Cursed No More

In Genesis, God meets with Abraham and gives him this promise: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you” (Genesis 12:2). The implication is clear. From the very beginning, God has planned to redeem humanity through the bloodline of Abraham.

Eventually, Abraham will go on to have Isaac; Isaac will have Jacob; and Jacob his twelve sons whose namesake makes up the nation of Israel. After exile and slavery in Egypt, God redeems and rescues his people. At Mount Sinai, through Moses, God gives his people the law.

There it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law” (Deuteronomy 27:26). Paul draws upon this passage to further develop his point here in Galatians 3. But what exactly does it mean to be cursed? Those who refuse to fully trust in God and disobey him will be cursed, and will face the consequences of further exile and enslavement.

All throughout the Bible we see this happen time and time again. The people of God place their trust fully in God, things start to go good, the people of God disobey and turn to wickedness and/or idolatry, and the people of God are led into exile. Rinse. Repeat. Start again.

The Jewish people understand themselves to be in exile while they’re under Roman rule. It is for this reason that the Jewish Christians in Galatia are trying to “Judaize” the Gentile Christians. But Paul wants to remind the churches that the promise of Abraham still stands, and has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Paul is going to make clear that Jesus took the curse so you could take your place in the family. That’s what we’ll be exploring this week.

Dinner Table Conversations: 

Adult & Teen Table Talk: 

• ​​Paul argues that Abraham was justified by faith before the law was given (vv. 6-9). How does this change the way we understand the relationship between faith and obedience?
• What does it mean that Jesus “became a curse for us” (v. 13)? How does understanding this affect the way you approach God and others?

Little Learners’ Table Talk: 

• God promised Abraham He would bless the whole world through his family. Who is the special person from Abraham’s family who blesses everyone?

Caleb McCaughan

Sermon Title: Cursed No More

Sermon Series: Set Free

Sermon Passage: Galatians 3:6-14

Closing Scripture: Romans 8:14-17