Generational Curses?

John 9

INTRODUCTION: T

MIRACLE IN FOCUS: John 9:1-7

 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, WHO SINNED, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.   As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.  “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So, the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

So, what’s the takeaway from the miracle? I want to share three things for you to consider:

1. THE GENERATIONAL CURSE IS THE CAUSE OF AND , BUT THE CURSE GOES BACK MUCH FURTHER THAN OUR .

The disciples question makes it rather obvious that they believed in generational curses which result in human suffering.

They must have known about the stories of Moses and God’s conversations in regard to generational guilt and punishment.

So, what’s the deal? Are children be punished because of our sins? Are we punished for the sins of our parents?

Interesting story:

 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. ⁶ And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming,, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. (Great News!)

Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” Ex. 34:5-10

What do we make of this? 

Sin travels, from one generation to the next. We can and often do set in motion sequences of sin that are perpetuated by the next generation.

Illustration::   

• We have all heard people say something like, “Addiction runs in my family, divorce runs in my family, anger runs in my family, lust runs in my family. etc.. 

Yes, sinful patterns do run in families and demand us to repent from them. 

• In Adam we’re ALL CURSED with spiritual blindness and need Jesus to step in our path.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. Romans 5:12

Yes, this man was born blind because of Adam’s sin. Fall is the primary cause of all sin and suffering. The reason bad things happen to good people is that we are living under the curse of sin.

• The Prophet Jeremiah spoke of a day in his future when people will have a better understanding of generational sin and punishment.

“The people will no longer quote this proverb: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste.’ All people will die for their own sins—those who eat the sour grapes will be the ones whose mouths will pucker. 31:29-30 NLT

2. THE GENERATIONAL CURSE IS THROUGH IN CHRIST. 

“Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross: He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse. And now, because of that, the air is cleared and we can see that Abraham’s blessing is present and available for non-Jews, too. We are all able to receive God’s life, his Spirit, in and with us by believing—just the way Abraham received it.” Galatians 3:13-14 MSG

• This man was certainly lacking sufficient theology to understand the doctrines of grace- Christ alone, faith alone, Grace alone. But he did know he was blind and he was willing to do whatever was asked of him to receive his sight.

Faith in Christ removes the “curse of sin” but obedience to Him receive “go and wash” is the key to breaking the habits related to the curse.

• Washing is a picture of repentance. Deciding to change our ways is to make room for Christ in our lives. The man born blind had a decision to make after getting mud stuck in his eye sockets. Obey the word of the Lord– Go and Wash.

3. DELIEVERANCE FROM THE GENERATIONAL CURSE DEMANDS THE TO OUR SPIRITUAL (Sinfulness). V.35-41

After interrogating this man, the people who witnessed the miracle and his parents, some of the Pharisees become open to the idea of the miracle, while others think the whole thing was a sham.

• The Jewish leaders were so blinded by their bias. Mose was their teacher, but they misinterpreted his teachings. (The Sabbath was for God’s keeping). And Jesus responds by telling these blind guides that they think they “see” but are blind.

• The story concludes with Jesus finding the man who was cast out the synagogue. He asks him if he believed in the Son of Man? That man says, I know nothing about the man, but I would sure like to believe in him. Jesus responds, I am the man! The man responds in faith and believes and begins to worship Jesus!

• We have a choice to make, transmit our dysfunction or transition through faith and obedience.