The Blessing (Gal 3:7-14)

Intro

- Do you know what ethnic is the smartest? Jews!

- EX: 노벨상 수상자 / 대학교에서 유대인 학생들을 우대하기도 했었다. / 미국 경제에 가장 큰 영향력을 끼친다.

- For example, among Nobel Prize winners, Jewish people are most.

- In America, famous universities would give preference to Jewish students. I am not sure if it is true even now.

- The ethnic who influences American economy most is Jews.

- By the way, it is also true that the most proud ethnic is Jews.

- Why? Jewish Elitism. They think that they are a special people chosen by God.

- The root of their thought is that they are the descendants of Abraham.

- Then, How about us? We are also God’s people. Are we inferior to Jews?

- Let’s dive into today’s text!

아브라함의 복

1) 본문 설명

<< 7절

- 유대인들은 아니라고 한다. 그 근거로 창 12:2를 주장

<< 창 12:2 / 아브라함의 복 설명

2) 아브라함의 복

- John Walton, a well-known scholar of Genesis, defines the word Blessing as “the grace, care, and protection God provides for His people,” in the context of Genesis. <PPT>

- 창세기의 권위자인 John Walton은 창세기의 문맥에서 “복”이라는 단어를 하나님께서 베푸시는 은혜와 돌보심, 그리고 보호하심이라고 정의합니다. <PPT>

- In other words, when God promises to bless Abraham, it means “I will be with you. I will favor you. I will always take care of your life and protect you. I will side with you.”

- 즉, 여기서 하나님이 아브람에게 복을 주신다는 의미는 “내가 너와 함께 할 것이다. 내가 너에게 은혜를 베풀 것이다. 항상 너의 삶을 돌보고 너를 보호할 것이다. 너의 편이 될 것이다”라는 의미입니다.

- 당시 아브라함의 상황: He had to leave his home and go to the place where there is nobody he knows. There he had to live as a foreigner and minority. He had to suffer from different ethnic, different culture, and different language.

- It’s very difficult and fearful situation.

- In this situation, God promised to bless Abraham. That is, God promised to favor, care for, protect Abraham and provide his needs.

- And God kept his promise in Abraham’s entire life, and Abraham enjoyed the blessing. This is why Abraham is called as the man of Blessing.

모든 믿는 자들이 아브라함의 복을 함께 누린다

1) 모든 믿는 자들이 그 복을 함께 상속

<< 갈 3:8 설명: 예수님을 믿는 자들이 아브라함의 자손

<< 창 12:3 / “땅의 모든 족속"

2) 어떻게? 믿음으로! <PPT>

<< 7절 “믿음으로" “It is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.”

<< 9절 읽기

!! Today’s text clearly says that those who believe in Jesus become Abraham’s spiritual offsprings and inherit Abraham’s blessing together.

- Not Jewish people but those of faith are Abraham’s true descendants.

- 유대인이라는 것이 중요한 것 X

- If some does not believe in Jesus, although he/she is a Jew, the person has nothing to do with God.

!! Through faith, we enjoy Abraham’s blessing.

3) 율법 또는 선행으로는 이 복을 받을 수 없다.

- What is the antonym of blessing? Curse!

<< 갈 3:10

- Those who rely on the work of the law, that is, those who rely on good work, are under curse. Why? it requires perfection.

<< 갈 3:11

- It is impossible to be saved through the law or good work! Only faith!

- Hey guys! We cannot reach God’s blessing on our own. With our goodness and good deed, it is impossible.

- Before God who is perfect, holy, and just, we are sinners.

- We deserve to be cursed.

4) 예수님이 우리를 저주에서 건지심 <PPT>

- By the way, Jesus became a curse on the cross for us, instead of us. In doing so, Jesus redeemed us and blessed us.

<< 갈 3:13 읽기

- Jesus, the sourse of blessing, became a curse for us. So we have become blessing, those who are blessed by God.

- We became Abraham’s spiritual offsprings.

이 복을 누려라

1) 아브라함의 복을 누려라 <PPT>

- What was the blessing God promised to Abraham?

- God’s grace, care, protection, provision!

- These are the blessings God promised to us if you have faith in Jesus.

- I said that when we believe in Jesus, many things chage.

- One of them is this. The fact that we become the beings who enjoy God’s special grace and blessing.

!! Remember! God is the Blessing itself. He is the sourse of blessing and the one who blesses His people. He is good.

>> God favors His people. He cares for each of you. He keeps you in your life. He provides your needs. God will be with you in you life.

2) 구체적 적용

>> 하나님이 정말로 우리를 돌보고 있음을 믿으라. Really believe that God is caring for you!

<< 벧전 5:7

- 매일 기억하라

>> 하나님의 여러분의 편이다. God is your side!

- 내편이 없다고 느낄 때 많다.

- EX: 학교에서 / 심지어 가끔씩은 집에서도 / 때로는 교회서도

- 하나님이 여러분 편이다. 아브라함의 편이었던 하나님이 여러분의 편이다.

>> 필요를 공급하시는 하나님이시다. God is the one who provides you need.

- “Blessing”이라는 단어에는 우리의 필요를 공급하신다는 의미도 포함된다.

- 우리의 필요를 부모님이 채우실 때도 있지만 그러지 않을 때도 많다.

<< 약 1:5

복에 대한 오해

1) 복에 대한 오해 <PPT>

- When we hear or use the word “blessing,” we have certain misconception.

- Some of you may come up with things like money, high position, high reputation, power, health, and so forth.

- We call these “worldly blessings.”

- There are not bad things.

- But God did not promise these things.

- These things we just mentioned are a kind of gift rather than blessing.

- It means that it is not that God does not give us these things. He give us these things when we need or when we pray.

- But I mean, when we talk about the blessing God promised to His people to give us always, these things are not included.

2) Don’t be disappointed!

- Being rich or being famous does not always make you happy.

- And sometimes being rich and successful from the worldly perspective can hinder you from spiritually growing.

!! God’s love, care, protection, provision, and being with us are the true blessing.

- These things give us real joy, peace, happiness, and satisfaction.

The Promise of the Spirit

1) 성령의 약속

<< 갈 3:14 “so that WE might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”

- “We”

- God did not promise the Holy Spirit to Abraham.

- God promised the Holy Spirit to us believing in Jesus.

!! Holy Spirit is the most precious among many blessings.

!! Holy Spirit is the one who came to us when we believed. And He is continously with us.

2) Descriptions of the life of living with the Spirit

- When we are alone, He is with us. So, actually, we are not alone any more.

- When our faith gets weak, the Holy Spirit keeps our faith and hold us for our faith to be strengthened.

- When we are tempted to sin, the Spirit makes us realize that it is sin. He makes us overcome the temptation of sin. He makes us repent.

- The Holy Spirit helps us understand the Bible better. He helps us pray better.

- He is the one who is always with us and helps us.

- It is an amazing blessing, isn’t it?

결론

- 우리 친구들 힘들 때 없어요?

- 두렵지 않아요? 미국에서 살아가야 할 나의 미래가 걱정되지 않나요?

- 혹시 하나님에 대해서, 신앙생활에 대해서 오해하고 있는 친구들은 없나요?

- 하나님이 우리를 억압하시고, 우리를 힘들게 할 거라는 생각?

- 예수님을 믿고 크리스챤으로서 살아가는 것이 부담될 때도 있죠?

- What is clear is that God is a God of blessing. He is good. He is faithful.

- And he is always with us and helps us through the Holy Sprit.

<찬양: the Blessing>