Sunday Sermon: Faith Comes by Hearing (Romans 10:14-17)

You're listening to the preaching ministry of Gabriel Hughes, pastor of Providence Reformed Baptist Church in Casa Grande, Arizona. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday on this podcast we feature teaching through a New Testament book, an Old Testament book on Thursday and our Q &A on Friday.

Each Sunday we are pleased to present our sermon series. Here is Pastor Gabe.

Well good morning.

Good morning.

If you would open your Bible please to Romans chapter 10 as we continue our series in the book of Romans. Last week reading those famous verses in 9 and 10, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved.

For with the heart one believes and is justified and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. There are basic essential truths that we must believe in order to truly understand ourselves to be saved but most especially our faith needs to be in our Lord Christ.

It's not enough that you have faith because you didn't have faith in anything but specifically who is the object of your faith and when we trust in Jesus who died on the cross who rose again from the dead for our justification then it is by faith that we are saved.

A doctrinal truth that Paul has been laying out throughout the course of this study that we've been in in Romans. But in order for you to know that you must have faith in Jesus Christ to be saved somebody has to tell you and that's what we're going to be reading about here as Paul goes on to talk about the announcement of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The world has all kinds of messages for us but it is only through the message of the gospel that we hear of Christ and are saved. Listen to this from Puritan Henry Greenwood who said the following quote, in the world there is a fourfold invitation yet only one leads to salvation.

The devil says come unto me but I will destroy you. The world says follow me but I will deceive you. The flesh says follow me but I will fail you. Christ alone says come unto me and I will deliver you.

We hear about the good news and the reason for announcing that good news. Reading today from Romans chapter 10 verses 14 to 17. In honor of the word of the King would you please stand. This is Romans chapter 10 beginning in verse 14.

Hear the word of the Lord. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed and how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news. But they have not all obeyed the gospel for Isaiah says Lord who has believed what he has heard from us?

So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. You may be seated as we pray. Heavenly Father we come to this passage today and we desire to be taught by your spirit. Any of us can hear the words but that they would get into our hearts that we would believe in them with a faith that has the strength to move mountains.

With a faith that is saving for we have trusted in the one who has died for us and risen again. It is by your spirit that we have come to understand these truths in a saving way. Not just hearing them with our physical ears but hearing and trusting in them with our spiritual hearts.

Lord everyone here who could call themselves a Christian everyone in this room who could say I am saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ has come to that faith has come to that knowledge because someone told them.

Perhaps we heard from our parents. Maybe it was from a Sunday school teacher. Maybe it was from an evangelist we encountered in a parking lot. Maybe it was a message that we heard on the internet. Maybe they were truths that had been said to us for years but it just took a while before it sank down into us and we understood I'm a sinner in need of a savior.

But however that message came to us it came to us being spoken to us. Nobody just came into this knowledge on their own. No one who just made up their minds one day that there's this guy named Jesus that I'm going to believe in and be saved.

This is what you have ordained for your church in the way that your people will be saved the message of the gospel goes forth and those who believe it are delivered from their sin from death from the judgment of God and have everlasting life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Help us to understand our role in this redemptive plan that you have set forth that we may know to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others and it's in the name of Jesus that we pray and all God's people said amen.

Our brother Alan had read for us this morning Isaiah chapter 52 and it's Isaiah 52 7 that is quoted here when Paul says how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news case you're unaware of the context of what's going on there in Isaiah chapter 52 the people of Judah specifically Jerusalem being addressed there in Isaiah 52 disobeyed God all of the wonderful things that God had done for them bringing them out of slavery in Egypt giving them a promised land giving them abundance in that land and instead of giving thanks to God they turn to the false gods of the pagans around them and they worship those gods instead of giving thanks to the Lord the true God and so God punished them by exiling them into the hands of the Babylonians but they would not perish there in Babylon.

Now Isaiah is writing all of this a hundred years before this takes place but it's all spoken about in a present tense when you are in captivity what will happen for you. And this good news is declared to them that they would not perish there in captivity but they would actually be brought out and they would come out with shouts of gladness now though they would be wallowing there in misery realizing their sin and living in a land that God had not given to them.

This was not the promised land that was guaranteed to the descendants of Abraham. They would wonder what would become of us here. And then there's this announcement of good news that's made in Isaiah 52 7.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him. Who brings good news. Who publishes peace. Who brings good news of happiness. Who publishes salvation. Who says to Zion your God reigns. Now here's the picture that's being given there by Isaiah in that passage these people are sitting in a foreign land and they are wondering has God forgotten us.

