ROMANS 10: 13-17
THAT THE WORLD MAY HEAR
[Romans 1:16-17]
The preceding verses have been disproving that salvation is only for the Jews, or the chosen people. [The Scriptures have powerfully argued that eternal salvation is by faith in Christ and not by good works, heritage, or law keeping.] We have learned that God’s way of salvation is open to all. But in order for any one to be saved they must call on the name of the Lord Jesus. Verse 13 says, "whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved."
In fact it is the desire of God that all men everywhere call on Him and must call upon Him if they are to be saved. If the way of salvation is open and intended for all, then we not only have the justification but the obligation (Rom. 1:14) to preach the gospel everywhere to any and every one.
The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one who believes. God desires that every person have an opportunity to respond to the gospel and call upon Him (CIT). Since Jesus Christ is Lord of all, the Gospel should be proclaimed to all. Once that understanding of the desire of God’s heart has been acknowledged, it will probe deep into listening hearts with the question; "Are you willing under God to do your part ‘that the world may hear’ the Gospel?"
So men everywhere are urged to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus and be saved. If men though must call on Jesus to be saved, how is it going to occur? Hence arise the necessity to proclaim worldwide the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Faith in Jesus depends on a knowledge of Jesus. People must hear the gospel before they can respond to it. For it is the Word that creates faith in the heart of the hearer.
I. The Progression of the Gospel Witness, 14-15a.
II. The Proclamation of the Gospel Witness, 15.
III. The Proposition of the Gospel Witness Unheeded, 16.
IV. The Productivity of the Word, 17.
I. THE PROGRESSION OF THE GOSPEL WITNESS, 14-15a.
We just finish studying verse 13 which says, "whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved." But have all had a good opportunity to call on the name of the Lord? In order to demonstrate the indispensable necessity of sharing the gospel or evangelizing verses 14 & 15 ask four questions. Verse 14 emphasis man’s responsibility in salvation’s opportunity. "Therefore how could they call upon One in whom they have not believed? And how could they believe in whom they have not heard? And how could they hear without one preaching?"
Paul understood that what God had said through the ancient prophets was that all men should call on Him for their salvation. Thus having stated why all men can be saved he now argues for how men can be saved. Paul moves from theological support to practical application.
At the very outset of the Christian Mission Jesus charged His followers, His Church, those who would receive the power of the Holy Spirit, to be His "witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." By being witnesses the church gives men, women, boys and girls everywhere the opportunity to call out to Jesus for salvation.
"Estamos bien en el refugio, los 33. " ("We are well IN THE SHELTER, the 33.") That seven-word message set off a wave of euphoria in Chile and around the world. It had been written in red letters on a scrap of paper and taped to a drill bit that penetrated an area of a gold and copper mine just north of Copiapó in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile-written by the 33 miners who had been trapped 2,300 feet underground 17 days earlier.
The Copiapó mining accident, as the world came to call it, became the most watched rescue mission in world history. There was every reason to believe that the miners had not survived the initial cave-in and, if they had survived, they would likely starve to death before they could be reached. Rescuers on the surface had no idea where they were in the labyrinth of tunnels, ramps, and rooms that spread out underground like arteries, veins, and capillaries.
But "the 33" survived the blast and took refuge in an area three miles from the entrance to the mine. Then 17 days later, when a 6 ½ inch exploratory drill bit punched through the roof into their pitch-black sanctuary, they let the world know: "Estamos bien"-"We are well."
As soon as rescuers discovered the miners were alive, a collaborative effort began to devise a way to get them out. The rescuers included three international drilling rig teams, every ministry of the Chilean government, engineers and technicians from NASA, and more than a dozen multinational corporations. On October 13, 2010, fifty-two days after the miners were discovered-69 days since the cave-in-all 33 were brought to the surface alive.
The final rescue took 24 hours as the miners were brought to the surface one at a time in a specially-designed, bullet-shaped capsule, barely larger than a human being. The capsule contained oxygen and medical monitors. The capsule was lowered through a shaft until it reached the miners. One at a time, each miner stepped into the capsule and stood upright, sunglasses and monitors in place, ready for the 15-minute ride to the surface. It is estimated that more than one billion people around the world watched some or all of the televised rescue of "the 33." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Copiap%C3%B3_mining_acident#Extraction]
While the Copiapó mine rescue was definitely a dramatic and glorious end to what could have been a terrible tragedy, it is not the largest, most difficult, or most critical search and rescue effort ever conducted. The most difficult and most critical search and rescue attempt was initiated by the incarnation of Jesus Christ who said, "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).
Each of these questions designate critical links in God’s search and rescue effort for a world lost in darkness and imprisoned in sin. How are they going to call unless they know to believe? How do they know what to believe if they haven’t heard? How can they hear unless someone tells them what to believe?
Calling upon God implies faith, and faith implies knowledge, and knowledge instruction, and instruction an instructor, and an instructor a plan. For without a divinely authorized and empowered plan or ministry the truth with regard to the way of salvation through the Messiah would be unknown to mankind.
One must hear the gospel if they are to have an opportunity to respond to it. If men are ignorant of the Messiah, they cannot believe in Him and if they do not believe in Him, they cannot call on Him making Him the object of their religious trust, and if they do not call on Him they cannot be saved. And thus Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross for their sins would not avail for them as God desires it to.
Thus it is God’s desire and design to send preachers to proclaim the love, mercy, and grace of God, and that the truth being heard, it might be believed, and being believed might lead men to call on God and be saved.
We are saved to serve and the foremost service is to share the gospel [Harrison, Everett. Expositor’s Bible Com. Zondervan. 1976. p.113]. The fourth question concerning the progression is found in the first part of verse 15 and concerns the Sending of Preachers. "And how could they preach unless they are sent?"
If God desires the event He also desires the means. If He would have people saved He will also send people to preach the Gospel to them. Thus Paul makes a powerful plea for evangelism and missions. This plea for evangelism and missions is just as needed today as it was then.
To be sent implies at least two things: that one operates under a higher authority and that the message is given by the sending authority. The word sent is , lit. "sent forth, sent out from," akin to the word apostolos, apostle and denotes being sent with a commission. Missionary preachers are commissioned by the Lord Himself and sent out on a divine mission of God’s own design.
The sending must be of God for only He can authorize and equip people to give effective witness. But missionary preachers are not only commissioned by God they are also sent by men. This is understood from the sending out of Paul and Barnabas from the Church at Antioch. "And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them." Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus" (Acts 13:2-4).
People must "call on the name of the Lord" in order to be saved (v. 13). To do this they must recognizing their need for grace and look to Jesus Christ for forgiveness. Simply hearing the gospel is not enough. Now those who hear the gospel must respond in faith if they are to receive its benefit. But here Paul is emphasizing a corollary responsibility. Those who know the gospel have a responsibility to share it with those who do not. Only those who have heard the good news about Jesus Christ will be able to believe and call upon His name. In verses 14 and 15 Paul describes the chain of responsibility used by God to save people. Those who have not called upon the Lord must hear in order to believe. Before they can hear, someone must be sent. This is why the church has been charged with the responsibility of making disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:19).
But how shall they hear without a preacher? The preacher God is talking about here is not necessarily one who enters the pulpit on Sunday mornings on a vocational basis. "Preach" comes from the Greek word k ryss , which means "to be a herald, to announce." It is not limited to proclamation from a pulpit. Carrying God’s gracious offer involves each person whom God has brought to Himself and then uses as His heralds.
It will take many more "preachers" to accomplish Christ’s search and rescue mission than the ones who preach vocationally. Each of us is a preacher whom the world is depending on to share the gospel with them.
Four questions, one answer-and the answer is... you! (and me!) We are the ones called by God to carry out the search and rescue mission that Jesus Christ began and continues. Those who need rescuing cannot hear without a preacher (you and me), they cannot believe without hearing, and they can’t call upon a God in whom they have not believed. It all starts with you and me leaving the light, entering the darkness, and taking the Gospel to a lost world.
II. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL WITNESS, 15b.
Verse 15 continues with a text in Isaiah referencing the coming of the Messiah. "Just as it is written, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF GOOD THINGS." [Translation of the Byzantine text that Marcian, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Ambrose, Chrysostom used.]
Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7 to give God’s attitude toward those who go out to preach the Gospel. The messenger’s feet are exalted because those are the instruments that take him to those to whom he will proclaim the Gospel of Peace.
Beautiful is from , "the time of full bloom or development." The idea of the word includes both blooming maturity and vitality. Those that are thrust out by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel of peace are on their way to beautiful and vibrant maturity in the Lord’s service. A possible reason so few respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting to share the gospel is because of spiritual immaturity. [If a preacher is too immature to share the gospel a result will be immaturity in the pew]. Oh for mature believers who will bring God’s saving Gospel, the Good News, or glad tidings ( ) to all nations.
In 1983 at age 16, an English girl began an 11 year TREK AROUND THE WORLD--on foot! Why did she do it? She said, "I had to discover myself."
In case you think you couldn’t or wouldn’t undertake such a journey, a podiatrist in Washington, D.C., informs us that we already have. He claims that the average person’s feet travel four times the earth’s circumference in a lifetime.
That’s a lot of walking! But where are our feet taking us, and why?
Here Paul wrote about the feet of those who carry the gospel wherever they go. He had just said that unless someone goes and tells others about Jesus they will not have the opportunity to respond and thus will not be saved. With that in mind, we too can walk with a cause -not to discover ourselves but to help others discover Christ.
Where will your feet be going this week? While you are going will you spread the good news about Christ? If you do God calls your feet beautiful!
A lot of people are unnecessarily depressed and discouraged. The reason? They’re not sharing the good news. Thus, they end up self-absorbed and self-focused. Another translation renders this verse, "How lively are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace." If you want to have beautiful feet, lively feet, happy feet, share the glorious Good News of the gospel. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson’s Application Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 959]
III. THE PROPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL WITNESS UNHEEDED, 16.
Once you get the gospel progression working its way out in people’s lives, is the proclamation of the gospel automatically going to cause people to belief? Tragically even after we get the Gospel to people most will respond like Israel did in verse 16. "But, they did not all need the glad tidings [Gospel] for Isaiah says, "LORD WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?"
The result that God desires of the Spirit-filled preaching of the Gospel is the salvation of man. But because of man’s free will repentance and salvation usually doesn’t occur. It is not our responsibility to win the world but to proclaim the Gospel to the world that they might be won. Campus Crusade for Christ has a saying that goes "share Jesus in the power of the Spirit and leave the results to God." That’s good advice.
Heed or obey is [ -] literally "to hear under" its authority, thus to be obedient to it. When we place our authority over the authority of the Word of God we are not obedient to it. This rebellion can have dire consequences. Paul’s justification for not continuing to preach the Gospel to the Jews [and thus going to the rest of the known world] was that the Jews were hard-hearted and not believing. Once you have proclaimed the Gospel and it calls forth no positive response you are free to kick the dust off your feet and move on and proclaim the Gospel to others (Acts 13:45-52).
Yes most will not respond positively, but some will. Despite the fact that the Gospel of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection is the only way to salvation, despite the fact that salvation is a free gift of grace available to all through faith, most will not heed it. But some will. If a believer will proclaim it in the power of the Spirit there are people of every tribe, language and nation who will respond. Will you share? Will you send other sharers? Think of one person who needs to hear the good news and then pray about what you can do to help him or her hear. Then take that step of faith as soon as possible.
IV. THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE WORD, 17.
Paul gives a summarizing and concluding thought on the necessary progressive elements of salvation in verse 17."So faith is out of hearing and the hearing is by the Word of Christ."
Faith comes from hearing so people must hear the Word. The Author of Truth designed the Word so that people could understand it and receive it into their hearts. The authorized way into the inner being of man, where man’s soul resides, is the Word of God. "For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of the soul and Spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12).
The only thing sharp enough to open up the hearing hearts of fallen man is the Word of Christ. But once it has been sown in the different types of soil by a preacher it must be received. When the Word of Christ is preached it gives everyone it is preached to the opportunity to hear and those that avail themselves and receive the Word of truth bring forth faith. Jesus said, "He who has ears let him hear" when He proclaimed the Word of Life.
Faith depends on hearing and accepting the message of the Word of Christ. The Bible, the Word of God, [of which Christ is both content and author,] develops faith. This faith is needed both for salvation and sanctification. God’s Word awakens faith in those who receive it.
[Too many of us are getting by on WIMPY FAITH. We’re not "putting ourselves out there," when it comes to trusting God. There are all kinds of things that we say we believe, but I we must not really believe them - because they don’t show up in the way we live. We should live in such a way that if God is not who He says He is, we’ll fall flat on our face.
That means looking for opportunities to trust Him more. Living in such a way that He has to come through for you. Making decisions that will strengthen your faith for the tough times ahead. "But how?" you ask. Paul answers, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." If someone could stick a spiritual thermometer under your tongue and read the level of your faith, the thing that would cause it to rise or fall measurably, would be the time you’ve spent in God’s Word. "Well, my faith’s pretty low at the minute," you say. Then we know that you haven’t spent enough time in God’s Word!
"I wish I had your faith," you say. Actually, there’s no mystery about how to close the gap between our faith and that of others - just log more time in God’s Word! Is this always easy to do? No. It calls for rearranging your priorities, taking better control of your time and putting Bible reading at the top of your "to-do" list. But if you’re serious about growing in faith, it’s a price you’ll be willing to pay.]
CONCLUSION
If everyone who invokes the name of the Lord in faith will be saved (10:13) and God desires all men to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4). Then the necessary conditions for people to make such a response must be put within reach of everyone.
God is the God of all and it is His desire that all be saved and if faith can only come about in the hearts of people who hear the Word, then the Word must be proclaimed to all people.
It is God’s plan to proclaim His Word to all people (Mt. 24:14). Are you giving people an opportunity to hear and thus respond to the Good News? What about your neighbor? That is you and your church’s responsibility. Your country? That is you and your national convention [SBC] responsibility. And God’s World? It is your responsibility to acknowledge the Holy Spirit set apart ones and to support them. How can you support them? By encouraging words and letters, by fervent prayer and liberal financial giving Will you do your part that the world may hear the Gospel?
Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ. And how shall they hear without a preacher?
George Sweeting, in his book "The No-Guilt Guide for Witnessing," tells of a man by the name of John Currier who in 1949 was FOUND GUILTY of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Later he was transferred and paroled to work on a farm near Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1968, Currier’s sentence was terminated, and a letter bearing the good news was sent to him. But John never saw the letter, nor was he told anything about it. Life on that farm was hard and without promise for the future. Yet John kept doing what he was told hard year after hard year.
Ten years went by. Then a state parole officer learned about Currier’s plight, found him, and told him that his sentence had been terminated. He was a free man.
Sweeting concluded the story by asking, "Would it matter to you if someone sent you an important message-the most important in your life-and year after year the urgent message was never delivered?"
We who have heard the good news and experienced freedom through Christ are responsible to proclaim it to others still enslaved by sin. Are we doing all we can to make sure that people get the message? Keep the faith-but don’t keep it to yourself.
Think about those sentenced to Hell whom God has pardon in Christ Jesus. Will you tell them of God’s divine pardon in Christ Jesus? If not you, then who will show them the way out of the darkness?
