For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, hiyo, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be rich (2 Wakorintho 8:9)
Jesus in all His riches left heaven and came to the earth, in the likeness of man, to fulfill God’s redemptive plan for fallen mankind. Jesus came to heal (restore, mak whole again) and reconcile man back to God. So that we might be rich through His poverty. Although Jesus was fully Man when He came to the earth, Jesus didn’t walk after the flesh in the kingdom of darkness, but Jesus walked after the Spirit in the riches of the Kingdom of His Father.
Jesus became poor
Jesus was sent by the Father to the earth and walked in the Name of His Father and was filled with the Holy Spirit and represented, preached, and brought the Kingdom of God on earth.
The ‘term’ poor refers not to physical poverty. Because during His life on earth, Jesus didn’t lack a thing. His Father always took care of Him and provided for His needs. But it refers to the spiritual poverty of mankind.
Kuanguka moja; the sinner, is carnal and trapped in a body and can only live after the flesh, since the spirit of fallen man is death. Kuanguka moja, who is also called the old man is separated from God and subject to the spirits of this world.
When did Jesus become spiritually poor? Jesus became poor at the whipping post and on the cross.
At those moments, Jesus submitted Himself and the devil and his demons took authority over Him through people.
At the whipping post, Jesus took all our infirmities and sicknesses upon Him. Jesus was brutally beaten and tortured until there was almost no skin left.
Although Jesus had the ability to stop them, because Jesus could have prayed to His Father, Who would have given Him more than twelve legions of angels, Jesus didn’t do that.
Jesus didn’t do anything to stop them, because the Scriptures had to be fulfilled.
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? (Mathayo 26:53-54)
Jesus walked the way of poverty
Jesus stayed obedient to God the Father and His words. Therefore Jesus allowed them to take Him captive and endured the whipping at the whipping post and the crucifixion.
And so Jesus walked the way of poverty; He laid down all His authority; all His spiritual riches for us. Kwa sababu hiyo, you don’t have to go the way of poverty, but you can walk in the way of riches.
After the whipping post, Jesus took up His cross and walked to the place of Calvary, where Jesus would be crucified.
When Jesus was crucified and hung at the cross (tree), Jesus took all our sins and iniquities upon Him. When Jesus carried all our sins and iniquities, the Father left Jesus, because God can’t have communion with sin (Soma pia: ‘Maana halisi ya msalaba‘).
Wakati huo, when the Father left Jesus, Jesus was the poorest. But Jesus stayed faithful to His Father and persevered and accomplished the plan of God, so that we could become rich through His poverty.
Rich through His poverty
Lakini wengi waliompokea, kwao aliwapa uwezo wa kufanyika watoto wa Mungu, even to them that believe on His Name: Ambao walizaliwa, si ya damu, wala kwa mapenzi ya mwili, wala kwa mapenzi ya mwanadamu, bali ya Mungu (Yohana 1:12-13)
You have become rich through His poverty! Because of thegrace of God the Father, you have been given power to become a son of God.
By the blood of Jesus and through regeneration, you are reconciled to God and have been made a new creation; mtoto wa Mungu.
Kama kiumbe kipya; mtoto wa Mungu (wote wa kiume na wa kike), you have been given in Christ the same riches.
You have entered the Kingdom of God through regeneration and you have been given the Name above all names; ya Name of Jesus Christ and you have been given the Holy Spirit of God, Who abides in you.
Therefore you have the same position, mamlaka, and power as Jesus Christ. Ndiyo, even greater, because Jesus went to the Father.
Hakika, hakika, Nawaambia, Yeye aniaminiye Mimi, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do it (Yohana 14:12-14).
We are seated in Jesus Christ
Lakini Mungu, ambaye ni mwingi wa rehema, kwa upendo wake mkuu aliotupenda nao, Hata tulipokuwa wafu katika dhambi, ametuhuisha pamoja na Kristo, (kwa neema mmeokolewa;) Na ametuinua pamoja, akatuketisha pamoja naye katika ulimwengu wa roho, katika Kristo Yesu: That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus (Waefeso 2:4-7)
We are ameketi katika Yesu Kristo at the right hand of the Father and have been given in Him the inheritance; all the riches; all authority and power in heaven and on earth.
Through the sacrifice of Jesus, you can have a life in abundance. You have been made rich, when you were filled with the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ; the Word dwells in you.
It’s not about money and material possessions, but it’s about the Holy Spirit, Whom you have received in Jesus Christ. It’s about the place and the authority you have been given in Jesus Christ and the power you have received in Him from the Father.
You have been given the Holy Spirit, so that you will be able to fulfill the amri za Yesu Kristo and represent the Kingdom of God on earth and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and bring the Kingdom of God to the people, so that they also might be saved and enter the Kingdom of God through regeneration and receive the grace and the riches of God.
You are precious to Him, He showed you His love. Jesus gave up all His riches and became (kiroho) poor for you, so that you could be rich in Him. Now you can live in Him and have the same life as Jesus Christ on earth. Hata hivyo, It will cost you everything, but it’s absolutely worth it! (Soma pia: ‘Kumfuata Yesu kutagharimu kila kitu!).
Jesus has shown His love for you. Sasa, you can show Jesus your love, by staying mtiifu to Him and His commandments, and do what Jesus has commanded you to do. You can show Him your love, by glorifying and exalting Him and the Father through your works.
“Kuwa chumvi ya dunia”
