Pen Pulpit

After my Grampa had his stroke in 1999 the church decided to keep him on as assistant pastor even though he had difficulty standing in front of everyone and preaching a sermon. He started to write a weekly Pen Pulpit that they posted on the church website and put in the church bulliten. I thought that I would start sharing them with you. I will post one every Saturday (since I tend not to blog on Sundays). Here is the first one he wrote.


Pastor’s Pen Pulpit
December 19, 1999

THE GREAT EXCHANGE
II 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.”

Two Observations

1. His riches for our poverty.
2. Our poverty for his riches.

Exchange #1 - His riches for our poverty.

Christ was rich beyond imagination - not with our kind of wealth only, but with spiritual riches from the realm of Glory. When He became man He laid all of that aside to become a humble carpenter. It was grace that enabled Him to do that. “For you know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He did that for our sakes. “Birds have nests. Foxes have holes. But the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”


From the splendor of Heaven Christ came to the squalor of earth. The incarnation was an incomprehensible renunciation of spiritual and material glory. He who had everything became poor, making Himself nothing (Philippians 2:7). He assumed our debt of sin and paid for it with His life (Philippians 2:8).

Exchange #2 - Our poverty for His riches.

If He had not stooped to our level, we could in no way rise to partake of His wealth. He became what we are (sin) that we might become what He is (rich) II Corinthians 5:21. This is very personal, is it not?

Love you all.