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City Life East Bay Campus
Pastor Lamia - BLESSINGS & CURSES (Part 3)
November 2nd, 2025
Locations & Times
800 Grayson Rd, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Redeemed to bless
Blessings and Curses — Part 3
Pastor Lamia
Galatians 3:13-14 (MSG)
13-14Christ 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.
The cross wasn’t just substitutionary punishment — it was a spiritual exchange. He took our curse, and we receive His blessing.
The cross is a new covenant — and that new covenant of blessing is with a purpose.
Big idea: The cross didn’t just break the curse — it activated a new covenant of blessing. Through Jesus, we are redeemed from the curse to live in God’s blessing and be a blessing to others.
1 - We’re blessed so that we can bless others
Ephesians 1:3 (NLT) — All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
Gal 3:14 (NLT) — 14Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
Genesis 12:2 (NLT) —- I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.
- The blessing God pours out is not to be hoarded (that leads to stagnation; see Dead Sea).
- We’re meant to be a river of God’s blessing to others, not a dead end.
2 Corinthians 9:8-11 (MSG)
8-11God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,
He throws caution to the winds,
giving to the needy in reckless abandon.
His right-living, right-giving ways
never run out, never wear out.
This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.
2 Corinthians 9:11 (NLT) — Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
- Blessings reproduce when sown
2 - Don’t just sow, but speak
Numbers 6:22-27 (NLT) 22Then the Lord said to Moses, 23“Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
24‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
25May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
26May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
27Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”
1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) — But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
Words matter! Words have creative power!
Proverbs 18:21 (MSG) — Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.
- Speak God’s promises and blessings over your life
- Speak God’s promises and blessings over your community, city, school, work, neighbors, family
3 - Live in the overflow
- The purpose of our redemption is not just survival — it’s overflow
- God wants to bless us so that others will be blessed
2 Cor 9 — This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.
Matthew 5:13-16 (MSG) — 13“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
14-16“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Big idea: The cross didn’t just break the curse — it activated a new covenant of blessing. Through Jesus, we are redeemed from the curse to live in God’s blessing and be a blessing to others.
Putting it all together:
Blessings were in the original design
Then sin… But Jesus!
Break agreement with sin, align with the new covenant, and walk blessed — being a blessing to others
Blessings and Curses — Part 3
Pastor Lamia
Galatians 3:13-14 (MSG)
13-14Christ 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.
The cross wasn’t just substitutionary punishment — it was a spiritual exchange. He took our curse, and we receive His blessing.
The cross is a new covenant — and that new covenant of blessing is with a purpose.
Big idea: The cross didn’t just break the curse — it activated a new covenant of blessing. Through Jesus, we are redeemed from the curse to live in God’s blessing and be a blessing to others.
1 - We’re blessed so that we can bless others
Ephesians 1:3 (NLT) — All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
Gal 3:14 (NLT) — 14Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
Genesis 12:2 (NLT) —- I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.
- The blessing God pours out is not to be hoarded (that leads to stagnation; see Dead Sea).
- We’re meant to be a river of God’s blessing to others, not a dead end.
2 Corinthians 9:8-11 (MSG)
8-11God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,
He throws caution to the winds,
giving to the needy in reckless abandon.
His right-living, right-giving ways
never run out, never wear out.
This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.
2 Corinthians 9:11 (NLT) — Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
- Blessings reproduce when sown
2 - Don’t just sow, but speak
Numbers 6:22-27 (NLT) 22Then the Lord said to Moses, 23“Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
24‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
25May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
26May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
27Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”
1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) — But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
Words matter! Words have creative power!
Proverbs 18:21 (MSG) — Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.
- Speak God’s promises and blessings over your life
- Speak God’s promises and blessings over your community, city, school, work, neighbors, family
3 - Live in the overflow
- The purpose of our redemption is not just survival — it’s overflow
- God wants to bless us so that others will be blessed
2 Cor 9 — This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.
Matthew 5:13-16 (MSG) — 13“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
14-16“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Big idea: The cross didn’t just break the curse — it activated a new covenant of blessing. Through Jesus, we are redeemed from the curse to live in God’s blessing and be a blessing to others.
Putting it all together:
Blessings were in the original design
Then sin… But Jesus!
Break agreement with sin, align with the new covenant, and walk blessed — being a blessing to others