The Healing Word

Guest (Male): You're tuned into The Healing Word. Pastor Jack Morris brings a message titled "Jesus Is Lord." From the words of Paul in Romans, we learn that no matter what we face, Christ reigns, and his people are more than conquerors through him.

Pastor Jack Morris: Jesus is Lord.

Those three short words was the earliest confession of faith of the early church. Now, I see it on cars today, on bumper stickers, on church signs. Jesus is Lord. That was the earliest confession of faith. I'm talking about when I say early church, I'm talking about the Christians in the book of Acts and the first few hundred years after Jesus went back to heaven and the church began to establish itself.

The church's confession of faith was, "Jesus is Lord." You see, the early church believed that Jesus was put at the apex of time and eternity after his resurrection. The church believed that the Father put Jesus there at the apex of time and eternity because Jesus died for our sins. Jesus willingly obeyed the Father. Jesus expressed his obedience to the Father and his love to redeem us. And so God put him there, and that's what the early church believed.

The early church truly believed that Jesus had become all in all, and their confession of faith was, "Jesus is Lord." Let me tell you about the word "Lord." Not only was the word "Lord" used in reference to Jesus, but even in the Old Testament, Abraham and many of the prophets were referred to as Lord.

Even to this day, we hear of Lords, especially in the government of Great Britain, the House of Lords. And so the word "Lord" was used rather lightly for many, many years. It's a it's a term of respect. It's like when you would call somebody "sir," or "mister," or "misses," or "teacher," or "rabbi." So the word "Lord" was used rather loosely, but very respectfully.

But everything changed regarding the meaning of the word "Lord" when Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus arose from the dead. Say that. Jesus rose from the dead. And that's the message that the Holy Spirit is pressing upon our hearts. Jesus rose from the dead to bless our lives and to cause us to know and experience his Lordship over our lives.

So when the early church expressed "Lord" to Jesus after his resurrection, this is what they were thinking. All of this concept went through their minds and was in their heart. It meant that he had been dead, but now he's alive from the dead. Not very many people believed that. They believed it. Jesus was Lord of the grave, Lord of death. They believed that Jesus was Lord of their sins, that they couldn't deliver themselves from sin, but Jesus became Lord and master over their sins. They believed that Jesus was Lord and master of their lives, that they had submitted their lives to him. You see, friends, he won't take your life, you must submit it. So these early Christians had submitted their lives to Jesus. And fourthly, they believed that Jesus was coming again to rapture the church and open up the graves and bring out all the Christians who had died in the Lord.

So those three short words, "Jesus is Lord," means all of those things. That he has risen from the dead. Do you believe that?

Audience: Yes.

Pastor Jack Morris: Jesus is Lord. He has taken your sins, cleansed your heart, redeemed you, put your name in the Lamb's Book of Life and has given you the gift of eternal life. Do you believe that?

Audience: Yes.

Pastor Jack Morris: Do you believe that Jesus is divine, now equal with the Father as the Son of God? This is what the early church believed. Do you believe that?

Audience: Yes.

Pastor Jack Morris: And do you believe that Jesus is coming again to rapture the church, to open the graves of the Christians who have gone on before, to take them all to heaven to be with him forever? Do you believe that?

Audience: Yes.

Pastor Jack Morris: Jesus is Lord. Say it again.

Audience: Jesus is Lord.

Pastor Jack Morris: That's the confession of the early church, and it is hoped and prayed that this will become the confession of the church today and every believing Christian. Now, we're going to open our Bibles or look at the screen and we're going to read Romans 8:38 and 39 in unison. Look up and and read it together.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah. I believe in giving God a handclap for that one.

Now, many Christians, those words just tumble off the end of their lips, and there's really no emotion in their hearts. There's there's not the feeling of redemption, the feeling of being purchased by the blood of Jesus, but all to God be the glory that this thrill would come back upon every Christian and on every church member who knows him. Every baptized church member that I am redeemed and I get excited, it makes chills and goosebumps go all over me. How can I say Jesus is Lord and sit there like a knot on a log?

That's some of my Pennsylvania stuff coming out.

But Jesus is our savior, and he is our Lord. Now, notice what Paul is saying here. He said, he said, "For I am," what is that word?

Audience: Convinced.

Pastor Jack Morris: Convinced. Say it again.

Audience: Convinced.

Pastor Jack Morris: Paul was convinced. A lot of Christians have yet to be convinced that Jesus rose from the dead. Yet to be convinced that he is the divine Son of God. Yet to be convinced that he has redeemed our souls from eternal damnation. Yet to be convinced that he's coming again to redeem us. The only thing we are convinced of today is that we're here and we've got to get all out of life that we can get out of it.

But Paul was convinced. In the King James Version, is the word "persuaded." Paul said, "I am persuaded." Persuaded. Now, notice, persuaded about what? That neither life nor death. Or death nor life. Do you see that on the screen? Do you see that in the word of God? Paul is saying that there are some things that I that I'm absolutely convinced of, that I am absolutely persuaded of, that neither death nor life.

