Will you go?

Who is sent? Why we are sent? To whom are we sent? How we are sent? What results from being sent?

Last week we looked at Who is sent and To whom are we sent.

How Are We Sent? (Romans 10:15)

Romans 10:15 ESV

15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

WE ARE SENT PROCLAIMING. The word “preaching,” in the Greek, leads us to visualize one who heralds news, one publicly proclaiming the gospel and matters pertaining to it [Strong’s G2784]. Therefore, we do not associate the activity of preaching in Romans 10:14-15 with the formal long-form communication of a pastor or teacher. It is simply an open, public proclamation of the salvation that is found in Jesus Christ our Lord. Instead when you read

Romans 10:14–15 ESV

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Let’s think back to our New Testament reading and look at Paul the master missionary of the early church, What various methods of proclaiming the gospel did he use?

We found him Reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the Gentile worshipers (Acts 17:17) We found him Proclaiming the gospel in the marketplace (Acts 17:17) We found him Discussing at the place of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers (Acts 17:19-20)

Romans 1:16 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Yet Paul always stewarded the gospel with which he was entrusted by boldly preaching Christ crucified, and he proclaimed the power of the gospel to transform lives. Not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16)

1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV

2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

What was the key to Paul’s success? His success was Not in his excellency of speech but in preaching Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2) WE ARE SENT WITH BEAUTIFUL FEET. A. Paul quoted a portion of Isaiah, and the full verse gives a richer context to what Paul may have been thinking:

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns’” (Isaiah 52:7). The imagery of “beautiful feet” gives context to the beautiful message of salvation. Paul also uses imagery of feet in Ephesians 6 to indicate that our feet are shod with the gospel of peace.

What are WE ARE SENT WITH?

GOOD NEWS. A. The word “gospel” means “good news” or “glad tidings” [Strong’s G2098]. God’s offered salvation is good news — a message of the gift of God’s grace (Ephesians 6:23).

Ephesians 6:23

God’s offered salvation is free from condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). God’s offered salvation is born of His love for us in offering Christ as the atonement for our sin (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:10).

Illustration: The beautiful feet of those sent with the Good News of the gospel are not necessarily soft or manicured feet. One non-resident missionary working with frontier native church planters — those giving their lives for the advance of the gospel in one of the world’s most difficult countries — often noticed the feet of the church planters he met with. Slipped into flimsy plastic sandals were feet with blisters, callouses, broken and missing toenails, mangled toes and swollen ankles. Despite the physical appearance of those front-line workers’ feet, they were the beautiful feet of those who were bringing Good News to those who were perishing without any hope in Christ. Illustration: Roberto, a Mexican indigenous evangelist, has been sent by God to bring the gospel to communities where others will not go. He walks for days to reach these communities, often with little or no food, communication, or adequate medical care. His ministry is dangerous, and he has suffered beatings as well as ongoing threats because of his work sharing the gospel in unreached remote communities. Roberto’s “beautiful feet” bring the message of peace at great personal cost to those who have yet to respond to God’s offer of salvation. (For more of Roberto’s story, visit icommittopray.com/request/2293/roberto) Let’s look at Romans 10:13

Romans 10:13 ESV

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

And

Romans 10:16–17 ESV

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

So What Results from Being Sent?

REJECTION OF THE MESSAGE (ROMANS 10:16) Paul indicates, quoting from Isaiah, that not everyone will obey or believe the message of the Good News. Failure is stated as a fact, not as a criticism of the message bearer.

Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 4:4

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

What is Paul saying here about those who reject this gospel message: “The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them”

Do you remember from 1 John what John said about the Jewish people?

1 John 1:11

John 1:11 ESV

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

So the Jews rejected Jesus. The very ones with Scripture and the prophecies and the promises of God. What did Jesus have to say about the rejection of the message?

John 12:48 ESV

48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

and Mark 12:10

Mark 12:10 ESV

10 Have you not read this Scripture: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;

Jesus himself indicated that he would be rejected by many. If you are encouraged by the last several messages to get more bold with your faith, remember people are rejecting Jesus not you. They may verbally or physically attack you but at the heart of their anger and hate they are rejecting Christ.

Luke 10:16 ESV

16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

So one response when we share our faith is rejection now let’s turn our attention to the other outcome.

Romans 10:13 ESV

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

ACCEPTANCE OF THE MESSAGE A. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”

Luke 5:32 ESV

32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

and

Luke 13:3 ESV

3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Acceptance of the message leads to repentance.

John 10:10 ESV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Acceptance of the message leads to life and life abundant.

John 11:25 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

PERSECUTION OF THE MESSENGER (Paul does not address this in this passage in Romans, but the witness of Paul’s own life, Jesus’ teachings, and persecution suffered by biblical disciples throughout Christian history prompt its inclusion.) A. Biblical Teaching About Persecution Biblical disciples will be persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for their bold and faithful witness.

Matthew 5:10 ESV

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

John 15:18 ESV

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

Luke 6:22 ESV

“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!

2 Timothy 3:12 ESV

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

The goal of persecution is to silence the bold and faithful witness as the persecutor attempts to stop the advance of the message of Christ.

“And they arrested [Peter and John] and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening... So they called [Peter and John] not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:3,17). “And when they called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go” (Acts 5:40). “But when [members of the synagogue] heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at [Stephen]... Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul... as they were stoning Stephen” (Acts 7:54,58,59) Biblical disciples will joyfully pay any price to advance the message of Christ, who is worthy of our sacrifice. “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me’” (Luke 9:23).

Philippians 3:7–8 ESV

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

1 Peter 4:12–14 ESV

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

2 Corinthians 5:15 ESV

and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:11; see also Revelation 5:7-9).

Application: As biblical disciples who trust and follow Christ daily, we are sent by God, like John Chau, to those who need the message of the gospel. We are not responsible for their response to the message or to us as His messenger. Our calling is to be faithful, counting every possible cost (rejection, opposition, humiliation, physical abuse, even death), and in the face of knowing the cost, we view Christ as worthy of any sacrifice that we may make. Our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ, living and ministering on the world’s most difficult and dangerous frontier mission fields, exemplify that type of obedience every day. They are marginalized, oppressed, abused, imprisoned and even killed for living boldly for Christ. How can each of us be inspired today by their story of faithfulness? How can we pray for those who are living on the frontlines of gospel advance in the world’s most difficult and dangerous frontier mission fields?

What have we learned from these two messages from the Voice of The Martyrs?

God sends every ordinary, surrendered biblical disciple to accomplish His redemptive mission. God’s mission is worth any sacrifice biblical disciples may pay as we are bold and faithful witnesses. To listen for their next assignment; to be obedient to what they already know to do as biblical disciples on a mission for Christ; and to embrace obedience with joy even in the face of opposition.

WHY IS VOM TELLING THE STORY OF MARTYRS? John Chau and other persecuted Christian brothers and sisters exemplify what it means to be sent to share the message of Christ to those who have yet to hear. They pay the ultimate price joyfully. Enter into fellowship with the global body of Christ and be inspired in your own joyful obedience, regardless of the price you may pay.

THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.