The Gospel Announced: The Gospel Must Be Preached

So, if you would like a pen, somebody's passing them around, and the sheets, sorry, could

you pass those?

If anybody would like to take notes, there's other sheets there being passed around as

well.

And we have two readings this morning.

The first one is from Isaiah, chapter 52, and the second reading will be from Romans.

Isaiah 52 · chapter mention

We're going through a series at the minute from Romans, chapter 9 to 11.

Romans 9 · chapter mention

So, if you want to take notes, there's a sheet.

You can either use the back of the news program or the notes that are being passed around.

And Chris and Joy are going to come and read for us this morning.

So, whenever you're right, thank you.

The first reading is from Isaiah, chapter 52, starting at verse 4, and that's on page 739

Isaiah 52 · chapter mention

of the Red Church Bible.

That's Isaiah 52, beginning at verse 4.

For this is what the Sovereign Lord says.

At first, my people went down to Egypt to live.

Lately, Assyria has oppressed them.

And now what do I have here, declares the Lord?

For my people have been taken away for nothing, and those who rule them mock, declares the Lord.

And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed.

Therefore, my people will know my name.

Therefore, in that day, they will know that it is I who foretold it.

Yes, it is I.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,

who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings,

who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion,

Your God reigns.

Listen, your watchmen lift up their voices.

Together they shout for joy.

When the Lord returns to Zion,

they will see it with their own eyes.

Burst into songs of joy together,

you ruins of Jerusalem.

For the Lord has comforted his people.

He has redeemed Jerusalem.

The Lord will lay bare his holy arm

in the sight of all the nations.

And all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

The second reading is from Romans,

Romans 10:13

chapter 10,

verse 13.

It's page 1137.

Romans 10, 13.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

How then can they call on the one they have not believed in?

And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?

And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

And how can they preach unless they are sent?

As it is written,

how beautiful on the feet of those who bring good news.

But not all the Israelites accepted the good news.

For Isaiah says,

Lord, who has believed our message?

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message.

And the message is heard through the word of Christ.

But I ask,

did they not hear?

Of course they did.

Their voice has gone out into all the earth.

Their words to the ends of the world.

Again I ask,

did Israel not understand?

First Moses says,

I will make you envious by those who are not a nation.

I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.

And Isaiah boldly says,

I was found by those who did not seek me.

I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.

But concerning Israel,

he says,

all day long,

I've held up my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.

Thanks, Chris.

And thank you, Joy.

Please keep your Bibles open

at that section

in Romans chapter 10,

Romans 10 · chapter mention

looking at verses 13 to 21.

If you've missed any of the talks,

you can hear them online.

And also,

if you look in our new sheet,

there are resources

that you can look up

under gotherefore.com

related to the talks as well.

I spoke to somebody this morning

who told me

they've just read the little black book

on predestination

and they said it was excellent.

So,

if you want to know who that is,

it was Stephen

and you can go and find out

why he thought it was good.

So,

yeah.

And I didn't even pay him to say that,

by the way.

Let's pray

and ask for God's help.

Father,

thank you that you

have

spoken

your good news

to us

through your son,

the Lord Jesus.

And we thank you

that it has been recorded for us

and written down for us

in your word.

We pray that we would

better understand

what that message is,

but also

our response

to it

and our calling

to make that message

known

in every nation

and to every people.

We pray that what we think

and look through

this morning

would impact us

in such a way

that lives

and people

will be changed.

and that people

will come to know you

as a result.

So,

please help us

this morning,

we pray.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well,

as a kid in primary school,

I remember being

terribly upset

and disappointed

because I didn't get

invited

to a birthday party.

Out of all my friends,

it seemed I was the only one

who didn't get to go.

Maybe they weren't

my friends after all.

My kids don't think

I've got any friends

anyways,

but I do.

But the point is this,

being excluded

can be a terrible

experience

because we all

want to be

invited

to the party.

Well,

the good news is

we have all

been given

the ultimate

invitation

and no one

is

excluded.

Look at verse 12

of Romans 10.

For there is

no difference

between Jew

and Gentile.

He says,

it doesn't matter

what your background is,

whether you are

a religious person

or an irreligious person,

whether you go to church

or you don't go to church.

The same Lord

is Lord of all

and he richly

blesses

all

who call on him

for everyone

who calls on the name

of the Lord

will be saved.

God in his grace

has written

an open invitation

to all people

to receive his salvation.

