Good News!
Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
It is good to be back worshipping with our church family. Today, we are back in the book of Romans, so if you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to Romans chapter 10.
Since it has been a couple of weeks since we have been together, let’s look at where we have been.
Paul has been building at least two arguments.
Salvation comes by faith.
Salvation is open to everyone who calls on Jesus.
In the previous passage, Paul reminded his readers that by God’s standards, there is no difference between the Jew (God’s chosen people) and the Gentile.
The last time we studied Romans together we ended with verse 13 of chapter 10.
for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
When we come to verse 14, Paul says there is a problem! Today, we want to look at the problem and see what role we play in solving the problem.
So, if you have your Bibles, let’s open up God’s word beginning with verse 14.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Problem One
Problem One
Paul presents a dilemma:
How can someone call on one in whom they have never believed?
How can someone call on one in whom they have never believed?
This idea of believing is multifaceted.
Some people do not believe in a literal Jesus. These people don’t even believe Jesus ever existed.
Some people believe He existed, but they don’t believe Jesus was God incarnate (John 1:1).
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Finally, some people will say they can accept that Jesus existed. Some will even go so far as to say He was one of the great teachers. And some will go so far as to say He may have been God’s Son, but they believe that they can get to Heaven without any help from Jesus.
There is a huge believe crisis in our culture today. So people who don’t believe don’t call on Jesus.
“Believed” is the Greek word pisteuo which means to believe in, or place one’s faith in, or place one’s faith in.
How can they believe in whom they haven’t heard?
How can they believe in whom they haven’t heard?
According the a 2021 report by the International Mission Board,
There are more than 7 1/2 billion people in the world.
Around the world 2 people die every second.
And 157,690 people die every day without knowing Jesus as their Savior.
According to the Joshua project:
5 billion 330 thousand (5,330,000) live in the 10/40 window—between the tenth and fortieth north latitude.
The area is made up of 8,760 distinct people groups, of which 68.9% have NEVER heard the gospel message!
These statistics make it sound like only those who are outside of the United States are lost. But according to the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention:
There are 366 million people living in the United States and Canada.
The North American Mission Board estimates 275 million of those people do not know Jesus!
So many people who have never believed in Jesus because they have never heard!
How can they hear without someone preaching?
How can they hear without someone preaching?
This is where you and I come in! It is our job to tell people so they can never say, “I never heart.”
Right before Jesus ascended into heaven He gave His disciples (and us) marching orders. It is actually found in two places. Matthew records it for us in Matthew 28:19-20.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Then Luke records our marching orders in Acts 1:8.
But 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.”
Our marching orders haven’t changed for more than two-thousand years! We are to share the good news—the gospel—so that the people around us can’t say they never heard!
Yet, as we’ve seen many of those who do not believe in Jesus live far from us. So we those people who will commit their lives in sharing the gospel message with those living in places like the 10/40 window.
Perhaps that is why Paul expands to our final issue:
How will anyone preach unless they are sent?
How will anyone preach unless they are sent?
Three times a year we take a special offerings for missions.
The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for the International Mission Board.
The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for the North American Mission Board.
And the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions.
Today, I want you to consider two things. First, what role do you play in sending out missionaries. The people of this church have a long history of supporting our three mission offerings, and I am extremely thankful for for this legacy.
But fulfilling the “Great Commission” is more than just giving money. Fulfilling the Great Commission also means that we should be personally sharing the Gospel with everyone we meet! It requires personal evangelism!
Look at the second part of verse 15.
Romans 10:15 (NIV)
As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
I have to admit, that when I first read this, it sounded a bit strange. Beautiful feet?
But I discovered Paul is quoting from Isaiah 52:7.
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Isaiah tells of people who mocked God, and now one brings good news—and they have beautiful feet because the proclaim peace, bring good tidings, and proclaim salvation—all because they announce “God reigns!”
Problem Two
Problem Two
Paul tells us that there is a second problem. Look at verse 16.
But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
Did you catch the problem? Not everyone who hears will accept the good news. In our passage, Paul is talking about the fact that not all Jews will accept Jesus as their Messiah.
But it is also true of the people with whom we share the gospel. Not all of them will accept Jesus as their Savior.
QUESTION: Have you every shared the Gospel with someone, and had them reject the Jesus?
Seeing someone reject the gospel message, can be discouraging. In fact, it can feel like you are being rejected.
Perhaps Paul felt rejected. Maybe that is why he quotes Isaiah again:
Romans 10:16 (NIV)
For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
Paul quoted Isaiah 53:1. Isaiah was discouraged because he felt like no one was believing his message.
Paul refocuses us on the first problem.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
We are given two keys in this verse.
Faith only comes after you hear the message.
The message is heard by the preaching of the word—the Greek word rhema—nearly always refers to the spoke word.) of the Messiah [preaching about Christ].
Paul teaches us that faith is the result of hearing the message.
The message is the good news that Jesus is the Messiah! Jesus is the Savior!
KEY—Our job is to share the message, the gospel—telling people that Jesus is Savior and Lord of all! Whether they respond to the message or not is up to God.
Paul continues by asking another rhetorical question (Paul is the king of rhetorical questions).
But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
In this case Paul asks a rhetorical question, which he quickly answers.
“Did they not hear? Of course they did. . .”
Then he quotes from Psalm 19:4.
This psalm talks about God’s creation (specifically the heavens).
This is a sister passage to Romans 1:18-20 .
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
God’s demonstration of His power has gone throughout the earth, and has been clearly seen by all humanity.
Paul continues:
Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”
Through another rhetorical question, Paul reminds us that Israel missed the mark.
Then he quotes from Moses (Deut. 32:21) to show how Israel missed God’s mark:
Through Moses, God told Israel that He would make them envious of “those who are not a nation” (the Gentiles).
In fact, Israel will become angry because those who they believed lacked any kind of spiritual understanding.
And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”
Next Paul quotes from Isaiah 65:1.
God was found by people who were not seeking God at all.
God goes so far as to say, He revealed Himself to people who were not even asking for Him.
But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
And now Paul quotes Isaiah 65:2 (cf. Jer. 35:17).
God says that He held out His hands all day long!
But Israel remained a disobedient people.
And Israel remained an obstinate (or stubborn) people.
So What?
So What?
Today, God continues to hold out His hand towards people who continue to reject Him.
He continues to hold out His hands toward Israel. He continues to love them despite their continue rejection of His plan and His Messiah.
Despite the fact that America continues to deny the principles upon which we were founded, and despite the fact that America continues to worship everything but God continues to hold out His loving hands toward us through Jesus!
And God continues to want to use us to draw people to Himself.
Today, we were reminded that faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes when we proclaim Jesus! And proclaiming the Gospel continues to be the marching orders we have been given—they haven’t change!