The Healing Word

Narrator: The Healing Word Ministry on one place is brought to you by the generous donations of people like you. At any time during today's message, feel free to send a prayer request or make a donation using the links provided. Now, I pray you will be blessed as Pastor Jack Morris delivers a message from the Word of God that will encourage and strengthen your faith in Him.

Pastor Jack Morris: Start here, right where you are, in the home you live in, the school you teach in, the office you work in. Wherever you are, that's where you are to start sharing the good news and telling everyone that Jesus won.

Narrator: Today on The Healing Word, Pastor Jack Morris brings a powerful reminder from John 20 that every believer is called, equipped, and commissioned by Christ Himself. Just as Jesus breathed peace and purpose into His disciples, He now sends us into our homes, our workplaces, and our communities to share the life-changing message that Jesus saves. Let's join Pastor Morris now for today's message: Made for a Mission.

Pastor Jack Morris: Made for a mission. You have your outline, and I want you to keep it open and make notes and write in the words that need to be written in that I'll give you as we go along.

We're going to look at another purpose for your life and my life. As Christians, we are made for a mission, and that is to evangelize and to share the good news that you and I have experienced.

Now, it's so important that we listen to the words of Jesus, all the words of Jesus, and particularly the words that we're going to read this morning that He spoke.

Shortly before Jesus was crucified, you know, as He approached crucifixion, He was if ever cautious of what He was saying, and He was always cautious. He was always inspired, and every word was infallible.

But now He approaches crucifixion, and shortly before He was crucified, He prayed a prayer in John chapter 17, verse 18. He's talking to the Father, and He said, "As You sent Me, I have sent them into the world." Giving to us the same mission that the Almighty gave to Him. That's awesome.

That I'm on a mission, His mission. That my mission is exactly like His mission. That your mission is exactly like His mission.

Then He was crucified, buried, He rose from the dead, and after He arose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples. And in John chapter 20, verse 21, listen to what He says. His words after resurrection. He says, "Peace be with you."

"As the Father hath sent Me, I am sending you." With the same mandate, the same sending that the Father gave to Him, mandate and sending, He has now given to the church to do exactly what He did.

Yeah, I can just hear some of us saying, "Well, wait a minute, Pastor, you mean I'm to do what Jesus did?" That's exactly what I mean. I don't know how other to interpret that.

And then His last words before He goes back to Heaven. Now, this is the last time the disciples will hear the earthly audible voice of Jesus. You can be sure He's very careful in what He is saying, as He always was very careful in what He is saying.

His last words, the last thing He said. You know, the last thing a person says before they die is important. Is to be listened to. Jesus is going back to Heaven. They'll not hear His audible voice again. And this is what He says in Mark chapter 16, verse 15. "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all people, to all creation."

And then He goes away. Now, what else am I to do with that? To say, "Well, I haven't been called, I haven't felt convicted to do that." We don't have to be convicted. The word of Jesus has already called us and told us His will for us.

Now, friend, as a born-again believer, your purpose and my purpose is to share the good news with everyone. Now, how am I going to respond to that that Jesus said? How am I going to respond?

I think my only response is the kind of response that the Apostle Paul gave when God spoke to him. This is what he said, and this is what I'm going to have to say. This is what the church is going to have to say.

Acts chapter 20, verse 24, the Apostle Paul said, "I consider my life worth nothing to me." Are you listening to me, friend? "I consider my life worth nothing to me if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me, the task of testifying to the Gospel of God's grace."

Paul said, "My first and only thing in life is to do His will. And if I don't do His will, then life has not been worth living."

I think that's my only response, particularly as a Christian, now that I am saved and in the Lord.

So, in your outline, another purpose that I was made for and that you were made for, write these words down, is to share the good news. To share the good news. Now, the good news is Christ is risen, He has conquered sin, He has forgiven us, and He will do this great work of grace, of forgiveness to everyone who will believe on Him.

I have to tell that. I have to share that. The good news. Now, the good news is this: the war is over. I remember when I was a little boy in Western Pennsylvania growing up, I was just a small boy when World War II ended, and I remember my parents and all the neighbors coming out of their houses, opening their doors and walking out into the street. The street was filled with people, and people were rejoicing, "The war is over! Our boys are coming home!" with enthusiasm.

