August 19, 2012
Evening Service

This morning we walked the “Roman Road” to salvation.  Paul made it crystal clear that our salvation begins with believing in our heart and confessing with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

Rom 10:9-10 Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.  (10)  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.

 

When we give Him our heart, everything else will fall into place.  We will be repentant of our past and truly seek a more pleasing walk.  We will want to enter into the waters of baptism and spiritually die and arise to that new life He has promised us.  As we then yield to the Holy Spirit, He will guide us along changing us into the image of our Savior.  Everlasting life in heaven with our Savior and Creator is our future.  Everyday is now an adventure.  What will God do today?

 

In this chapter Paul is still talking about the Jews and their place in God’s plan.

 

Rom 10:14-15 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 preaching?  (15)  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 and bring glad tidings of good things!"

·         Paul uses question here to actually teach us how this Gospel Message is to be spread.

·         He actually lists it in reverse order, with the end result (calling on the Lord coming first).

·         This is the heartbeat of Christian missions.

o   God will send out His servants.

o   They will preach the Good News of salvation.

o   Sinners will hear God’s offer (Through the Holy Spirit) of life through Christ.

o   Some who hear will believe it (receive it).

o   Those who believe will call on the Lord.

o   All those who call shall be saved.

·         Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7, that states; “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!"

 

Who has God called to “preach the gospel of  peace?”

·         Mat 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority is given to Me in Heaven and in earth.  (19)  Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  (20)  teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you. And, behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen.

 

 

·         Here He is speaking to the apostles giving them the authority to go in His name.  The apostles then set out and established churches with bishops (pastors) to oversee it, passing the authority on to them.  The pastor then prepares his congregation and that commission is given to the church.

·         Who is the church?  I am.  That commission to spread this Good News falls right in each of our laps.  How shall they hear unless we tell them.

We can fulfill that in a variety of ways.  Each of us are not preachers, but we can play a part in spreading the Gospel Message.

·         There are people God purposely places in our realm of influence that we can invite to church, offer help to, pray for, even witness to sharing how God is working in your life.

·         Francis of Asis was quoted as saying, “Preach the gospel, when necessary use words.”

·         When our heart has been surrendered to God, we will naturally begin to imitate our Savior.  Our actions will preach louder than our words.  We must seek to bring glory to Him in everything we do.  He must increase and we must decrease.

John 4:35 Do you not say, It is yet four months, and the harvest comes? Behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white to harvest already.

 

Rom 10:16-17 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"  (17)  Then faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

·         Paul now shares a great truth with us, our faith comes from hearing (reading) God’s Word.  We are able to increase our faith through reading and studying our Bibles.

·         When tough times arise we should always get back to basics, pray and read, read and pray.  That is our line of communication to God and there lies the answers, strength and peace that we seek.

 

Paul then closes this chapter quoting scriptures to answer his question of “did the Jews no know all this?”

 

Rom 10:19-21  But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses says, "I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you."  (20)  But Isaiah is very bold and says, "I was found by those who did not seek Me, I became known to those who did not ask after Me."  (21)  But to Israel He says, "All day long I have stretched forth My hands to a disobeying and gainsaying people."

·         God indeed warned the nation of Israel that the day would come when others would be offered the privilege of being called “God’s children.”

·         Many of them are like many today and refuse to accept His loving invitation for salvation.

·         Notice however, (verses20) that God sought us out who were not even really seeking Him.

 

Rom 5:8 But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

·      God has chosen us to be His children.  Our desire is to serve Him because we love Him.  Seek to be like Jesus and be” about our Father’s business.”