The Healing Word

Guest (Male): 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: You have to know that your life is empty. You have to know that you have sinned. You have to acknowledge your sin. You see, the word says, if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, and with the heart man, woman believes unto a right relationship with God.

Guest (Male): Welcome to The Healing Word, a radio ministry of the Largo Community Church. Here's Pastor Jack Morris with today's message that will grow your faith in God and lead you to a closer walk with Jesus.

Pastor Jack Morris: My desire, and I'm sure that desire that I said just now that is my desire is the desire of the Holy Spirit, and that is that we would see ourselves in the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. Now, if God did not want us to see ourselves in this story, he would not have put the story in the Bible and have it here in print for us to read it and learn from it. So, we're going to see ourselves as this woman. First, she comes to Christ. Secondly, she becomes a worshiper. And thirdly, she becomes a soul winner, and she did it all within a period of time, one day, one morning from a from a Christian.

Some say, well, I've been I need to be saved for 30 years before I can really begin to worship the Lord, or I need to be saved 30 years before I can testify. This woman was saved, gave her heart to the Lord in worship, and went out and won a whole town to the Lord within a couple of hours. Come on, friend, let's get with it, okay? Now, I'm am still a learner in the in the means of worship. I'm still a novice. I'm still learning. I want to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

And I'm still learning, and when I'm taken from this world, you'll know Pastor Morris finally learned how to worship. But we're all learners in the school of worship. You know, it's possible to come to church and not worship, to keep coming to church, and maybe just worship on occasion. But it is possible, and it does happen. And yet, we have all of the symbols about us for worship. Now, just think about it. We have those pew Bibles, red pew Bibles. That's a symbol. The pews, the choir, the holy communion table staring us in the face, the candles burning, the cross.

We have all of these symbols that are conducive to worship, and very often we miss worship. So, we think about people who don't go to church, they don't worship. Well, some people who go to church still don't worship. Let's learn how to worship the Lord and truly worship him in spirit and in truth. Well, let's look at this lady at the well coming to Jesus. Would you want to put the picture of the woman at the well on the screen for us? There it is. That's just about how a well looked like in Jesus' day.

And Jesus now on your right is seated at the well, and here comes the woman to get some water, roll the rope down, bring up the water. Now, all she saw was a man. That's all she saw was a man. Jesus looked very very ordinary. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us, the Apostle John said. And so, here is Jesus seated at the well, the woman drawing water. And of all things, watch Jesus break with culture. He spoke to the woman. Unheard of in biblical times. A rabbi would never speak to a woman in public, not even his wife, not even his daughter, because it would diminish his reputation.

He could not do that. His ability to teach others would be diminished. And so, here Jesus says, away with tradition, away with racism, away with anything that would hinder anybody from coming to me. Friend, if we don't come to Jesus, it's because we have hindered ourselves. We're praying that the songs, the the anthems, the hymns, the prayers, the sermon, everything would lift up Jesus and cause us to focus on Jesus. And now, she begins to focus on Jesus because he speaks to her and he asks her for a favor of all ways to start a conversation.

But this woman's self-esteem was so low. She had been married five times, and she had was now a live-in man, a sixth man. She didn't respect herself. The women didn't respect her. That 's why she would come out when no one was there. The women would roll their eyes, whisper behind her back, and maybe pick up little stones and throw at her and to her to get out. So, she came when no one else was there. But she came at the right time this time because Jesus was there. I believe Jesus is here this morning.

I believe this is the right time to hear and receive something from Jesus because Jesus is the gift of God, and he continues to give gifts. Friend, there's a gift for you to unwrap today. The Lord has it for you. I hope you'll get it. I hope you worship, you'll leave the church, and you won't leave behind the blessing of God when you get to the parking lot. And so, all she saw, this woman, was a man, a a tired man. The Jewish days, as I told you in the last two sermons, starts at 6:00 in the morning.

It was 12:00 noon, and he was thirsty, and that's all she saw. And here this man starts talking to her. Oh, that Jesus would talk to us in the hymns and in the sermons. He asked her for something. He caught her attention. When you give a gift like he was asking for a favor, this woman, the first thing she knew is, hey, this man thinks I can make a contribution. I can give give him something that would bring satisfaction to him physically and emotionally. I can give him a drink of water. So, first, all she saw was a man.

Secondly, watch her now, watch her thoughts of Jesus now begin to come up, rise. She's not only looking to him as a man, you're a Samaritan. I'm a uh uh you're a Jew, and I'm a Samaritan. You're a man, and I'm a woman. You know, what's going on here? But he he spoke to us her so tenderly. She saw the tenderness in his eyes. She heard the gentleness in his voice. Jesus isn't here to put anybody down, but to lift everybody up. He's resurrection and life. She felt the compassion in his heart. And now, she not only sees a man, but the respectability has lifted.

She calls him sir. Hey, this man is he's just not an ordinary man. There's something different about him. He looks so ordinary, but I'm getting the feeling, says the woman. There's something different. I'm going to call him sir out of true respect. And then, watch what's the elevation come up. Friend, your thoughts of Jesus, my thoughts of Jesus should ever be increasing to the place where we're honoring him, extolling him. Now, she calls him a prophet, a man, sir, prophet. Jesus said, I'll give you living water. You give me a drink of that water, I'll give you living water.