Now, notice, the good news is not we're going to war, we're well equipped to go to war, our people are well trained to fight the war and win the war. We are confident that we're going to win and be victorious. No, the good news is, it's over! I read that just a day or so ago, and it came to me with renewed force and emphasis that it's over. I don't have to wonder who's going to win, sin or righteousness, Jesus or the devil. He's won! It's over!

I don't have to think about it anymore. And that's what Jesus says, "Just go tell people, it's over!" And we won.

Share the good news. The good news is that Jesus won the war over death and Hell and sin. And today we're free because of Jesus. That's the good news. We don't have to hope that He's going to win. He's already won. It's done. It is finished.

Now, number one in your outline, write down the word, "with those in my world." I must share with those in my world. Now, where are we to share? Now, look at your bulletin. I have a scripture written there that I want you to read in unison with me. Acts chapter 1, verse 8. This passage of scripture tells us where we are to share the good news. In unison, read it with me.

Congregation: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth.

Pastor Jack Morris: Now, doesn't that answer that question? Where shall we witness? With those in my world. Look at that scripture again. Where's the first place, the first city? Are you looking at it? Jerusalem. Jerusalem. Now, where were the disciples when Jesus gave this verse to them? They were in Jerusalem. And He says, "Start here."

Right where you are, in the home you live in, the school you teach in, the office you work in. Wherever you are, that's where you are to start sharing the good news and telling everyone that Jesus won. Jesus won. And then the next city, what's the next city?

Congregation: Judea.

Pastor Jack Morris: Judea. Now, these are some people who are just a little further out. You go out now after you've witnessed here, you go out. We don't just jump to the ends of the Earth. No, we do it like Jesus said to do it. If we would do it His way, then we would get the results that He promises us.

And then the next city, what's the next city? Next place, Samaria. Now, this is everybody else. Here, here's where you go to wherever people are. These are people who are of a different culture, of a different race. Wherever people are, you can be sure Jesus died for them, just as much as He died for me.

Now, what are we to do? He said, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My..." Say it!

Congregation: Witnesses!

Pastor Jack Morris: Witnesses. Not a salesman, not a salesman. You don't go out there and you pound on people and try to convince them. Now, that's not necessary to do that. We don't go out and pound on them, and we're not an attorney. We don't go out there and try to win an argument and prove God and prove that the Bible is the Word of God. Even the Bible itself doesn't try to prove God. The Bible just starts out saying, "In the beginning, God." You can take it or leave it.

He's there. I'm not going to try to prove He's there. So, don't go out there and get involved in foolish arguments that will make the adrenaline flow and your heartbeat faster, and heat go through your being, and you end up getting mad. That's not how you're to witness for the Lord. You just tell people what happened to you. That's what a witness is. A witness is a person who has personally experienced, who has personally seen.

That's all you need to do, and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. He'll take it from there. It's easy! You don't have to be a theologian, you don't have to even know the Bible or know very little about the Bible. You don't have to know much. All you have to do is experience Jesus. And then you just tell the experience that you have. You see, Jesus started it all.

We are to finish it all. Did you get that? He started this witnessing. He came, sent from God. Now, He's turned it over to us. He started it, we are to finish it.

Narrator: As we enter this beautiful Christmas season, we're reminded that God sent His Son into the world to bring hope, healing, and new life. And here at The Healing Word, we're seeing that same hope come alive in the hearts of people every day. Veronica recently wrote to us and said, "I believe that I am healed. Thank you for your ministry and the weekly devotional I receive. Please continue to pray for me." Friends, this is just one of the many lives God is touching through this ministry. One voice among countless hearts being strengthened, encouraged, and drawn closer to Jesus. If The Healing Word has blessed you, if you believe in the power of God's Word to change lives, then we invite you to join us in this mission. During this season of giving, would you prayerfully consider walking alongside us with your prayers and your financial support? Your gift, large or small, helps us reach more people with the message that Jesus saves, Jesus heals, and Jesus restores. From all of us at The Healing Word, thank you for listening, thank you for praying, and thank you for standing with us as we share the hope of Christ across the world. May God bless you in this joyous Christmas season.

