“Trading Places” is part of the “Paying Ransoms and Making Deals” sermon series. This message focuses on the extraordinary grace of Jesus Christ, who traded His riches for poverty to redeem humanity. Based on 2 Corinthians 8:9, the sermon explores how Christ’s sacrifice allows believers to become spiritually rich through His poverty. The themes of grace, sacrifice, and spiritual wealth are central, and listeners are reminded of the importance of giving, humility, and the true riches that come from a relationship with Christ.
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Sermon Notes:
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, that you through His poverty
might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9 (MSG) You are familiar with the generosity of our Master,
Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us—in one stroke he became
poor and we became rich.
“RAGS TO RICHES”
“RAGS TO RICHES TO RAGS”
According to a Sports Illustrated article, 60 percent of former NBA players are
broke within five years of retirement.
By the time they have been retired for two years, 78% of former NFL players have
gone bankrupt or are under financial stress.
RICHES TO RAGS TO RICHES
1 Corinthians 2:9 “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart
of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of
God.
Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
John 14:2 In My Father’s house are many mansions ….
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you
to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
I. HIS GRACEFUL REASON.
2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ …
An acronoym for GRACE is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense
The VOICE translation of 2 Corinthians 8
2 Corinthians 8:1 Now, brothers and sisters, let me tell you about the amazing gift
of God’s grace that’s happening throughout the churches in Macedonia.
2 Corinthians 8:2 Even in the face of severe anguish and hard times, their elation and
poverty have overflowed into a wealth of generosity.
2 Corinthians 8:3 I watched as they willingly gave what they could afford and then
went beyond to give even more.
2 Corinthians 8:4 They came to us on their own, begging to take part in this work
of grace to support the poor saints in Judea.
2 Corinthians 8:5 We were so overwhelmed—none of us expected their reaction—
that they truly turned their lives over to the Lord and then gave themselves to support
us in our work as we answer the call of God.
2 Corinthians 8:6 That’s why we asked Titus to finish what he started among you
regarding this gracious work of charity.
2 Corinthians 8:7 Just as you are rich in everything—in faith and speech, in knowledge
and all sincerity, and in the love we have shown among you—now I ask you to invest
richly in this gracious work too.
2 Corinthians 8:8 I am not going to command you, but I am going to offer you the
chance to prove your love genuine in the same way others have done.
2 Corinthians 8:9 You know the grace that has come to us through our Lord Jesus
the Anointed. He set aside His infinite riches and was born into the lowest
circumstance so that you may gain great riches through His humble poverty
It is grace responding to grace.
Luke 6:38 (PHILLIPS) Give and men will give to you—yes, good measure, pressed
down, shaken together and running over will they pour into your lap. For whatever
measure you use with other people, they will use in their dealings with you.
Phillip Yancey’s in his book entitled What’s So Amazing about Grace?
“I rejected the church for a time because I found so little grace there. I returned
because I found grace nowhere else.”
II. HIS PLENTIFUL RICHES.
2 Corinthians 8:9 He was rich …
III. HIS MEANINGFUL RAGS.
2 Corinthians 8:9 “… yet for your sakes He became poor, …”
Thomas Aquinas said,
“The appropriateness of the life of poverty which Christ led is based on the fact
of 2 Corinthians 8:9. We too should take a vow of poverty because Christ lived
such a poor life, as indicated in this verse.”
Luke 18:22 “… Jesus said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and
distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Deuteronomy 15:11 For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command
you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your
needy, in your land.’
Matthew 26:11 For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.
Galatians 2:10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing
which I also was eager to do.
Luke 9:58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
2 Corinthians 8:9, For you …. for your sakes… that you might be rich
IV. HIS NEEDFUL REARRANGEMENT.
2 Corinthians 8:9 ” … that you through His poverty might become rich.”
Televangelist Joseph Prince explains it:
On the cross, Jesus bore the curse of poverty! That is what the Word of God
declares: Read 2 Corinthians 8 for yourself. The entire chapter is about money
and being a blessing financially to those who are in need. So don’t let anyone
tell you that the verse is referring to ‘spiritual’ riches.”
Televangelist Kenneth Copeland (quote)
“Is it God’s will for every Christian to be financially blessed?
God does not want you poor and miserable. He wants you blessed.
If you are born again, as a joint heir with Christ, all God’s resources belong to you.
This isn’t just religion; it’s New Testament reality! When Jesus went to the cross,
He totally defeated poverty on your behalf once and for all. As 2 Corinthians 8:9 says …
Notice that verse doesn’t say He did it so you would just have your needs met.
It says He became poor so that you might be rich! This is God’s will for you! ”
Lawyers for Hunt claimed more than $75 million worth of damages.
Those damages, according to court documents filed in the case, include
* a loss of $610,000 in annual income and benefits,
* a loss of $360,000 a year in book sales,
* a loss of $350,000 in speaking fees and an additional $80,000 in other lost income,
* for a total of $1.4 million a year.
The lawyers also claim that Hunt intended to work for 11 years—or until he
was 80—when the Guidepost report was published—for a total alleged loss
of $15.4 million.
No supporting documents were included to substantiate those claimed losses.
The court filing also claims at least $30 million in reputational harm and at
least $30 million in emotional distress
Revelation 3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have
need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor,
blind, and naked–
2 Corinthians 8:9 ” … that you through His poverty might become rich.”
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust
2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might
become the righteousness of God in Him.
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, that YOU through His poverty
might become rich.
Scripture References:
- 2 Corinthians 8:9
- 1 Corinthians 2:9
- Romans 8:16-17
- John 14:2-3
- Luke 6:38
- Luke 18:22
- Deuteronomy 15:11
- Matthew 26:11
- Galatians 2:10
- Luke 9:58
- Revelation 3:17
- 1 Peter 3:18
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
