INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• This week finishes our Life Group series. We have examined three of the four ways we seek to help connect people with Christ through our Life Group Ministries at FCC.
• Today We will conclude with one of the most difficult, yet maybe the most rewarding and one of the most important aspects of what we can help you accomplish through growth in our Life Groups.
• SLIDE #2 OUTREACH GROUPS.
• One of the more difficult challenges that Christians face is trying to share our faith with others. I would venture to say that if we were to take a poll concerning the most fearful thing Jesus has called us to do; it would be sharing the gospel with others.
• Even though this call is something that we fear for many reasons, we MUST learn to overcome that fear because a dying world is counting on us to bring the Good News about Jesus to them.
• In Romans chapters 9-10, Paul shares the passion he has to see his Jewish brothers come to Jesus.
• He speaks of the fact that even though the Jewish people were God’s chosen people, he lamented the fact that now they are lost without belief and obedience to Jesus.
• This subject was near and dear to Paul. He wanted to see his fellow countrymen experience the grace and salvation found in Jesus.
• Do you have a PASSION to see people you know and love come to Jesus? Passion is a good thing but passion alone will not bring people to Jesus, our passion must lead to action.
• I know from experience that people are afraid to share their because of fear of rejection coupled with the fear of being asked questions one does not have the answers for.
• Life Groups can help you to learn the answers to the questions that we fear. Also Life Groups help you to get comfortable talking with others about faith issues.
• As you learn to interact with others in a safe environment you will develop skills that will help you to have the confidence to share your faith with others.
• Let’s turn to Romans 10:14-17 together. In our passage we will see some links in a chain that need to exist so that others can experience the salvation that you enjoy.
• Let’s begin by looking at verse 14 so we can examine the first three links in the chain.
• SLIDE #3
• Romans 10:14 (ESV) How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
• SLIDE #4
SERMON
I. People need to believe in Jesus for salvation.
• Listed in verses 14-15, in a kind of reverse order, are a chain of effects and causes.
• If any one of the links in the chain is missing, then it would be impossible for one to call on the Lord’s name and be saved.
• As we start to look at the train of thought that went into this passage we should take note that Paul starts with the conclusion or with the final link in the chain.
• Paul is trying to reconcile God’s faithfulness with Jews of the time being lost. Some of those questions were answered in chapter 9and part of 10. In the first 29 verses of chapter 9 we are reminded that God did not guarantee that every Jew would be saved but only that the nation would serve in God’s plan of redemption.
• In the last few verses of chapter 9 and throughout chapter 10 we see that those Jews who were lost were in that state by their decision to cling to the Law instead of accepting God’s grace through Jesus.
• Ultimately we want people to believe in Jesus and to be obedient to Him. The first part of verse 14 asks the first of four pointed questions.
• How will one call on Him in whom they have not believed?
• In the context of the chapter, Paul is acknowledging that Israel had yet to obey the gospel so they had not received the salvation Paul so passionately wanted them to possess.
• Paul tells us that if a person does not have faith in God or His love, then they will not look to Him for eternal life.
• SLIDE #5
• Acts 4:12 (ESV) And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
• Do you want to see your loved ones and friends saved? Do you want to see them enjoy eternal life with Jesus?
• We have to understand without question that if one is without Jesus, they will not be saved.
• I do not take joy in saying that, but rather it saddens me to know I have lost loved ones and friends who did not believe in or obey Jesus. The sadness is so great that I cannot bear to dwell on it.
• As Paul reflects on his fellow countrymen, he too is weighed down with sorrow. This sorrow drives him to do what it takes to help bring people into a saving relationship with Jesus.
• SLIDE #6
• 1 Corinthians 9:22 (ESV) To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
• When we come to the realization that without Jesus people are lost for eternity, it should help motivate us to try to help turn the lost toward Jesus.
• This cannot happen unless…
• SLIDE #7
II. People cannot believe in Jesus unless they hear Him.
• A second link in the chain of bring people into a relationship with Jesus is…
• And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?
• This seems like a logical link.
• When you look at the passage in the English it misses the real flavor of the verse.
• Think about this, if we are going to put faith in Jesus, if we are going to trust Him for our salvation, we need to do more than just hear ABOUT Jesus.
• In the original text, the grammatical structure of the sentence dictates that it should be translated to indicate that how can they believe if they have not heard HIM.
• There is a sense that when Christ’s messengers are speaking that Jesus Himself is speaking as His messengers speak.
