Christ Will Conquer (Program for WVNE Life Changing Radio 760 AM Worcester / Boston)

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

Christ Will Conquer: Persecution, the Cross, and the Church's Victory

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. Many enemies have risen up against the true church of Christ. And when they persecute the church, understand they are persecuting Christ.

Jesus said so. You remember the account of the apostle Paul when he was still Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus Road. So when they persecute the church, they are really persecuting Christ, but Christ will conquer.

In modern times, fascism and communism and theological liberalism have all launched attacks on the king of kings. I'd like to read to you what the psalmist wrote in Psalm chapter 2. Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us. But he who sits in the heavens shall laugh.

The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then he shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure. Yet I, which is God the Father speaking, I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion.

I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me, You are my son. Today I have begotten you. Jesus Christ, the son of God, has conquered death. And because of that, he holds the keys to death and hell.

Revelation chapter 1, verse 18. Now, because we serve a risen Lord who is king of kings, we have not only a great privilege, we have great responsibility. Turn, if you would, to the book of 2nd Corinthians, 2nd Corinthians chapter 5.

2nd Corinthians chapter 5. If you have called upon the name of Christ, you have a responsibility. A person enters into a covenant relationship with God after God calls them through the preaching of the gospel.

A person enters into that agreement, that covenant, by calling upon the name of the Lord for salvation. The next step is to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

That person is now a disciple. And that person is to join a good gospel-centered, Bible-believing church. And then serve and help spread this message to others. My friends, every Christian has a responsibility.

And every Christian has a ministry. Look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 5, verse 13. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus, that if one died for all, then all died.

And he died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him thus no longer.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. And has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. As though God were pleading through us.

We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. This is the ministry that we have all been entrusted with. The ministry of reconciliation. To plead with people to be reconciled to God. You know, it doesn't matter what you've done.

You can be reconciled to God. You can be brought into a covenant agreement with God where you can experience both the peace with God and the peace of God. Now, maybe you're proud. Maybe you have lived for yourself.

Maybe you have harmed others. Maybe you have lied to others. Maybe you struggle with anger. Maybe you struggle with addiction. Maybe you've committed adultery. Maybe you have been involved in so-called alternative lifestyles.

Maybe you've been self-righteous, thinking that God will accept you because you're such a good person. Maybe you've been responsible for the death of someone else, no matter who you are. And understand this, no matter who you are, no matter what you have done.

Because Christ is the conqueror, he's not only powerful enough to conquer the grave. He is powerful and mighty enough to forgive and to save. It's Satan who wants you to live in guilt. Jesus wants you to lay down that guilt because he's already taken your guilt.

He's already taken your guilt and your sin and your shame. And it's all been crucified. It was all nailed to the cross with him nearly 2 ,000 years ago. And look at verse 21 of 2 Corinthians chapter 5.

For he made him, that is, God the Father made Christ. For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Only righteous people go to heaven. And you, in and of yourself, you're not righteous.

That is why you need the righteousness of Christ. All have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. You are a sinner deserving of God's wrath. But when Christ died for your sins, the wrath of God was satisfied.

And because he lives eternally, you shall live also. That is the gospel. Romans chapter 8 verse 31. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

And who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? So what's the answer to that? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword, as it is written, for your sake, we are killed all day long.

We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present or things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

And this is why the gospel is called the good news, that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. My friend, if you were to go home tonight and lay your head on the pillow, and during the middle of the night, your heart stopped, where would you go?

If you were to stand before God and he were to ask you, why should I allow you into my heaven? What would be your answer? Would you boast about how wonderful of a person you are Tell God about all the righteous things that you have done?

Would you expect an all-powerful, holy and righteous God to be impressed with your good works? Such a response would be the epitome of pride. What God wants is for us to humble ourselves. He wants us to love him.

He wants us to obey him. He wants us to worship him in spirit and in truth, and follow his only begotten son, follow and believe in Jesus Christ, the son of God. You see, to reject Jesus is to reject God, because he is God incarnate, God in human flesh.

Think of it this way, if you send your son to act on your behalf, and someone rejected and despised and mistreated your son, who came bearing your message, that rejection of your son would be a rejection of you personally.

So to reject Christ is to reject God. It's that simple. So if you want to overcome, if you want deliverance from death and hell, there is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism. And there is only one name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved.

Acts chapter 4, verse 12. And Jesus said in John chapter 14, verse 6, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father except through me. So if you have never trusted in Jesus Christ, I plead with you, do it now, do it today.

Today is the day of salvation. The Lord says in Revelation 22, I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star.

And the spirit says to the bride, come. And let him who hears say, come. And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. And if you have come to Christ, But over time, your love for Christ has grown cold.

The fire you once felt is starting to go out. Maybe something happened in your life that makes you question your faith or question the goodness of God. Beloved, today is the day to recommit your life to Christ and to return to that fellowship that you once enjoyed.

No matter what state you are in, though, know this. Christ is risen and those who are in Christ shall overcome and the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. For one simple reason, Christ has conquered.

Prayer for Salvation, Recommitment, and the Church's Final Victory

Let's close in prayer. Our Father, may your name be kept holy and may your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give your people what they need day by day. Sustain us by providing us with our daily bread.

Forgive us of our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Please protect us, Lord, from temptation and the evil one. You have promised that your word will not return to you void. It will accomplish that purpose for which you sent it.

So give us ears to hear and we thank and praise you for this time to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. It's in his name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Cornet Church.

If you'd like to listen to the complete message or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website MorrisCornetChurch .com. We'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett.

Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.