There's no discrimination

based on gender,

race,

or religion.

God has no favorites.

He generously invites

all people

everywhere

in every nation

to know

and to come

and experience

his gift

of salvation.

And salvation

is something

that we all

desire.

Whoever we are,

we all long

to be saved

from things like

disease

and death,

sickness

and suffering.

suffering.

We long

to be rescued

from oppression

and injustice.

We want a world

where there's no more

war or violence.

But as the Bible

makes clear

and indeed

the book of Romans

makes very clear,

these are the results

and the consequences

of our rebellion

and our disobedience

against God.

This is where

the source

of the problem lies.

The cause

of all the mess

in our world

and in our lives,

the Bible tells us,

is sin.

It's summarised

for us very well

if you just want

to have a quick look

back to Romans

Romans 6:23

chapter 6

verse 23.

Romans 6

Romans 6:23

verse 23.

It's just a short

summary

where it says this,

For the wages

of sin

is death.

Romans 6

Romans 6:23

verse 23.

For the wages

of sin

is death,

death,

but the gift

of God

is eternal

life

in Christ

Jesus

our Lord.

So the salvation

that God

has come to give,

the salvation

that he comes

to offer,

deals

with the root

of the problem.

He doesn't just

deal with surface

issues,

he gets right down

into the nitty-gritty

of our own hearts

to deal with the sin

that is there

and instead

to offer

new and eternal

life through

Jesus.

Now that is

good news,

that is great

news,

but,

go back to

chapter 10

verse 14.

It is good

news that

there is this

offer of salvation,

but,

verse 14,

how then

can they call

on the one

they have not

believed in?

In other words,

how are your

friends and

your family

ever going to

know about

this gift of

salvation?

What about

those who live

in other nations

and in other

parts of the

world?

How are they

ever going to

hear about

this invitation

of new

and eternal

life?

Well,

first,

everyone

must hear

the gospel.

everyone

must hear

the gospel

and there's

three reasons

why.

Reason number

one,

to believe

I must

hear.

Let's read

verse 14

again.

How then

can they

call on

the one

they have

not

believed

in?

And how

can they

believe

in the

one of

whom

they have

never

heard?

You see,

the only

right response

to this

invitation

is

belief

or

faith

in

Jesus

Christ.

look back

at verse

11.

As the

scripture

says,

anyone

who

trusts

in him,

anyone

who

trusts

in

Jesus

will

never

be

put

to

shame.

The

same

theme

is

repeated

in

verse

13.

Everyone

who

calls

on the

name

of

the

Lord,

everyone

who

cries

out

in

faith

will

be

saved.

But

the

question

being

asked

in

verse

14

is,

how

can

people

call

out

in

faith

to

Jesus?

How

can

people

cry

out

to

God

if

they've

never

even

heard

of

Jesus?

It's

like

you or

I

getting

an

invite

to

a

party

and

at

the

bottom

of

it

you

get

the

usual

RSVP

except

for

there's

got

no

name

and

there's

got

no

contact

of

whom

you

must

respond

to.

The

invitation

is

useless

unless you

know

who

you have

to respond

to.

You've

got to

know

who it's

from

and who

you are

responding

to.

You see,

faith in

Jesus is

the only

way we

can come

to experience

his gift

of salvation.

So people

must hear

about who

Jesus is

and what

he has

done.

so to

believe

I must

hear.

Second,

to hear

someone

must

preach.

Look at

the last

part of

verse 14.

And how

can they

hear

without

somebody

preaching

to them?

How is

anybody

going to

know

unless

somebody

actually

tells

them?

You may

have heard

of this

phrase

before.

Preach

the gospel

at all

times

and if

necessary

use

words.

Now I

know what

people are

trying to

say when

they say

that.

Preach

the gospel

at all

times and

if

necessary

use

words.

Well I

think it's

a little

bit unhelpful

because it

suggests that

you can

tell the

story of

Jesus

without

speaking,

without

words.

It's the

same as

saying feed

the hungry

and if

necessary

use food.

Well of

course you

need to

use food

to feed

the hungry

and of

course you

need to

use words

to be

able to

tell the

gospel story.

People aren't

going to

know the

story simply

by just

looking at

your life.

It needs

to be

communicated

through words,

through a

message,

just as we're

speaking and

talking now.

The gospel

is a word,

it is a

message.

God spoke

to us

clearly.

