Overtaken: The Curse We Deserved, The Blessing We Dont

INTRODUCTION: It’s Catching Up to You

Good morning, family! I’m Andrew one of the pastors here and I'm excited to dive into the Word with you today. Family and friends, joining us online. Welcome.

Today, we are finishing up our sermon series on Deuteronomy as we have been going through the bigger sermon series of the entire bible.

So today I am covering Deuteronomy chapters 27-34, and the primary focus for today’s sermon will come from Deuteronomy 28. So if you could please stand for the reading of God’s word. (As this is one of the ways we practice our house habit here that “participation is better than observation”)

The message is simple, YET sobering, and inescapable: something will catch up to you.

Deuteronomy 28 says that it could be the blessing, or it could be the curse. But you won’t outrun either forever.

Have you ever had something finally catch up to you? Maybe it was that strange noise in your car you ignored for six months until it finally broke down. Or a medical issue you kept brushing off until the doctor gave you news you didn’t want. Or a low grade in school that you just never cared enough about until you had to retake that class.

That moment when it catches you, it stops you right in your tracks.

But let’s be honest—most of us aren’t worried about something catching up to us later. We’re too busy trying to have the good life right now.

We think, “Why stress about consequences down the road when I’m just trying to enjoy my life in the moment?” We want to be happy now. We want the freedom to do what we want, chase what we want, live how we want—and worry about the rest later.

We want to be successful, at peace, healthy, secure, loved, and fulfilled. We want the blessing. But we often don’t care how we get it. AND we think we can outsmart consequences when they come.

I just watched the new Marvel Ironheart series on Disney and I was continuously frustrated as she kept trying to get over on her circumstances, but it just kept compounding the problem.

The Bible offers no outsmarting the blessing and curses system; no third option. You WILL be overtaken—it’s just whether or not it will be the blessing, or curse.

PART 1: Pursued By God

There is a pervasive lie in our society that you should be able to live however you want and still be blessed. Many ways to happiness. BUT we struggle with the consequences with this type of idea.

I want to find someone who loves me for who I am, but I don’t want to deal with the baggage that comes with real commit OR the revelation of myself (who I really am) in another persons eyes.

I want to be financially free, but I still want to buy what I want, when I want, IF I see it, I buy it, just spending money.

I want to feel calm and whole on the inside, but I’ll deal with my anxiety by scrolling, working harder, or pretending it’s not there.

We want relationship without commitment; we want peace without submission. We want success without surrender. We want heaven now, BUT on our own terms though.

We want God’s good stuff without God’s good way.

Let me tell you a story. When I was younger, my parents got me one of those battery-powered toy trucks. I had been obsessed with it in the store—sitting in it, pretending to drive, having the time of my life even though it wasn’t moving.

So they surprised me and bought it. When I finally got in it, hit the pedal, and felt that jolt of motion, I panicked. I said, “Oh naw.” I got out of that car immediately. And from that moment on, I barely touched it. It just sat there in my grandmother's basement collecting dust.

Over time, my sister and I started disconnecting the battery, decorating it with crayons, using it to store other toys—we even sat in it pretending to drive again, trying to experience the fullness of the truck. But it was just a shell of itself compared to the fully realized version of what it was supposed to be. We did everything with it except use it the way it was designed. (That right there can preach the rest of this sermon.)

Here’s the point: I wanted to enjoy the gift—but I wanted to control how I used it.

That’s how we treat God’s blessing. We want the benefits, but we want to control the experience. We want the outcome, but not the obedience. We want to enjoy the gifts on our terms while ignoring the one who gave us the gift.

Deuteronomy 28 opens with a grand vision of divine blessing, a vision of a vibrant Christian life that touches every area of life: success, fruitfulness in family and business, protection in war, abundance in resources.

It’s beautiful. And it reflects God’s desire for His people to flourish under His care (his way).

BUT there is a warning that comes in verse 15: "IF you do not obey... these curses will overtake you." Let's take a moment to understand two key Hebrew words in that sentence: obey and overtake.

The word translated as "obey" in Hebrew is shama (שָׁמַע), which means more than just hearing words—it implies listening with the intent to act. It’s hearing and responding with alignment. So when God says, “If you obey,” He means, “If you truly hear Me THEN live accordingly.” Jesus rephrases this in his teachings years later, “if you truly love me why don't you do what I say”.

The word "overtake" is naysaag, which means to catch up to, to reach, or to seize. It’s often used in pursuit contexts, like a hunter catching prey.

In this chapter, blessings and curses are pictured as active forces—either one will catch you. You won’t outrun them.

So, this isn’t just poetic language. It’s a divine reality. If we walk with God, blessing chases us down. If we walk away, the curse does the same.

And from verse 15 to 68 (54 verses), we get a relentless wave of curses affecting every area of life: poverty, disease, confusion, relational breakdown, fear, and even exile.

Let’s be clear: God’s not threatening just to intimidate—He’s warning to rescue. He is that concerned parent who threatens to whoop your butt because you're jumping on the bed or running with scissors—because a sore butt is a whole lot better than a lost child.

He knows we’ll be tempted to chase blessing without obedience. And sometimes, God would rather allow us to experience hardship if it means turning our hearts back to Him. As Ezekiel 33:11 declares: "As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live;...”

This passage isn’t about a controlling God handing out punishment—it’s about a loving Father who refuses to lose His children.

So Deuteronomy 28 confronts the lie that blessing is a product of doing whatever we want, however we want, with no consequences. It flips that lie on its head and shows us the truth: blessing is intentional, and it’s relational.

So lets keep going with Point 2: Pulled Away By Disobedience

One of the greatest misunderstandings people have about God is that He’s just a big angry God looking to squash us and punish us the moment we mess up.

People might even point to this passage to justify that.

But that’s not what’s happening in Deuteronomy 28, because that would be void of a relational connection (established in the bible).

The point of obedience to God was never control—it was always connection.

From the beginning, God’s desire was to dwell with His people. In the garden, He walked with Adam and Eve (in Genesis). Then in the (book of Exodus) he leads his people through the hardest of times; then in the (book of Numbers) while in the wilderness, He gave them a tabernacle—so He could be with them. (Then in Leviticus) we see that his laws weren’t to keep them at a distance. His laws were to make the relationship possible.

Rules exist to protect the relationship.

Think about a healthy marriage. It’s not just about avoiding cheating so you don’t get in trouble. It’s about honoring trust so you can keep closeness. You don’t follow the “rules” of love to stay out of relational jail—you follow them because you want to stay in relational bliss.

Take for instance my relationship with my wife. If you know us, I sometimes (very rarely) like to push the boundaries of her nerves, for my own entertainment (okay thats not true I do it all the time),

But if I were to keep ignoring the way she actually wants to receive love, the relationship will suffer and I will end up dead. Why? Because even though I'm physically “present,” I'm not loving her the way she has clearly said she wants to be loved, I'm loving her the way I want to.

That’s how we often treat God. We show up when it’s convenient or when we need something. We do a few “good” things. But we resist surrender. We obey on our own terms—and then wonder why the relationship feels distant.

Deuteronomy 28:47 says this:

“For you do not serve the LORD your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received,”

That verse hits hard.

God wasn’t just offended that they disobeyed—He was grieved that their hearts weren’t in it. That even when they did serve, it wasn’t joyful. It wasn’t love. It was mechanical.

And isn’t that where many of us live?

You’re trying to be a good person, but you’re burned out

You’re serving on Sunday, but it feels joyless

You’re trying to read your word, but it feels forced and dry.

IF so? IT COULD BE BECAUSE you’re after the blessing more than the relationship.

Let’s be real: we want to be right with God so we can get the peace, the provision, the good life. We want the blessing, NOT NECESSARILY the blesser. (too real)

But A.W. Tozer said it best:

“Whoever seeks God as a means toward desired ends will not find God. The mighty God, the maker of heaven and earth, will not be one of many treasures, not even the chief of all treasures. He will be all in all, or He will be nothing.”

And here’s the heartbreaking part: when we chase blessing without relationship, we end up with neither. The very thing we want most slips further and further away—not because God’s withholding it, but because we’re refusing Him who does hold it.

