BLESSED MORE ABUNDANTLY THROUGH JESUS
The Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The Lord God blessed Abraham abundantly for believing God; and for being willing to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac to God. ( Genesis 12:1-3; Gen.22: 15-18). Yet, God blesses us even more abundantly for believing in his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (Matthew 19:29; Acts 2:38).
GOD BLESSED ABRAHAM TO BE “FATHER OF MANY NATIONS”
God confirmed his promise of blessings to Abraham, when he demonstrated willingness to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac as God asked him to do. Seeing his willingness to obey, God sent an angel to keep him from slaying his son (Genesis 22:1-18). Previously, The Lord God asked Abraham to leave his country and go into a foreign land, and God would give him another land and bless all people through him (Genesis 12:1-3). Abraham believed and obeyed the Lord. And God blessed him with a rich land called Canaan. But promised to bless all people through his seed. Because of God knowing Abraham’s offspring, Jesus Christ, would be a blessing to people of all nations, God called Abraham “Father of Many Nations” (Genesis 17:5; Matthew 1; John 3:16).
GOD BLESSES BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST TO BE “CHILDREN OF GOD” (1 JOHN 3:1)
God promises whoever believes in his only begotten Son Jesus Christ (Abraham’s offspring) who died for the sins of the world, he will richly bless them in this world and give them eternal life in heaven (John 3:16; Mark 10:29-30). And he gives whoever believes in Jesus Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38); and he calls them “children of God” (1 John 3:16).
“[Jesus] was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:10-13)
GOD BLESSES ALL WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS MORE ABUNDANTLY
God blesses Jews and Non-Jews alike who repents and believe in his Son Jesus Christ. Peter, a Jew who believed in Jesus Christ, preached to a large crowd of Jews “from every nation under heaven” on the day of Pentecost. And about 3000 believed in Jesu as their Lord and Savior (Acts 2). Being a Jew Peter did not associate with Gentiles. But at a later time, the Lord sent him to preach the gospel of salvation to a Non-Jew named Cornelius who believed. Peter learned that God is no respecter of persons; but accepts whoever in God’s only begotten Son(Acts 10; John 3:16).
Paul, a Jewish Rabbi, came to believe in Jesus as God’s promised Messianic Savior of the world. Preaching to Jews and Gentiles, in various nations, Paul said: “In Christ Jesus you are all children of God, through faith …There is neither Jew nor Gentile… for you all are one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26-29).
GOD DEEMS US GREATER WHO ARE BORN AGAIN OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST
Jesus said, “Whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater” than all the old Bible-greats, including Abraham and John who baptized Jesus (Matthew 11:11). The kingdom of heaven are all who are born again of the Spirit, upon repenting and believing in Jesus Christ, including Jews and Gentiles (John 3:3,16; Acts 2:38).
Our Lord wants all people to repent and believe in him, and be more abundantly blessed. The Lord wants us who are more abundantly blessed to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mark 16:15-16). And our Lord and Savior says, all who believe in him as the scriptures say, will be blessed to live with God in heaven forever (John 5:39; John 14:2-3).