It's a

word about

forgiveness

and hope,

of transformation,

of change,

of new and

eternal life

in him.

And those

who've

heard that

message must

tell that

same story

of salvation

to those

who haven't

yet heard

that message.

So to

hear,

someone

must tell

them.

And reason

number three,

to preach,

people must

be sent.

Look at

verse 15.

And how

can they

preach unless

they are

sent?

You see,

that tells

us something

about us.

We're people

who love

our comforts.

I love

my comforts.

And I'm

never going

to go

anywhere or

do anything

that's going

to cause

me trouble

unless I

was actually

sent.

This

morning I

read in an

email of

two people

who've just

been recently

arrested in

North Korea.

A man

aged 75

from Australia

has been

arrested because

he was bringing

the good news

of Jesus

to people

in that

country.

Now you

would never

do that

knowing what

that country

is like

unless you've

been sent.

And the

point is

we have

been sent.

The risen

Christ who

died and

who rose

again has

sent his

people into

every community

and into

every nation

with the

good news.

And if we

weren't sent

we wouldn't

go but he

has sent

us.

Indeed

that's a

big part of

what the

letter of

Romans is

about.

If you go

back to

chapter 1

verse 1.

Chapter 1

verse 1.

Here we've

got two

bookends.

The very

first verse

and the

very last

verse.

So read

this.

Chapter 1

verse 1.

Paul, a

servant of

Christ Jesus

called to

be an

apostle and

set apart

for the

gospel of

God.

That's his

very beginning,

his introduction.

I've been

set apart

for the

gospel.

I've been

sent with

the gospel.

To do

what?

Well go to

the very

end of the

book, to

the very

last two

verses.

chapter 16

verse 26.

He's been

set apart

for the

gospel and

here's the

reason.

Look at the

end of

verse 26.

So that

all nations,

all people,

might believe

and obey

him.

Might believe

and obey

Jesus.

To the

only wise

God be

glory forever

through Jesus

Christ.

Amen.

This is the

whole purpose.

It's a great

big theme

of this

letter.

It's a call

for the

local church,

people like

you and me,

to be on a

global mission.

We are meant

to see that

the story of

salvation has

to be made

known in

every nation.

That is God's

desire.

Do you

remember the

vision,

the picture

we read

this morning

at the

very beginning

in Revelation?

People from

every tribe,

tongue and

nation gathered

together.

That's the

end of the

story and

that's how

we're going

to get

there.

By

proclaiming

the good

news to

every nation,

to every

people,

in every

language.

Now to

do this

is a

most

beautiful

thing.

If you

want to

do a

beautiful

thing,

then look

at verse

15 of

Romans

Romans 10 · chapter mention

chapter 10.

How then

can they

preach unless

they are

sent?

As it

is written,

how beautiful

are the

feet of

those who

bring good

news.

It's a

beautiful thing

to do.

That comes

from a

quote in

Isaiah

Isaiah 52 · chapter mention

chapter 52.

Let's

turn to

that.

It's on

page 739

of your

Bible.

Page

739,

Isaiah

52.

Whenever you

get a

quote like

that in

the New

Testament,

it's

wanting us

to go

back and

see what's

being said.

We can

read the

whole

context.

Chris

read to

us from

it earlier.

We pick

it up in

chapter 52

verse 7.

The image

here is of

a messenger.

and he's

running to

a city

to tell

them,

a city

that's been

held in

captivity

and in

slavery,

that he's

got some

good news,

that a

battle has

taken place

and a

victory has

come and

the enemy

has been

defeated and

the people

are now

free.

So read

Isaiah

Isaiah 52:7

52 verse

7.

How beautiful

on the

mountains are

the feet of

those who

bring good

news.

Here's the

messenger running

towards the

city.

He's come

to proclaim

peace,

who brings

good tidings,

who proclaims

salvation,

who says

to Zion,

your God

reigns,

he's won

the victory,

he's won

the battle,

he rules.

Verse 9.

Burst into

songs of

joy together,

you ruins

of Jerusalem,

for the

Lord has

comforted

his people,

he has

redeemed

Jerusalem.

And the

salvation

that he

has won,

look at

verse 10,

is not

just for

one people,

the Lord

will lay

bare his

holy arm

in the

sight of

all the

nations,

and all

the ends

of the

earth will

see the

salvation

of our

God.

Go back

to Romans

10.

