Faith Comes By Hearing

Alba 3-27-2022

FAITH COMES BY HEARING

Romans 10:14-21

I have read that there was a movie in which a random group of children were shown a picture of Micky Mouse. Most of them were able to recognize the most prominent of Walt Disney’s cartoon characters.

Then they were shown a picture of Ronald McDonald. All the children knew who he was. Lastly, they were shown the typical picture of “Jesus” that hangs in most Sunday school rooms across the country. None of them Recognized who that picture represented.

Think about it, a silly clown advertising hamburgers and a cartoon mouse are not going to save us. And they are not going to save our kids. Jesus alone is the answer.

That's why the apostle Paul wrote what he did to the Christians in Rome in chapter ten of his letter. We read it in Romans 10:14-21.

He asks, “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 unless they are sent?”

Then he says, “As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!'

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

18 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.”

19 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.”

20 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.”

21 But to Israel he says: “All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people.”

Look at verse seventeen again. It says, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Many people know all about Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald. But what do they know about Jesus? Obviously believing in Jesus is much more than just merely recognizing an artist's depiction of Him.

We need a real Savior! We need someone who can fix people! We need someone who can change hearts! We need someone who can give hope and encouragement that there is a better way to live, and there is power to help us live that way.

That one, that Savior, is Jesus. So Paul outlines how a person comes to a knowledge of and faith in Jesus. The first is...

1. The Word Must be Proclaimed (How shall they hear without a preacher)

A story has been told that Jesus went back to heaven and was greeted by the angels. They rejoice and praise Him for His victory over sin and Satan. And then they ask, “Now what, Lord? Who will bring the message of your grace to the world?”

Jesus proceeded to tell them about a small group of common men and women – tax collectors, fishermen, farmers, widows, some poor and homeless. He said, “I’ve appointed these to spread the gospel to others who would spread it to still others.”

The angels began to talk about this among themselves. Then one, with a worried look, turned to Jesus, and said, “Lord, what if they fail? What’s your backup plan?”

Jesus simply smiled and said, “I have no other plan.”

So, the Lord has a plan to save people. But notice that He plans to use people as His tellers or messengers to speak His eternal word.

God uses people like you and me to tell others that there is hope for forgiveness. There is hope for redemption. There is hope for deliverance. There is hope for healing! There is hope for freedom! There is good news that needs to be told!

And the scripture says how beautiful the feet of those who bring it!

Think of that. We usually don't describe feet as beautiful. Dusty, stinky, twisted, crooked often seem to be more fitting adjectives to describe feet.

But that's just how wonderful this Good News is! Even the feet of those who bring it seem beautiful.

God works through ordinary folks. People like you and me. God uses ordinary feet, and makes them extraordinary—even beautiful when we use them for the purpose of spreading the Good News!!!

There is a story about Leonardo da Vinci that he had once worked on a great masterpiece for a long period of time. There was a young student standing next to him as da Vinci worked, and the student watched the master work as the painting evolved in front of him.