Are Family Curses (and Blessings) Real? (Acts 16)

The PursueGOD Truth Podcast

Welcome back to the podcast! In today's episode, we'll be talking about family curses...and blessings! Are they still a thing? Listen to find out!

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Q. Are Family Curses (and Blessings) Real?

• Super scary verse in the OT (Second Commandment):
• Exodus 20:4-5 (NLT) 4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.
• Generational curses?
• Need to cast out demons? “Bondage Breaker” book
• No! This is more about learned behavior
• Third and fourth generations
• You may have met these people!
• Influence extends to grandkids and great grandchildren
• Principle: parenting matters!
• You will pass on more than you think
• Family idols (even today)
• Alcoholism
• Pride, selfishness
• Materialism (wealth)
• But don’t miss the next verse
• Exodus 20:6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.
• God wants to bless your family!
• A thousand generations vs. 3 or 4
• But look at the recipient of this
• Those who love me and obey my commands
• The greatest generational blessing: salvation
• Households where grandparents, parents, kids are all followers
• Nothing better than this
• Very few families have it
• We’re going to see this in action in 3 families in Acts 16 today…

Acts 16: (NLT) 1 Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek.

• This is Paul’s second missionary journey
• First time we meet Timothy. This guy becomes Paul’s protege.
• Jewish mom
• Greek dad
• 2 Timothy 1:5 (NLT) 5 I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you.
• Notice: no mention of father
• Dad was likely not a Gentile follower of God
• If he was, he would have had Timothy circumcised
• One more hint about Timothy’s upbringing…
• 2 Timothy 3:15 (NLT) 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.
• Taught by mother and grandmother!
• The point: if you want to pass on your faith, teach your kids the Bible early and often

Next passage:

Acts 16:13-14 (NLT) 13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The fact that she is named could mean that she was a person of some status, 'since it was normal in such a Greco-Roman setting not to mention women by personal name in public unless they were either notable or notorious.'

Acts 16:15 (NLT) 15 She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed.

• Maybe a widow? Divorced? Either way, seems to be a single mom
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) A woman such as Lydia might have been head of a household in Greco-Roman culture because her husband had died or she was divorced, and less probably because she was a single woman of means.
• Also very wealthy
• Money doesn’t have to be a generational curse
• She’s already using it to be a blessing
• Main point: Look at her impact
• she got saved, the household followed

One more example: a blue collar worker dad, jailer where Paul and Silas were imprisoned:

Acts 16:25-28 (NLT) 25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

Acts 16:29-30 (NLT) 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Acts 16:31-33 (NLT) 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household…. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.

• Wow. This time a dad gets saved and the family follows

What’s going on here? What can we learn from these three stories

• A young man with a Christian mom and grandma (and unbelieving dad)
• A wealthy single mom
• A blue collar dad

They’re included as a sampling of what was happening in the early church

• People were getting saved
• It was so powerful that it impacted their households
• That’s how it should still work today
• Moms and Dads embrace the message of Jesus
• And they intentionally pass it on to their kids

Back to the verse at the top:

Exodus 20:6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

• Family blessings are real!
• Parents: your love for God, your obedience to his commands
• Can be passed on to generations