10/14/13 - "YOU HAVE THE CURE"

Luke 5:31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor; those who are sick do.
Luke 5:32 I’ve come to call sinners to change the way they think and act, not to call people who think they have God’s approval.”

In our world there are many different diseases for which man searches to find the cure. There are many who through their noble efforts continue to do all they can to help others to be rid of disease. Imagine with me for a moment what it would be like to discover the cure for a life threatening disease and how good it would make you feel to know that you were able to spare many lives. The truth is that for everyone who has received Christ into their heart they have such a cure.

The most life threatening disease that will lead to eternal death resides in the hearts of all mankind. Jesus Himself labeled such people as those who were sick. This sickness is sin, which is a result of the fall in the Garden of Eden. The result of this initial sickness of sin has been the devastation of all that scripture reveals is now seen in that which comes to kill, steal, and destroy. There is only one cure for this sickness. His name is Jesus.

What brings about this cure? When a sinner recognizes their sickness and is willing to receive what Christ has done to heal them from it by giving their lives completely to Him. As Jesus stated in verse 32 above, He came to call sinners to change the way they think and act. This is known as repentance. Jesus in going to the cross made it possible for man to receive the cure to his sickness called sin. As Billy Graham has stated, the cross demands, it does not suggest, but demands a change in lifestyle.

When you look at our society today it is very clear that this sickness has become rampant throughout our society. Everywhere you look it is evident. In Washington no one can seem to come up with the answers to our current problems because they are looking in the wrong place. The only way for a nation to be blessed is to have God as the Lord, the One supreme in authority, over our lives.

Prov. 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

When anyone turns to Christ and makes Him the Lord over their life they are instantly made righteous in the eyes of God. They are given His righteousness. The disease of sin is removed from within them and they are given a new spirit as they become born again. There is no doubt when you look at what is going on in our world today that the earth is primed and ready for a move of God. But that move of God will only come when His church rises up and takes the cure that they have and begins to distribute that cure to all who they come in contact with.

For too long believers have allowed different things in their lives to keep them from sharing this cure with others. We don’t even need to look at what those different reasons may have been, but instead look to a loving God who became sin for all of us and realize once again the power of His love, which in turn will compel us to share that love and bring the cure for all of mankind, Jesus Christ!

Think about what Jesus did for you. The Bible clearly states that He was made sin for us; He was not a sinner for He had never sinned. But He was made sin on the cross because of His love for mankind who had no cure for this disease called sin. Jesus on that cross was made a murderer, rapist, thief, drug addict, alcoholic, prostitute, pimp, and every other sinful thing you can think of. People don’t like to think of Jesus as such, but if He did not become sin for us then our sickness of sin could not be cured, but He did!

2 Cor. 5:21 God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.

Jesus in being made sin for all of us is the proof of how much God loves us. This love which everyone who is born again has already received, should now be the motivating factor that moves us to reveal the cure to man’s sickness. We have the answer that will bring about a complete change in one’s life who not only receives Him into their hearts, but then becomes a dedicated Christ follower as we through the love of God help them become a disciple of Christ. This is the ministry given to us by Jesus Christ, to the entire body.

2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Cor. 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, …

As Jesus stated in John’s gospel we need to look up, for the fields are already white for harvest. Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds. The darker it gets the easier it is to bring people to the light. I can assure you God’s Word is true and there are people around us that are looking for an answer to questions they don’t even know how to ask. Everyone who has received Christ as the Lord of their life has the answer they need. Time to share the cure! I want to share several key things that can help you to do so this week, because there is no doubt America is in need of a spiritual awakening. But it is the church that will make this happen for we are His hands extended to those hurting and in need.

2 Cor. 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died.

1. Walk in the love of God.

It is the love of Christ that will begin to take control in our lives to reach out to those in need of the cure. As Paul states it is obvious that if Christ died for all, then all have died. We are not going to bring the cure to man’s sickness if we don’t start walking in the love of God. I am not talking about condoning sinful practices, but in fact confronting the heart issue behind the sin. That is what the cross of Christ does. But when believers belittle people and call them names because of their sinful ways, that is not walking in the love of God. For example, Jesus when dealing with a rich young ruler confronted him directly revealing his sinful nature, but even when doing so the Bible says He looked upon him with love. Jesus did not call him names nor address all of his sinful ways, but simply revealed the sin nature that was within him.

Rom. 3:20 For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

2. Address the true issue, one’s sinful nature within.

The Ten Commandments given to Moses reveal the issue with man. They reveal that man is a sinner, and this is why all have violated those commandments. As Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5:19, God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, but providing the way to change the problem, our sinful nature within. In John 16: 8-9 Jesus revealed that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin not sins, which He tells us is not believing in Him. What needs to be addressed with the lost is the sinful nature within, which is what causes them to live in sin.

2 Cor. 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

3. Look for godly sorrow.

Once a person has knowledge of their sinful nature, no longer thinking they are good enough on their own merit to go to heaven, you need to see if they have godly sorrow. Godly sorrow will produce repentance, which leads people to salvation. We don’t get people saved, we share the truth about the sinful nature of man, what Jesus did to cure this sickness, and if that person has godly sorrow they will turn to Him for no one comes to the Father unless the Father draws them. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that causes them to become born again. We are simply a vessel that needs to go to everyone we can reach with the cure for their sinful nature.

Something else you can do to begin reaching people with the gospel is to hook up with a move of God that has been orchestrated through Billy Graham called, “My Hope America”. They are providing a free DVD that presents the gospel in a powerful film that is about 30 minutes in length, which you can show in your home by inviting people over just as Matthew did with his friends so they could meet Jesus. They even provide online training of how to do this with follow up materials as well. To get involved just go to: myhopewithbillygraham.org. You can sign up and do training online, and order the DVD. All you pay for is the shipping.

All who are born again have the cure the world needs. It’s time for us to be motivated by the love God revealed to us when we received Christ as our Savior and to begin sharing that cure. There is nothing better than seeing people get delivered from this sickness called sin. Go and bring them the cure!

See You Again Next Week For More “Weekly Wisdom”

May God’s Best Be Yours!

Pastor Darryl Baker