- How can they call on the Lord if they have not believed in Him?
- They can’t
- How can they believe in the Lord if they have not heard of Him?
- They can’t
- How can they hear about Christ if no one shares the good news?
- They can’t
MOTIVATION:
An old man lived on a hill that overlooked the ocean. At the bottom of the hill was a public campground where people would come to pitch their tents, hike along the beach, and play in the surf. One day the old man was looking out at the ocean from his window when he noticed a huge tidal wave bearing down on the campground. He knew that the people who occupied the campground below were doomed. He had no phone or any other way to warn them from his hillside perch. And he knew that if he attempted to run down to the campground, by the time he got there, he would be wiped out, too. There was only one thing to do. He grabbed a book of matches and set his house on fire. Within minutes the people in the campground noticed the smoke from the fire and rushed up the hill to try to save the man. Just as the campers made it to the top, the tidal wave reached land and completely destroyed the campground and everything in it. But the people were saved.[i]
The man on the hill sacrificed his home to save the lives of people he didn’t even know. There was no other way. God did much more than that when he sacrificed his son on our behalf. There was no other way.
Just as the fire on the hill drew people away from the death and destruction of the tidal wave, so the cross draws people away from a life of sin and death. Jesus said, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32). When we run to the cross, we escape the death and destruction of sin. It’s the only way to salvation.
So, what are we supposed to do? What is my role in life? What is my purpose? Romans 10:14 gives us the answer: “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?”
One author explains this verse for us: Carrying God’s gracious offer involves human beings whom God has brought to Himself and then uses as His heralds. They share God’s message of salvation because He will save everyone who calls on His name.[ii]
Our job isn’t to save anyone. Our job is to share the Good News! And we need to get better at it. We need to learn to share our story. As a church we need to find more effective ways to reach people. Whether its through social media or the internet or one on one, we have got to find better ways!
In Acts 1:8 Jesus instructed His disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We are to reach those in our towns and cities, then our states and nation. But, then we are to find ways to reach beyond our borders.
This passage in Romans also challenges us to reach other nations. How can those in foreign lands believe if they don’t hear, and how can they hear if we don’t go? How can people from other parts of the world respond to the gospel if they have not heard? Maybe God is calling you?
It doesn’t matter if you are 15 or 75, God can use you! What are you willing to do to rescue others? Is God calling you:
- To go on a missions trip?
- To serve here?
- To help with outreach events?
APPLICATION:
- We need to share Christ with others
- We need to find more effective ways to do this
- We need to reach more nations (missions / internet)
- The gospel wasn’t just for me!
- We need to ask ourselves – what is God calling me to do?
- 28:18 “Go therefore and make disciples” – not just converts!