The Pilgrim Path---Second Corinthians 8: 9 

“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.”

RICH---yet chose poverty…

Many years ago, I had the opportunity to see one of the world’s great emblems of power architecture: The Palace of Versailles. This is located about ten miles outside of Paris. It seems the whole area started as a hunting lodge for King Louis XIII of France. Well---when his son came along---everything changed. You have no doubt read about Louis XIV ? He took the Sun---as the emblem for his monarchy. He would supposedly “outshine” everyone and everything. He moved the seat of French government to Versailles. So influential was the man, he tried to get as many “crown” heads of Europe under his “gaze” as often as he could at the residence. Versailles is a whopping 721,000 square feet of grandeur and opulence (what a triumph it would have been for Delmarva Power). There are around 350 separate “living quarters” within the main structure. You may take some virtual tours online---just incredible. Well, guess what? The Sun King’s “light” went out. He died just like all the kings of earth. His digs are a museum. Wealthy for a while---he left it all behind.

The Apostle Paul tells us that the LORD Jesus was so full of favor toward sinners like us, though He was the wealthiest of all---He came to this sin-cursed world---so we might genuinely be lifted from poverty---to Heaven’s riches as Christ’s joint heir. What? Unbelievable! And Jesus did not leave some morally stained, iniquity polluted realm of wealth and glory---He left the Paradise of Perfection to “come” down here. The LORD Jesus said goodbye to legitimate wonder---past our imagining to walk this earth, “that we through his poverty might become rich.” Thanks be to God for such Gospel Love and mercy!

From Richard Treffry:

---consider the grandeur of Jesus’ abode

---consider the extent of His dominion

---consider the dignity of His titles

---consider the number and splendor of His attendants

---consider the profusion of His liberality

---He assumed our nature in its lowliest and most degraded state

---He suffered the penalty of our sin

---That we might be rich in grace / rich in glory (II Peter 1 : 11)

“Christ is the Prince, and, as he sat there on the throne of heaven, he looked down at the souls of men trampled under the foot of the law and under the penalty of death. What did he do? He came down from his throne, stooped down to earth, and there he laid down his life and blood for them (II Cor. 8: 9). Would he have done this for inconsiderable things? No, nor would he for the souls of sinners either, if he had not valued them higher than he valued heaven and earth besides.” John Bunyan

HYMN

All praise to thee, eternal LORD, clothed in a garb of flesh and blood;

Choosing a manger for thy throne, while worlds on worlds are thine alone.

Once did the skies before thee bow; a virgin’s arms contain thee now:

Angels who did in thee rejoice now listen for thine infant voice.

A little child, thou art our guest, that weary ones in thee may rest;

Forlorn and lowly is thy birth, that we may rise to heaven from earth.

Thou comest in the darksome night to make us children of the light,

To make us, in the realms divine, like thine own angels round thee shine.

Martin Luther, 1524

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason