Sermon Notes - Romans 10:14-21 - Be a Messenger - Littleby Baptist Church - March 9, 2025

1.        Paul has been expressing his concern for the Jewish people.

a.        Their lack of faith in God.

b.       The fact that many did not recognize that the Father sent Jesus as their Savior.

c.        This all weighed heavily on Paul.

d.       It was breaking his heart.

e.        As it should be breaking ours when we look around and see people rejecting Christ.

2.        Last week we talked about a wonderful message.

a.        A message that if we believe in Jesus we will not be put to shame.

b.       We will not be judged for our sin.

c.        A message that was true for the Jewish believers of Paul’s day.

d.       Was true for the Gentiles living at that time.

e.        It is true for us sitting here this morning.

f.          And it is true for all the people alive in our world today.

g.        Call on the name of the Lord and be saved.

h.        Trust in Jesus and what He did for us.

i.          And be credited righteousness through our faith alone.

3.        A message that needs to be taken to the lost.

a.        To the Jewish people that Paul was writing about.

b.       To those in our lives.

c.        To those in the far ends of the earth.

4.        Romans 10:14

a.        If the Jewish people have not believed in God, how can they call on Him?

b.       How can they reach out to, how can they trust in, the One who they do not have faith in?

c.        How can they hear about Jesus if no one tells them?

d.       If no one witnesses to them.

e.        How can they hear without a preacher…

f.          Preacher, not as in a job title but as in a herald, a messenger, someone who has been trusted to share the Good News with others.

g.        Something we have all been called to do.

h.        Something that every believer in Christ has been entrusted with.

i.          Some great questions to start, Paul has one more.

5.        Romans 10:15

a.        How can the lost believe if no one sends a messenger?

b.       God sent preachers or messengers…

c.        He sent prophets to pave the way.

d.       He sent John the Baptist to preach repentance.

e.        He sent Jesus.

f.          He sent the disciples.

g.        He has sent all of us to be witnesses starting in our communities and for it to grow from there to the ends of the earth.

h.        Paul is quoting a portion of Isaiah 52:7

i.          Isaiah 52:7

j.          We are to bring the Good News to the people who need to hear it.

k.        Proclaiming salvation that comes from believing in the one the Father sent.

l.          Believing in Jesus Christ.

6.        How can people believe in Jesus?

a.        Christ followers need to be sent.

b.       Christians need to tell them about how amazing the gift that Jesus is offering is.

c.        Then people can choose to put their trust in Him.

d.       It starts with the faithful sharing.

7.        Romans 10:16

a.        Not all believed then.

b.       Not all will believe when they are told now.

c.        Which is an absolutely critical step… one must have faith.

d.       If it is missing.

e.        Salvation does not happen.

f.          The people of Israel in general did not believe.

g.        They did not accept the one the Father sent.

h.        They did not trust in Jesus who died on the cross for them.

i.          You might have noticed the word obeyed in this verse.

j.          This is more than belief or disbelief.

k.        Like it is some superficial thing.

l.          Belief is truly following God and the opposite is rejecting God.

m.     The people of Israel did not simply miss-understand and hence not believe.

n.        They refused to respond to God’s Good News.

o.        When one does not accept the message of Jesus, they are rejecting God.

p.       They are refusing to obey God.

q.       Judgement is coming.

8.        Romans 10:17

a.        Faith comes from hearing the Word of Christ being shared.

b.       We cannot tell someone about our favorite movie and it lead to Salvation.

c.        It has to be the Good News of Jesus.

d.       Only through the sharing of the Gospel can people hear the truth and accept the gift.

e.        That is why us being messengers is so important.

f.          That is why we are called to carry the message of Jesus to the lost.

9.        Romans 10:18

a.        Did the Jewish people, as a general rule have a chance to hear about Jesus?

b.       Luke 24:18

c.        They did not know that the man they were talking to was Jesus.

d.       Yet, they were surprised that He did not know about the events that had been happening in Jerusalem.

e.        Now in those days if something happened in Jerusalem, it would only be a matter of time before all the Jewish people would be aware of it.

f.          Paul is writing this letter 24 years after Jesus’ death.

g.        It is reasonable that the answer to this question for his Jewish brothers and sisters would be yes, they had heard the message of Jesus.

h.        Especially after the Apostle Peter preached in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

i.          With thousands being added to the church.

j.          Then add in the number of Gentiles who would have heard about Jesus by this time.

k.        It is likely the ‘whole earth’ or the ‘end of the world’ being the Roman Empire… would be a fair statement.

l.          Maybe even beyond that.

