Why Many Don’t Accept The Good News
Romans 10:16-21
The past couple of weeks we have been looking at Romans chapter 10. Two weeks ago we saw how Anyone and Everyone who calls out to the Lord to save them will be saved and will also not be disappointed in the decision that they have made. Last week we re-visited the fact that in order for someone to believe the gospel they have to first hear it. And in order for someone to preach the gospel they have to be sent.
Opening Question: What frustrates and or disappoints you the most? (Allow a few seconds for audience participation)
Nothing can be more frustrating and disappointing than when those you love reject the gospel.
Those of you who are believers know the frustration and disappointment of people you know and love who even after hearing the good news still are not willing to accept it. You have been praying and bringing it up to them for a certain period of time and each time you get rejected. It can be very discouraging. As our text says tonight, “But not all the Israelites accepted the good news.” It was true in the Apostle Paul’s day and it is true in our day too. Paul is using references to Old Testament passages that spoke of Jesus and were fulfilled in his life. Paul is talking about how the good news first came to the Israelites. Jesus who was their very own was rejected by those who should have recognized him as their Messiah. Sadly, many didn’t.
We are blessed to live in a country where the gospel is sooooo available. There are 600 religious radio stations, 450,000 churches and a total of 25% of protestant churches are in this country. What is tragic though is the reality that after age 19, the probability of someone accepting Christ as Savior is just six percent.
What does the Bible tell us about why people don’t accept the gospel?
I want to look at a passage in 2Corinthians 4. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
Now it must be noted here that many people don’t accept the gospel because they don’t know they need to. That’s why we must have a passion for missions and taking the gospel beyond these walls.
This passage teaches us that there is a god of this age who is Satan. He is out to keep people (he does all he can to shield) from understanding what the good news (gospel) is all about. We know that the gospel means good news. What is the good news? The rest of the sentence tells us: “…light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” When a person who is a seeker (not yet a Christian) begins to read the Bible or participate in a Bible study or hear a preacher talking about Jesus there is the imagery here of a light shining on a persons heart…helping them see and understand their need for Christ. When that light begins to shine on their heart there is a hunger there. A yearning for something greater. That is the glory of Christ. Glory is the excellencies and brilliance of Christ. It is who he is and what he promises to do for us. He is all you need and then some. He is powerful. He is provider. He is protector. He is comforter. He is King. He is Savior. He is sensitive. He is seeking after you! He is all that is excellent. He is eternal. He is everything you need! This is the glory of Christ! “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” That’s the glory! But the enemy wants to keep us from seeing the glory of Christ. So if we are not careful he will put blinders on our eyes.
(USE FLASH LIGHT TO ILLUSTRATE THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL ON OUR HEARTS) The light illuminates our hearts. It makes us want to look up from where the light is coming from. But the scripture teaches us that the god of this age keeps people from looking to the glory of Christ.
I want to illustrate how Satan blinds a persons eyes to the glory of Christ by reading portions of an interview between beliefnet.com and Marilyn Manson on his religious beliefs. Now, I’m not bashing Marilyn today. I believe what he has to say is no different from “normal” people who reject Christianity for whatever reason. (Interview was taken from www.beliefnet.com)
(Read interview)
This is just an illustration of how Satan puts the blinders on people’s lives. Unfortunately, he has used self-professing Christians to be a stumbling block to a lot of people. That is why it is so crucial for believers to grow up and to be very careful how they live their lives. There is a world watching. There will be many people who will never step foot in the door of a church or will never trust Christ because of how they saw Christians treating each other. Now, that excuse won’t fly when they stand before God one day. We just need to be careful.
When the god of this age blinds people they see religion instead of a relationship. They see slavery to a belief system instead of freedom. They see their bad experience in church as a kid and not the new life Christ promises them if they will truly believe. They see Jesus as a small and weak figure. Jesus is not the statue on the wall of a cathedral. He isn’t the gold figure on the cross. It’s not Jesus in the paintings. By the way, what would Jesus look like if we saw him today? We don’t have a photo of him but there are some awesome descriptions in the Bible. Let’s read Revelation 1:10-18 “On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicia.” I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all it’s brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” So it is only obvious that when people don’t embrace the light you will embrace darkness.
They see all of those things instead of the glory of Christ! So obviously when someone refuses to embrace light the only alternative is to embrace darkness.
ILLUSTRATION: “The sun of God’s glory was made to shine at the center of the solar system of our soul. And when it does, all the planets of our life are held in their proper orbit. But when the sun is displaced, everything flies apart. The healing of the soul begins by restoring the glory of God to its flaming, all attracting place at the center.” John Piper
So, what do you do if those you love refuse to accept the gospel?
· Pray continually. God never gives us permission to stop praying for people (unless of course they are dead.)
· Let’s remember that the gospel is not about us. It’s about Christ.
Make sure the glory of Christ is shining through in your life
