Paul concluded our session yesterday by saying that those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Calling on the name of the Lord means a person must believe and confess that Jesus is the Christ and must believe that He has risen from the dead.
But no one can believe on Him if they've never heard of Him, so sharing the gospel is of vital importance. "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?" (Romans 10:14) When Christ was about to return to the Father, He gave His followers the great commission, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." (Mark 16:15) If we do not care about reaching our fellow man with the gospel, perhaps we do not care too much about Christ, for, "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35) If we love Christ, we have to love each other. He didn't say we have to like everything about our fellow man, but we can love them as human beings who have souls that need the Lord.
It is God who calls people to be preachers of the gospel. Unless His calling and anointing is on the life of a preacher, that preacher is working in his own strength and not in the Lord's. "And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:15a) This is why the expression is used by those who announce their intention to become ministers of the gospel, "The Lord has called me to preach." If the Lord isn't in the work, the work won't accomplish much.
But just because God doesn't call all of us to be preachers doesn't mean we can't do very important work for the kingdom of Christ. If every believer were a preacher, who would teach Sunday school? Who would do volunteer work like cooking for the sick and the bereaved? Who would sing songs of praise to the Lord during church services? Who would play the music? If we were all ministers of the gospel, who would share the gospel in workplaces? Each of us has work to do for the kingdom of Christ, and it's important to make sure we are in the role God has chosen for us. If we are where God wants us to be, we will be able to produce valuable fruit.
"As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" (Romans 10:15b) Paul quotes the words of the prophet Isaiah, who said, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'" (Isaiah 52:7)
Amen! The very word "gospel" means "good news". The gospel message is a message of peace, a message of good tidings, and a message of salvation. The gospel says, "Christ has risen from the dead! Your God reigns!" When we turn on the news channel the world around us seems out of control. Sometimes our own lives seem out of control. But our God reigns. "For God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne." (Psalm 47:7-8) God is still in charge, no matter whether the world around us or the devil himself tries to convince us otherwise. Our God commands us to share the gospel with those around us, whether He has called us to preach, to teach, to sing, to write, to do good works in the community, or simply to talk to our co-workers and friends about Christ. How can they believe in Him if they haven't heard of Him? We have been commissioned to make sure they hear of Him.
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