Passage
Romans 10:14-21 (ESV)
The Lord Sends Jacob Back to the Land
Genesis 31:1-30
Key Verse: 31:3
Hearing and Believing
Date: Jun. 8, 2015
Daily Bread
Key Verse: 10:14
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?
First, we are responsible for preaching the gospel (14-15). Paul longed for Israel to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. Perhaps we have such a longing for all the nations of our day. If so, we need to think backwards about what must take place. In order for them to call, they must hear. In order for them to hear, the word must be preached to them. And how can it be preached if we are not sent? We see that a longing for others to be saved leads to a sincere desire to go and preach the gospel. Paul quotes Isaiah, saying "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news..." May God bless our feet and make them beautiful in this way!
Second, we are responsible for believing the gospel (16-21). Paul says that faith comes from hearing the message of Christ. Israel's problem wasn't that they didn't hear the message. Understanding wasn't their problem either, for they could see God's redemptive work among the Gentiles. Their problem was unbelief. They stubbornly refused to obey God's word of salvation in Christ. God says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people." We must believe the gospel and turn to Christ by faith.
Prayer: Father, use us to preach the good news of Jesus.
One Word: Go and preach the gospel of Christ!
