Rev. David Holwick W Galatians sermon series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
July 23, 2000
Galatians 3:10-14 (-25)
CURSES
I. Haitian religion.
A. Voodoo curses.
Several of our team-members are intrigued by the religion
of Haiti.
While most Haitians claim Christianity of some sort, the
majority practice voodoo alongside it.
One aspect of that religion is curses.
If one of us is cursed, you will be able to tell right away.
The person will have glazed eyes, a far-off stare, mumbled
responses and a lethargic manner.
The only team member who might fool you is Philip Jacke since
he is a teenager.
B. It is a real issue in Haiti.
1) Voodoo is a mixture of African and Christian religion.
2) It places much emphasis on magical rituals.
3) The "dark side" is very much in evidence.
C. The dark side is also a feature of Christianity.
1) Curses may seem harsh and archaic but they have a part
in our faith.
2) If there is goodness and truth and love, there must also
be an alternative.
3) Evil is real. Rejection is possible.
II. The curse of the Law.
A. Deuteronomy 27:26 - cursed is everyone who fails to do the law.
1) The verse is the conclusion of a series of curses.
a) Disobedience to the covenant triggers them.
b) Curses are balanced by blessings.
2) Cursed means cut off from God, condemned.
a) God's character is holy and righteous, and cannot
tolerate sin.
b) Some try to water it down by saying the curse is tied
to the Law, not to God.
c) But the Law belongs to God, so the curse does as well.
B. All humans are under the curse.
1) You are only cursed if you don't follow Law perfectly.
a) Nobody follows it perfectly.
b) Visiting Roxbury Police with youth group, they check
my driving record.
The officer was amazed it was spotless!
Fortunately he did not have access to the Colorado
records.
2) Paul assumes sin is universal.
a) It includes religious and respectable people.
b) The Jews only included people outside law.
C. No one can do the Law.
1) Therefore we cannot live by it and expect to please God.
III. Jesus is in the anti-voodoo business.
A. The condition of humans under law is obviously hopeless.
1) If there is to be hope, it must come from a different
direction entirely.
2) Abruptly Paul tells us how Jesus is the solution.
B. Jesus became a curse for us. 3:13
1) Shocking language.
a) Aren't curses archaic and unseemly?
b) Yes. But realistic - sin is serious stuff.
2) The curse must be the same curse of the law.
a) It was transferred from us to him.
b) Illuminates the cry of despair from the cross. Mt 27:46
3) Jesus has "been there," for us.
a) Jesus feels our pain and failure.
1> Many feel their lives are so bad, hell must be
on earth.
2> (expand on idea of how people feel "cursed.")
b) Jesus can do something about it.
C. Old Testament background.
1) Deuteronomy 21:23 - cursed are those hanged on tree.
a) Not cursed because they are hanged, but hanged
because they are considered cursed.
b) Cross is hanging on tree. Acts 5:30; 1 Pet 2:24
2) Major stumbling block for Jews.
a) Perhaps when Jesus was preached, Jews shouted back
"Jesus is accursed!" cf. 1 Cor 12:3
b) Christ's cross is still a stumbling block.
1> Exclusivistic - Jesus or nothing.
2> Simplistic. Too easy to give all credit to Jesus.
3> Too hard to surrender all to him.
IV. If the Law is wrong, why is it in Bible?
A. Old Testament can support both Grace and Law.
1) Hab 2:4 (righteous live by faith) comes from the prophets,
Lev 18:5 (the person who obeys, lives) from the Law.
2) Both promise eternal life.
3) One emphasizes faith, the other works.
B. Why does the Bible teach both? Isn't it contradictory?
1) The Law has a purpose - shows we are sinners. 3:19
a) "Because of transgression" is made more clear in Romans.
b) The Law reveals to us the depth of our sin. Rom 3:20
1> You don't use the Law to prove to God you are holy;
God uses the Law to prove to you you're a sinner.
c) It holds us as a prisoner until Jesus is revealed. 3:23
2) The Law points the way to Jesus.
a) He is the only one who followed it perfectly.
C. The place of faith.
1) Christ's redemption requires our response to be effective.
2) Faith is laying hold of Jesus personally.
a) We enter into a Spirit-led relationship with him. 3:14
V. Are you willing to be cursed?
A. What is your soul worth?
1) Calvin & Hobbes cartoon -
Calvin tries to hit neighbor Susie with snowballs.
Each one falls short.
She mocks him: "If it wasn't for gravity, you probably
wouldn't even hit the ground."
The next one smacks her in the kisser.
Calvin escapes to his house and as he enters, he
announces:
"Bad news, mom. I promised my soul to the devil this
afternoon."
#00
2) We call this a Faustian bargain; ask the devil for something
awesome and pay later with your soul.
3) Jesus warns that the whole world isn't worth your soul.
B. Paul would trade his soul for the salvation of his countrymen.
1) He cared about them that much. Romans 9:3
C. What are we willing to sacrifice for salvation of others?
1) If faith is important for you, what about others?
=========================================================================
John Stott's commentary, "The Message of Galatians" (IVP) was used
extensively in this sermon.
SOURCE FOR ILLUSTRATION USED IN THIS SERMON:
#00 The Calvin and Hobbes "Lazy Sunday Book," by Bill Watterson,
Universal Press Syndicate, 1989, page 99.
This and 16,500 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/illust.html
=========================================================================
John R. W. Stott, "The Message of Galatians," IVP, 'The Bible Speaks
Today' commentary series
Galatian 3:10-14
I. Hard verses, yet fundamental to Christianity.
A. Concerns how to come to a right relationship with God.
B. How can we do it?
II. Two alternatives.
A. Old Testament can support both.
1) Hab 2:4 from the prophets, Lev 18:5 from the Law.
2) Both promise eternal life.
3) One emphasizes faith, the other works.
4) Why does the Bible teach both? Contradictory?
B. Works.
1) Deut 27:26 - cursed is everyone who fails to do works of
law.
a) Crude and harsh? We prefer blessings.
b) God's character is holy and righteous, cannot tolerate
sin.
2) "Curse" means to be rejected by God.
a) All humans are under the curse.
b) Paul assumes sin is universal.
1> It includes religious and respectable people.
2> The Jews only included people outside law.
3) No one can do the Law.
a) Therefore we cannot live by it.
b) The function of the law is to condemn, not justify.
c) It is a dead end.
C. Faith.
1) Emphasis is on what Jesus did on the cross for us.
2) He became a curse for us.
a) Shocking language.
b) The curse must be the same curse of the law.
c) It was transferred from us to him.
d) Illuminates the cry of dereliction from the cross.
3) Old Testament background.
a) Deut 21:23 - cursed are those hanged on tree.
1> Not cursed because they are hanged, but hanged
because they are considered cursed.
2> Cross is hanging on tree. Acts 5:30; 1 Pet 2:24
b) Major stumbling block for Jews.
1> Perhaps when Jesus was preached, Jews shouted back
"Jesus is accursed!" cf. 1 Cor 12:3
4) Not automatic but received through faith.
a) We are saved "in Christ".
1> Not a distant savior but our contemporary.
2> We can have a vital union with him now.
b) Faith is laying hold of Jesus personally.
III. Conclusion.
A. Two destinies.
1) Blessing and curse.
2) Abraham's blessing is threefold:
a) Justification.
b) Eternal life.
c) The promise of the Holy Spirit.
B. Two roads.
1) Law and faith.
2) We cannot establish our own righteousness.
3) We must come humbly to Christ in faith.
