Hear

Yesterday, Paul revealed his heart. Today, he challenges our hearts ... our mouths ... our lives.


Romans 10
5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.
6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven’ (to bring Christ down to earth).
7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead’ (to bring Christ back to life again).”
8 In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:
9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.
13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”


Hear. God left it up to us to share the most important message anyone will ever hear! There have been many times when I have wondered why God would leave such an important task in the hands and mouths of such flawed creatures; but I think it’s because the message (the “good news”) makes more sense when demonstrated. When other people can see God’s love and Jesus’ grace in our lives, the words of the message become more beautiful ... almost irresistible. It is when the words and the demonstration contradict themselves that people become confused. As Jesus followers, we have been asked to tell (check out Matthew 28:18-20); but we must make sure that the message has truly changed us before it can change anyone else.