Sermon at Mayfield Salisbury Church in Edinburgh/ 18 May, 2014 You will be a blessing! Ro, Young-Sang (노영상 총장)/ President of Honam Theological University and Seminary Genesis 12:1-3 1. The LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. 2 I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, But I will curse those who curse you. And through you I will bless all the nations.“ 1. I am very pleased to meet you and your pastor here. I am honored to preach in this traditional chapel, where Rev. John Ross worked as an elder. Missionary John Ross was the first missionary sowing the Gospel in Korea. The Korean Bible translated by him affected to Korean mission decisively. I think Rev. John Ross was the missionary having the most important influence to the mission of East Asia. I am serving Honam Theological University and Seminary as a president, which is the significant seminary of southwestern area of Korea. The topic of today’s sermon is “You will be a blessing.” I hope you will be a blessing of your family, your city, your country and the whole world. 2. Genesis is divided into two parts. One part is chapter 1-11, the other part is chapters 12-50. The first part of Genesis ends with the story of doom during the period of Noah, and the second part begins with the meeting between God and Abraham. Today’s message describes the scene of that meeting. In this text, God explains his design of salvation for human beings. 3. This text explains God’s salvation by the word of blessing, Braqa in Hebrew. In these short verses, the words ‘bless’ were repeated five times. So we can define the salvation of God as a blessing. In chapter 1-11 of Genesis, the word ‘curse’ is underlined. That word appears five times in these chapters. The serpent, the earth, Adam and Eve, Cain having killed his brother Abel, and Ham, the son of Noah were cursed successively. Because there had been five curses, blessings were also proclaimed five times by God in these verses. Thus we could define the salvation of Christianity as the transition from the state of cursedness to the state of blessedness. In order for us to be blessed, we must first be free from curses. These curses, however, cannot be eliminated easily. Only God can eliminate our human curse. The children’s story of Snow White also tells us about this principle. Only her prince riding a white horse could lift Snow White’s curse. These curses cannot be solved by just anyone. Only Jesus Christ can solve our curses. 4. The core word in Genesis is “blessing,” Braqa in Hebrew. The second verse especially demonstrates two steps of receiving God’s blessing. God said to Abraham, “I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.” Firstly God blesses us. When God blesses us, we will be given the blessing of God. After He gives his initial blessing, then he continues to give more and more. Whenever God blesses us, the parts of our body will be blessed one by one. At last we will be filled entirely by God’s blessing. The whole body will be blessed, when all of our parts - our hand, eyes, ears, mouth, legs and so on - become blessed. At that time, we will become a blessing itself, from a passive being blessed by God to an active being transmitting the God’s blessings. Deuteronomy 28:5-6 says as follows. “The LORD will bless your grain crops and the food you prepare from them. The LORD will bless everything you do.” When the man of blessing touches grain crops and the food, they are blessed by his touch. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. Blessed shall you be when you stand, and blessed shall you be when you sit down. Ultimately, we should be a blessing incarnate that gives everyone joy and delight. We can live as beings to make others happy. On the other hand, we can live as beings to make others unhappy. We have to be a blessing itself for the world. 5. And verse 3 explains the figure of a blessing incarnate. Firstly, God will bless those who bless him, and those who curse him, God will curse. Arrows of curse cannot pierce the one blessed by God. Rather those arrows will return back and pierce the ones who shot them. Any curse or unhappiness cannot invade that blessing incarnate. Romans chapter 8 verse 39 says, “Neither the world above nor the world below - there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nothing can make him unhappy or agonized. Those blessed by God can rejoice and always give thanks in all circumstances. His heart will be full of God’s abundant joy. 6. The latter half of verse 3 says, “Through you I will bless all the nations.” The blessing incarnate should become a channel and transmitter of God’s blessings. The blessing of Abraham is not one of his own. We did not receive God’s blessings only for our own wellness and prosperity. God’s blessing is for everyone on the earth. Blessings of God are not to be restrained only as our own. 7. Second part of Genesis, chapter 12 to 50 describes the figures of patriarchies as a source of God’s blessing. These chapters say that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph took their role as sources of blessing. Genesis 30:27 said “Laban said to him, Let me say this: I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you." This verse describes the Braqa image of Jacob. Laban confessed that he has been blessed by God because of Jacob. The Christians should be heard to make the others blessed like Jacob. The climax of Genesis is configured in the event of Joseph. Genesis 50:20 “You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people who are alive today because of what happened.” God’s blessing for Abraham is completed through Joseph. God makes all peoples of the whole world blessed by Joseph, as God promised to Abraham in Genesis chapter 12. Joseph became a channel of blessing for the whole world by God. 8. Genesis 12:1 said as follows. “Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.” This verse explains the condition of God’s blessing. It says that we are blessed by God, when we obey his commands. Abraham believe that whoever has faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him, will be blessed by God(Hebrews 11:6). By faith Abraham obeyed, when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go(Hebrews 11:8). God told Abraham in the future tense, “I will show you,” not “I show.” He went out, not knowing where he was to go. It shows an unconditional obedience. Without faith this kind of obedience is impossible. Only our faith makes us obey God unconditionally. 9. Genesis 12:1 said. “The LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you.” God commanded us to go from our country and our kindred and our father's house. Our country and our kindred and our father's house are what we lean on. God gives us his order to forsake our comports, health, wealth, power, family background and educational background. God wants us to depend on only Him. When we believe in and depend on only God, we will be a blessing itself for ever. God bless you.