• This is a very important distinction that is gets lost in the English. We have to make sure that when we speak to people concerning Jesus, that we are not just telling them ABOUT Him or our VIEW of HIM, but rather that others are in a way hearing Jesus Himself through us.
• To believe to the point of giving ones’ life to Jesus demands that they hear JESUS not simply our philosophy ABOUT Jesus.
• One of the ways folks can hear Jesus is for us to make sure we KNOW him.
• SLIDE #8
• 2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
• An ambassador represents their homeland. WE represent Jesus so it is imperative that when we speak to others concerning Jesus that we make sure they get an accurate picture of Him.
• We need to know Jesus so well that we can do more than just give facts and figures. We want people to KNOW Jesus; we want them to HEAR Jesus.
• I know this sounds intimidating, but let me ask you this, can you tell another person about the person you love?
• Can you share more than here is when and where they were born, hear is what they like to eat and what color they like?
• I bet you can tell others so much about the one you love that it gets others excited to what to get to know them.
• You can paint a picture that really looks like a snapshot of that person. You can do that because you spent time with them, so therefore you know them.
• Get to know Jesus so when you talk about Him, they can hear Jesus through you.
• This leads to the next link in the chain.
• SLIDE #9
III. People cannot hear Jesus unless someone speaks for Him.
• This link is so closely tied to the previous one which makes sense because links in a chain are by nature closely tied together.
• This link says, And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
• How can one hear unless someone speaks or preaches?
• In the previous link we were asked how one can believe in Jesus unless they heard HIM.
• Now this puts a lot of responsibility on us to make sure that what we say is what JESUS would say.
• The word translated preaching is a word rich with meaning in the original text.
• The word can be translated HERALD. A HERALD acted as a public announcer delivering a message from a King.
• The message was given to the Herald from the King and the Herald took the message to the community.
• The Herald spoke FOR the King. When the Herald was speaking it was as the King himself was speaking. But there is a catch.
• The Herald was simply proclaimed the message he was given by the King. The Herald could not ADD, SUBTRACT, ALTER or CHANGE the message in ANY way.
• If any changes were made to the message, the Herald was no longer speaking for the King. The Herald was no longer the voice of the King.
• Now when we preach the gospel to others, we are speaking for Jesus but ONLY when we speak His message.
• A long time ago the last time I watch any of Opra she started proclaiming that HER Jesus was this and her Jesus was that.
• The problem was HER Jesus was not the REAL Jesus. He was a Build A Bear Jesus where you build Him how you want.
• There is only one Jesus and there is only one way to God.
• SLIDE #10
• John 14:6 (ESV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
• If we are going to help bring people to faith, we must make sure that we are speaking HIS message.
• We need to spent time in God’s Word so we can be sure that when we speak in the name of Jesus that we are speaking what He said and not what some other person tells us what He is saying.
• Let’s look at verses 15-17 so we can examine the final link in the chain.
• SLIDE #11
• Romans 10:15–17 (ESV) 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
• SLIDE #12
IV. Will you be willing to be seen as someone’s beautiful feet?
• The final question or link in the chain asks, 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
• As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
• If no one goes, there is no message delivered. Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7. The context of Isaiah 52:7 deals with runners who were carrying the good news home to Jerusalem announcing that the Babylonian captivity was over. The days of the exile were over and now it was time for restoration.
• The feet of those runners were beautiful in the sense that the message was welcomed by those who were to hear it!
• These runners were sent to deliver the message to the announce freedom to the people.
• Now, in the same way are you willing to be the beautiful feet to another person?
• Are you willing to be the one who brings the good news of salvation in Jesus?
• SLIDE #13
• It is not always going to be easy. Verse 16 reminds us that not obeyed. In other words not everyone will believe, but that cannot stop us.
• Verse 17 gives us a summation of the verses we looked at.
• 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
CONCLUSION
• Faith must spring rom what is heard, a message to believe. Such a message has to be delivered to those who need to hear it.
• The message that we MUST win people to Jesus with is the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
• We must know that message and we must know the one about whom it is written.
• Life Groups can help you grow in your knowledge, faith, and confidence.
• We live in a dying world that is depending on YOU to let them hear Jesus through you.
• The challenge can be intimidating, but it will be rewarding especially for those impacted by Jesus shining through you!
• It is time for us all to get involved in the lives of those who need Jesus.