You see,

it is a

beautiful thing

to tell the

story of

Jesus,

to bring the

good news

of a victory,

that is

essentially

what we are

saying,

that Jesus

through his

death on

the cross

has come

to deal

with sin

and the

consequences

of sin.

He has

defeated

our greatest

enemy,

death itself,

by rising

again from

the grave,

and in

its place

he offers

eternal life

in his

kingdom

forever,

where there is

no more

war,

no more

suffering,

no more

evil,

no more

death.

death.

That is

the most

beautiful

thing you

could do

for anyone,

is to

share this

story with

other people.

And as a

church,

we seek to

be beautiful

feet.

That's why

we're supporting

the Kinsale

Church Planting

Project.

People going,

people going to

live,

people bringing

the good

news of

Jesus to

those who

don't know.

That's why

we're going to

partner with

a small

church in

Kosovo this

summer,

partnering with

other Christians

who are seeking

to tell the

story of

Jesus with

those who

have not yet

heard.

That's why

as a church

we're looking

to appoint

and train

up others

who will go

and teach

the good

news in

other parts

of this

community

and country.

that's why

we have

polo,

that's why

we have

the rock,

all different

means to

let people

know that

everyone who

calls on the

name of the

Lord will

be saved.

That's why

we exist,

that's why

the church

is here.

And it

happens not

just in

organized ways,

but it

happens as

you go to

college and

you meet

with your

fellow students

and you're

chatting with

them.

It happens

when you're

in work and

you're meeting

with your

colleagues over

lunch.

It happens

if you're

parents with

your children

as you pray

with them

and as you

read with

them and

as you

talk to

them.

It takes

place when

you go out

with your

friends

socializing.

It's the

most beautiful

thing to

do, to

tell the

simple story

of Jesus.

That's why

we exist.

That's why

we're here.

This is where

the story is

all heading

towards.

everyone

must hear

the gospel,

but not

all who

hear the

gospel will

believe.

Look at

verse 16

of Romans

10.

But not

all the

Israelites

accepted the

good news.

for Isaiah

says,

Lord, who

has believed

our message?

That little

quote there

comes straight

after the

announcement of

the victory

we just read

about in

Isaiah.

The good

news of

liberation and

redemption has

been told,

but you know

what?

They didn't

want to hear

it.

They didn't

want to

accept it.

They were

basically saying

we don't

want a

saving king.

We'll be

our own

king and

live our

own way and

do our

own thing.

We can

do life on

our own,

thanks very

much.

And in

the same

way,

many who

hear about

Jesus,

they just

simply don't

want him.

We don't

need him.

You don't

really believe

in him.

I can

live without

him.

Verse 17

Consequently,

faith comes

from hearing

the message

and the

message is

heard through

the word of

Christ.

But I

ask,

did they

not hear?

Is the

reason why

people don't

believe because

they never

heard?

Well,

look at the

rest of

verse 18.

Of course

they did.

Of course

they heard.

Their voice

has gone

out into

all the

earth.

Their words

to the

ends of

the world.

They did

hear the

message,

but they

simply didn't

believe it.

And the

sad reality

is there

are those

that you

know and

who I

know who

have heard

the story

many,

many times.

But they

still push

Jesus away.

Maybe you

have a

friend and

you've

gently

explained the

gospel.

Graciously,

you've

talked to

them,

but yet

they remain

hard and

cynical.

Maybe

there's

somebody close

within your

family and

you've prayed

with them for

many years,

but as yet

there doesn't

seem to be

any response.

And the

experience of

life is

so often

that those

who hear

it seem

to reject

it the

most.

So what

are we to

do?

I don't

kind of

quite get

it because

we're telling

us on one

side everybody

must hear

the message,

but now you're

saying that

those who do

hear it don't

want to

believe it.

So what's

the point?

It all

seems a

waste of

time.

Why don't

we all

just go

home?

What's the

reason for

all of

this?

Well, we

must remember

that we

have a

gracious

and a

patient

God who

does not

give up

on his

people.

We must

patiently

keep

telling

the

gospel.

Because if

we do,

if we

keep telling

the gospel,

or as it

is in

chapter 10

verse 1,

he says,

my heart

desire my

prayer.

The reason

we can

keep on

praying and

keep telling

the story

of Jesus is

these three

things.

First,

God provokes

some to

jealousy.

Well,

what's that

about?

Well,

look at

verse 19.

Again,

I ask,

did Israel

not understand?

First,

Moses says,

I will

make you

envious

by those

who are

not a

nation.

I will

make you

angry

by a

nation

that has

no

understanding.

What he's

saying here

is this,

that those

who hear

the good

news,

but refuse

to believe

the good

news,

God's

going to

respond to

them by

taking it

from them

and giving

it to

somebody

else.

God is

going to

take the

good news,

as it

were,

from those

people and

give it to

another

people.

To make

them,

look at

verse 19,

I will

make you

envious,

or I will

make you

jealous.

The purpose

is that those

who have

rejected the

good news

will look

and see

the transformation

that the

gospel has

brought to

somebody else's

life and

they will

see what

the gospel

has done

in their

life,

how it's

changed them

and transformed

them and

they'll say,

I want that

back.

I now see

what it looks

like and what

it does and

I want it.

It's like

giving a gift

to one of

your little

children and

you take that

gift and you

want your little

child to enjoy

it.

You want

them to see

the pleasure

that it can

give them.

And you

bring it into

them and you

place it before

them but

instead of

them receiving

and going,

oh thank

you,

they throw a

hissy fit and

they throw it

across the

room.

And what

does the

parent do?

Well they

take that

gift and

they go to

the child

next door and

they present

it to the

child and

with a beaming

face that

little child

looks up and

receives it and

they open it

with full of

joy and they

delight in the

gift because

it's only then

that your child

will then see

its true value

and they'll say

I want that

back.

And that's

what God

will do.

For those who

have heard,

other people

will hear it and

they will see the

transformation and

say I want it

back.

That's the way

God works.

God saves in

surprising ways.

Verse 20

And Isaiah

boldly says

I was found

by those who

did not

seek me.

I was found

by those who

did not

seek me.

I revealed

myself to

those who

did not

ask for me.

God in

his grace

will save

those who

we never

ever thought

possible.

The most

surprising of

ways,

people who

never went

to church,

people who

never had

the privilege

of a Christian

family,

people who

just showed

no interest

whatsoever,

will hear

and they

will believe.

And you

might have

that friend

or there

may be

somebody

within your

family and

you're just

thinking right

now,

it's impossible

for them

to become a

follower of

Jesus.

It's

impossible for

them to

believe.

They've

always resisted

it.

They've

always rejected

it.

But with

God it's

never impossible

because I,

he says,

reveal myself

to those

who did

not ask

for me.

People who

never searched

or even

asked.

God can do

amazing things.

So be

encouraged that

God's grace

is not

restricted.

He can

soften the

most hardened

atheist.

He can

reach the

most distant

people group.

He can

change the

heart of

the most

brutal

dictator and

he can

touch your

closest loved

ones.

God saves

in the most

surprising of

ways.

And last,

God will be

graciously

patient.

Look at

verse 21.

Concerning

Israel,

he says,

all day

long I

have held

out my

hands.

All day

long I've

held out

my hands

to a

disobedient

and obstinate

people.

You see,

you and I

might want

to give up

on people.

Perhaps we

have.

We might

think that

all our

prayers are

useless,

that talking

is a waste

of time,

the energy,

the investment,

the love we

give,

and there

doesn't seem

to be a

response,

and we

just want

to give

up,

but not

with God.

Look what

it says in

verse 21.

All day

long I

have held

out my

hands to

a disobedient

and obstinate

people.

People may

refuse me,

he says,

but I

will never

give up

on them.

I will

forever hold

out my

hands,

reaching out

to them,

longing that

they will

take my

hands.

And God

has been so

graciously

patient with

you and

me,

and that

is why we

must be

patiently

telling the

good news

to other

people.

people.

This is

the story.

This is

where it's

all heading.

One day

people from

every tribe

and language

and nation

will be

gathered

together in

the new

heavens and

the new

earth where

there will

be no

more suffering

and no

more pain.

And we

are called

today as

a church

and as a

people to

be on

board that

mission.

And it

requires us

to invest

our lives,

our resources,

our finances,

all that we

have into

this mission

of God.

We want to

finish this

morning by

showing a

video.

Rob, if you

wouldn't mind

just flicking

it on there

for us.

And just

watch and

read the

text as it

comes up.

It's called

Beautiful Feet.

And let

through these

images and

through these

words remind

ourselves again

of the

calling that

we have.

Thanks, Rob.

Thanks, Rob.

Thanks, Rob.

Thanks, Rob.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.