Sermon at Mayfield Salisbury Church in Edinburgh/ 18 May, 2014 You will be a blessing! Ro, Young-Sang/ President of Honam Theological University and Seminary Genesis 12:1-3 1. The LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. 2 I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, But I will curse those who curse you. And through you I will bless all the nations.“ 1. I am very pleased to meet you and your pastor here. I am honored to preach in this traditional chapel, where Rev. John Ross worked as an elder. Missionary John Ross was the first missionary sowing the Gospel in Korea. The Korean Bible translated by him affected to Korean mission decisively. I think Rev. John Ross was the missionary having the most important influence to the mission of East Asia. I am serving Honam Theological University and Seminary as a president, which is the significant seminary of southwestern area of Korea. The topic of today’s sermon is “You will be a blessing.” I hope you will be a blessing of your family, your city, your country and the whole world. 2. Genesis is divided into two parts. One part is chapter 1-11, the other part is chapters 12-50. The first part of Genesis ends with the story of doom during the period of Noah, and the second part begins with the meeting between God and Abraham. Today’s message describes the scene of that meeting. In this text, God explains his design of salvation for human beings. 3. This text explains God’s salvation by the word of blessing, Braqa in Hebrew. In these short verses, the words ‘bless’ were repeated five times. So we can define the salvation of God as a blessing. In chapter 1-11 of Genesis, the word ‘curse’ is underlined. That word appears five times in these chapters. The serpent, the earth, Adam and Eve, Cain having killed his brother Abel, and Ham, the son of Noah were cursed successively. Because there had been five curses, blessings were also proclaimed five times by God in these verses. Thus we could define the salvation of Christianity as the transition from the state of cursedness to the state of blessedness. In order for us to be blessed, we must first be free from curses. These curses, however, cannot be eliminated easily. Only God can eliminate our human curse. The children’s story of Snow White also tells us about this principle. Only her prince riding a white horse could lift Snow White’s curse. These curses cannot be solved by just anyone. Only Jesus Christ can solve our curses. 4. The core word in Genesis is “blessing,” Braqa in Hebrew. The second verse especially demonstrates two steps of receiving God’s blessing. God said to Abraham, “I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.” Firstly God blesses us. When God blesses us, we will be given the blessing of God. After He gives his initial blessing, then he continues to give more and more. Whenever God blesses us, the parts of our body will be blessed one by one. At last we will be filled entirely by God’s blessing. The whole body will be blessed, when all of our parts - our hand, eyes, ears, mouth, legs and so on - become blessed. At that time, we will become a blessing itself, from a passive being blessed by God to an active being transmitting the God’s blessings. Deuteronomy 28:5-6 says as follows. “The LORD will bless your grain crops and the food you prepare from them. The LORD will bless everything you do.” When the man of blessing touches grain crops and the food, they are blessed by his touch. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. Blessed shall you be when you stand, and blessed shall you be when you sit down. Ultimately, we should be a blessing incarnate that gives everyone joy and delight. We can live as beings to make others happy. On the other hand, we can live as beings to make others unhappy. We have to be a blessing itself for the world. 5. And verse 3 explains the figure of a blessing incarnate. Firstly, God will bless those who bless him, and those who curse him, God will curse. Arrows of curse cannot pierce the one blessed by God. Rather those arrows will return back and pierce the ones who shot them. Any curse or unhappiness cannot invade that blessing incarnate. Romans chapter 8 verse 39 says, “Neither the world above nor the world below - there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nothing can make him unhappy or agonized. Those blessed by God can rejoice and always give thanks in all circumstances. His heart will be full of God’s abundant joy. 6. The latter half of verse 3 says, “Through you I will bless all the nations.” The blessing incarnate should become a channel and transmitter of God’s blessings. The blessing of Abraham is not one of his own. We did not receive God’s blessings only for our own wellness and prosperity. God’s blessing is for everyone on the earth. Blessings of God are not to be restrained only as our own. 7. Second part of Genesis, chapter 12 to 50 describes the figures of patriarchies as a source of God’s blessing. These chapters say that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph took their role as sources of blessing. Genesis 30:27 said “Laban said to him, Let me say this: I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you." This verse describes the Braqa image of Jacob. Laban confessed that he has been blessed by God because of Jacob. The Christians should be heard to make the others blessed like Jacob. The climax of Genesis is configured in the event of Joseph. Genesis 50:20 “You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people who are alive today because of what happened.” God’s blessing for Abraham is completed through Joseph. God makes all peoples of the whole world blessed by Joseph, as God promised to Abraham in Genesis chapter 12. Joseph became a channel of blessing for the whole world by God. 8. Genesis 12:1 said as follows. “Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.” This verse explains the condition of God’s blessing. It says that we are blessed by God, when we obey his commands. Abraham believe that whoever has faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him, will be blessed by God(Hebrews 11:6). By faith Abraham obeyed, when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go(Hebrews 11:8). God told Abraham in the future tense, “I will show you,” not “I show.” He went out, not knowing where he was to go. It shows an unconditional obedience. Without faith this kind of obedience is impossible. Only our faith makes us obey God unconditionally. 9. Genesis 12:1 said. “The LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you.” God commanded us to go from our country and our kindred and our father's house. Our country and our kindred and our father's house are what we lean on. God gives us his order to forsake our comports, health, wealth, power, family background and educational background. God wants us to depend on only Him. When we believe in and depend on only God, we will be a blessing itself for ever. God bless you.