“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
by His poverty might become rich.”
2 Corinthians 8:9
This passage is in the context of financial generosity. Paul was strongly admonishing the church at
Corinth to follow the example of the Macedonian churches in being rich in
generosity toward the suffering believers in Jerusalem. Paul motivates them by reminding them how we
display the Gospel when we give, and especially when we give with joy!
How does joyful generosity model the Gospel of Jesus? Jesus was rich in glory and fellowship with
the Father while in heaven. He gave up
that richness by coming to sinful earth, taking on a human body, suffering and
dying the most painful death imaginable in crucifixion. And Jesus sacrificed with joy. “For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured
the cross, despising its shame … “ (Hebr. 12:2). The joy set before Jesus was knowing that He
would purchase the church as His bride through His shed blood.
Through Jesus giving up His wealth to take on spiritual
poverty, we can be made rich in forgiveness, love, acceptance, and in a future
heavenly home. Jesus’ sacrifice (with
joy) benefits us in countless ways.
In the same way, as we joyfully give and sacrifice from our
wealth (and most Americans are wealthy compared to the rest of the world),
others benefit in countless ways. God’s
people should be rich in generosity, and do so with joy. Our joy in giving comes in knowing we are
modeling the Gospel, pleasing our Father, investing in eternity, and advancing
the good news of salvation in Jesus.
Let’s be a joyfully generous people … “for God loves a
cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7)!
