April, 2007
“Where is the Word?”
Romans 10:8-13
INTRODUCTION: You have probably heard people say, “WHAT you believe is not all that important as long as you are SINCERE.” How many agree with that statement? Disagree?
You could be VERY SINCERE and take the wrong medicine and end up in a lot of trouble. You could be SINCERE in going the wrong way on the interstate and end up in an accident and lose your life. You could be very SINCERE in believing something and yet be dead wrong in that belief.
The Lenten Season is a time to examine our lives and our beliefs--a time to get ready for Easter. Today’s scripture gives us the opportunity to examine some of the basic beliefs of the Christian faith and what meaning they have for our lives.
Paul writes to the Romans to assure them that his message was the Good News of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. He wanted to make sure they were standing on solid footing in their faith.
Story: Two longstanding church members were out in their boat fishing and they had taken a new Christian with them that day. They were discussing their faith and their devotion to God. As they were talking, one man’s hat blew into the water. So he stood up, calmly stepped onto the water, walked over to his hat and picked it up off the water and walked back to the boat. The new Christian was amazed at how this person could seemingly walk on water. As the new Christian was thinking about this, the other member’s hat blew into the water. He calmly got up and stepped into the water, walked over to his hat and picked it up and walked back to the boat. The new Christian was overwhelmed by the spirituality of these two Christians.
Then he thought to himself, “If these guys can do that, so can I!” He “helped” his hat blow off and into the water. He very calmly stepped out of the boat and was inhaling water instantly.
As he fought his way to the surface, gasping for breath, the two church members looked at each other and said, “I think we should have told him about the sand bar on this side of the boat.”
The church at Rome was made up of a mixture of both Jewish and Gentile believers., both mature Christians and new converts. At that point in history they were experiencing some tensions within the group because of their diverse backgrounds. He wanted to make it clear that no one has an “edge” on God; rather that all stand condemned before God because no one has been able to keep the law. Then he goes on to declare the good news of forgiveness and new life that comes through faith.
At the beginning of Chapter 10 Paul tells this group, “It is my greatest desire and prayer to see the Israelites saved because they have a zeal for God, but they are going about it the wrong way.” They were zealous people but their zeal was not based on knowledge.
STORY: The story is told of a little boy who was scared to go to church one Sunday. He cried and cried and his mother couldn’t find out what was wrong with him. He loved to go to Sunday school and church. She kept questioning him and finally he blurted out, “I’m afraid of the zeal.”
“What zeal?” she asked.
“The preacher said last Sunday “the zeal has eaten me up!”
“I’m afraid of the zeal. I’m afraid it will eat me if I go to church.”
I think this little boy misunderstood, but the Jews also misunderstood. They were trying to make their salvation a “do it yourself project” by strictly keeping the law. He told them that it did not require great heroic feats such as trying to bring Christ down from heaven or up from the grave. (verse 6, 7). Paul was referring back to Deut. 30:11-14 where that scripture says “now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven so that you have to ask, “who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it. Nor is it beyond the sea so that you have to ask, “who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so that we may obey it. No the Word is very near you: it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
This Old Testament scripture, one that the Jewish Christians would be familiar with, leads us to today’s scripture. Paul is telling the New Testament Christians the same thing and this also applies to us today.
1. Salvation is Accessible to Us: Many people think that they still have to work for or earn their salvation through being a good person, doing good deeds or something that is difficult in order to EARN God’s favor and salvation.
Paul is telling them “SALVATION IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE to you.”--the Word of faith--is right there. Jesus came down from heaven to bring salvation. John 1:14 says, “the WORD became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” You don’t have to hunt and search so hard to find God. Our right standing with God is gained by faith and not by deeds--and it is readily available to anyone who will receive it from God through Christ. Christ is the fulfillment of the law. People say, “I don’t have any faith” but that is not scriptural for Romans 12:3 says, “for God has dealt to every [person] the measure of faith.” Even the faith we need to get saved has been given to us. Ephesians 2:8, 9 says “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not from yourselves--it is the gift of God--not by works so that no one can boast.”
Where is the word of faith that we need for salvation?
It is easily accessible--it is as near as our MOUTH and as near as our HEART. Do you have a mouth that can speak words? Do you have a heart that can believe? Then it is near enough for you to be saved.
You may say, “Once I get my life straightened out I’ll be a Christian, I’ll go to church, I’ll start living right.” No, that shows you’re trying to do it by yourself. You are trying to make your salvation a “do it yourself project” just like the Israelites.
Don’t try to establish your own right standing with God. Trying to work hard to straighten out your life or to become “good enough” in God’s sight does not put us in right standing with God. Isaiah 64:6 says “...all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”
Paul is saying “salvation is accessible to you right now.” The Word of faith is already as near to you as your mouth and your heart.
How do you attempt to take salvation into your own hands today?
What are things that you are “religious” about today that get in the way of your putting total trust in God?
There may be a lot of things. At this Lenten season, examine your own heart. Salvation is accessible because of what Jesus did on the cross. Not because of our trying so hard to live up to a lot of rules and expectations.
2. Basic Beliefs: Let’s look at two basic beliefs of Christianity found in this chapter. Vs. 9 says if “is with the heart that you believe and are justified and it is with the mouth that you confess and are saved.”
If you CONFESS with your mouth that JESUS IS LORD and believe in your heart that God HAS RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, you will be saved...For it is with the heart that you believe and are justified and it is with the mouth that you confess and are saved.”
What exactly do we believe? If you are asked that question about your Christian faith, would you have an answer or would you stumble around trying to find an answer? What do you believe about Jesus? How is what you believe related to the scripture? Maybe you have not given it much thought. The Lenten season is a time to stop and think about what exactly do I believe and why do I believe it? What is the basis for my faith? Is it just something I have picked up somewhere along the way?
Paul includes two important beliefs in this scripture:
1. that Jesus is Lord
2. that God has raised him from the dead.
(1.) Jesus is Lord is one of the earliest Christian confessions of faith. It was probably used at their baptisms. Most of the non believers back then confessed “Caesar is Lord.” Why is it important to confess Jesus is LORD? What does the Word LORD mean?
In my research I found that the Greek word kurios was used here. It could mean owner, master, sir, a title, emperor, king. It was a title of respect addressed to someone, but after the resurrection it was given a higher meaning in scripture and only used in full association of JESUS WITH GOD. After the resurrection it was only used two other times for its lower meaning (See Acts 10:4 and Rev. 7:14).
No record of kurios was used again by believers in addressing any except God and the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
The Title LORD as given to Jesus in its full significance rests on the resurrection. Paul says in I Corinthians 12:3, “no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.”
If you confess Jesus is Lord and mean it, it is because the Holy Spirit has opened your eyes to see the deity of Jesus.
Acts 2:36 says “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified both LORD and CHRIST.”
Acts 10:36 says “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ who is LORD OF ALL.”
And because he is LORD Matthew 28:18 Jesus says, “All authority and power in heaven and earth has been given to me.”
When we say, “Jesus is Lord” it stresses the Lordship of Christ, the very cornerstone of faith. We are recognizing that Jesus is who he says he is. As a Christian do you recognize who Jesus is in your life--that he has ALL power and ALL authority? He has all power and authority to do what he says he will do in our lives. Knowing this will help us to become much stronger Christians than we have ever been before.
2. raised from the dead--Believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead. Why is this important to you as a Christian? Paul says in I Corinthians 15:14 “If Christ has not been raised our preaching is useless and so if your faith.” Christians believed not only that Jesus lived but that he still lives today.
Our belief is more than just saying, “uh, huh” I believe that Jesus arose from the grave. It is more than mental assent. James 2:9 says, “the devils also believe and tremble.”
Faith in the heart means FULLY RELYING on what he said he would do. It is a strong consent of the WILL. A complete TRUST. Salvation involves INWARD beliefs as well as OUTWARD confession.
3. Whosoever Will: “Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.” (vs. 13). Paul believed that God intended salvation for all people from the beginning of time and that the Jews and the Gentiles were on the same level for salvation.
STORY: A Texan was in a bar bragging. Some of his friends were tired of hearing it and asked the bartender to fix him. The bartender slipped some knock out drugs in his drink and he passed out. Some of these “friends” hauled him out and put him in an open grave.
Later he woke up and looked around the graveyard and said, “Praise God. The resurrection has come and the Texans are going first!”
Hebrews 5:9 says that “[Jesus] being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation for ALL them that obey him.”--not just for a few certain special people.
Conclusion: Three things from today’s scripture.
1. Salvation is easily ACCESSIBLE to us. It is not difficult and remote
2. Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth--that God has raised him from the dead and that Jesus is Lord
3. Know that WHOSOEVER will may come.
Today, on the first Sunday of Lent, examine your own life. How do you need to repond to his invitation today?
Let us pray:
