These are notes on the sermon, Blessed with Father Abraham’s Blessings, preached by Pastor Joseph Prince on Sunday, 11 June 2023, at The Star Performing Arts Centre, Singapore. We hope these sermon notes will be an encouragement to you!
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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing . . .”
—Ephesians 1:3 NKJV
Many believers tend to limit the blessings in this verse above to their Spirit life. However, we need to see that these spiritual blessings from our heavenly Father can manifest practically in our lives as well.
Because our senses cannot perceive spiritual blessings, it is easy to think they do not exist. But in reality, God tells us it is the things that are unseen that are eternal (2 Cor. 4:18).
So when we receive God’s spiritual blessings, they do not just stay in the spiritual realm but manifest practically in our lives. For example, when God blesses us with wisdom, He gives us the ability to make the right choices to see success in everything we do.
“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
—Galatians 3:29 NKJV
More than just spiritual blessings, the Bible also mentions that those who believe in Christ are counted as Abraham’s seed and that we are blessed with the blessing of Abraham. In this sermon, Pastor Prince wants to remind us that we are Abraham’s seed and heirs of the promise. This identity also comes with spiritual blessings that have real or practical benefits.
“So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.’ But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’ Yet the law is not of faith, but ‘the man who does them shall live by them.’ Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
—Galatians 3:9–14 NKJV
The only requirement for us to be a seed of Abraham is to receive justification by faith. This means receiving what the Lord has done on the cross for us and believing that we are made righteous in God’s eyes by His Son’s finished work.
We must be cautious that we are not continuing in the “works of the law,” for there are those who believe that Jesus went to the cross and died for their sins but also that they are only righteous by their own works. The truth is, we can only be justified by faith, not by works.
When we receive our Lord’s finished work in our lives, we also receive the blessing of Abraham. Now Abraham is the depository of all the blessings of God. He had a close relationship and walk with God. God kept Abraham healthy and even renewed his youth. Last but not least, God blessed Abraham to be a blessing.
“Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”
—Galatians 3:7–9 NKJV
So it is by faith that we get to be heirs of God’s promise to Abraham. This faith refers to us believing that we are righteous in Christ solely because of His finished work at the cross. And it is only when we receive this gift of righteousness that God sees us as sons and daughters of Abraham.
“That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.”
—Romans 9:8 NKJV
Abraham had many descendants. The children of Israel are his physical seed. And we, who are “children of the promise,” are also Abraham’s seed by faith.
This is significant as being Abraham’s seed qualifies us to receive the inheritance of God’s promise to our “father,” Abraham. An heir doesn’t have to be perfect; just as long as they are a son or daughter, they can receive the inheritance.
“‘Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him.’”
—Isaiah 51:1–2 NKJV
Pastor Prince encourages us to study as much as we can about Abraham, especially since God sees us as Abraham’s seed. Abraham lived before the law was given, and very much like us today, he also lived by grace through faith.
What we identify with affects what we receive. If we are unaware of our position as an heir of Abraham’s promise, then we would not be able to receive our inheritance. When we honor and identify with Abraham, we will see the blessings of Abraham pour into our lives. So Pastor Prince encourages us to confess this over ourselves: “I am the seed of Abraham. I receive all the blessings of Abraham.”
Identifying with Abraham does not take our focus away from our Lord Jesus’ finished work at the cross, as it is by Jesus Christ that we are Abraham’s seed.
This is the promise that God made to Abraham:
“I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall
be blessed.”
—Genesis 12:2–3 NKJV
At the core of Abraham’s blessing is our justification by faith. With righteousness by faith, then comes every other blessing from God.
“And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” — ‘blessed’ is barack in Hebrew, which means “to endue with power for success, prosperity, fecundity, longevity, etc.” (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament).
Besides all the blessings listed here, there is more:
“For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.”
—Hebrews 2:16
We know that Christ’s finished work on the cross is for all mankind, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish and have eternal life (John 3:16). But those who believe and identify themselves as the seed of Abraham, He gives help.
We see this in Luke 13 when our Lord Jesus healed a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years. When the ruler of the synagogue reacted indignantly against this, saying:
“‘There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.’”
—Luke 13:14 NKJV
Our Lord Jesus replied:
“‘So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham . . . be loosed from this bond . . .’”
—Luke 13:16 NKJV
“ought to work” vs. “ought not . . . be loosed”—The Pharisees were only concerned about what man ought to do, a picture of the law. But our Lord was focused on freeing the woman from her infirmity, a picture of grace. His heart was to release her from bondage at that very instant.
“being a daughter of Abraham”—When this act of healing happened, there were others around who were also physical descendants of Abraham. Among them, surely there must be some who also needed healing. But this woman was the only one Jesus referred to as a daughter of Abraham, and she was the only one among the crowd who was healed. This demonstrates how when we simply receive the Lord’s grace and His gift of righteousness, we become heirs of Abraham’s promise.
Another example is when Jesus met Zacchaeus, the tax collector, as He was passing through Jericho.
“And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.’”
—Luke 19:5 NKJV
In this account, Jesus told Zacchaeus to “make haste,” for He must stay at his house. Why?
To bring salvation, His grace and gift of righteousness, into Zacchaeus’s life and house.
“Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.’”
—Luke 19:8–9 NKJV
And immediately, Zacchaeus was called a son of Abraham, showing us that our Lord Jesus is eager for His people to own their identities as Abraham’s seed and receive the blessing of Abraham.
“For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.”
—1 Peter 3:5–6 NKJV
Sarah was the only woman ever recorded in the Bible to have had her youth renewed. Some believe it was a spiritual renewal. However, this spiritual renewal could also be seen physically as the Bible tells us that two kings had their eyes on her even in her old age.
So, to all our sisters in Christ: As daughters of Sarah, you too can receive this blessing of renewed youth. And to our fellow brethren: You are included as well in this blessing as Abraham also had his youth renewed in his old age.
What if you found out that someone has left you a huge inheritance? How would that change the way you see your troubles?
Guess what . . . this is your reality today, child of God.
The Bible tells us that since we are in Christ, we are Abrahams’s seed and heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:29). This means that through Jesus’ finished work for us, we get to receive every blessing that God has promised Abraham (Gal. 3:13–14)!
This includes all the blessings in Deuteronomy 28, where it says . . .
So beloved, if you’re facing a challenge at work, at home, or in your finances, you can have faith and boldness to ask God for a breakthrough because these blessings are yours to inherit! Feel free to also read the other blessings in Deuteronomy 28 that belong to you and claim them by faith!
We hope these sermon notes blessed you! If they did, we encourage you to get the sermon and allow the Lord to speak to you personally as you watch or listen to it.
© Copyright JosephPrince.com 2023
These sermon notes were taken by volunteers during the service. They are not a verbatim representation of the sermon.
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