The idea of blessings and curses is often relegated to trite phrases we say to communicate polite thoughtfulness or, more often than not, to communicate disdain and anger. We might offer a “God bless you,” when someone sneezes. Or we may curse another person or object with expletives when we are mad. But curses can appear in less obvious forms as well. In some cases, a curse may be hidden within an apparent blessing when someone uses “Oh, bless your heart!” We can also curse others with our criticism, with our silence and by our “ghosting” or “cancelling” of others.
In Scripture, we see a God who both blesses and curses. Jesus came to reverse the ultimate curse in the world and restore God’s blessing in Creation. But this idea of blessing others meaningfully is often lost. In a world where words are used as weapons against others leaving a scarred battlefield of isolation, depression and broken relationships, how might Jesus-followers bear God’s image more faithfully in the way we use our words? Join us in the Blessings and Curses sermon series as we consider the power of our words to bear God’s blessing in the world.