And that choice has spiraled our world into a curse.

If you haven't noticed, the world is feeling darker and darker, with fears of wars and rumors of wars, financial ruin and a new way to die on every media platform, every day.

So if you feel like your life is unraveling—if it feels like the blessing has passed you by—maybe it’s time to stop asking, “What am I doing wrong?” and start asking, “Who am I ignoring?”

Because disobedience doesn’t just break rules. It breaks relationship.

Some people feel cursed because they keep repeating the same cycles their family did. Many of us come from long lines of broken families and feel stuck in generational patterns; with phrases like: "You're just like your father." "You're just like your brother." on replay in our minds. And so it starts to feel like you’re destined to live out the curse spoken over our lives.

Others feel cursed even though they’ve tried to live right. They've been a good person, done good things—but still, everywhere they turn, nothing seems to go right. Relationships crumble, money slips away, doors close, sicknesses appear. And so they begin to ask: "Am I cursed? Is something just wrong with me?"

And deep down, some of us in this situation may think its better to live this life without the relationship, because then it wont feel like God has abandoned me.

But I have come to assure you, God has not abandoned you, he has come to catch you and walk with you, if you let him.

So lets find out how with Point 3: Paid For By Jesus

Romans 3:23 says:

“For all all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

Galatians 3:10 says:

“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse...”

That’s us. If we think we can earn blessing through performance (or any other way), we’re already under a curse. AND if you have sinned your also already under a curse, But here comes the hope:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:13)

To be redeemed means to be purchased out from under slavery.

BUT Jesus didn’t stop at the purchase—He became the curse.

He got up on that tree a (reference to Deuteronomy 21), he got up on that cross AND He bore the full weight of our rebellion, shame, brokenness, dysfunction, and self-will.

AND you might be asking because I do all the time, WHY? (Why God, did you do this), and scripture gives a clear reason in Galatians 3:14

“So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:14)

Not through effort. Not through perfect obedience. But through faith. What an amazing gift we have been given.

BUT it’s NOT like God’s gift comes with strings attached—like, “I gave you the promised land, now do what I say.” It’s NOT transactional like that. But there is a proper response when you recognize the value of a gift that you have been given.

I was watching a Netflix documentary on the Travis Scott Astroworld disaster. AND One of the young men there who almost died, met the person who saved him. And one of the first things he said was, “I hope I get to stay in relationship with her for the rest of my life.” Why? Because he valued the giver more than the gift.

Many of us think the best thing about being a Christian is that we get to go to heaven when we die—no more pain, no more sickness, no more suffering. And yes, that’s great (i want those things). But the best part of heaven is this: we get God. Face to face. Fully and forever.

The Christian life shouldn’t be desirable because everything goes right—but because we get the One who holds everything together. The one who can’t be defeated. The one who has the means for every situation. BLESSING

You see when we trust in Jesus (thats the faith part), we are no longer cursed—we are covered. We are no longer enslaved—we are sons and daughters. We are no longer chasing blessing—it overtakes us.

And here’s the beauty: the blessings we once tried to earn through our own effort—peace, purpose, provision, identity—they are now bestowed on us because we are back in relationship with the One who gives them. The blessings flow freely, not because we got everything right, but because Jesus made everything right.

AND I realize there might be some people who hear this message and still feel like your story has already been written:

You brought the curse on yourselves through your life choices.

You accepted the curse and it has caught up with you.

And now you live under the weight of that curse, believing there’s no way out.

Jesus tells a different story.

In Luke 15:3–7, Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep. A shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to chase down the one who’s lost. No matter how far the sheep has wandered, no matter how long it’s been missing, the shepherd goes after it.

And when he finds it, he rejoices. He doesn’t scold it. He carries it back. He throws a party.

This is the heart of the gospel:

No matter how far you’ve gone. No matter how cursed you feel. No matter how much of the damage was your own fault—

Jesus will chase you down.

He will overtake you—not with judgment, but with mercy. He will catch you—not with wrath, but with grace. He will overwhelm you—not with punishment, BUT with the blessing you don’t deserve.

