The Cross Is the Cure Part 1 – Lawson Perdue

The Cross Is the Cure Part 1

In The Cross Is the Cure Part 1, Pastor Lawson Perdue shares how the message of the cross releases the power of God in your life! When you understand what Jesus did through His death, burial, and resurrection, it will generate a response of power for salvation, healing, prosperity, peace, and more!

The Cross Is the Cure Part 1 Transcript

[Lawson] Praise the Lord, friends, and welcome to the broadcast. Today, we’re gonna be sharing on “The Cross is the Cure,” and we’re gonna talk about how the message of the cross releases the power of God. You know, Paul said, “When I came to you, my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of men’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power that your face should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. But it is the message of the cross that releases the power of God. Open your heart and receive the word.” Praise the Lord, friends. we are teaching on “The Cross is the Cure.” We’re gonna be talking about the preaching of the cross. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1 that “the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who don’t believe. But to those who of us who are saved, it is the power of God.” The preaching of the cross releases the power of God. We’re gonna to talk about how that happens today. We’re gonna begin here in 1 Corinthians 1:17. We’ll be going clear to the end of the chapter, verse 31. He says “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with the wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the preaching of the cross is to those who perish foolishness. But to us, which are saved, it is the power of God.” The preaching of the cross is the power of God to save people. Now, what does that mean? When we begin to understand what Jesus did at the cross, it releases the power of God in our life. He says “For it’s written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom did not know God. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. It pleased God to save people who believe. For the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified. To the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness. But to those who are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men. And the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling brethren. How that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty, and the base things of the world and the things which are despised has God chosen. Yes, and the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are. That no flesh should glory in his presence.” This is why we need to preach the cross, so that no flesh would glory in his presence. So we realized, listen, this is not Lawson Perdue. This is not some other person. This is the gospel. This is the work of Jesus Christ when he died and rose again. He says, “But of him, of God, are you in Christ Jesus, who of God, Christ of God, is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” So the first thing he says, “We’re of God in Christ Jesus.” You know what? If you would say that in some circles, it’d make religious people mad. And then he goes on and says, “Christ of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” Now I said in some religious circles that’d make people mad. You know why? Because I’ve made some religious people mad by saying things like “I have the mind of Christ.” “I’m the righteousness of God in Christ.” “I’m sanctified by the blood of Jesus.” “I’m redeemed from every curse.” But that’s the gospel truth. And he says that “According as it’s written, he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” So when I say I’m the righteousness of God in Christ, for instance, I’m not glorying in my myself, I’m glorying in the righteousness that Jesus, I’m boasting in the righteousness that Jesus made available in his death and resurrection. You see, the Bible says that boasting is excluded because of the law of faith. But when you put your faith in Jesus, you become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Now, we’re gonna look again at these scriptures in 1 Corinthians 1, talking about the preaching of the cross. He says, “The preaching of the cross is to those who are saved the power of God.” You see, the preaching of the cross releases the power of God, because we begin to understand that at the cross, Jesus took our sickness and gave us health. He took our sin and gave us righteousness. He took our anxiety and gave us peace. But he goes on and says this in verse 23 and 24, “We preach Christ crucified. To the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks it’s foolishness. But to those who are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” It’s foolishness that because the Jews, they were not looking for the Messiah to come and die on a cross. They were looking for the Messiah to come take over the kingdom, to rule and to reign and to free them, right? From oppression, which he did. But he did it in a different way. And he is going to have a physical kingdom. But his first kingdom was a spiritual kingdom of believers. Now he says this, and this, he says, he did this. He put the focus right on Christ, “So that no flesh would glory in his presence.” It’s not the wisdom of this world. It’s not the ability of this world. It’s not the strength of this world. It’s not the, you know, the things, it’s the wisdom of God. It’s the beauty of God. The strength of God. He says that “No flesh should glory in his presence,” but he says “Of God are you,” 1 Corinthians 1:30, “In Christ Jesus, who of God, Christ of God, is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” Thank God I’ve been redeemed from every curse. I have the mind of Christ. I’m sanctified by the blood of Jesus. And I am the righteousness of God in Christ. When you begin to understand that, you’re gonna live in a different way. Now we read the message of the cross is the power of God. The preaching of the cross releases the power of God. Now, how does it release the power of God? Because you say at the cross, Jesus took my sin. At the cross, Jesus took my anxiety. At the cross, Jesus took my sickness. And we could also say this, it’s in different scriptures, but at the cross, Jesus took my poverty, amen. And at the cross, Jesus gave me righteousness. At the cross, Jesus gave me peace. At the cross, Jesus gave me healing and health. And at the cross, Jesus made provision for me. Praise God, thank God. That’s the gospel. Now, when we begin to see this, how does the message of the cross release the power of God? Because at the cross, Jesus took our death. Let’s look at this in Philippians 2. We’re gonna look at verse five, Philippians 2 through verse 11. Now he says this in verse five, Philippians 2:5. