Download Romans 10 Sermon 71-121915

ROMANS 10:14-17
Sermon #71-121915
14 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?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is
written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias
saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God.
Once again we see our beloved Apostle Paul firing off a round
of questions, half asking and half answering as he proceeds.
4 times he asks HOW SHALL THEY
Who are THEY?
They are Jew and Gentile alike.
The Jew who has been taught the works of and in the law, is the
path of righteousness. Faith in Jesus is not part of their learned
upbringing. Faith in their works and kinship overshadowed the
sacrifice of Jesus for their sins.
The Gentiles alike walked in their own rules of right and wrong
with their own Gods to please and appease. Why would they
believe in one more God? Why would they believe in a God
from a foreign nation. Was it true He was crucified, buried and
then was raised again?
Paul asks a question that seems to head off or even guide his
readers and listeners. As If he knows it's a legitimate question in
the back off their minds, and he has chosen to ask it for them.
Remember Paul is talking to the church.
He is talking to the body of believers in Rome.
He is charging them with the same information, guidance and
direction that he will, later in his ministry, charge Timothy.
Here is what He says to Timothy.
2 Timothy 3:16-4:2
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works.
4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
You see without actually saying it to the Roman church, he is
asking the questions that will lead them to the correct answers.
The answers are the same as the charge he gives to Timothy.
Let's begin,
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not
believed? -------As we begin with the first question, we need to look for the key
word that gives us a time frame and an action to understand the
who THEY really are.
The word call, gives us the time and the action.
Paul is asking --How shall they who do not believe answer the
call of the Holy Spirit. How shall they know who is calling
them.
Oh, they all know there is a need, but they will not know
what to do with that need or who to believe or call on. This is
why there are so many religions and gods that go with them
throughout the world.
Every man has a God shaped hole in their soul and they will
always try to fill that hole with anything and everything to be
whole again. They (all men), Jew and Gentile alike will create
their own religion with their own gods and put their faith in what
ever suites them the best, whether it be a god of material value
and increase, a god of self righteousness, a god of authoritative
pride, a god of whatever a man wants by selfish desire and
greed. Have you ever noticed that?
Every false religion has a god that can be sacrificed to, by
material sacrifice or by works. A god that can be appeased for
the selfish gain of the follower.
Sadly this same practice has been reintroduced and
implemented in many, so called, Christian churches today. The
Health, Wealth and Prosperity churches have turned their
worship and praise toward God into a mockery of Gods grace
and sovereignty. They have made God out to be their Holy
Vending Machine!
They call on God to be what they want, instead of calling out to
God, that they may be what He wants.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have
not believed?
How then shall they call on God?
Shall they call with a selfish desire?
Shall they call with little or no knowledge of the omniscience,
omnipotence and omnipresence of God?
Shall they call on a God they do not know?
No one knows who or what to call out to if they do not know
who is calling them!
The Holy Spirit draws us to God, but if we know nothing of God
we will soon make up something to fill that need.
So first there is a calling to answer the call.
Second there is a need to Hear who is calling and know His
voice.
14 -------and how shall they believe in him of whom they
have not heard?
Know here is Paul making the implication to his readers and
listeners, that they are responsible for being sure the unsaved,
Jew and Gentile alike hear about the saving grace of God
through Jesus Christ. He has just written 9-1/2chapters of the
New Testament in a letter to the Rome church. His purpose was
to solidify and encourage them in their faith. Build them up in
the knowledge of Gods promises and the truth of who God is
and who they are in Christ by faith and faith alone.
He has laid out every truth about their calling, their
answering, their receiving and their walk toward and in our Lord
Jesus for the glory of God. He has confirmed and reaffirmed
their knowledge of their justification, sanctification and even
their glorification yet to come. He has reiterated the truths that
brought them to confession and repentance in the first place. So
now he is making sure they are well aware of the responsibility
that goes with their commitment.
He is saying to the Church---- tell the world what you have.
