MADE RICH THROUGH CHRIST – PASTOR (DR) MENSA OTABIL – SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE, 26TH NOVEMBER, 2023

SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE WITH PASTOR (DR) MENSA OTABIL (GENERAL OVERSEER, INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL GOSPEL CHURCH (ICGC) CHRIST TEMPLE, ACCRA GHANA)

TOPIC: MADE RICH THROUGH CHRIST

DATE: 26TH NOVEMBER, 2023

BIBLE TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 8:9 (NKJV)

Let us rise up together as we make our “DECLARATION OF GATHERING” in this “YEAR OF GATHERING”.

Are you ready? Say with me:

I Proclaim Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. The Lord is the Shepherd of my Soul, my Shelter by Day, my Light by Night.

In His Name, we Plough our fields, by His Spirit we gather the Harvest, in His Light we seek and find.

In this Year of Gathering, the Lord of the Harvest has commanded: Launch Out into the Deep. At His Words, we cast our Nets, we gather in Souls and Substance for God’s Kingdom.

The Lord is our Reward; in this Season I received God’s Portion set aside for me: Full Measure, Pressed down, Shaking together and running over.

Nothing is Lost and Nothing is wasted in Jesus Name – Amen!

Today being our First Fruit Sunday (DMC NOTES: Every Last Sunday of the Month is The First Fruit Sunday in International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) Ghana); I just decided that I will teach something around God’s Blessing of Wealth and Abundance in our lives.

So, I Titled my Message: “MADE RICH THROUGH CHRIST”.

The Center of our Christian Faith is the Lord Jesus Christ – He is the reason for our Faith, He is our Saviour and He is our Lord!

And when we think of the Lord Jesus Christ, we had to consider what He did for us – A Substitution through His Death, through His Sufferings and through His Ressurrection.

Jesus Christ did a lot for us that was not for Himself:

• There are things that He did to give us Examples.
• There are things He did to give us a Benefits.

And it is always important for us to know what He did as an Example for us and what He did for our benefits.

So for Example, Jesus Christ was nailed to the Cross – Was it also as an Example for us to also at a Point in our lives go and ask Somebody to nail us to a Cross? Are we supposed to be nailed to the Cross?

No, He did it for our sins – So that we can benefit from Redemption.

But He also did things – He was kind, He was Loving and that He didn’t do so that we can go Free. He did it for our Example.

So, there are things Jesus did for our Redemption and then there are things He did for our Christian Examples.

So today, we are going to focus on something that He did for our benefits – We can learn Examples from it but He did it for our benefits.

And the Bible reading is going to be from: 2 Corinthians 8:9.

And just to give you a little background to the Bible Text – In 2nd Corinthians Chapters 8 and 9; Paul was talking ti the Corinth’s Church about Giving. Because at that time, there was a Great Need in the Church in Jerusalem of Judae,

So the Gentile’s Churches – Churches like the one in Corinth, Ephesus, Philippians and so on, were asked to take an Offering and to take it to the Christians in Jerusalem because there was a Famine.

And so, he (Paul) was encouraging the Churches to Participate in this Giving.

As it normally happens when it comes to Giving, some People get angry and say that we are not going to Give as we have all kinds of Problems.

So, Paul was teaching them about Giving – And that was when Paul tells them that God loves a Cheerful Giver!

Don’t be mean when you are Giving, don’t be Frustrated and don’t be Upset!

So in 2 Corinthians Chapters 8 and 9; Paul is talking about all of that.

Now in 2 Corinthians 8:9; he made a Statement in the Content of our Giving but He Places Christ as the Center of it.

Now, I want you to Pay attention to the reading – He says:

2 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV

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.

This is a very Powerful Statement that Paul made about something that Christ did and the benefits that it Provides for the Believer.

Now, if you look at that Verse, there are two (2) Prominent words there – Both of which are used twice in the Phrase!

1. The first one is the word “Rich”.

The word “Rich” means to be Wealthy, to have Abundance and to have Privilege or to be in a Privilege Position,

The “Rich” there is not Sufficiency, not that I’m okay, I’m fine – The “Rich” there is Abundance.

… Abundance that is Excessive!

