So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. John 3:16 says that "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son." This means that God's love is not just a statement or a gift to provide for our needs; God loved the world to the point of being willing to give up His beloved son. Love is a sweet thing, but it also causes trouble, because in order for us to truly love someone we must give up ourselves, but even that would not guarantee the outcome. God loved us so much that He sent His beloved son Jesus to take on the form of man, so that He can replace the human beings in accepting God's punishment for our sins. God and human beings are once again reconciled, and we can enjoy all of God's grace. Jesus Christ is willing to become poor so that you and I can become rich. He became the most meager one so that He could taste all the sufferings of the world. When He ministered on earth He was filled with authority and power, and many have followed Him, because the hungry wanted to be fed, sick wanted to be healed, and broken-hearted wanted to be comforted. Many have followed Him just so that their needs can be fulfilled, but Jesus didn't rebuke them, but rather treated them with mercy. He knew that He came to the world in order for human beings to be delivered from self-centeredness and sin. He was willing to take on the way of the cross and God's punishment for the sins of the world in order to restore the broken relationship between God and human beings. Today, we can go directly before God and receive His life. With His life insides us we can overcome sin and self-centeredness, and it can become our source of joy. To the believers, we need to ask ourselves whether others can see God's sacrificial love from us. May God help us not to just speak about love, but to follow the sample of the sacrificial love of Jesus, and take all opportunities to serve God, brothers and sisters and those around you. Lord, I thank you because you loved us first. You led us out of poverty so that we may become rich in you. May the Lord once again fill us with sacrificial love, let us step out of our comfort zone to help those who are in need. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!
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