The Call to Faith
Notes
Transcript
Bible Passage:
Bible Passage:
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.”
But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”
But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.”
INTRO:
INTRO:
Summary: In Chapter 10, Paul clearly brings the gospel message to its conclusion as he quoted Joel in v. 13
For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Then, in Romans 10:14-21, Paul articulates how faith comes through hearing the message of Christ, yet many have rejected it. He emphasizes the importance of preaching the gospel and highlights Israel's disobedience and failure to accept God's call and Gentiles embracing His call.
Application: This passage encourages believers to reflect on their own receptiveness to the Gospel and to be active in sharing their faith with others, recognizing the urgency of making Christ known in a world that often ignores Him. It also reassures those who feel the burden of rejection that they are not alone in their struggles.
Big Idea: True faith requires both hearing the message of Christ and responding to it, emphasizing the necessity of proclaiming the Gospel so that others may hear and believe.
1. Proclaiming the Promise
1. Proclaiming the Promise
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
This text has been called the Chain of Evangelism”
His main point is that a clear presentation of the gospel precedes true saving faith. True faith has content--the Word of GOD.
Salvation comes to those who hear and believe the facts of the gospel.
Paul told us all who call on God are saved, but now he works backwards from that.
A. How can they call on Him ?
without believing
epikaleo- Call upon or appeal to
It is an appeal for mercy and forgiveness
Crying out to God in faith to save us, free us from sin, and grant us eternal life.
But Paul rightly points out, we won’t cry out in a call for mercy and salvation if we do not believe in Him
B. How can they believe?
Remember Ro 10:10
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
We believe FIRST, then we cry out.
pisteuo- to believe, to have faith in
we trust Him to be able to save us.
You won’t ask for help from someone who doesn’t have (at least in your view) the ability to help you.
In matters of salvation, God alone can overcome our sin and grant eternal life.
But there is more… We won’t believe, if we have never heard, so Paul goes back up the chain another link.
C. How will they hear?
akouo- can refer to the physical act of hearing sounds or, more deeply, to understanding and paying attention to what is heard, which in this context would be the message of the gospel.
They must hear! They must pay attention to the message
I remember growing up as a preacher’s kid. I physically heard the gospel my whole life. Sunday School, morning worship, Training Service, evening worship,
Wednesday Night prayer service
Many other meetings such as WMA, association meetings, JBC rallies, monthly youth rallies, funerals, weddings,
I did a lot of hearing the physical sounds!
BUT, one Sunday morning, I really heard! The sounds hit home. I got past the fact that my Dad was repeating the gospel and it struck me in my heart. I paid attention and really heard the gospel. It was like flipping a light switch on.
Paul moves up again when he says they won’t hear unless someone tells them!
D. How will they preach?
kērýssō- This verb means "to proclaim" or "to herald."
It suggests a formal proclamation, similar to a herald making a public announcement. It can mean what I’m doing right now, but even more than that it happens every time any of us proclaims the gospel to someone.
Paul concludes the chain reminding us the herald must be sent.
WE have been sent!
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
We must proclaim the gospel!
The chain:
Sent
Proclaim
Hear
Believe
Call
Saved
Without someone to proclaim the message, how will people hear and come to faith?
Our lifestyle and our words should proclaim the message
2. Producing Faith Through Hearing
2. Producing Faith Through Hearing
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The good news is not only a gracious offer but a command to believe and repent
One of the saddest things to experience as a witness of Christ is someone who physically hears the message and yet rejects it.
Paul points out even Isaiah had those who rejected.
In fact, Isaiah knew they would because God told him so when he was called to be a prophet.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
“Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”
Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate,
The Lord has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
But yet a tenth will be in it, And will return and be for consuming, As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump.”
It is heartbreaking, but we know ahead of time, not all will have faith. That is on GOD. He convicts them of sin.
Sadly, they remain unsaved when that occurs.
Our mission is to do our part. Look again at v. 17
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God!
I prayed for faith and thought it would strike me like a bolt of lightning, but faith did not come. One day I read, “Now faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” I had closed my Bible and prayed for faith. I now began to study my Bible and faith has been growing ever since.
Dwight Lyman Moody (Evangelist)
This brings me great relief
MY words aren’t very important!
It isn’t up to you and me to overcome people’s reluctance to the gospel and persuade them to have faith and call upon the Lord. We don’t have to be great debaters or powerful in delivering a “sales pitch”
God produces faith!
God brings it about through HIS word!
That is our job- PUT God’s word in front of people!
There is power in the Word in producing faith, encouraging listeners to make hearing and responding to Scripture central to their lives.
Never forget that Christ is the Word made flesh, and the one through whom faith is possible for all believers.
3. Proclaiming to All
3. Proclaiming to All
The Rejectors
But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: “Their sound has gone out to all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.”
But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”
Paul used Ps 19, Deut, 32, and Isaiah 65 to point out that the gospel was widely proclaimed and ALWAYS included the Gentiles
Have they heard?
YES. The gospel had filled the Earth. In context, this is talking about Israel. They had heard the gospel message
Even those who will never believe are called by the Gospel. The “hear” the physical sounds, but don’t “hear” pay attention to it.
Parable of the Sower: The seed is sown but not all are good soil ready to produce a harvest.
The Believers
But Isaiah is very bold and says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.”
God persists with patience to stand with open arms. His grace remains in spite of rejection. The guilt is upon those who don’t hear, believer, and call upon Him
His grace is sufficient for all.
There is a contrast between God's faithfulness and humanity's unfaithfulness. Through it all, we see Christ's role in bridging that gap.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Trust in Christ's finished work and then engage with the mission to make His name known.
