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I. "AS HAVING NOTHING." Learn —

1. That the truly great are not essentially the visibly rich. We live in an age so material that this needs to be proclaimed with trumpet blast.

2. That it becomes us to make greater self. denials. How seldom do our poverties arise from self-sacrifices!

3. That God does not reward His servants with material pay. If any man had a claim for such reward, it was Paul. But why is this?.

(1) God does not attach the false importance to material, possessions that, we do.

(2) He will let us do and dare for Him without a bribe.

4. That God's poor are the best off. For see the heritage to which they know that they are begotten!

II. "AND YET POSSESSING ALL THINGS." A good man owns all things.

1. By holding a true relation to things —

(1) He is instructed by them. Because a man has a lot of works of art in his gallery, and books in his library, it does not follow that he is their truest owner.

(2) He gets enjoyment from them. And what more can any owner do? There are men that sit in their lordly mansions that might as well be immured in a dungeon for aught of joy they gut.

(3) He gets growth in the midst of them. If a man's nature is ripened, enriched by things, what can make him in such a great sense their owner?

2. By holding a true relation to Christ he becomes possessor of all things (Romans 8:17; Revelation 3:21).

(H. Martyn.)

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KJV: As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;

WEB: as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed;