From Curse to Blessing: Christ's Redemptive Power

Today, we gathered as a church family to celebrate God’s faithfulness and the ways He is at work among us. We rejoiced in the service and sacrifice of many, especially those who made the Easter extravaganza possible, and we honored two authors from our congregation whose new books point us to Jesus and His redeeming power. We prayed blessings over these works, recognizing that God uses the stories and gifts of His people to bring hope and healing to others.

Turning to Scripture, we explored the profound theme of the curse and its reversal. We began in Genesis, where the original blessing of Eden was lost through disobedience, resulting in a curse that touched every aspect of creation: the spiritual realm, the animal world, humanity, and even the ground itself. This curse is not merely a set of punishments, but the tragic loss of God’s presence and the goodness that flows from Him. The pain, frustration, and exile that followed are the deep wounds of a world separated from its Creator.

Yet, even in the midst of judgment, God gave a promise: the offspring of the woman would crush the serpent’s head, though He Himself would be wounded. This foreshadowed the coming of Christ, who would bear the curse on our behalf. We traced this thread through Deuteronomy, where being hung on a tree (xulon) was a sign of being under God’s curse, and through Isaiah’s prophecy of the suffering servant who would be pierced for our transgressions.

In the New Testament, the apostles recognized that Jesus’ crucifixion was not just a Roman execution, but the fulfillment of these ancient prophecies. By being hung on the xulon, Jesus became the cursed one so that we might become curse-free. His sacrifice inaugurated the “already and not yet” of God’s kingdom: the curse is broken, and eternal life—the life of the age to come—has begun for those who trust in Him, even as we await its full realization in the new Eden, where there will be no more curse.

As we came to the Lord’s Table, we remembered that communion is both a foretaste of the wedding banquet of the Lamb and a present means of grace. Here, we receive not only the promise of future glory but also the healing, provision, and restoration that Jesus offers now. We are invited to bring our needs, our confessions, and our hopes to Him, trusting that the Lamb who was slain has made us free.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The curse is the absence of God’s presence and blessing, not just a list of punishments. It touches every part of creation—spiritual, physical, relational, and environmental. Recognizing the depth of the curse helps us understand the magnitude of what Christ has accomplished for us. [43:16]
• 2. God’s promise to crush the serpent’s head through the offspring of the woman reveals that victory over evil would come through suffering. The Messiah would be wounded in the process, showing us that redemption is costly and that God’s power is made perfect in apparent weakness. [51:42]
• 3. The image of being hung on a tree (xulon) as a sign of curse is fulfilled in Jesus’ crucifixion. He did not simply die; He became the cursed one in our place, absorbing the full weight of our exile and separation from God so that we could be restored to blessing. [58:27]
• 4. The “already and not yet” of God’s kingdom means that while the curse is ultimately broken, we still live in a world marked by its effects. Yet, through the Holy Spirit, we can experience the life of the age to come even now—healing, hope, and restoration are available as foretastes of what is to come. [60:04]
• 5. Communion is more than a ritual; it is a present encounter with the risen Christ. As we partake, we receive both a reminder of the future banquet and a real experience of God’s grace today. We are invited to bring our needs and brokenness, trusting that the Lamb who bore the curse meets us with healing and freedom. [64:35]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - Ticket Announcement and Community Update
• [02:30] - Celebrating the Easter Extravaganza
• [04:10] - Honoring Service and Sacrifice
• [06:00] - Introduction to Worship: God the Mountain-Mover
• [08:00] - Blessing and Praise
• [10:00] - Introducing Our Authors: Robert and Jess
• [20:07] - Robert’s Book: Recapturing Godly Masculinity
• [25:00] - Jess’s Story: From Trauma to Testimony
• [33:36] - Eden 2.0: The Curse and Its Consequences
• [36:19] - Revelation 22: No More Curse
• [43:16] - The Spread of the Curse in Creation
• [51:42] - Exile and the Pattern of Disobedience
• [55:21] - Clues to the Curse’s Reversal
• [58:27] - Jesus, the Cursed One on the Xulon
• [60:04] - The Already and Not Yet of the Kingdom
• [64:35] - Communion: A Foretaste of Freedom
• [71:50] - Open Invitation to Receive Grace
• [73:34] - Closing Prayer and Communion Invitation

Observation Questions

1. In Genesis 3, what specific areas of creation are affected by the curse after Adam and Eve’s disobedience? ([43:16])
2. According to Deuteronomy 21, what does it mean for someone to be hung on a tree (xulon), and how is this connected to the idea of being under God’s curse? ([55:21])
3. In Revelation 22, what is described as being present in the new creation, and what is specifically said to be absent? ([36:19])
4. How does Paul in Galatians 3:13-14 describe what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross? ([58:27])

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon described the curse as “the absence of God’s presence and blessing, not just a list of punishments.” How does this understanding change the way we view the effects of sin in our lives and in the world? ([43:16])
2. Why do you think God’s promise in Genesis 3:15—that the offspring of the woman would crush the serpent’s head—required the Messiah to be wounded in the process? What does this reveal about the nature of redemption? ([51:42])
3. The image of Jesus being hung on a tree (xulon) is used in both the Old and New Testaments. Why is it significant that the early church emphasized this language when talking about Jesus’ death? ([58:27])
4. The sermon talked about the “already and not yet” of God’s kingdom. What does it mean that the curse is broken, but we still live in a world marked by its effects? How do we experience both realities? ([01:00:04])

Application Questions

1. The curse touches every part of creation—spiritual, physical, relational, and environmental. Where do you most feel the effects of the curse in your own life right now? How does knowing Christ has broken the curse give you hope in those areas? ([43:16])
2. The promise of victory over evil comes through suffering and apparent weakness, not just power. Can you think of a time when God brought redemption or growth in your life through a season of weakness or pain? How did you see God at work? ([51:42])
3. Jesus became the “cursed one” for us by being hung on the cross. How does this truth affect the way you approach your own failures, shame, or sense of separation from God? ([58:27])
4. The “already and not yet” means we can experience healing, hope, and restoration now, even as we wait for the fullness of God’s kingdom. What is one area where you need to ask God for a foretaste of His kingdom today? ([01:00:04])
5. Communion is described as both a reminder of the future banquet and a real experience of God’s grace today. When you take communion, do you come with specific needs, confessions, or hopes? How might you approach the Lord’s Table differently after hearing this sermon? ([01:04:35])
6. The sermon invited us to bring our needs and brokenness to Jesus, trusting that the Lamb who bore the curse meets us with healing and freedom. Is there a specific area of brokenness or need you want to bring to Jesus this week? What would it look like to trust Him with it? ([01:04:35])
7. The pastor shared about praying for God’s kingdom to come “on this piece of earth today.” What is one practical way you can invite God’s presence and blessing into a specific situation in your life this week? ([01:00:04])