I. The Word: Romans 10:16-21 (ESV)

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for

“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,

and their words to the ends of the world.”

19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,

“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;

with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”

20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,

“I have been found by those who did not seek me;

I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Reflection Questions:

• Have you ever “heard” someone speaking without really listening to what that person was saying?

• Have you ever received a compliment, good report, or good news that really blessed or encouraged you?

• What was the difference in your experience between the above two instances?

Today’s verses delve into the origins of our faith. Interestingly enough, it all hinges on one key faculty–hearing.

The verses immediately preceding today’s text (vv. 14-15) give us a step-by-step guide of how people come to faith–they believe in and call upon Jesus Christ to save them upon hearing the Good News of what God has made available to us through the finished work of Christ.

There’s no way we can be saved without hearing the Good News preached, but it doesn’t end there. We must also listen and receive the Good News with a willing and submitted heart.

You may be wondering, “What does my attitude toward the Gospel have to do with its effect on me? Does it really make any difference?”

It makes every difference. It’s the difference between a seed falling on a concrete sidewalk and a seed being planted in rich, fertile soil. In both instances, the same seed is going forth, but the ways in which the seed is received are drastically different.

Likewise, the Gospel message is being preached all over the world; however, not everyone adheres to it in the same way. God’s Word is true whether we believe it or not, but it’s when we believe and receive the Word for ourselves that it produces the life-transforming fruit of salvation in our lives.

Hebrews 4 gives us a perfect illustration of this: “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.” (Hebrews 4:1-2 ESV).

In today’s verses, Paul compares and contrasts the way different people groups (i.e. the Israelites and everyone else) have responded to the Gospel.

For now, let’s highlight how the Israelites responded to the Gospel. Paul alludes to Isaiah and Moses and the response they received when preaching the Gospel to their fellow Jewish brothers and sisters:

“But of Israel he says, ‘All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people’” (Romans 10:21 ESV).

Or in Isaiah’s words:

“I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices;” (Isaiah 65:2 ESV).

The above verses depict the Lord with outstretched hands. Imagine that for a second. God is perfect and complete in and of Himself. He’s surrounded by endless beauty and angels who praise Him non-stop. Yet in all His splendor and glory, He chooses to humble Himself to sinful humanity with outstretched hands.

It boggles my mind that the Creator of the universe would willingly put Himself in a position like that. What’s even more astounding is the people’s response to Him! During the time Isaiah was preaching this message, the Israelites were turning away from God to idol worship and basically ignoring God’s Word.

Before we sit here and judge the Israelites, let’s consider for a moment that we are all guilty of this too. Even the best of us have fallen short of God’s Glory. Pretty disheartening right?

But guess what, there’s Good News! Jesus fulfilled the law in its entirety, died a sinner’s death on the cross, and was raised to life, so we could be set free from this deadly, sinful cycle!

God’s Grace and love and outstretched hands have now empowered us to obey His Word. His Word no longer has to fall on deaf ears, on people who don’t have a desire to obey Him. The Gospel awakens us to faith.

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17 ESV). How can faith come from hearing? Hearing what? Hearing the Word of God.

Now, when you hear God’s Word being preached by Pastor Chris and Pastor Randy, when you are listening to a podcast, or reading the Bible in your devotional time, you can listen with a heart of faith. You can receive it personally for yourself. You can believe it and obey it by acting upon it.

The best part of all is we can finally relax. You no longer have to get into God’s good graces by trying to earn it because it is the work of Christ that allows us to be at peace with God. Hearing God’s Word and mixing it with faith in your heart then allows you to enter God’s rest.

“So if God prepared a place of rest, and those who were given the good news didn’t enter because they chose disobedience over faith, then it remains open for us to enter. Once again, God has fixed a day; and that day is “today,” as David said so much later when he wrote in the psalm quoted earlier:

Today, if you listen to His voice,

Don’t harden your hearts.”