Far as the Curse is Found

Announcements:

Christmas Eve

No Service 31st

Intro:

Wren saying, “I thought it was going to be a good gift

I remember as a little kid when I would get money as a present I didn’t like it. I wanted a toy but it was because I didnt understand.

Beauty and the Beast

A cruel and selfish prince is visited in a castle by an enchantress disguised as a beggar woman, who offers him an enchanted rose in exchange for shelter from a storm. When he refuses, she reveals her identity and transforms the prince into a beast and his servants into household objects. She warns the prince that the spell (curse) will only be broken if he learns to love another and be loved in return before the last petal falls, or he will remain a beast forever….The curse can only be broken by LOVE.

Christmas demonstrates God’s love for us and His work to turn the curse into blessing.

THE TEXT:

Galatians 3:13–14 NIV

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 pole.” 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 Curse (10-12) - The Problem

Because of the curse of sin, the law is now a curse.

This is the problem

The Cross (13) - The Price

Christ is hung on a pole and became a curse for us so that we may be redeemed.

Our freedom paid for

The Covenant (14) - The Promise

“The blessing of Abraham”

“The promised Spirit”

Verse 14, it’s a purpose clause here in the Greek, “In order that in Christ Jesus two things become ours, the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles.”

What’s that? What is the blessing that came to Abraham? I’ll tell you what it is. Romans 4 tells us the great blessing God gave to Abraham. “Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”

Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, Genesis 15.

What was the great gift that God gave Abraham? Righteousness. He removed the curse. Not through Abraham’s works, but through Abraham’s faith. The same blessing of righteousness by faith comes to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus.

So the first purpose, the first blessing is justification by faith. We are made righteous, the curse is removed.

The second, we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. We didn’t earn that, either.

The first thing we get is justification, second thing we get is sanctification.

The first is salvation by faith, the second is the coming of the Holy Spirit who becomes the means of our sanctification.

And what is the work of the Spirit? To produce in us a new heart, a new spirit, and a new love for the law of God and a new desire to keep that law.

So, remember how I’ve been saying that the law was intended for our good

And that the curse of sin has made the law a curse

And remember how we emphasized a couple weeks ago that the law is still good, but the law because of the curse of sin, although was set out to save only condemns

Now, this promise from God to impart in His people the Spirit of God gives us a new desire to keep that law that once condemned us

We are free from the penalty of the law, we’re not free from the obligation to obey God.

Christ became a curse for us to buy us back from sin and damnation, to set us before Him as righteous and holy in position and then to place His Spirit in us to progressively make us righteous and holy in practice.

This is the gospel. This is the glory of redemption. And we rejoice in worshiping our God, the Holy One of Israel, our strength and our Redeemer.

Wuest:  There are two purpose clauses in this verse, each introduced by the words in order that...so that (both = hina). These are coordinate, depending upon the statement in Gal 3:13 to the effect that Christ became a curse for us in order that the blessing of Abraham, justification by faith, and also the Holy Spirit, might be given to both Jew and Gentile (Joel 2:28). The law which was the barrier that separated Jew and Gentile, is done away in Christ (Eph 2:13-15). By its removal, the Gentiles are put on a common level with the Jew, and thus united, both Jew and Gentile are recipients of the Holy Spirit through faith. 

THE TRUTH:

God’s purpose was for us to live in a personal and intimate relationship with Him.

The curse of sin stole our peace FROM God and shattered our peace WITH God and it left us without hope as we’ve seen

Jesus redeemed us from the awful curse by becoming a curse for us! (v.13)

And this is done because of His love for us

Christ goes to the cross and breaks the curse over you because he loves you

Love is the reason

So, God, is a God of covenant.

Right? We see it throughout all of Scripture

So, now, Jesus has initiated a new covenant with us. (v.14)

The Abrahamic Covenant - All about Trusting God’s Word.

Believing His Promises

The Mosaic Covenant - All about Obeying God’s Word.

Blessings for obedience and Curses for disobedience

The New Covenant - All about Living God’s Word.

Obeying God’s Word as a result of Trusting God’s Word.

Living God’s Word not out of obligation, but out of Love.

So, do you see what happens here?

We are cursed and the curse is broken by love

We are given the Spirit of God so that we may desire to obey God once again

And you know what God calls us to first and foremost?

Love!

John 13:34–35 NIV

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 15:9–17 NIV

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

The basis of this new covenant is not knowing Facts nor performing Acts. The basis of this new covenant is Faith!

It’s not what we know, but Who we know!

It’s not what we do, but what He has done!

Questions:

Do you serve the Lord?

Because that’s the most important question?

Have you surrendered your life to Jesus to serve Him?

Do we serve Him today out of obligation or love?

Because let me let you in on a little secret here

God doesn’t need your service

God doesn’t need you to perform for Him

He doesn’t need you to give your money

He doesn’t need you to attend church

He doesn’t need you to follow all the rules

What He wants is you and God knows that if He can just get you to reciprocate that same kind of love back to Him then everything else will take care of itself

So, do you serve the Lord out of obligation or out of love?

People who truly love the Lord make the best servants

People who truly love the Lord make the best givers

People who truly love the Lord make the best volunteers

The best coworkers

Best spouses

Best parents

Best bosses

You name it, when we love the Lord truly, we ought to be the best at what we do?

Why? Not because we are anything great but because the goal is then to imitate Christ

So, if we are imitating Christ out of love while we serve and honor our spouses don’t you think that would make one heck of a spouse

…coworker

……boss

……parent

This is what the Love of Christ does to us

The Love of Christ…

Redeems me!

Compels me!

What does love demand of me this Christmas?

THE TAKEAWAY

SPURGEON: “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.” Our Lord Jesus Christ was made a curse for us that he might deliver us from the curse of the law, and that in consequence we might be blessed. The flood of blessing was ready to flow along its channel, but the river-bed was blocked by a huge rock. The stream was dammed up by our iniquity. What was to be done? The hindrance could only be moved by that great Lord, whose hands were pierced, and whose feet were nailed to the cross. He, by his great self-sacrificing act of love, lifted the rock from its place, cast it right away, and enabled the stream of blessing to flow freely down to us. This day there is no curse for the believer; but every blessing awaits him.

So…

No more let sins and sorrow grow, nor thorns infest the ground

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come, He’s come to bring us….…LOVE