2. The Second word there is “Poor”.

“Poor” means to be Destitute, to be Deprived of Wealth, to be Deprived of Position/Privilege.

So obviously, Poor is the opposite of Rich!

And Paul uses these two words in talking about what Jesus Christ did for us – He says that Jesus was Rich and then He became Poor; so that we the Poor will become Rich!

… Basically, that is all that he is talking about.

And so, we are going to examine what Paul meant in that Verse – What is he talking about?

In what sense are those words used in connection with Jesus Christ – Is it about Spiritual Poverty or Spiritual Riches or Material/Physical Poverty or Riches?

QUESTION NO 1:

So, the first Question that we want to Address is: “If Jesus Christ was Rich as Paul says; in what sense was Jesus Christ Rich? What was He Rich in?

Because Paul says: Consider the Grace of the Lord, that though He was Rich!

In what way was He Rich?

What does Paul mean when he said that Jesus Christ was Rich? And what does it means for us?

Two (2) ways:

I. He was Rich in the sense that He shared in the Glory of the God-Head – He was Rich in Glory in Power, in Dominion, in Excellence.

He is God!

Jesus Christ spoke about the Glory He had with the Father – That was Rich if you share Glory as a Creator then you are Super Rich!

So, Jesus Christ was Rich in the sense of His Glory!

II. He was Rich because He Created and Owned all Things – He is the Owner of everything.

All things were made through Him and for Him – And so, He is Rich!

The other time, I was reading an Article on Space, on Astronomy, on Planets in the Galaxies – They just fascinates me.

And I was reading that there was a Planet somewhere – The whole Planet is made up of Diamond.

Of course, no one can live on entire Diamond because you have to Plant food.

Now, if you get a small Diamond Ring, you will say that you are Rich – The biggest Diamond in the world is not even up to my fist and there is a Planet made of Diamond and the Owner is Jesus Christ.

So, when we talk about Him being Rich, He is Rich Fabulously – Fabulously and Unimaginably Rich because He is the Creator and the Owner of all things.

So, when the Bible says: Consider the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He was Rich in what sense:

I. He was Rich in Glory.

II. He was Rich because He owns everything.

And then the Passage says that Jesus Christ became Poor – He was Rich and then He became Poor!

QUESTION NO 2:

So, in what sense did He become Poor?

Now, the word “Become” is very important!

To “Become” means “To be Made” or “Made to be”!

So, He wasn’t Poor but He was made to be Poor – His Natural State is Rich but He became Poor!

He became Poor in two (2) ways:

I. In His Incarnation – He laid aside His Earthly Glory.

What is Incarnation?

Well, that is what Christmas is all about – Incarnation means God becoming flesh!

When God became flesh through Jesus Christ, He became Poor!

Why? Because He laid aside His Glory (The Glory He had) – Everything that made Him God; in His Incarnation, He laid it aside.

Philippians 2: 6-7 NKJV put it in this way – Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

So, He was Rich, the Fullness of the God-Head is in Him; then He decides that I’m going to save Mankind to do that – He has to become a Man and so He laid aside His Glory!

… That was the first Stage of Poverty that He had!

But the Bible says that He did it for our sakes

• He laid aside His Glory for our sakes.
• He laid aside His Riches for our sakes.

II. The Second way in which He became Poor is in His Earthly Life – He did not have Material Possessions.

Now, I have heard some Preachers teaching that Jesus Christ was Rich to justify their Riches.

I mean, you (As a Pastor) can be Rich, but don’t Change the Scriptures and don’t mess around with the Scriptures.

Jesus Christ was not Rich by any Stretch definition of Riches – Even His Parents were Poor (Joseph and Mary).

How do we know?

At the Dedication of Jesus Christ – When they took Him into the Temple; His Parents offered only two (2) Turtledoves or Young Pigeons as they couldn’t offered a Lamb for the Dedication of their first born. They were only able to offer the Substitute the Lord made for those who can’t afford a Lamb.

DMC NOTES: You can get to read the Story of the Dedication of Jesus Christ in St Luke 2: 22-40).

Joseph is Poor, Mary is Poor and Jesus Christ is Poor – Like most of us born into Poor families.

Your father and mother are Poor – You didn’t ask for it but you just found yourself in it.

But not only at His Birth, throughout Jesus Christ Life, He was Poor!

• Jesus Christ Himself told His Disciples: The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.

He didn’t have a Comfortable Life and He didn’t have a Privileged Life.

• The Wise Men went to the Palace of King Herod, thinking that, that is where the King of the Universe should be born.

But He was born in a Manger as there was no more room for Him in the Inn.

Talk about Poverty! – I wonder how many of you are born in a Manger!

• When He had to Pay Taxes, He didn’t have Money.

But He had to believed God Supernaturally to Provide just enough Tax Money to Pay for Peter and Himself.

… Jesus Christ was not a Rich Man – Period!

But listen to the Verse again – 2 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV: 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.

So, the Poverty is Intentional, Deliberate and for a Purpose!

So, He laid aside His Glory in His Earthly Life – He has no Luxury, He has no Abundance, He didn’t have flow of Money; but all of it is Calculated and it is serving a Purpose!

The Question is: WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF HIS POVERTY?

To answer that, you have to consider other things that Jesus Christ did for us

Isaiah 53:5 says that:

I. He was bruised for our Iniquities.

So, when He was bruised, there was a benefit – The benefit was that our Iniquities will be taken away!

II. The Chastisement was upon Him for what?

Our Peace,

III. He was wiped on His back for what?

Our Healings,

• So, He was Broken so that our body can be Mended.
• He was Pierced so that we can receive Forgiveness.

So, there were things that Jesus Christ was doing – He is Suffering it but He is Suffering it with the intention that the benefits will accrued to Somebody else.

So, for our sakes; He became Poor – What is the benefit?

According to Paul – That we through His Poverty might be made Rich!

Just like we through His Stripes get Healed, we through His Words are made well, we through His Piercing are Forgiven our sins – We through His Poverty become Rich.

The Question is: HOW DOES CHRIST MADE US RICH?

I. In our New Birth.

When we become Born Again, when we become Saved; He gives us access to God’s Glory.

Remember that He became Poor by laying aside His Glory.

But when we become Born Again, He gives us access to the Glory – So that the Life of the Believer will not be a Life of Shame, it will not be a Life of Disgrace and Dishonour but a Life of Glory.

He laid aside His Glory so that you can have access to Glory through our New Birth.

When a Person becomes Born Again, he becomes a Partaker of the Glory of God.

Romans 3:28 NKJV says: All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.

But in Salvation, we don’t fall short of the Glory of God; but we rather access the Glory of God because Jesus Christ is the Bridge Builder that took us from Zero to the Glory. We had Nothing but He gave us all Things.

When you become Born Again, you may be Empty-Pocketed but you are Spiritually Rich!

… Christ in you, the Hope of Glory!

And believe you me; if that is all you get then that is Good because the Glory of God is the most Precious Commodity in the Universe and we have to access it.

So, we have the Riches of His Glory and the Riches of our Inheritance in Jesus.

He makes our Life beautiful, and He makes our Life Rich when we get Born Again.

II. He also made us Rich in our Earthly Life.

Because the Poverty of Jesus Christ was not Heavenly but Earthly; the benefit is also Earthly – He gives us access to God’s Sufficiency and Abundance.

The Curse of Poverty is broken and the bond of Poverty is broken.

Now, does that mean that we just sit around, fold our hands, speaking in Tongues?

And then go and lift our Pillows in the Morning and found some Gold there because Jesus Christ has made us Rich?

No, that is not how He does it.

It simply means that the work of your hand is not Cursed and the Earth is not Cursed for your sake.

Remember what God said to Adam – Cursed is the Earth for your sake. When you work on it, it will Produce Thorns and Thistles.

But when Jesus Christ comes in, He blesses the works of your hands and the Earth is blessed for your sake, your Handwork, Labour and Sweat Produces Results.

Now, Somebody will say: So why am I still broke?

You know Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world but there are People who are still not Forgiven and some will die and go to Hell.

Not because Jesus Christ did not die but because they didn’t know how to receive the Free Gift of Salvation.