Now, it says in Romans chapter 5:14, it says, "Death reigned from the time of Abraham, from the time of Adam." Death reigned, meaning death was the boss. Death controlled everything. That's all anybody could look forward to. That's all anybody could be sure of. That someday I'm going to die. And after that, no one had an inkling of what might happen. But Paul now is saying, "I know some things now that Adam didn't know." That even my ancestors in the Old Testament didn't know. All because Jesus came and rose from the dead, and because I have a relationship with him, I know some things that they didn't know.

And he said, "I am persuaded, I am convinced that death now does not reign. It is not the boss. It does not have the last word. Resurrection has the last word." In First Corinthians 15:54. First Corinthians 15:54, look at the screen and read it with me.

Death has been swallowed up in victory. Thanks be to God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul is saying, "Death, that frightening, frightening experience that we knew so little about, no one came back from the dead, no one could tell us anything about it. It just scared us, frightened us, worried us, caused us all kind of anxiety and depression." We know that we were all going to die. We knew that none of us could escape it. We were just scared of death. But he said, "Death has been swallowed up," meaning death like you swallow something. You take it, you swallow it. Just like the whale swallowed Jonah. It's just been swallowed. Death had been the the big boss all of these years, destroying the human race, subjecting the human race, but now it is swallowed up. It has disappeared. There has been a greater power and influence that comes. And he says, "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." It's been swallowed up in victory. Who gave us the victory? Say it again.

Audience: Jesus.

Pastor Jack Morris: Jesus is the one that gave us the victory that continues and will forever give us the victory. This is what the scripture says. And then it goes on to say in Revelation chapter 1 that Jesus has the keys of death and Hades. That Jesus has the key now. Meaning simply this. Death will take my body. Hades will take my soul. But Jesus came and allowed death to take him. In other words, it's something like this. Jesus said, "Death, come on over here." "Come on over here." "Now take your best shot." That's exactly what he was doing. "Come on. Give it all you've got." "Like you have tormented other people and feared people and reigned all the time from Adam." "I'm not afraid of you." "And I'm going to do something to you that will bring a blessing to all people after." "So come on, death, take me down if you can and keep me down." And death marched over, and death tried to swallow him up. And for a moment, death did. Death had him down. For three days, the soul of Jesus was in Hades. Death took his body. Hades took his soul. Down in Hades, Jesus preached to the departed spirits, all the way from Adam, all the way up. Jesus brought them up to a New Testament experience. And then the third day, he said, "Death," "Look out!"

Audience: [Laughter]

Pastor Jack Morris: "Look out!" And all of those people that were down there that he preached to, that he brought up to a New Testament redemption experience, he came out of the grave and he took them into paradise, into the very presence of God. He swallowed up death. He said, "Death, you gave me your best blow. Watch what I can do to you now." Hallelujah.

See, the Christians don't fear death anymore. It's not death to death, ashes to ashes, and one long eternal farewell. No, it just so long for just a little while. And when the early church said Jesus is Lord, no matter who was destroyed, who was martyred, who was burned at the stake, they knew that person was coming again because Jesus had handled death victoriously. Hallelujah. This is the blessing of the church. When you say, "Jesus is Lord," this is what the early church was thinking. This is what went through their mind. I pray that it'll go through your mind. And the mind of every Christian will have this in their thoughts. Jesus is Lord. Now, he also said, he's Lord of not only death, but he's also Lord of life. You know, life can be pretty frightening.

Yes. Sometimes people would say, "You know, I'd rather die than live." And a lot of people will go out and commit suicide in order to because life is too difficult for them. A lot of people are are discouraged and depressed. They're down, defeated because of what life has done to them. Life has literally beaten them down. It seems like some people would say that everything I've tried to do has ended up in failure, in defeat. And I'm I feel it in my soul that there's nothing of life or happiness or joy there for me, nothing to look forward to. There is absolutely no future. But Jesus is Lord of life also.

You hear what I'm saying?

Audience: Yes.

Pastor Jack Morris: He's Lord of life. Life can beat you down. There are people who who I think of Joe Jones and their testimony. The first time I met him was this morning when you met him. What a testimony he gave. Life had beaten him down. Had destroyed his happiness. And he's still just a young man, what, 42 years old? 46? He's still a young man. When you get my age, everybody's a young man.

But others who have had different experiences than what he had. We're not just talking about drugs and addiction and chemical dependence. There are some people, they're dependent upon success, they're dependent upon wealth, they're dependent upon power, they're dependent upon prestige. They're just as much a slave to those things as he was to his things. And a lot of people are not finding happiness in in those things. In those material things that they're pursuing. Life has beaten them down. They thought this thing was really going to bring them great success, this great venture, this great enterprise, only to enthrall themselves, and today, it's all falling down, it's all collapsing.

