FAITH IN JESUS BRINGS JOY
Romans 10:11-21
EXCITED ABOUT JESUS
V:11 For the Scripture says, \”WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.\” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for \”WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.\”
- The reason for not being disappointed is verses 9
Romans 10:9-10
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth, he confesses, resulting in salvation.
- Surely you will be ridiculed for your belief in Jesus. But there will be no dishonor from the Lord.
- Rather, we will find honor as we hold on to our faith in Jesus.
- We now live in a time when man would rather proclaim a lie for
Personal gain than pursue the truth.
- The only source of truth is the Word of God which never changes.
- There are many religions, but one faith in Jesus Christ.
- The Jews were very religious and zealous for their belief in the law,
(the first five books of the Bible), but without an understanding.
- They put their faith in their traditions and believed the lie that
Jesus was not the Son Of God.
- The Jews held on to the promises of Abraham as their father,
But not the faith of Abraham in the Lord Jesus.
- God is no respecter of person or race.
- God is the God of all who call on Him.
- God has made Himself available to everyone, but we have to make a
The decision to follow His commands.
- We cannot trust ourselves and claim God as Father.
- We receive untold blessings by following God’s commands.
- Our disobedience causes us to believe the lies of Satan and
The loss of the riches of God.
- The greatest blessing given to us who believe in Jesus is salvation.
- Satan is happy with those who reject Christ.
CALLED TO BELIEVE
V:14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, \”HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!\”
- The Lord we serve is full of grace and mercy.
- He called us before the foundation of the earth (Ephesian 1:4)
To believe in Jesus.
- No one can come to Jesus unless he/she is dawned by the Father.
- This brings up the question of whether those who refuse to believe in
Jesus was called.
- We know those who are called have a time frame when they accept
The call.
- Verse 14 could be directed at the elect and the nonelect.
- A good percentage of the Jews refused to believe.
- If they refused to believe, they refuse the call and therefore
Refused to hear the Word of God.
- By the same token, because believers accepted the call, they are
Willing to hear the preachers of God and thus learn of Him.
- There is another concept to consider.
- Those who were predestined before the foundation of the earth
Were given a heart or mindset to accept Jesus as their personal
Savior.
- Is it true that those who were not predestined will never accept
The call because they were not given the heart to hear the Word?
- God has given us preachers to teach us the Word and proclaim the
Good news about Jesus.
- In the Word are our hope and our salvation.
- Our hope for our daily blessings includes all the abundance
Of the Lord.
- The hope includes the assurance of our salvation.
- This text is a warning to the church of believers not to get involved
In the lies of the world and to hold onto the promises God has
Made to us.
DESTRUCTION WITHOUT FAITH
V:16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, \”LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?\” 17 So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.
18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;
\”THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH,
AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.\”
- Unbelievers are without excuse.
- The Jewish unbelievers had the Word and the evidence of
The resurrection of Jesus yet refused to believe.
- The Jewish religious leaders knew the Word concerning
The coming of the Messiah and had reported the scripture
Concerning His birth to Herod thirty three years earlier.
- Since faith comes by hearing the Word of God, the Jewish
Leaders purposely closed their ears to promote their traditions.
- Their traditions did not include the righteousness of God
But the righteousness of their thoughts.
- Not only did they deceive themselves, but also those
They were charged to teach.
IGNORANCE BY CHOICE
V:19 But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,
\”I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS BY THAT WHICH IS NOT A NATION,
BY A NATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WILL I ANGER YOU.\”
20 And Isaiah is very bold and says,
\”I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME,
I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.\”
- Israel knew the Word of God but willfully rejected God.
- They had witnessed the power and authority of God over
The Egyptian Army who He destroyed in the Red Sea.
- They had the Word of God given to them on Mount Sanai
Which the whole nation agreed to follow.
- They had the provisions and protection of God throughout
Their 40 years in the desert.
- They knew God through their personal experience with Him,
But refused to obey His commands,
- Some 700 years after Moses complaint against the Israelites,
Isaiah wrote the same complaint prior to God using the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and the temple.
- Israel had 17 prophets after Moses who constantly reminded them
Of the presence of God.
- They became a hardheaded stubborn people refusing to worship
The true and living God.
- Included in the promise to Abraham was many nations that He would be
The father.
- The Word went first to the Israelites and after their rejection to the
Gentiles.
- God’s promise to Abraham did not change.
- Through time we have learned how God executes His plan.
- The Word was proclaimed to the Gentiles through the missions
Of the Apostle Paul.
- The Word preached to the Gentiles was gladly received
With conviction and devotion.
THANK GOD FOR HIS TOLLERANCE
V:21 But as for Israel He says, \”ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.\”
- The God we serve is very tolerant of our disobedience.
- While Israel rejected God, He has not abandoned His
Promise to them.
- Romans 11:25-27
Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
\”The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
and this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.\”
- The Lord keeps His promises regardless of our disobedience.
- His grace and mercy endure forever.
THANK GOD FOR BEING GOD
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Parkway North
Houston, Texas 77041