We certainly deserve it because we had worshiped false gods instead of the true God. And while they are sitting there someone as if a watchman on the wall would look into the distance and see someone coming with an announcement.

Now it was often said among watchmen that you could tell what kind of news was coming because of the kind of dust that the messenger would be kicking up as he came. If there wasn't a lot of dust then it was likely that the message that was coming was bad and the messenger is not in a hurry to come and deliver it.

And so the dust dust behind him as he is coming to deliver that message is kind of still so the watchman up there on the wall seeing the messenger coming would already know before he arrives looks like bad news.

But if that messenger is coming in haste and he is kicking up a storm and there's a big cloud of dust behind him. That was a pretty good indication the news that is coming to us is good and he can't wait to get there to deliver it.

And so the watchman will announce here comes the messenger. It looks like good news. And what would be said about that messenger who is coming. How beautiful are those feet that are coming to announce peace.

Good news of happiness. Who publishes salvation. Who says to Zion the City of God. This reminder your God reigns. And Paul takes that passage in Isaiah 52 and brings it into this letter that he is giving to the Romans and saying beautiful are those feet of anybody of anyone who brings the good news.

Who preaches salvation to those who are lost to those who are perishing. As we've been reading through Romans chapter 10 we've been hearing about how the Jews have not believed though the message of the has been given to them and yet they rejected it.

And yet it's from this lesson that we're learning from the Jews that we're also hearing about how everyone needs to hear the message of the gospel. And so Paul says there how will they call on him in whom they have not believed.

How is someone to preach unless they are sent. And how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news. And is it necessary for there to be preachers going out preaching the good news. Because as Paul says in verse 17 faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ.

That is going to be the main point of our message today that faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ. That we have come to know the Savior because we heard the Word of Christ and believed it.

And so likewise we need to know that word and share it with others. So others will come to faith in Jesus Christ and be saved. As we look on this passage today I've split it up this up as usual into three parts.

And we have first of all in the first half of verse 14 we come to understand that preaching is necessary with these questions that Paul asks here in the early portion of verse 14. Part 2 is the last question in verse 14 and going into verse 15 and through these questions we understand that people are needed.

Preaching is necessary and people are needed to do the preaching that is necessary. And then finally we have in verses 16 and 17 that this proclamation of the news that is needed brings about new life.

The proclamation brings new life. It has the power to change the power to save. So once again as we look at this passage together we'll hear that preaching is necessary. Number one people are needed. Number two and proclamation brings new life.

Number three and built into these three points are also the application that we will consider which I will I will bring to your attention at the end. But through this we understand faith comes from hearing.

The saving faith that is needed comes from hearing the Word of Christ and so it must be proclaimed. And we need people to proclaim it. Verse 14 once again how then will they call on him in whom they have not believed.

And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard. And how are they to hear without someone preaching. Let's just focus on those first two questions. For now how then will they call on him in whom they have not believed.

And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard. Now remember this is in the context of Israel does not believe. There are people that have certainly asked how is it that Israel who has been the chosen people of God they've not come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and they're going to perish.

Paul has been arguing here from the end of chapter 9 and into chapter 10 that their unbelief is is a willing unbelief. They choose to not believe. It is because that is in their hearts to not believe God and what he has said in his word.

Remember that we read previously at the beginning of chapter 10 they are attempting to gain the kingdom through their own righteousness instead of the righteousness of God. And this righteousness that we need is a righteousness that comes only by faith.

The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it. That is a righteousness that is by faith. But Israel who pursue who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.

So they do not have the righteousness that is necessary for eternal life for entering into the kingdom of God. It is a righteousness that comes only by faith. Israel has failed to attain it because in their hearts their desire was not God.

Their desire was themselves. They desired their own way of doing things instead of believing what God has said in his word. This is why they did not recognize that Jesus is the Christ. Because they had not been hearing God in his word.

And instead pursuing their own religious cause and their own religion was not sufficient to save. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed. They in this verse in verse 14 is Israel.

The direct context here when Paul asked this question is Israel. How will they the Israelites call on him in whom they have not believed. And later on Paul will say in verse 18 we have a question that we will get to.

We'll study this portion next week. But Paul's saying I asked have they not heard. Indeed they have. So Israel doesn't have any excuse to say well we hadn't heard the gospel anyway. No they've heard it.

