The First Christmas Exchange
“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.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
REFLECTION: One of the few downsides of the Holiday Season is the inevitable lines. There are lines to get to the store and the lines to check out. Perhaps the most challenging line is the line for the
“Return” of gifts that you don’t want. Many times people will return gifts that are impractical and “exchange” those for something that they truly want or need.
DIRECTION: Our text verse today reminds us of such an exchange. Satan and our Sin “purchased” for us a “gift” that would destroy us. Because of Christ’s “Grace” he offers us the opportunity to “exchange” our Sin for Salvation. In order to understand this “Grace” we must first understand:
1. HEAVEN “Though he was rich” Heaven is a place of wonderful:
A. PURITY Revelation 21:27
B. PEACE Rev. 22:1-4
1) Christ is the “Prince of Peace” Is. 9:6
2) He offers His Peace in the Problems of our world. (John 14:27)
3) Peace rules wherever Christ rules. (Phil 4:7; Col 3:15; 1 Th 5:23)
C. PROSPERITY Rev. 21:3-5; 9-27
D. PRAISE
1) His throne is surrounded by praise. Rev. 4:3
2) The 24 Elders (Representing the saints) praise him. Rev. 4:11
3) The Millions of Angels praise him. Rev 5:11-12
4) All Creation Praises him. Rev. 5:13 ; Rev. 19:1-8 (Psalm 150:6)
E. PERPETUAL PLEASURE: (Psa 16:11) "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
2. HELL “yet for your sakes he became poor”
A. EARTH WAS A HELL IN COMPARISON TO HEAVEN. Is. 53 He exchanged:
1) Purity for Pollution “The chastisement of our peace was upon him
…Make his soul an offering for sin” Vs 5, 10
(Imagine stepping from Heaven’s throne into a barn!)
2) Peace for Problems
“he hath borne our grief and carried our sorrows.” Vs 4
3) Prosperity for Poverty “root out of a dry ground…” Vs 2
(Mat 8:20) " but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."
4) Praise for Public Ridicule “despised and rejected of men.” Vs 3
5) Pleasure for Pain: “he was wounded for our transgressions..yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him” Vs 5, 10
B. HE TOOK OUR HELL FOR US. (Eph. 4:8,9) (Heb 2:14,15)
(Rev 1:18) "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."
> Hell is a place of:
1) Separation (Mk 15:34) "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
2) Sorrow (Isa 53:4)
3) Desires that are never satisfied (Luke 16:24)
4) Darkness (Mat 22:13) "cast him into outer darkness..."
5) Torment (Luke 16:24) “I am tormented in this flame.”
6) Timelessness (Rev 14:11) "And the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and they have no rest”
3. HOPE “that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
NOTE: Christ exchanged heaven for hell so that we could have hope.
(Titus 1:2) "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;"
(Hebrews 6:18,19) "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;"
A. CHRIST’S EXCHANGE PROVIDES THE WAY FOR OUR EXCHANGE.
The Exchange
My rags for His riches; My gain for His loss:
My Joy for His Sorrow; My forgiveness, His cross.
My health for His sickness; My peace for His pain:
My freedom for His bondage; My glory, His shame.
My sin for Salvation, abundant and free;
He traded on Calvary. Oh how can this be?
That Christ from His Heaven would stoop to my Hell;
Would take all my sin-debt and offer as well,
A home in His Heaven, and meaning on Earth.
All this in exchange for a Heavenly rebirth.
Such love, so amazing, abundant and free,
Compels me to offer some gift to my King.
But what can I give to the Maker of all;
When I am so poor and defiled by the fall.
I’ll give him those things that would have most effect;
My Love and my Life are now his to direct. K. Peters
APPLICATION:
> The Word Grace (Charis) means favor or gift. It is this word that forms the root of the Greek word for “Gift of God” in Romans 6:23. Have you truly received this gift and experienced your “exchange”.
> Eternal life cost Christ everything and costs us nothing. It is the result of Christ’s willing exchange.
> Abundant life also involves an exchange. We surrender our lives to Christ so that He can live through us.
2 Cor 5: 14,15 “ For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
HEAVEN:
A few hours before Dwight L. Moody died, he caught a glimpse of the glory awaiting him. Awakening from a sleep, he said, "Earth recedes, heaven opens before me. If this is death, it is sweet! There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go!" His son who was standing by his bedside said, "No, no father, you are dreaming."
"No," said Mr. Moody, "I am not dreaming; I have been within the gates; I have seen the children's faces." A short time elapsed and then, following what seemed to the family to be the death struggle, he spoke again: "This is my triumph; this my coronation day! It is glorious!"
Thomas Edison was a scientific genius and an exacting and practical man who didn't casually say anything he didn't believe. Mrs. Edison told about the night Edison was at death's door. Suddenly it was evident that he wanted to say something, so she and the doctor bent down close. This great scientist, with a smile on his face, said, "It is very beautiful over there!"
HELL:
“All hope abandon, ye who enter here.” Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)
Hell is the highest reward that the devil can offer you for being a servant of his. Billy Sunday (1862-1935)
Hell is truth seen too late. Tryon Edwards (1809-1894)
Hell is where everyone is doing his own thing. Paradise is where everyone is doing God's thing.
Thomas Howard
The pain of punishment will be without the fruit of penitence; weeping will be useless, and prayer ineffectual. Too late they will believe in eternal punishment who would not believe in eternal life.
Saint Cyprian (200-258)
The safest road to hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)
