2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor… (text and Philippians 1:29): — 1. The true test of any action lies in its motive. Many a deed, which seems to be glorious, is really ignoble because it is done with a base intention; while other actions, which appear to be poor, are full of the glory of a noble purpose. The mainspring of a watch is the most important part of it; the spring of an action is everything. 2. The less of self in any effort, the nobler it is. A great work, undertaken from selfish motives, is much less praiseworthy than the feeble endeavour put forth to help other people. 3. We are often told that we should live for the good of others, and we ought to heed the call; but there is so little in our fellow-men to call forth the spirit of self-sacrifice, that if we have no higher motive, we should soon become tired of our efforts on their behalf. Consider — I. THE MOTIVE OF CHRIST'S WORK. "For your sakes." 1. The august person who died "for your sakes." He was God. "Without Him was not anything made that was made." All the powers of nature were under His control. He might truly say, "If I were hungry I would not tell thee: for the world is Mine, and the fulness thereof." Hymned day without night by all the sacred choristers, He did not lack for praise. Nor did He lack for servants; legions of angels were ever ready to do His commandments. It was God who came from heaven "for your sakes." It was no inferior being, no one like yourselves. If I were told that all the sons of men cared for me, that would be but a drop in a bucket compared with Jehovah Himself regarding me. If it were said that all the princes of the earth had fallen at some poor man's feet, and laid aside their dignities that they might relieve his necessities, such an act would not be worthy to be spoken of in comparison with that infinite condescension and unparalleled love which brought the Saviour from the skies. 2. The insignificant clients on whom all this wealth of affection was poured. If our whole race had been blotted out, He had but to speak the word, and myriads of creatures prompt to obey His will would have filled up the space. But we are not only insignificant, we are also iniquitous. As sinners, we deserve nothing but God's thunderbolts. Many of us, also, were peculiarly sinful. Some of us feel inclined to dispute with Saul of Tarsus for the title, "chief of sinners." It will ever remain a wonder to me that the Son of God should have condescended to die for me. 3. The wondrous work which this master-motive inspired. "For your sakes" the Son of God took into union with Himself our nature, without which He could not have suffered and died. "He became poor." The poverty of a man is reckoned in proportion to the position of affluence from which he has come down. When the Christ of God, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, was forsaken by His Father, deserted by His friends, and left alone to suffer "for your sakes," that was the direst poverty that was ever known. See your Lord beneath the olives of Gethsemane. Then see Him before Herod, Pilate, and Caiaphas. Behold Him, as they lift Him up to suffer the death of the Cross! All this Christ suffered "for your sakes." What love and gratitude ought to fill your heart as you think of all that Jesus bore on your behalf! There is a story of an American gentleman who was accustomed to go frequently to a tomb and plant fresh flowers. When some one asked why he did so, he said that, when the time came for him to go to the war, he was detained by some business, and the man who lay beneath the sod became his substitute and died in the battle. Over that carefully-kept grave he had the words inscribed, "He died for me!" There is something melting in the thought of another dying for you; how much more melting is it when that One is the Christ of Calvary! 4. The comprehensive motive for which He wrought the wondrous work. Everything He was and did was "for your sakes." II. THE MOTIVE WHICH SHOULD INSPIRE ALL OUR SERVICE FOR HIM. "For His sake." What are we that we should be allowed the high honour of suffering "for His sake"? It is a great privilege to do, or to be, or to bear anything for Him. The thought expressed in these words may be enlarged, and assume six or seven phases. 1. "For righteousness' sake" (Matthew 5:10). If a man suffers as a Christian for doing that which is right, he is suffering for Christ's sake. 2. "For the gospel's sake" (1 Corinthians 9:23). Now, if you are put to any shame for the sake of the gospel, you suffer "for His sake"; and if you labour to spread the gospel you are doing something "for His sake." 3. "For His body's sake, which is the Church" (Colossians 1:24). We ought to do much more than we do for God's people. 4. "For the elect's sakes" (2 Timothy 9:10), i.e., not only those who are in the Church as yet, but those who are to be. Happy is that man who spends his time in seeking out poor wanderers, that he may bring in God's elect. 5. "The kingdom of God's sake" (Luke 18:29). No one who has left aught for it shall fail of present and eternal reward. 6. "For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us" (2 John 2). It is not merely the gospel we are to defend, but that living seed which the Holy Ghost has put into us, that truth which we have tasted, and handled, and felt; that theology which is not that of the Book only, but that which is written on the fleshy tablets of our hearts. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. |
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