Sunday 17 June 2012

Blessings and curses


Curses, Blessings and the Law

Listened to a great talk tonight at church on Galatians 3

Galatians 3:1-14 (NIV)You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. [2] I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? [3] Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? [4] Have you suffered so much for nothing---if it really was for nothing? [5] Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? [6] Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." [7] Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. [8] The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." [9] So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. [10] All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." [11] Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." [12] The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." [13] Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." [14] He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

The contrast between curse and blessings.

Why do they keep choosing curse rather than blessing?

We don't set out not to receive curse in our life, we would much rather have a blessing.

Time and again we are presented with a choice but why do we chose the curse.

Galatians 3:2 (NIV)I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?

We can't live as a follower of Jesus if we don't have faith and trust in Him. It doesn't have to be much (faith as small as a mustard seed).

It is nothing we have done but rather we have heard and believed.

It is about faith and not about human effort.

Galatians 3:3 (NIV)Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

Galatians 3:5 (NIV)Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

What does it mean for us?

It is a reminder of our salvation.

Galatians 3:6 (NIV)Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

We are counted as righteous because we have faith and trust in Jesus.

Does it sound too simple?

YES - IT IS THAT SIMPLE.

That why it is called the Christian Faith rather than Christian works.

We have to remind ourselves of this. Because we believe we receive blessing.

The blessing that God pours out on us is not related to our works but because of our faith.

Galatians 3:7 (NIV)
Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.

Not by what we do but by having faith not by trying to fulfil the law.

Do we feel blessed?

We should be able to say that "I feel blessed" but there will be times when we feel tired and worn out and not feel that God's blessing.

If we are engaged with too many church activities we may feel tired and then find it hard to feel blessed. Faith can sometimes feel like a burden.

Galatians 3:7 (NIV)
Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.

We don't have to volunteer for everything but we must strike a balance between how we serve.  We will feel that we want to serve because we love Jesus but we must get the balance right.

Those who rely on faith are blessed.

This does not mean that nothing bad will happen or every prayer will be answered in the material way we want.

Being blessed brings us a step closer to God. We know we are blessed when we detach ourselves from earthly things of the world and focus on God.

The curse ..

Galatians 3:10 (NIV)
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."

The Law is almost impossible to meet and was given for a purpose and a time and was met in Jesus.

Trying to follow the law wraps us in minute detail and we will never meet it.

Galatians 3:13 (NIV)
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

Jesus made a way that means we can find a way to God.

Galatians 3:14 (NIV)
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.


How will we know God's blessing tomorrow?

God's grace is abundant and freely poured out by believing and not doing.

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