his town members “the son of a carpenter,” demeaning his standing in society. He was nobody special. The townspeople sought to do away with him after he spoke in his synagogue telling them he was their Messiah.
Jesus was poor spiritually. That may sound heretical, but what I mean is what Jesus taught in the Beatitudes about being “poor in spirit.” Jesus taught us to be humble and unpretentious in our walk with God. Jesus did incredible miracles, but he never attributed them to himself, but to his total reliance on God his Father. We wrongly envision Jesus as some spiritual giant. Outwardly, he never looked like more than any other man. He never flaunted his divinity. He always was seen as a lowly man of no distinction. Isaiah 53 prophesied, “He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him.”
Most importantly, Jesus was poor for our sake. Jesus’ poverty was not for some show of solidarity with the poor. Jesus emptied himself and gave everything for us. Paul says that he “for our sake became poor so that by His poverty we might become rich.”
Jesus gave everything away for us! He gave up his wealth, his reputation, his social position, and ultimately gave up his life on the cross. In John 19:30, Jesus says on the cross, “‘It is finished.’ Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.” He gave up his spirit; he gave his last breath for us. He gave his spirit that we might be made alive by his Spirit and he gave his last breath that we might receive the breath of the new life in the Holy Spirit.
We all are poor. We all live in spiritual poverty, no matter what our material wealth is. We all need to admit our sin and dire poverty before God. We cannot rely on our wealth, our reputation, our social position, or anything else we have, not even our “spirituality.” The only way to true riches is by giving our lives to our Savior Jesus Christ.
I believe those who are materially poor understand more readily their need for a Savior. Like Gene, Glenda, and Chara, they know that they could not make it through life without God’s help. Outwardly they may appear to have little or nothing, but inwardly they have the riches of Christ.
Help support our efforts to share Christ’s riches and alleviate poverty to those in the Near Eastside community. You’ll be the richer for doing this.
May God’s peace be with you,
Pastor Jim and Debby Riley