And that leads us to the only response that makes sense as i close—surrender AND obedience. (Valuing the relationship)

When Jesus has done everything to lift the curse and restore the relationship, our only response is to give Him our hearts. Not just with our words, but with our lives. Prioritizing the things of God, Not just with Sunday worship, but with Monday obedience.

When we really see what Jesus has done for us—bearing our curse, redeeming our story, chasing us down—it doesn’t lead to obligation. It leads to joy-filled obedience.

So what does this mean for you—right now?

It means the curse doesn’t have to be the end of your story. It means you don’t have to live trying to earn what Jesus already bought. It means you don’t have to keep chasing after peace, purpose, or acceptance.

Because in Christ, the blessing is chasing you.

If you are a believer—maybe you’ve been living in joyless obedience, or drifting into self-reliance, or quietly wondering why things feel distant. You know the motions, but something’s still missing.

This is the invitation to come back—not just to church, but into relationship. Not just to God but also his people as Ps. Larry preached last week. An invitation to experience joy again. To surrender again. To stop striving and start walking closely with God, again. Let Jesus and the blessing catch you and overtake you.

NOW if your someone who would identify as someone who is trying to find God or even a skeptic because there have been too many curses for a good God to exist—

For you, you might feel like the curse is all you’ve ever known. You’ve made mistakes. You've been hurt. Maybe you’ve run far away, or you've been numb for a long time. Maybe you even believe the lie that you’ve gone too far or are too broken.

But here’s the truth: Jesus already started chasing you.

He’s the shepherd who left the ninety-nine just to find you. And He didn’t come to punish you—He came to carry you home.

AND The blessing you don’t deserve is waiting—not because of what you’ve done, but because of who Jesus is.

So here’s the moment. Here the part of the service you been waiting for since it hit you earlier in the sermon.

Will you surrender? Will you stop running? Will you let the blessing catch you?

Because if you do, you won’t find a curse waiting—you’ll find a Savior.

And He won’t just forgive you. He’ll change you. Heal you. Adopt you. Walk with you all the rest of your days. He’ll Overtake you. LETS PRAY.

Eyes closed.

If your here today and your tired of living under the curse and you want the blessing of God to overtake you for the first time or for a fresh time, you are tired of living your own way and want to submit to the things of God, I want you to raise your hand. (Celebrate)

<<<Pray with me>>>

Now whoever raised your hand, DONT walk out of here today with out coming down front after service we have something to put in your hand and help you walk in God’s good ways.

And for the beliver

Reprioritize God in your life

Walk in his ways not in mechanical obligation but joyful obedience let me pray for you.

Amen.

____________________________________________

Now today is communion Sunday. Ushers please bring the tables, and Ryan and Ps. Larry can you both take a table, as we prepare to take communion together.

In this moment, I want to remind you—this is not a ritual we check off. It’s a relationship we remember.

The same Jesus who took the curse upon Himself… also offered His body to be broken and His blood to be poured out—not just to forgive you, but to bring you back into fellowship with the Father.

Communion reminds us of this: that we didn’t work our way to blessing. We were overtaken by his grace.

Jesus didn’t just deal with our sin—He restored our seat at the table.

So if you have not surrender your life to Jesus yet, thats okay you can just watch this sacred moment to honor our Lord and Savior.

BUT For all who will be taking communion please come down to one of the tables, and as you do, you are going to gather in groups and then we will pass the bread to one another saying this is “Christ body broken for you” and the person receiving will say “Praise be to God”.

Then we will pass the juice in the same way indicating “This is Christ blood shared for you” and you will dip the tip of the bread in the juice and say “Praise be to God”.

So as the music softly plays take a moment to search your heart, and if there are things you need to surrender to God forgive, do that and then come down. [[PAUSE]]

So family as we get ready to take communion together, it is all possible because of Jesus. Through his sacrifice we are invited—into joy, into blessing, into family.

And as we pass the bread and juice around we reflect the marvelous blessing of restored family and relationship.

So let’s receive this meal, not out of obligation—but with joy, with humility, and with gratitude that He came chasing after us.