Friend, let me tell you something. Make Jesus your Lord. Don't do anything without prayer. Give Jesus your heart, but give him your business. This is what happens so often. Some people will start something, they'll get it going, and then they'll pray, "Jesus, you come and get involved now." "You help me make this thing work." Friend, that's too late. You should ask him first, "Should I even get involved?" Oh, I don't think you're hearing me today, are you? You you pray first. You let him be Lord first. He is the one that knows what's best. And he will give you the victory. You see, there are so many people looking for a way of escape. And and but I I found the way of escape. His name is Jesus.

And if life is beating you down, hurting you, putting pressure on you, stealing your joy, your happiness, your contentment, your peace, just come back to the Lord Jesus and say, "Jesus, I've tried to fix it and I've failed, but will you take care of it for me now? I'm going to make you Lord." "I'm going to bow the knee of my heart to you. I'm going to surrender my life to you." Just talk to him in that manner, and he will come victoriously with blessing, all the blessing that he will come and give it to you.

Now, look at when he goes on. Paul said, "I'm convinced not only that he is Lord of my of death and of life." But he said, "I'm also convinced that he is Lord of all unseen powers," and he refers to them as angels and demons. Now, there's an unseen force in the world today. The scripture tells us that when Satan fell, he was lifted up with pride. He was the bright morning star. He was the most successful next to Jesus in heaven. He was lifted up with pride. He felt he didn't need God anymore, and he took things in his own hands. Friend, when you start thinking you can do it without God, watch out. Your marriage will fail, your business will fail, everything you put your hand to will fail because you can't do it without God. Life is too short. And God has never intended and God has never given you the the mental capacity to make it work and the wisdom. And this is what Satan felt. He could do it without God. And he influenced a third of the angels of heaven. And when he thought he would ascend to the throne and that he would be like God, God cast him out of heaven. And Jesus said, "I beheld Satan as lightning fallen from heaven."

Now, I'm not going to go into that today because that is something far beyond the scope of the sermon that I have prepared right now. But I will someday, Lord willing. But this is exactly what happened. And Satan fell and a third of his angels, and now those angels are called demons. And so there is an unseen unseen something out there that keeps working on people, that keeps tempting people, that that keeps beating on people, that tries to bring them down. Wars and rumors of wars, hate and racial prejudice and and family breakups. What's going on? I believe there's an activity of evil, and Satan is behind it and all of his minions of demons.

Friend, you need to make Jesus Lord of your life. You don't know what is out there that's working on you and influencing you. Don't give up until you give up to Jesus. Now, number four in your outline, nor any powers. Now, I want you to read Philippians 2:9, 10, and 11. And there it is on the screen together in unison.

Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God.

Every tongue confess what?

Audience: That Jesus Christ is Lord.

Pastor Jack Morris: Jesus is Lord. Jesus Christ, the Savior is Lord. That he is the almighty one, that he is the powerful one. That he is the one that control all things once I give the controls to him. Someone mentioned one time that that that it's like flying in an airplane. We put Jesus back there in economy section, and we get up there and we we're the pilot. We're all up there flying together, but I'm taking Jesus for a ride. I need to get back there. Put Jesus up at the controls. He knows how to fly my airplane. He knows how to take care of my life. He knows how to bring blessing. And this is what he is saying. Paul said, he named every power that he could think of. And then he says, "Nor any other power." we say, "Thine is the glory. Thine is the honor." Forever and ever, amen. And then he went on and said one more thing. Five, "Neither height nor depth." Say that. It's on the screen.

Audience: Neither height nor depth.

Pastor Jack Morris: Now, we're going to turn to first to Psalm 139 and read verses 8 through 12. I'll read it with me in unison, read it with me in unison.

If I go to the heavens, you are there. If I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me. Your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you. The night will shine like the day, for the darkness is light to you.

Hallelujah. It it might appear dark to me, but it's not dark to him. If he has my life, if and if he has it, it's because I've given it to him. Then he's going to guide me even when the life of my is dark and it seems dark, it will not be dark to him. And then in number six, nor anything else in all creation. Paul is saying, "I I'm I'm just running out of things to mention now." But he said, "If there is anything in all creation that can come against me, that can hurt me, that can destroy me, that can bring me down," he said, "I I've just I can't think of it right now, but if there is something that I haven't haven't thought of and haven't mentioned," he said, "even then, he's still Lord." If I've made him Lord, and if I've given my heart to him. He is Lord. Paul is saying, "I can't think of anything or my imagination won't bring anything to mind. But I know this, I know who holds tomorrow. I know he holds my hand now. I know I'm okay because I've made him Lord." Hallelujah. All authority has been given over to him. He is Lord. He is Lord. And then number seven, will be able to who will be able to separate us from the glory of God, from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Our savior comes with God's everlasting love. And when we read the call to worship in the bulletin, I I pray over that. I look for that. I search the scriptures for the call to worship. Every Sunday, I don't just arbitrarily find something. Maybe I do sometimes, but.