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. You need to have the mind of Christ. “Who being in the form of God Jesus, was in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but he made himself of no reputation and took on him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.” So Jesus, who was God, became a man, “And being found in the fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even at the death of the cross. So at the cross, Jesus took our death. You see, we deserve the cross. See as believers, we look at the cross as a beautiful place, but I want you to know in Jesus’ day, the cross was a terrible place. The cross was a place where only the worst of criminals were sentenced to death. You remember when they were getting ready to, you know, Pilate brings Jesus and said, “Hey, he’s done no wrong. So the Jews, you have a thing that we would release one prisoner to you. So who do you want? Jesus, right? Or do you want Barabbas? And they cry out, “Barabbas!” Right, and so this murderer goes free, right? This thief and murderer goes free while Jesus goes to death. That’s the power of the cross, right? We’re sinners and we’re going free, right? While Jesus, the innocent lamb of God, is being put to death. We’re sick and we’re going healed while Jesus is taking our sickness. Jesus took our sickness at the cross. Praise God, that’s what the scripture actually says. So it says, “How did this happen?” He says, “He became obedient to the death of the cross, and because of this,” in verse nine, “God has highly exalted him and given him a name that is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. Things in heaven, things in the earth, things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.” What gives Jesus’ name power? It’s because he went to the cross. And at the cross, he took our sin. He took our anxiety. He took our sickness. He took our poverty. Praise God, and now we have authority in the name of Jesus to move out of sin into righteousness, to move out of anxiety into peace, to move out of sickness into health, and to move out of poverty into provision. Praise God, we have authority in Jesus’ name. He says, “God highly exalted him. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of things in heaven, things in earth, and under the earth. And that every tongue would confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father.” Now we begin to understand what happened in the cross and we begin to understand because Jesus took our death and gave us life, we have authority. Now let’s look at Ephesians, because Paul at the end of Ephesians 1, he’s praying for the church. He’s praying first of all that they’d be filled with the spirit of wisdom and revelation and knowledge of Jesus. Secondly, that they would know what he called them to and what he’s given them. And thirdly, that they would know. Ephesians 1:19, “What is the exceeding greatness to those of us who believe according to the working of his mighty power that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name. You see, when Jesus was raised from the dead, God put him in his own right hand, far above all principality, all power, all might, all dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but that which is to come. Is poverty a name? Yes. Does sickness have a name? Yes. COVID, cancer, cold, amen. Sickness has a name. Jesus’ name is higher. Does poverty have a name? Yes. Jesus’ name is higher. Does sin have a name? Yes. Adultery, fornication, so on and so forth. Jesus’ name is higher. Jesus’ name is above every name and God highly exalted Jesus and gave him a name that in his name, every knee would bow and every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. When you begin to understand what God did in Jesus at the cross and what he invested in us as believers, you can take your authority as a believer and get to begin to move into those things that Jesus has already provided for us in his death and resurrection. We read this again. “He set him at his own right hand, right in the heavenly places, far above all principality and all power and all might and all dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come.” You see, Jesus is lord of heaven. He created all things. He’s lord of earth. When Jesus walked on the earth, he was lord over sin, lord over sickness, lord over death, lord over disease, lord over demons, lord in every realm. And when Jesus went to the grave, he was lord in the grave, praise God. He conquered the enemy and he rose victorious. And he says this, “Not only in this world, but also in the world to come.” Jesus is lord of eternity past creating all things. He’s lord of eternity present when he walked on the earth. And today, and he’s lord of eternity future when he comes again, not only in this world, but the world to come. And he has put all things under his feet and gave him Jesus to be head over all things to the church, Ephesians 1:22, which is his body, the fullness of him who carries out all things. Thank God we are the body of Christ. We are the fullness of him who is carrying out all things. I’ll be right back. Thanks so much. Stay tuned. Praise the Lord, friends. We are teaching and sharing on the subject of divine healing. Thank God Jesus made provision for us at the cross. And we have just as much right to be healed in our body as we do to be forgiven for our sins. But how can we receive that in our life? We go through this in detail, and I have a healing bundle that I’m sharing with you. I wanna get this to you. You know, the Bible