I. He was wiped for our Healings but some People still get sick because we didn’t know how to receive Healings.

II. In the same way, He became Poor for our Riches but if we don’t know how to receive the Blessings of Abundance; although He bless us with it; but in full Practical Demonstration, we may not see it Manifesting.

Because one of the first thing that we need to get rid of is “Poverty Mentality”.

There are Rich People which have Poverty Mentality and there are Poor People who have Poverty Mentality.

Poverty Mentality has Nothimg to do with what is in your Pocket ; it is all about what you think.

Poverty Mentality is built on Scarcity!

When you are afraid:

• If I give, I will go Poor.
• If I give, I will lose
• If I am Generous, I will get broke.

… Those are Poverty Mentality.

There are some Rich People who are always afraid to give and there are Poor People who are always afraid to give because Poverty Mentality makes you a Conserver – You always try to hold back.

Poverty Mentality is going to make you think that taking People’s Property illegally is how you can become Rich.

… You have to get rid of that Mentality.

If you think that taking what belongs to Somebody else is what will make you Rich, then you have a Poverty Mentality.

Jesue Christ has Redeemed us from that!

Listen to me: The Blessings of God has no Shortage!

God does not become Poor if He gives me a Million – The Blessings of God will always get to your turn and so you don’t need to dispossessed Somebody else for you to have.

And if you think Shortage, you will always be Greedy

God will bless me, and bless you, and bless the next Person – And He will still be God!

It is against the Principle of Economist because Economist is based on Scarcity of Resources but God’s Blessing is based on Abundance of Resources.

Being able to think of Abundance is the beginning of Prosperity!

And listen to me – You may have Zero in your Pocket and still have a Rich Man’s Mentality!

A Rich Man’s Mentality says: I don’t have it Physically but Jesus Christ became Poor for my sake so that I have the Mentality of a Rich Person.

I am always Full, I have Abundance even when my Account is Zero!

Because if you don’t have that, when your Account is Zero, your Blood Pressure will go High – As the Money is Low, Blood Pressure replaces it.

When you have the Rich Man’s Mentality:

I. Your Account may go to Zero but you know God owns Heaven and Earth and He owns everything.

My hands are blessed, my work is blessed, I am highly Favoured and God will make a Way for me.

.,. It is Riches Mentality and Jesus Christ became Poor so that we through His Poverty might become Rich.

II. He has no where to lay His Heads, so that you will have somewhere to lay your Head – Not only in a Rented Apartment but in your own home either you built it or you bought it.

You will have your own home because He left His home in Heaven, to come to a Homeless Earth so that here on Earth, we will not be Homeless.

III. He was born in a Manger so that my own children will not be born in a Manger.

Christ in His Poverty made us Rich!

And just as we receive Salvation, and we receive Healings; we have to receive God’s Blessings of Riches!

You want to receive that? Stand on your feet.

Today is the Last Day of Poverty in your Life – Amen!

SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR GOD’S BLESSINGS OF RICHES

Put your hands upon your Heart and say:

Heavenly Father, I Thank You that Jesus Christ for my sake became Poor that I through His Poverty will be made Rich.

Today, I receive Jesus Christ as my Gift of Abundance, of Riches, of Prosperity.

I receive Him in my Heart, I receive Him in my Head, I receive Him in my Hands – My Mind is Rich, my Spirit is Rich, my Hands are Rich.

Everything I touch Prospers and everything I do Prospers.

There is no Poverty in my Mind, in my Family, in my Bloodline – There is no Poverty all around me.

I declare that: I am Rich! I am Rich!! I am Rich!!! with the Riches of Christ Jesus.

I receive You Christ Jesus – Prosper me, Bless me, and Increase me Abundantly.

What I gather will not be Scattered; what has Scattered will be gathered back.

I received that back as my Blessings.

In Jesus Name – Amen!

At a Point in your Life:

I. You received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.

II. You have received Him as your Baptizer.

III. You have received Him as the One who gave you Holy Spirit.

IV. You have received Him as your Healer,

Now you have received Him as the One who Prospers you!

… And you will Prosper in Jesus Name – Amen!!!

Thank you so much for staying all through to read.

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