Pastor Jack Morris: Now, God is in Heaven, and an angel comes up to God in Heaven, and God says to the angel, "My plan is to give the good news to the children who are on Earth. My plan is to give the good news to My children on Earth and to ask them to share it." And the angel asked, "But what if they don't? What is plan B?" God says, "There is no plan B. Either you and I share it or people go to Hell."

It's either or. We have to do it. We must do it. We will do it. Can you say amen? Number two, write this down, "I must dare to reach beyond my world."

My personal world, the world of my environment, my comfort. I must reach to the homeless and those in prison, and to the orphan. I must reach to those who need food and clothing and shelter, those in need. Must reach to the lonely, the widow and the widower. Must reach to those who are depressed and obsessed. I must reach to the young girl who is pregnant and not married. I must reach to the boy with AIDS. And on and on we could go.

There are people out there who need to hear that their world can be made better. Actually, their world can be made absolutely new. That Jesus came to give them a new world. It's called the Kingdom of God. The old passing away and the new coming. I need to tell them that. They don't know it. Why am I keeping it a secret, that that I have received? Why am I keeping it a secret?

I must care for the needs by whatever means that I have. I must. I must tell them that they are loved, that Jesus loves them and that I love them. I must share the good news because that boy with AIDS has only heard bad news. That girl that is pregnant out of wedlock has only heard bad news. And I can go right down the list: the depressed, the lonely, the widow, the widower. They have only heard bad news, bad news, bad news.

And you and I have good news, and we want to share that good news and tell them that they are loved with an everlasting love. I had this young man and woman in my office from some other place, they came by to talk to me. She's maybe 32, I think she said, been married about 13 years.

And she and her husband together, they come from another state, a western state, and I went home and I told Karen, I said, I can't even think of their names, that's and I wouldn't tell you if I could think of their names, then even tell Karen their names. But she said, "My mother became pregnant with me and she wasn't married, and it brought so much shame on the family that that the family was so embarrassed and so shamed that my mother ran away from home, and and I was born while my mother was away from home."

"And then my mother didn't want me, and so they they put me in an orphanage. And about a year and a half later, my mother's parents, my grandparents, found me, and adopted me and brought me home. She said, 'Not one time in my growing up years did either of my grandparents hug me.'" "Not one time did my grandparents say they loved me. All I ever heard was, 'Your mother got pregnant with you, and we had to go find you after a year and a half, and if it weren't for us, you'd still be out there.'"

And the girl said, "I ran away from home," she said, "several times." Said, "Dr. Morris," she said, "not one time did my grandparents come looking for me." She said, "I lived in sin for weeks or for months until I just didn't know what else to do, and I'd go home to my grandparents. They'd let me come back in the house, but they never came out and looked for me. I always had to come back."

Well, that girl, 32 years old with a 12-year-old son and a husband, and the husband was right there. All she ever heard was bad news. That's all the world has is bad news. Wars, hate, race division, prejudice. I mean, it just goes on and on and on. You don't need me to talk to you about it, but what you and I do need to have Jesus talk to us about sharing the good news.

And that's what we're going to do. We're going to let our light shine. We're going to share the good news. I want you to take your bulletin, look at Matthew chapter 25, verses 35 and 36. I want you to hold your bulletin up. It's written there for you and read it in unison with me. Together, let's read it.

Congregation: For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me in. I was sick, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you looked after me. I was in prison, and you visited me.

Pastor Jack Morris: These are the words of Jesus. Number three, write down, "I must care about the whole world." Not just people I'm comfortable with. I must care about the whole world. Now, why? Because Jesus cares for the whole world. God so loved the world and everybody in it.

Now, look at your bulletin again. There's Mark chapter 16, verse 15. Let's hold it up and read it together. "Go into all the world..." In unison. Mark 16:15. It's in your bulletin. You see it under point three.

Congregation: Yes.

Pastor Jack Morris: Okay, together.

Congregation: Go into all the world, preach the Gospel to all creation.

Pastor Jack Morris: Now, the Lord Jesus is not saying this, directing this just to pastors or just to missionaries. This is to His followers who have personally received and experienced the good news. Now, we're Christians. We want to pray. We can all.