Romans 10:14-18 (NIV)

It is a great day to roam in Rome!

Romans 10:14-18 (NIV)
14 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?
15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
18 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."

This passage is used at mission conferences around the world. It should be used at mission conferences and it should be used in the local church. In Romans 1:16 we learned that the Gospel is the power of salvation unto all who believe. The theme of the book of Romans in this message is lived out by faith. Paul is bringing this passage right back to the theme of the book and asking some very pertinent questions. You can't call on one you have not believed. You can't even believe in something if you have not heard of it. People can't hear about it unless someone is sent to tell them. I believe in the missionary gift. I also believe that everyone is responsible to reach their friends, relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors. All of us have different gifts but we all have one mission and that is to tell the world about the Gospel of God! Now Paul comes back to the Israelites to say they have heard and they have rejected. This is very hard for all of us. We have friends, relatives etc., who have heard and as far as we can tell they have rejected or at least shown no interest. I believe in the fertile ground principle. When Jesus was teaching about the seed being sown by the farmer he talked about the soil being ready. The seed is good, but for a seed to grow it must have good soil. The good soil is the hearts of those where the seed of the Gospel is sown. I believe we must pray and find out where the good soil is for sowing the Gospel and then pour our resources there in those people. We can't afford to keep sowing good seed into the bad soil. Where does faith come from in order to believe? Faith comes from hearing the message. Even for the believer we must hear the message again and again in order for our faith to grow and be sustained. We must tell people the message of Christ if they are ever to believe. When is the last time you shared your testimony with an unbeliever? When is the last time you really shared the message of Christ with an unchurched person? I have to constantly be on my toes about this action step in my life. It is easy for me to get up and share from the so-called pulpit compared to my sitting down face to face with someone and sharing Christ's message. Let us help one another in this arena.

The church is under orders. Evangelistic inactivity is disobedience.

John R. W. Stott (1921– )