says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. And I know these teachings will build your faith. I have, first of all, my series on “Covenant of Healing,” and then I have my series on “The Cross is the Cure,” and then we have my wife Barbara’s series, and she’s a powerful teacher and minister’s healing in a very powerful and anointed way on “Present to Heal,” and how to receive divine healing and health in your life. And I want you to call in today and get this. It will help you build your faith and receive from God, blessings. Praise the Lord, friends. We’ve been teaching on the “Cross is the Cure.” And we said that the preaching of the cross is the power of God to those of us who believe. That’s what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:18. We said the preaching of the cross releases the power of God. Now, how does it release the power of God? Because first of all we said, at the cross, Jesus took our death and gave us life. We read about that in Philippians 2:5-11. 1 Peter 3:18 says this. It says, “Christ has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust being put to death in the flesh, but quickened or made alive in the spirit.” So at the cross, Jesus took our death. He was the just dying for the unjust. Secondly, the message of the cross releases the power of God because at the cross, Jesus redeemed us from the curse. Now the Bible actually says this in Galatians 3:13-14. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” So that in verse 14, the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. So Jesus redeemed us from the curse being made a curse for us. So not only did he take our death, Jesus redeemed us from the curse. He became a curse for us because it’s written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” Now we’re gonna go to Deuteronomy 21:22-23, where this is written, “Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.” Because Jesus hung on the cross, he hung on the tree, the tree of the cross for us. This is in Deuteronomy 21:22-23, we’ll read. “And if a man has committed a sin worthy of death, he will be put to death and you will hang him on a tree. And his body will not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall in any wise bury him that day, for he that is hanged is accursed of God.” You see Jesus, when he hung on the cross, was cursed by God. Now, why was he cursed? He was cursed by God so that we could be blessed. He says, “That the land be not defiled, which the Lord God gives you for an inheritance.” So if somebody did a certain sin, they were hung on the tree, but then they were to be taken down before nightfall. So Jesus died on the cross and he took our sin and he took our sickness, he took our anxiety, and he took our poverty, praise God. And he did that so that we might receive the blessing of God, so that we might receive righteousness, so that we might receive forgiveness, so that we might receive peace, so that we might receive provision, and so that we might receive health. Jesus paid the price for us, and there’s no more price that needs to be paid. The price has fully been paid. You know, some people come to the altar crying and whining, “Oh God, would you please forgive me?” Listen, he’s already made up his mind to forgive you. Jesus already paid for your sin at the cross. God got over your sin at the cross. And because God got over your sin at the cross, you need to get over it, amen. God is not holding you hostage to your past. You need to let go of it. You need to move forward with God. So at the cross, Jesus took our death and gave us life. At the cross, Jesus redeemed us from the curse and brought the blessing. At the cross, Jesus reconciled us to God. Now, we were reading just a little bit ago in Ephesians, and we’re gonna go back and we’re gonna continue to read in Ephesians. We’re gonna read in Ephesians 2:13-18. I love Paul’s letters because Paul makes this real, right? He’s showing us what happened, what Jesus made available at the cross. Now listen to what he says in Ephesians 2, beginning in verse 13. “Now in Christ Jesus, you who were far off,” you who were alienated, right? “You who were enemies, you who were estranged from God, are may near by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace who has made both one,” speaking both of Jews and Gentiles, “and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” So at the cross, Jesus broke barriers. He tore down the barrier between God and men. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. Before that, the high priest could only go into the most holy place once a year. And when he went there, he had to take blood for his own sins and the sins of the people. But after the cross, they could go in any time, 365 24/7, because the veil was torn in two, signifying that this is what God did. It was from the top to the bottom. It was the work of God. Mankind can now go into the presence of God and live in the presence of God. So not only was there a barrier between God and man, there was a barrier between the Jews and the Gentiles. So at the cross, Jesus tore down the barrier between Jews and Gentiles. And he’s made both one and tore down this barrier between those who were Jews and those who were Gentiles. “Having abolished,” it says in verse 16, “in his flesh the enemy, that which made us enemies of God, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in himself, Jesus did this so that he might make in himself of two, of Jews and Gentiles, one new man so making peace.” Jesus made peace between God and man, and Jesus made peace between the Jews and the Gentiles. So now anybody can come. What the Bible says, “Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Whoever, right? It’s written to whoever. Anybody can come because of what Jesus did at the cross. He said he did this, right in verse 16, so that he might reconcile. What does that word reconcile mean? It means restore to right relationship. For instance, if my wife and I had odds and we were, you know, in disagreement and we separated one from another, and then we decided to get over whatever we were differing about and come back together and make up, we would say that we were reconciled. “So Jesus did this that he might reconcile both Jews and Gentiles to God in one body by the cross, having slain that which made us enemies of God. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off.” To who? “He came and preached peace to the Gentiles and to those who were near to the Jews, for through him, through Jesus, we both, both Jews and Gentiles, have access by one spirit to the Father.” Through him, we have access. We have access to the presence of God today. We have access to God without guilt, without fear, without condemnation. We can come into his presence. And he has reconciled us to God. He has restored us to right relationship. He says, “Now, therefore,” in verse 19, “you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.” We are members of God’s own house. So the message of the cross releases the power of God, because at the cross, Jesus took our death and gave us life. At the cross, Jesus redeemed us from the curse. And at the cross, Jesus reconciled us to God. Finally, we find this, that at the cross, Jesus gave us his life. You see, we’re talking about “The Cross is the Cure,” and we’re talking specifically about healing, but how do we receive that healing? We receive healing through the life of God in us. This is one way we can receive healing. Romans 8:11 says, “If the spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you, he will quicken, he will bring to your life your mortal body by his spirit that lives in you.” You see, in 1 Corinthians 1:30 we read, “But of God, are you in Christ Jesus, who of God,” I’m of God in Christ. Say that with me. I’m of God in Christ. And then say this. Christ of God is made unto me wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. What that means is, I have the mind of Christ. Say I have the mind of Christ. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I’m sanctified by the blood of Jesus. And I am redeemed from every curse, praise God. We have been purchased out, praise God, of the curse. Isn’t that awesome? So at the cross, we’re talking about “The Cross is the Cure.” At the cross, Jesus took my death, he redeemed me from the curse, he restored me to right relationship with God, and he gave us his life. Thank God for the cross of Jesus Christ. You know, friends, I’ve been teaching from my series, “The Cross is the Cure,” and I’m gonna be talking more tomorrow about how the cross provided forgiveness. The cross provided healing. The cross provided peace. The cross made provision for us. I’m gonna be talking more about that. And so we’ve been teaching on this, and we’ve really got this healing package that we’re sharing from, and I’m teaching on that. I taught all last week on “Covenant of Healing.” We have a covenant that includes healing because at the same time, Jesus paid for our forgiveness. He paid for our healing. He was wounded for our transgressions. And by his stripes, we were healed. And then we also have my wife Barbara, Pastor Barbara’s teaching on “Present to Heal.” She’s an anointing teacher. She’s got a very strong anointing to heal. And so she’s talking about “Present to Heal.” You can get this package, the healing package, there’s I believe at least nine if not 10 messages on divine healing in these series. And we’ve got a special package price. We wanna get this to you. You know, the Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. And if you want to see people healed, it’s important for them to get a hold of the word of God so that they can build their faith and receive, release the life of God that’s in them, and receive healing and health in their body, amen. And you may know somebody that needs that, you may need it yourself. I encourage you to get these teachings. You know, we see the power of God flow at Charis Christian Center. We see people heal, set free from all kinds of ailments, all kinds of diseases, all kinds of, it’s amazing to me. But we are constantly sharing to people and communicating with people what Jesus has already done for them, and what he’s made available to them by faith in his grace, by faith in the work that he already did at the cross. You see, Jesus finished the work at Calvary. There’s nothing more that you need to do. You just need to believe the gospel. I’m so glad that you tuned in. If you need prayer today, be sure and give us a call. We have prayer ministers that are ready to pray for you, to minister healing to you, salvation, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, whatever your need may be. You call in today. There is a promise for any problem that you have, amen. And also, if you wanna order this product, we wanna get this in your hands as soon as you can get it to begin to encourage you and strengthen you and build your faith so you can move forward into all the promises of God. God has promises that are available to you, and they’re available today. You can receive them today because of what Jesus has done. And I want to thank you so much for tuning in. I want to thank all of you who are partners. Thank you for your partnership. You’re helping us take this message of salvation, healing, the Holy Spirit, who you are in Christ, to people around the world. We appreciate you. If you wanna partner with us also, you can give us a call. Thanks so much for your time. Have a blessed day. We appreciate you.

[Narrator] Healing is just one of the many things that Jesus paid for on the cross. In this package containing “Covenant of Healing,” “The Cross is the Cure,” and “Present to Heal,” you’ll learn how to step out in faith and trust him to heal you. By his stripes, you were healed. You can get this special package for $39 with free shipping. Call 719-418-4000, or visit CharisChristianCenter.com.

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[Narrator] Thanks for watching Grace for Today. This broadcast has been made possible by our faithful partners. If you would like to become a partner, need prayer, or have a question, please call us at 719-418-4000. Or to partner online, go to CharisChristianCenter.com/give. You can write us at P.O. Box 63733, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80962. See you next time on Grace for Today.