October 21, 2016

Romans 10:13-15

(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)

I am taking a quick break From Egypt To Canaan to present The Logic Of Missions.  This coming Sunday, I have been given the privilege of being the main speaker at a missions conference in a church I used to pastor in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania. All Christian churches, as well as individual Christians, should have a plan for missions – for outreach.  And it should be a Biblical and logical plan!  The basis for this plan is found in Romans 10:13 through 15:

      For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.  How then
      shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall
      they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they
      hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are
      sent?

There are five steps to this Logic Of Missions, and they are presented in reverse order:

•      The fifth step is verse 13.  But a more complete description of this step is found in Romans 10:9 through 13:

      …if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart
      that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the
      heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
      to salvation.  For the scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be
      put to shame.”  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the
      same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.  For whoever calls up-
      on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

This is what one must do to be saved!  It is more than just calling on Him.  For Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”  The ‘calling’ must be accompanied by genuine heart faith – that He died for your sins, “my sins!” and that He lives again! (See Hebrews 7:25, Revelation 1:18).  It does not matter who you are or what your background is!  Just come to Him and accept Him as your Savior!

•      The fourth step is in verse 14:  “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?”  It is by faith!  And according to Hebrews 11:6, “…without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is [exists], and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  You can’t come to someOne you don’t believe is even there!

•      The third step is also found in verse 14:  “And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? ”  People have to hear the gospel before they can believe it – that…

      ✞      God Himself became incarnate when Jesus Christ (the Son of God, God the Son) left the glories of heaven and became a man! (See Philippians 2:5-8).

      ✞      Jesus lived the perfect sinless life we could never achieve! (See Hebrews 7:26; I Peter 2:22).

      ✞      He voluntarily offered Himself on Calvary’s cross as the perfect sacrifice for the sin of all mankind! (See John 10:18; I Peter 3:18).

      ✞      He rose from the dead, conquering sin, Satan, death, and hell! (See Luke 10:18; I Corinthians 15:54; Hebrews 2:14; I John 3:8).

      ✞      He lives forever to apply salvation to all who by faith come to God through Him! (See John 17:3; Hebrews 7:25).

•      The second step is in the last part of verse 14:  “And how shall they hear without a preacher? ”  Someone has to go and tell the gospel to those who have not heard!

•      The first step is in verse 15:  “And how shall they preach unless they are sent? ”  It is not everyone’s calling to go to remote places to give the gospel to those who dwell in spiritual darkness.  But it is every Christian’s responsibility to provide assistance to those who are called to go!

Too many Christians think of missions as one being called to serve God in remote jungles or other primitive places!  Yes, that is one aspect of missions.  But the Lord, just before He ascended into heaven, told His disciples in Acts 1:8:

      But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and
      you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria,
      and to the end of the earth.

Where was this said?  Just outside of Jerusalem!  In other words, we are to begin our missionary endeavors right where we are – to our own family, our neighbors, our friends, our co-workers and school mates!  It does not take much financial support (prayer support, yes!) to fulfil this missionary call!  So be a missionary starting with your Jerusalem!