She had no idea what he was talking about. Well, she did have an idea. She thought it was the water maybe out of the well or or some kind of water like that because he said, I'll I 'll get that living water, and I won't have to come here and drink anymore. Jesus was speaking about life. I'm going to give you life, wonderful life, new life, life that is ever flowing, life that is not like a a cistern with stagnant Her life had become so stagnant. She had tried and tried and tried in her own efforts, thinking that one of these husbands is going to click, and I 'm going to get the right man.

She was so confused and thinking that a relationship with a man is going to make her life complete. Well, she tried up to six of them, and she was still incomplete. Her her condition is certainly a revelation of the restlessness in today's society. We keep thinking that we're going to have a big strike of luck somehow, and we're going to meet the right person. It's like they say, it's not what you know, it's who you know. You ever hear that saying? We think somebody's going to make it and fix it for us. Friend, you can fix it yourself by turning your life to Jesus and giving your heart and soul and mind to Jesus.

It's you. You're the fixer. You're looking in in dark holes. You're looking in dry wells. You're looking in wrong places. She had exhausted every resource and got nowhere. So, when Jesus offered her living water, she said that she wanted that water, even though she wasn't quite sure what she was asking for. So, Jesus said, go call your husband. Now, what was happening Now, watch what's happening. Jesus was forcing her to face herself. Oh, I don't have a husband. No, you're right, lady. You've had five, and the man you're living with now is a live-in boyfriend.

Your life is just as empty now after six men and how many more that we don't know about of one-night stands. I don't know that she just limited herself to six these six men, but at any rate, she wanted the living water, but now Jesus says, we're going to get there, but you have to know that your life is empty. You have to know that you have sinned. You have to acknowledge your sin. You see, the word says, if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, and with the heart man, woman believes unto a right relationship with God. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Friend, you've got to acknowledge, I've come up short. You have to acknowledge, I have sinned, and some of those sins are ugly sins, and then you name the ugly sin to him. Be specific. You have five husbands or had, and the one you're living with is not your husband. That's being pretty specific, right? Jesus was very specific with this woman. Now, watch the woman. Not only you are a man, not only you are a man to be respected that I'll call sir, you must be a prophet.

How would you know this about me? You see, friend, he already knows. So, don't try to dress yourself up in his presence. He already knows. But sometimes we won't confess specifically because we just don't want to hear ourselves say that about ourselves. But when we do, the living water begins to flow, and the light of God breaks in, and we become that person that we have always wanted to be. Now, we are following Jesus, knowing Jesus, and truly worshiping Jesus. You've got to face yourself, lady. That's what Jesus was saying to the woman. Now, watch her enter into worship.

Here is the first sign of worship. First, a man, sir, prophet, Messiah, the Christ, the anointed of God. You are the Christ. Friend, when you know he's the Christ, you're going to bow down before him, love him and worship him and express to him. Watch her now. You're the Messiah. You're not just a man that's thirsty and tired. You're not just a man to respect. You're not just a prophet that can see into my heart. You've come from heaven. You're the Messiah. Now, worship begins. When you begin to realize who he is and how much he truly loves you, you're the Messiah.

Well, this is what happened. I believe this woman felt the need for an altar immediately. She felt the need to get down before God and begin to talk to the Lord with confession and with repentance. And she brought up the subject of religion. Would you put the map up on the screen again, please? Okay. Two weeks ago, Jesus left Judea, Jerusalem, and he went straight up to Sychar. Look here. Here's where she worshiped. All other Jews would go across the river because of their prejudice, go up the other side of the river so they wouldn't have to go through Samaria.

They hated these half-breeds, this mixed blood people. And then, they would cross over when they got up into the the Nazareth, the Galilee and area. So, she brings up Jerusalem. I will say it in a moment, Jerusalem. Now, look where Jerusalem is. She said, you Jews say you have to go to Jerusalem. We Samaritans say we can worship up here at Jerusalem. You see where Jerusalem is was a great place because that's where it's believed that Abraham took Isaac and prepared to sacrifice him. And in his mind, Abraham did sacrifice him. That that is a very holy holy place.

Also, that's where Jacob wells were dug. And that that was a very special place. But then, there is Jerusalem, the holy city where the holy temple is, where where sheep are sacrificed, the blood is shed, and sins are cleansed. So, she's looking for an altar. Her sin has been exposed. She didn't deny it. She's ready to pray, but she doesn't know where where to to pray at or whether to go to Jerusalem to pray. She was looking for a piece of geography. Friend, it's not 1701 Enterprise Road. Yes, I come here to worship, to come here to fellowship.

I come here to bow down before the Lord. But where Jesus is, that's the place. He is the place. Say those words.

Guest (Male): He is the place.

