Jesus Enters Our Poverty

'You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.’ (2 Corinthians 8:9)

We can be ‘poor’ because of our financial difficulties as well as life circumstances, health conditions, physical or mental health challenges, grief, lack of support, and more. We can be financially rich and still poor because of our hopelessness, brokenness, and loneliness. We must obey the biblical command to care for the poor, but instead of being driven by duty or striving with white knuckles and gritted teeth, we do this because Jesus entered our world and became poor with us. He was stripped of everything – including his clothes and dignity – and died on the cross in order that we might become rich, receiving forgiveness from sins, adoption as royal sons and daughters, and empowerment by the Holy Spirit within the community of faith. Because Jesus continues to enter our poverty today to give us the riches of his grace, we enter the poverty of others in all the ways they can experience poverty, and invite them to receive the same riches.

Listen to Patrick explore Acts 6:1-7 and why the ‘poor’ need the good news of Jesus and care within the community of faith here.