The Word is Nigh Thee

Preliminary:

I invite you to Romans 10:4)

One of my favorite lines of from Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol is also one of the creepiest.

Scrooge is having his first ghostly visitor and Dickens sets the scene for us so esquitly “The curtains of his bed were drawn aside, I tell you, by a hand. Not the curtains at his feet, nor the curtains at his back, but those to which his face was addressed. The curtains of his bed were drawn aside, and Scrooge, starting up into a half-recumbent attitude, found himself face to face with the unearthly visitor.”

Then Dickens gives what I call my favorite but creepiest line : “the unearthly visitor who drew them as close to it as I am now to you, and I am standing in the spirit at your elbow.”

I remember as a child always feeling goosebumps on my elbow about that time and having to look to make sure nothing was there.

Well that is just a fanciful tale with some great truths -

But our text talks about the nearness of God’s word to us listen.

Read:

Romans 10:4–11 KJV 1900

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Without getting into the theological technicalities this morning Paul is contrasting the way of works and the way of faith.

Paul says if you want the way of works - you gotta go up the mountain to get it or ascend into heaven or go the deeps

But Paul declares for us that the the righteousness which is of faith is near, in close proximity.

No its not a spirit at your elbow Paul says its closer than that

Its in your mouth

Its in your heart

Now this is pertaining to salvation - confession and belief are inseparable requirements of the way of faith.

I trust you have done that and continue to do that - this isn’t a one time confession - but every opportunity.

But I also want to emphasize that nearness of God and His Word.

One songwriter put it this way, “He’s as close as the mention of HIs name.”

In the Old Testament you went to a priest, prophet, or had to have a special encounter with God

But about 2,000 years ago God came to us that is what Emmanuel means GOd with us.

WE are told “If we draw nigh to GOd He will draw nigh to us”

[Illustrate this by having someone walk toward you slowly]

But that isn’t how the Bible portrays this nearness of God.

When Peter was sinking in the sea after walking on the water a few steps he simply called out “Lour save me or I perish” and suddenly God was there.

Have you given in to some temptation and feel as though you are sinking - call out to Him He’s night thee.

Do you have a burden or care this morning - He’s as close as the mention of HIs name

The Word is Nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart.