Romans 10:13-15

Please go ahead and grab your seats.

You know, I often get up here Sunday morning and I say something awkward.

! That is typically me trying to be less nervous than I already am as I come to such a large task of preaching God's Word.

And just so you know, I very rarely prepare what I'm about to say when I stand up here.

So I used to say something off the cuff and I ended up being more nervous as a result of that.

But so this morning, I'm just going to tell you a little short joke about last week.

I was speaking to John Overton after the fact.

And I don't remember exactly what we were talking about, something about the sermon.

And I mentioned how really hot it was last week.

I was like, how really hot last week?

And John said, yeah, because you were wearing a sweatshirt.

I said, a sweatshirt?

I wasn't wearing a sweatshirt.

He goes, dude, you were wearing a sweatshirt.

I was wearing last week this navy blue.

It's a really nice sweater, actually.

Like a really finely knit sweater.

And he was like, yeah, yeah, you really look like you were wearing a sweatshirt.

And so today, really kind of as a joke, although I'm regretting it because I'm hot again,

I wore a sweater that's really obviously a sweater.

And John's not here.

He's out of town.

Anyway.

So there you have it.

It's a non-awkward icebreaker there.

But please open your Bible to Romans chapter 10.

Romans 10 · chapter mention

We find ourselves now coming to, we talked in brief last week about verse 13 of chapter 10.

And this week we're going to look together at 13, 14, and 15 of chapter 10.

And we have seen Paul stating this case of justification by faith alone.

He's been building that case.

In all nine chapters coming to this point, he's continually been deriving that point to his audience,

the believers in Rome.

And I hope that we're catching it as well.

We just got finished preaching through Romans chapter 9, which is a great chapter on God's sovereign election.

Romans 9 · chapter mention

And we see that there's the example given of Jacob and Esau,

and that he chose to bring the promise through Jacob and not Esau,

because Jacob was the second born.

And you see in verse 11 of chapter 9, it says,

in order that God's purpose of election might continue,

not because of works, but because of Him who calls.

And then he addresses a couple of objections to that.

Well, wait a minute, if God is sovereign, what about?

And what if?

And what Paul says to us is,

be humble, you created thing.

Because God is the Creator, and He has spoken.

God has said,

I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.

I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

I am God, and you're not.

We can't completely understand the complexities of God's sovereignty over all things.

If you try, I promise, your head will split in two.

There's no way you can quite grasp it.

It is not for you to know.

What we ought to know is what the Bible clearly teaches to us,

is that God is in fact sovereign over all things,

and yet, man is held accountable.

And Paul goes back to that in chapter 10

to talk about Israel's unbelief at the end of 9 and into 10,

that they've rejected the Gospel.

They have fallen over, stumbled over the stumbling stone,

which is Christ,

and therefore have been crushed.

And that for those who will believe,

both Jew or Gentile,

there's no distinction between the two.

For those who will believe,

salvation is at hand.

In verse 13,

we see the summary of that,

and then some movement into some new thoughts.

So let's begin reading together in verse 13,

and we'll read through 15.

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

will be saved.

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?

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.

Join me in a quick word of prayer.

Father God,

I pray this morning by Your Spirit,

You will bless the preaching of Your Word,

that we will understand it with our hearts

and not just our minds,

that You will move us to action,

that we will be not just hearers of the Word,

but doers as well.

I pray that this day we will be

further amazed

by Your magnificence in Jesus Christ,

that we will want in a greater degree

to talk about Him.

We will want to share and proclaim

the good news of Jesus Christ.

I pray if anyone here does not know,

cannot call on the name of the Lord

because they have not yet believed,

because they have not heard,

because they haven't been preached to,

that that changes this day.

And I pray all of this in Christ's name.

Amen.

So three fairly simple verses,

right?

He runs us through kind of a logical explanation,

but He does it in reverse.

So,

if you'll track with me,

everyone who calls on the name of the Lord

will be saved,

right?

That's the end result.

The calling on the Lord

equals salvation,

equals freedom from the bondage of sin,

equals justification,

right standing before God,

equals adoption.

We become children of God.

Okay?

There's the end,

but what has to happen for that to take place?

Right?

There has to be a sending,

in verse 15,

and a proclamation of the good news,

so that that good news can be heard,

and believed,

so that the person can call.

Right?

You see the order there that He's going through.

So,

how 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?

And then in verse 15,

He quotes Isaiah 52,

6 and 7,

how beautiful are the feet

of those who preach the good news.

And so,

we must be sent.

God must send the proclamation of His word

into the world.

But there's a danger in talking about

the mission of the church.

There's a danger in it

because it's easy to guilt you

into sharing the good news.

It's easy to put you into a debtor's ethic mode

to say,

look what God has done for you.

Now,

what are you going to do for God?

And the danger in it is that you become self-righteous.

That you begin to believe that God needs you.

He does not.

God is God.

He will accomplish His eternal purpose

with or without you.

Let's look at that.

And then we'll talk about the proper motivation

for getting on board.

Isaiah 52.10

says,

The Lord has bared His holy arm.

Which I love the imagery of that.

It's like God rolled up His sleeve.

God has,

the Lord has bared His holy arm

before the eyes of all the nations

and all the ends of the earth

shall see the salvation

of our God.

It doesn't say if Christ's family church

gets on board.

Right?

The Lord has bared His holy arm

and it will

then come

to pass.

And I apologize

I got you flipping that direction.

Turn with me to Revelation chapter 5.

Revelation 5 · chapter mention

I should have interjected the

do not turn

clause.

We're going to read together

the first ten verses

of chapter 5

primarily because they're too precious

not to read together.

So super cool.

And then I'll draw out a reality for you.

It's the vision of John in heaven.

He writes,

Then I saw in the right hand

of Him who was seated on the throne

a skull

written within

and on the back

sealed

with seven seals.

And I saw a strong angel

proclaiming with a loud vice

who is worthy

to open the scroll

and break its seals.

And no one

in heaven

or on earth

or under the earth

was able to open the scroll

or to look into it.

And I began to weep loudly

because no one

was found worthy

to open the scroll

or look into it.

And one of the elders

said to me

weep no more

behold

the lion

of the tribe of Judah

the root of David

has conquered

so that he can open the scroll

and its seven seals.

And between the throne

and the four living creatures

and among the elders

I saw a lamb

standing

as though it had been slain

with seven horns

and with seven eyes

which are the seven spirits of God

sent out into all the earth.

And he went and took the scroll

from the right hand of him

who was seated on the throne.

And when he had taken the scroll

the four living creatures

and the twenty-four elders

fell down before the lamb

each holding a harp

and golden bowls

full of incense

which are the prayers

of the saints.

And they sang a new song

saying

worthy are you

to take the scroll

and to open its seals

for you were slain

and by your blood

you ransomed people

for God

from every tribe

and language

and people

and nation.

And you have made them

a kingdom

and priests

to our God

and they shall reign

on the earth.

Awesome picture of heaven.

And we cannot possibly

get into all the symbolism

contained wherein today.

It's not the point

ultimately of today.

But what you need to see

is that there's a scroll

and it's in the right hand

of God Almighty.

The right hand signifying

his strength

and his power.

And the only one able

to open the scroll

is Jesus Christ

the one who was slain.

We don't play a part

in that

at all.

God had written

before time

the names contained within

Jesus Christ

purchased for them

their redemption

and they

are the players

in this great scene

in Revelation chapter 5.

Revelation 5 · chapter mention

He does not

need

you.

Don't think

you're so grand

that he needs

you.

So why then?

Why

does God choose

to bring

the good news

to people

every tribe

every nation

every tongue

using the church?

Why then

are we commanded

to go?

The commands

are there

we'll look at them

in a minute.

Why are we

sent

to proclaim?

It's because

he loves us.

Missions

is a grace

to the church.

It's a gift

given to us

that we might

join him

in the work

that he's

already

doing.

So what is the

motivation

for sharing

the gospel?

For being on

mission in your

community

and to the ends

of the earth?

For your

eternal joy

that you might

see God

and experience

him in your

living.

He doesn't

need you.

Don't share.

Be miserable.

He'll get it

done without

you.

But if you

want to

experience God

if you love

him and you

want to see

more of him

you will

proclaim

the gospel.

He quotes

in the sending

we're going to

kind of work

backwards here.

He quotes

in the sending

Isaiah 52

6 and 7

as well as

Nahum 1

15.

How beautiful

are the feet

of those

who preach

the good

news.

Turn to

Isaiah 52

6.

We're going

to expand

this a little

bit and

understanding

of why

is it that

Paul quotes

here Isaiah

52

6 and 7.

Isaiah 52

6.

It reads

My people

shall know

my name

Therefore

in that

day they

shall know

that it

is I

who speak

Here

I am

Isn't that

awesome?

I'm going to

read it again

because it's so

good.

My people

shall know

my name

Therefore

in that

day they

shall know

that it

is I

who speak

Here

I am

How beautiful

upon the

mountains are

the feet

of him

who brings

good news

who publishes

peace

who brings

good news

of happiness

who publishes

salvation

who says

to Zion

your God

reigns

Right?

And the picture

going on here

what these

believers would

have understood

is that in

these days

when a king

conquered

when he went

to battle

and conquered

they fought

in valleys

flat places

where the

armies would

collide

and when the

king had

conquered

he would send

a runner

along the

ridge

to proclaim

victory

over it

it was like

the pronunciation

we won

and he would

send somebody

running

right?

It was his

right

it was his

privilege

to run

himself

but very few

kings

actually did

this

but would

send somebody

to go

so what is

Paul helping

us see

that as the

sent ones

of God

we're the

proclaimers

of the good

news

that Jesus

has won

the victory

the battle

has been

finished

conquered

finished

and he has

sent us

running

down the

ridges

to proclaim

that

victory

isn't that

awesome?

that's so good

so very good

it's good to know

your history

behind some of

these things

I learned it

a couple of

days before

you just did

so so good

and so when he

says that we're

sent to preach

and I think a lot

of you probably

at this point

would say

well I'm not a

preacher

I'm in no way

eloquent with

words

I would have

such a hard

time preparing

five minutes

of something

to say

much less

half an hour

right

not talking

about this

certainly includes

this

is this

proclamation

of the gospel

it better be

or else it's

horrible horrible

preaching

right

but it's

talking about

just

proclaiming

just

sharing

right

the gospel

is good news

of words

our collective

language

it's how

the gospel

is delivered

to people's

hearts

through the

proclamation

so who does

it include

everybody

there is

certainly

a special

gifting

to teach

to be a

preacher

takes a

gifting

to be able

to get up

and do this

kind of thing

people have

that in

varying

measures

mine down

here

others up

here

there's a

gifting

there

that's

specific

for

individuals

but the

calling

the

sending

is

universal

to

Christians

right

we

are

to

proclaim

the

good

news

of

Jesus

Christ

in our

lives

specifically

let's look

at some

men

don't turn

here

okay

Jeremiah

29

Jeremiah

has gone

through a

difficult

time

he's been

rejected

largely

by Israel

he's kind

of hating

his life

at this

point

in chapter

20

but he

says

if I

say

I will

not

mention

him

or speak

any more

in his

name

there is

in my

heart

as it

were

a burning

fire

shut up

in my

bones

and I

am weary

with holding

it in

and I

cannot

Jeremiah

says

if I

deny

this

call

of my

life

I'll

burn

up

alive

I

cannot

hold

in

this

truth

of the

gospel

Paul

says

in

1st

Corinthians

9

16

for

if

I

preach

the

gospel

that

gives

me

no

ground

for

boasting

for

necessity

is laid

upon

me

woe

to me

if I

do

not

preach

the

gospel

so

specific

men

explaining

how

it's

something

that

they're

compelled

to

do

they

must

they

really

have

no

choice

in

the

matter

they

must

share

the

gospel

and

again

you

could

say

well

those

are

very

specific

men

Jeremiah

prophet

Paul

called

to be

an

apostle

but

again

the

call

general

1st

Peter

2

9

Peter

writes

but

you

all

of

you

are

a

chosen

race

a

royal

priesthood

a

holy

nation

a

people

for

his

own

possession

why

that

you

all

of

you

may

proclaim

same

word

used

in

Romans

10

the

excellencies

of

him

who

called

you

out

of

darkness

into

his

marvelous

light

it

could

have

been

translated

preach

that

you

may

preach

the

excellencies

of

him

who

called

you

out

of

darkness

into

his

marvelous

light

we

collectively

have

been

given

marching

orders

we

have

a

mission

as

the

church

this

is

not

just

a

holy

club

we

come

together

to

be

equipped

to

go

to

be

sent

right

Matthew

28

18

through

20

you

may

want

to

turn

to

this

one

please

don't

feel

like

you

have

to

only

turn

when

I

tell

you

to

Matthew

Matthew 28:18–20

28

verse

18

through

20

most

commonly

!

known

as

the

Great

commission

!

Jesus

came

and said

to

them

all

authority

in heaven

and on earth

has been given

to me

go therefore

and make

disciples of

all nations

baptizing them

in the name of the

Father and of the

Son and of the

Holy Spirit

teaching them to

observe all

that I have

commanded you

and behold

I am with you

always

to the end

of the age

and then

Acts

1

8

right before

Jesus

ascends

he says

but you

will receive

power

when the

Holy Spirit

has come

upon you

and you

will be

my

witnesses

in Jerusalem

and in

all Judea

and Samaria

and to

the end

of the

earth

and here

we see

in these

two

things

the

commands

to go

but you

need to

notice

something

about

them

in

Matthew

28

he says

go therefore

and make

disciples

which

more

accurately

could be

translated

in your

going

therefore

make

disciples

this is a

life

of going

which means

it's not

just to

the ends

of the

earth

but to

your

neighbor

and to

your

co-worker

and to

your

classmate

in the

going

of your

life

you're

meant

to be

making

disciples

to the

ends

of the

earth

starting

here

and to

the

ends

of the

earth

the

church

is

meant

to

make

disciples

we see

that

again

in

Acts

1

8

there's

concentric

circles

happening

here

Jerusalem

Judea

Samaria

and the

end

of the

earth

neglect

where we

are

in the

dream

of

someday

being a

foreign

missionary

because

won't

that

be

grand

if

you

can't

serve

Jesus

Christ

here

you

are

not

qualified

to

serve

him

there

don't

put

it

off

until

then

thinking

at

some

point

God's

going to

grow you

to a

maturity

where you

can share

the good

news

you already

can

you have

why

so the

first characteristic

locally

regionally

globally

that's how we're

supposed to

where we're

supposed to

share

why are

all of us

qualified

to do

this

because it's

all done

by the

power that

God

provides

you don't

need

special

training

to share

the good

news

not that

it's

of damage

to you

training

is good

learning

is good

better

understanding

culture

is good

apologetics

is helpful

all those

things

but the

power

ultimately

and finally

will always

no matter

how smart

you are

will always

lie

with God

look at the

two things

Matthew 28

Jesus said

to them

all authority

in heaven

and on earth

has been

given

to me

and then

he says

go

right

he doesn't

say

it's been

given

to me

and

I'm

sharing

it

with

you

he just

says

it's all

been

given

to me

and at

the end

of it

he says

and behold

I am

with you

always

I am

the power

of the

gospel

and then

Acts 1

8

but you

will receive

power

when the

Holy Spirit

has come

upon you

so how

is it

that Jesus

goes

with us

by the

indwelling

of the

Spirit

in our

lives

so

missions

then

are meant

to be

local

regional

and

global

and by

the power

that God

provides

look at the

expansion of it

as we begin

in Acts 1

8

you see

Jesus

making this

statement

to the

apostles

but it

very rapidly

in the early

days of the

church

expands out

beyond that

in

115

we see

120

brothers

okay

some

versions

of the

Bible

will say

disciples

in that

case

in

chapter

115

by

chapter

4

verse 4

we see

that the

disciples

were counted

as

5,000

men

which means

there were

probably

women

and children

out beyond

that number

and then

in 4

verse 31

it says

and when

they had

prayed

the place

in which

they were

gathered

together

was shaken

and they

were all

filled with

the Holy

Spirit

and continued

to speak

what

the word

of God

with boldness

and then

in 6

7

and the

word

of God

continued

to increase

and the

number

of the

disciples

multiplied

greatly

in

Jerusalem

so why

did the

disciples

multiply

greatly

because

the word

of God

was increasing

where they

were

so these

expanding

numbers of

people

chapter 4

verse 4

5,000

men

431

received the

Spirit

and in 6

7 we see

that the

word of

God

was increasing

it doesn't

rewind back

to the

original

apostles

the record

is not

that

and the

apostles

were really

working

hard

man

they were

getting

around

they were

having

to share

like madmen

preaching

10 sermons

a day

right

no

the word

of God

was increasing

amongst

!

them

because

they knew

they were

sent

they knew

that they

all had

in some

regard

an apostolic

calling

they were

sent

by God

running

the ridges

right

which I

didn't mention

before but

just in case

you don't

get

symbolism

well

the feet

themselves

aren't

beautiful

of the

runner

it's the

news

they're

bringing

right

it's the

news

the good

news

of Jesus

Christ

we

have all

sinned

true

of all

humankind

that's

the

meta

narrative

right

the story

that we

all share

in every

single

one of us

has sinned

and therefore

the condemnation

of God

is due

us

right

we purchased

it

we asked

for it

and there's

nothing we

can do

because we

are totally

lost

totally

spoiled

in our

sin

there's

nothing

we

can

do

to

undo

what's

been

done

there's

nothing

we

can

do

for the

redemption

of our

souls

it's

only

because

of the

sacrifice

of Jesus

Christ

it's

only

because

he

bore

the

wrath

of God

on our

behalf

that we

can

believe

in him

and be

justified

in him

this

is the

good

news

Jesus

Christ

God's

major

purpose

in the

world

is to

make

himself

great

and what's

the greatest

way he

can make

himself

great

the

proclamation

of the

good news

of Jesus

Christ

Jesus

his person

and his

work

his birth

life

death

burial

resurrection

ascension

that's the

good news

that we

proclaim

and it

makes

God

huge

all of

who God

is

culminated

in the

person

and work

of Jesus

Christ

and that's

the gospel

that we

are meant

to proclaim

Jerusalem

Judea

Samaria

to the

ends

of the

earth

the gospel

spread

rampantly

it's a

cool word

to use

in those

early days

spread like

a fire

due in

large part

or maybe

a key

cultural

element

in that

spread

was that

the Roman

empire

was very

efficient

good roads

centers of

trade

things of

that

nature

culturally

information

was communicated

very quickly

but it took

the work

of the people

who were sent

Paul

himself

it's estimated

that he

traveled

more than

10,000

miles

some by

boat

imagine he

hitched a ride

on an animal

occasionally

but probably

walked

the vast

majority

of that

we praise

people who

have hiked

the Appalachian

trail

I think

it's awesome

I would love

to be able

to do it

someday

that's just

over 2,000

miles

Paul did

5 times

this

10,000

plus miles

sharing

this good

news

of Jesus

Christ

today

there are

roughly

7 billion

people

in the

world

and I

hope these

stats are

even close

to right

but this

is just

going to

give you

a picture

so

maybe

you don't

quote me

on these

2.9

billion of

those people

are categorized

as unreached

let me

tell you

what that

means

that doesn't

mean

non-Christian

that doesn't

mean

converted

to Christ

unreached

means that

in their

people group

less than

2%

of those

people

are categorized

as Christian

by a very

broad

standard

of that

term

maybe

maybe not

but

they categorize

themselves

as Christian

less than

2%

of that

population

and that's

about

7,000

people groups

in the world

there's a

great

great work

to be done

can it all

be accomplished

by us

no

should the

staggering

size of those

numbers

cause us

to not

be active

absolutely

not

why

God

doesn't

need us

right

God

is spreading

the gospel

across this

world

but I

want to

be

involved

I hope

you do

too

I can

see

that he

has work

to do

right

the end

hasn't

come yet

because it's

not here

there's work

to be done

there's still

so many

opportunities

for experience

God and his

movement in

this world

look at the

numbers

not to say

that countries

that are

reached

that have

more than

their status

quo

more than

2%

of Christians

don't need

gospel

carriers

they do

for sure

right

North Georgia

right where

we are

desperately

needs

the gospel

thousands

of people

around us

are miserable

lost in

their sin

their final

destination

is eternal

damnation

they need

the gospel

of Jesus

Christ

now

we can't

turn our

backs on

this

we cannot

neglect

local

mission

for the

sake of

global

but we

ought to

be doing

all of

that

there are

roughly

46,000

southern

baptist

churches

jay watson

and i

were talking

about this

just the

other day

46,000

southern

baptist

churches

and an

estimated

16 million

members

if you've

been a

baptist for

very long

you know

that that's

probably an

inflated

number

because

many of

those are

probably

counted on

three or

four different

rolls

around

but just

the same

we could

cut it

down to

10 million

and it'd

still be a

massive

massive

number

and the

international

mission board

which is the

southern baptist

conventions

sending agency

for global

missions

has

5,000

roughly

5,000

missionaries

out of

16 million

american

christians

that ratio

the ratio

of churches

to

missionaries

is 9

to 1

this doesn't

mean that

there aren't

missionaries

outside of

certainly

there are

outside of

international

mission board

missionaries

but we just

count them