Remember, they didn't have the New Testament to read and
teach from. They had the knowledge of the events of the coming
of the Messiah, His Life and death and resurrection. They had
the living proof of prophecy and let me assure you, that would
be very difficult for any true believer to keep to themselves.
It's not possible for someone who has tasted the goodness of
God, who personally knows his Lord and Savior, to keep the
Good news to himself.
Oh you might think you are being a good Christian by sitting at
home minding your own business. Never bothering anyone with
talk about religion or making conversation about the Lord and
the Bible. Not offending anyone seems to be the modern
definition for the meek.
Get a handle on this folks! You are no less a preacher than I am.
I write to all of you. And trust me I thank God for all of you!
But I write to all of you to confirm and reaffirm and to build
your knowledge and encourage you in the truth of who you are
in Jesus Christ and what your position is in and through and to
Him!
You are no less commissioned to preach the Gospel than I am.
At the moment of salvation you become a disciple of Jesus
Christ. Even while you are being taught you are called to tell the
truth about what you have found.
Matthew 5:14-16
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill
cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel,
but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in
the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven.
These are the words of Jesus to his disciples, early in His
ministry.
He is saying --what you have you cannot keep to yourself. My
glory will be so bright in you it will shine through you and do
not try to hide it. Let what you have of Me shine for others to
see and receive.
What did the woman at the well do when she came to know
Jesus?
John 4:25-26---27-28
25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah
cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell
us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
------------28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way
into the city, and saith to the men,
29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I
did: is not this the Christ?
She dropped what she was doing and ran to tell others what she
had found! What she had experienced and whom she had come
to know!
Let me assure you, if you are saved and know, that you
know, that you know Jesus Christ as your savior you will not be
able to keep from telling anyone and everyone about Him. If you
are afraid to confess the Lord Jesus to men, then you have not
come to know Him!
Romans 8:15
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to
fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father.
4--------and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Anyone who proclaims the Gospel, confesses Jesus Christ to
men as their personal savior, and humbles themselves before
God to rise above this world in the truth and power of His
promises, is a preacher of the Word. You can not preach what
you do not know to be true by personal experience!
I can confess, after many years of being a disciple of Jesus
Christ I still break into tears as I read the Bible! It is Gods Word
to me! He speaks to me through His Word. I understand His
Word by His Spirit speaking to my spirit. I know the truth when
I read it and hear it, because someone was obedient to speak the
truth to me before I knew Jesus. Then when I heard and read the
truth again I began to look for more truth and when I finally
heard the voice of Jesus calling me I knew who it was and
completely bared my soul to Him.
It takes a preacher!
Do you know what the definition of a preacher is?
It is an earnest advocate!
If you are in earnest about your commitment and discipleship to
Jesus Christ, you will be an unstoppable advocate of the Gospel!
You can say AMEN to that, all day long!
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is
written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
I thank the Lord everyday for the people in my life who were
obedient to tell me, teach me and encourage me to hear and
understand the Word of God. How beautiful their coming to me
is now that I know why they came!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias
saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
But I also am deeply saddened at the thought of the
overwhelming number of people I have met in my life, who
claimed to be Christians and did not find the need, the desire, or
the time to even mention to me, what Jesus has done for them.
What faith in Christ, what believing the Word of God did for
them. How it changed their lives forever. Their conversation
was about anything but the Lord Jesus Christ.
They themselves live a superficial justification. They profess
religion instead of confessing Jesus Christ.
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God.
In sincere humility knowing who He is and what He is and what
He has Promised and the Promises He has already fulfilled for
us by His sovereignty and mercy and grace toward us, we are all
called to Him. We are all ordained through Him and we are all
sent out to do the work of an Earnest Advocate.
2 Timothy 4:1-2
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
May the Lord Guide, Guard and Protect you until we meet
again. In the name of Jesus we Pray, AMEN!
Pastor Steven Freede
Cornerstone Independent Church
12/19/15