10.   The message has been shared.

a.        They had an opportunity to accept it.

11.   Romans 10:19

a.        Is it possible the nation of Israel did not understand?

b.       Paul is pulling from…

c.        Deuteronomy 32:21

d.       The people of Israel let other things get in the way of them seeing God at work in their midst.

e.        They did not realize who Jesus was.

f.          A nation that should have had wisdom and knowledge did not see the truth.

g.        Instead, a nation that is foolish or lacks understanding will see the truth.

h.        In Paul’s letters we find gentiles believing when Israel would not.

i.          The Jewish people had the Old Testament Scriptures that pointed to Jesus.

j.          They should have seen the truth.

k.        They should have known who Jesus was.

l.          Yet they rejected Him.

m.     In the New Testament we see that Paul and others witnessed to Gentiles and they believed.

n.        Then the Israelites tried to make things difficult for the Gentiles.

o.        They pushed them to follow the Law.

p.       They caused issues in many of the early churches.

q.       We can see it in many of Paul’s letters.

r.          They were jealous of the faith the Gentiles had.

s.        What was stated in Deuteronomy came true.

12.   Romans 10:20

a.        When Isaiah said these words, it was in regards to God making Himself known to the people of Israel when they were not looking for Him.

b.       When they were focused on their here and now and not looking to God for guidance.

c.        Paul is using these words to make a point.

d.       To remind his audience that those who did not have the Old Testament Scriptures will find God.

e.        Those who did not have the words of the prophets will see the truth.

f.          The Gentiles will find God through the messengers who bring the Gospel of Jesus to them.

g.        God reveals Himself to all.

h.        Those who have Faith in Jesus will be redeemed.

i.          That was true then.

j.          It is true today.

k.        Having book knowledge is one thing and it can help you, but it does not save you.

l.          Having saving faith in Christ and trusting in what He has done, is doing, and will do for those that follow Him… that saves you.

13.   Romans 10:21

a.        John the Baptist went to the Israelites and the leaders resisted his teaching.

b.       Jesus taught in the temple.

c.        He talked with the religious leaders.

d.       He performed miracles.

e.        He healed people in front of the religious leaders.

f.          Yet, they were disobedient.

g.        They were defiant.

h.        They rejected Jesus and His message.

i.          They did not obey God.

14.   Some of us rejected Jesus for a time in our lives.

a.        We did not see the value in Jesus.

b.       We may have rejected His gift over and over and over again.

c.        But our Lord did not give up on us.

d.       His love for us is constant.

e.        His love for those who do not follow Him today is the same.

f.          He wishes that all would turn to Him.

g.        He wishes that all would repent of their sins and choose to follow Him.

h.        That they would recognize that they are lost without Him.

15.   That can only change if they believe.

a.        If they accept the truth that Jesus is God.

b.       That He died on the cross to pay for our sins.

c.        That He defeated death and rose from the dead.

d.       That He has ascended to heaven and is sitting at the right hand of the Father.

e.        For one to be redeemed and set free, one must believe.

16.   The question for those of us who do believe, is are we willing to be messengers?

a.        Are we willing to be sent?

b.       Acts 1:8

c.        This is a command from God for all of us.

d.       To be His witnesses wherever we go.

e.        Be a witness in your community.

f.          And pray about being a witness in other areas around the world.

g.        Then ask the Holy Spirit to guide you so that others will believe and not be put to shame.

h.        Answer the call to be a witness.

17.   If you do not know Jesus this morning.

a.        Many in Israel made that mistake.

b.       But others turned to Him and are spending forever in His presence.

c.        Trust in Jesus and let Him wipe away your sins.

d.       Let Him set you free from your past.

e.        The first step is repenting of your sins and believing in Jesus.

f.          If that is you this morning I would love to pray with you.