Prepare to Listen. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Prayerfully Read Romans 10:12-17 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ 14But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ 16But not all have obeyed the good news; for Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ 17So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect Recently I saw this bumper sticker: ‘Heaven has a wall and strict immigration policies. Hell has open borders!’ Which means only a few are in and most are out. It seems to me that whoever wrote and whoever displays this sign has never really learned the good news of Jesus. What’s your response to the bumper sticker? Paul tackled something similar, a belief that Jews were in, Gentiles were out. He counteracts this, saying, “there is no distinction…; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.” Lord of all, sovereign and in full control of all people, all creation. Thus, Jesus can be and is generous to any who call on him. This is the good news. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, what race you were born into, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Paul didn’t make this up. He learned it from the prophet Joel (2:32), whom he quotes in v. 13. But, and there is a but, how can people call on and believe in someone they’ve never heard of? Faith, says Paul, “comes from what is heard.” Whatever people hear will become the source of their faith, be it good or worthless stuff. The task of the preacher sent by God is to proclaim “the word of Christ.” Christ is both the content and author of the word of Christ; the message and the messenger. God’s sent preachers, like Paul, must determine “to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”[1] And why wouldn’t he or she? Christ is the only Savior with the power to save all, anyone who calls on him. Faith comes by hearing. What are you listening to and how will it increase your faith in Christ? Prayerfully Respond Lord, you are the only one who can save anyone who calls and believes. Keep me faithfully following you and not some human who won’t last. I choose to proclaim Christ who is generous to all. Amen. Live obediently. Call on the generous Lord. [1] 1 Corinthians 2:2
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
March 2024
Categories |