Pastor Jack Morris: It's not Jerusalem. It's not Mount Zion Jerusalem, but it's he. It's not geography. It's he, Jesus. He's the place. And this is what this woman was revealing, a desire to get down and to pray in the right place. And Jesus said, this is the right place. Out in the desert, by a well, wherever I am and wherever you are, and when we come together, that's the right place. Hey, you can worship all week long, friend. And this is a good place to get it all primed up and get it all started with the hymns and the cross and the candles and the sermon and the and the Bibles, what symbols to get it going.

And then, it'll buoy you up all all week long. He is the place. Look at verse 23. Let me read it to you. 23. Yet, Jesus says, yet a time is coming and now is You see what he is doing. He is ushering in a new age. The glory of the Lord came upon her. The glory of the Lord shone round about her. That which was born of her was of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is bringing Jesus to you today. Whether you're in a jail on the sea or in the air or in the car, the Holy Spirit brings Jesus to you today and every day.

Now, notice he said, worship the Lord in spirit, in spirit. Now, he's talking about my spirit and your spirit. There's a part of you that is eternal. What I see is temporal. It'll it'll go someday. But inside there is spirit. The scripture says God is spirit. So, somehow somehow my spirit connects with his spirit. Somehow his spirit connects with my spirit. When that connection takes place, it clicks. We're together. We would come to church. Hey, I'm coming to church, and I might not know exactly what I need, but I know I'm going to meet somebody in my spirit, and he's going to meet me in his spirit, and he's going to fix whatever's there.

Friend, it'll get fixed when you come with that attitude and that spirit and in truth. It's true when my love touches his love. I I I don't know whether to keep on or whether to stop or what. And I I can't see from your expressions whether you understand what I'm talking about. Uh but have you felt love, the love of Jesus, a heavenly love, a spiritual love? Has your heart been warmed today? Are you worshiping? If you are, now you're worshiping in spirit and in truth. Your spirit is worshiping. Your heart is worshiping. Now, you're in the presence of God like the presence you're going to be in when this body is gone.

You're now in the presence of the Lord. So, she comes to faith, builds all the way up to be he's the Messiah. She enters into worship because he is the Christ, the anointed one. That's the what the word Messiah means, Christ, the anointed one, meaning that he is the power and love and of God that has now come down and met me. And now, look what she does. I'll have to close quickly now. That woman drops the water jar that she had in her hand. She drops it and she runs a half mile. That's where Jacob's well was about a half mile from Sychar.

I mean, she is just now a Christian, but watch her win her town to Christ. Not not just a person. That would have been great. That would have been enough. But not enough for her, not enough for Jesus. She dropped the water jar, and as fast as her legs would carry her, she went into into her town. And she said to the people of that town, come see a man who told me everything that I've ever done. Is not this the Christ? Well, she was moving even though she was not totally focused. I mean, she didn't learn theology to get saved.

I mean, we're always learning, learning, learning. And we do need Bible classes. We do need sermons that are teaching that is manna for our soul. But if we are forever learning but never worshiping, never winning souls to Christ, never letting our our light shine, then what has the learning done for us? What changed about your thinking today, your heart? How how do you how do you how are you feeling now that you are feeling that you didn't feel that way when you first come in? Would you be able to give me a quick answer? Would I if you met me and shook my hand and say, Pastor, how do you feel now after preaching that sermon?

You studied it all week. What would we say? Friend, I'm just trying to help us to think today. That's all I'm trying to do, help us to think. She believed, not a few, Christ. Believe what you're hearing. Believe or experience what you're hearing. Don't just hear it, experience it. And you shall be saved and your house. But I know there are parents. Your heart is heavy. You are praying for the salvation of your children. You've lived the life before them. They've seen the glory and the joy of the Lord within you. You have been good parents.

We have some of the finest parents in this church. I know that. I know that. But keep on praying. Don't give up. I'm thankful that my children are saved and in Christ. Your children are going to be saved and in Christ also. But remember this, you can't save them. Your children have a will. They can they must make a decision. It's entirely up to them, not you any longer. But we can continue to pray for them, and I'll pray for you, and I'll pray for your children also. Everything happened all because of a woman's changed life for testimony and her worship, not theology, not the church, not the denomination, not the religion, not because she heard a prophet with words.

It wasn't that. She met the Lord. That made the change. That made the change.

Guest (Male): We hope that today's message has been a blessing and has strengthened your faith in God. But before we go, here is Pastor Jack Morris with a special invitation.

Pastor Jack Morris: I want to thank you for your past support to The Healing Word Ministries. Your prayers and financial gifts have kept this ministry on the air. You have been a great blessing because you have a passion for souls. Friend, your prayers and generosity will take the Healing Word into the future where eternal souls wait, souls who need Christ, souls who need healing, need forgiveness, need his love. I'll be frank. I can't do it without you. I need you. I love you, and I thank God for giving you to me to pray and support this ministry. Together we're soul winners for the Lord.

Please send an offering and help me with this ministry. Thank you, and God bless you. I'm Pastor Morris.

Guest (Male): Go to thehealingword.com and the donate button to pledge your support. And remember, the faith-building message you heard today is our gift to you. Your donation is your gift to God.

Guest (Male): Join us tomorrow for another Healing Word message. Until then, blessings on you.