In fact they're the first to hear it. Because remember Jesus said to his disciples the Commission as it's given in Acts 1 8 you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

So where's the first place the Apostles go to preach the gospel. They go to Zion the very city that's being addressed in Isaiah 52 they go to Jerusalem announced the gospel there at Pentecost. In Acts chapter 2 we read about how thousands of people came to faith in Jesus Christ that first time the gospel is preached 3 ,000 souls on that first day.

And then as the chapters of Acts continue there's many thousands more that get added. You know we have this huge church of thousands of people that are gathered there in Solomon's portico in the temple to hear the Apostles preach.

It's a pretty amazing thing in the work that the Holy Spirit is doing. But understand there were over a hundred thousand Jews in Jerusalem. So even though many thousands do come to faith. And it's a great revival when the gospel is first preached for the first time.

Yet there are many thousands who heard it and rejected it. The chief priests and scribes all of them who would persecute the prophets because they did not like that they were saying the way of salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Jews were insistent it's the law of Moses. We have to do the law. But on recognizing their inability to keep the law and that only Jesus had kept the law perfectly. Yet the righteous one who came to them it was sent by God.

They put him to death just as they had done to the prophets who were sent by God before him. I've been reading through Acts chapter 7 on the podcast just finished Acts 7 this past Wednesday. But it's there that we read of the speech of Stephen Stephen who was the first martyr in the church and he was a deacon.

God bless you deacons. But the first martyr was was a deacon of the church and he's brought before the Sanhedrin after he had been proclaiming the gospel and performing many many miracles. They hated the message that he was preaching.

So they bring him there to accuse him of blaspheming God and the law of Moses. But what Stephen demonstrates there in his speech is it's actually he who is keeping the Word of God. It's he who is upholding the law of Moses.

These people who claim that they're doing it do not. They ignore the word and continue to make the same errors that their fathers before them did. They who had persecuted the prophets rejecting the Word of God instead of hearing it and believing it.

So they have heard they have heard from the Old Testament scriptures. Remember we read back in Romans 3 they were the first to receive the oracles of God. The message of the gospel is announced even in the Old Testament before Christ comes and fulfills everything that had been prophesied.

So they had heard the gospel. They had heard the message of the Lord Jesus Christ who had come who had died and risen again but they did not believe it. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed.

So the direct application here is with regards to Israel. But as the argument plays out it also applies to the nations. How will anybody. How does anybody call on him in whom they have not believed. Call on him in what way.

Remember the last verse that we read last week in Romans 10 13. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. That was a quote from the Old Testament. And quote. And and calling on the Lord in what way.

Save me wretched man that I am. Paul said in Romans 7 who will save me from this body of death. Or the tax collector that Jesus talked about who went into the temple who beat his breast would not even lift his eyes to heaven and said God have mercy on me a sinner.

And whoever in such ways calls on God will be saved. Now we also recognize that Romans 10 comes after Romans 9. That's not the deepest theological thought I will give you today. But surely you recognize chapter 10 comes after chapter 9.

Those who call on God were first called by God. And that effectual calling of God upon the heart is recognized in the person who with their mouth confesses that Jesus is Lord. Just as we read last week in verses 9 and 10 the person who calls out to God has been called by God.

And that effectual calling of the Holy Spirit on their hearts has wrought in them an understanding of their sin and the consequence of that sin which is judgment. And the solution to that problem is Christ.

And so they call upon the Lord save me. And they call on him because they believe that only he can. The one who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord but how do they know to call on him in whom they have not believed.

And this goes back to what Paul had said in verse 10. With the heart one believes and is justified. And with the mouth one confesses and is saved. So if you were kind of questioning there in verse 9 where he says.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. Well which one of those comes first. Do we believe first. And then we confess.

Of course of course that's the order in which it comes. And so Paul says in verse 14. Then how do they call on him in whom they have not believed. He puts he puts the the order right front and center.

Right there. You believe first. You can't call unless you have faith. There are people who may say many Christian things but they don't really believe it in their heart. It's just performative. They might say it with their mouths as Jesus said to the Pharisees Isaiah said of you false teachers.

They acknowledge me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. So both must go hand in hand. It can't just simply be reciting an incantation some sort of magic words and then poof I'm saved. No there must be a genuine heartfelt desire for God in the interior part of that person who calls out it comes from the inside out.

They call on him whom they believe in. How will they call on him in whom they have not believed. The next question that follows from that how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard. So if they must believe and confess with the mouth then ultimately what must happen first.

They must be told. They must hear even of their sin and their need for a savior. There was a a preacher who was on a podcast not long ago I was listening to this exchange that he had with the the host of the podcast.

It was very evident that the host of the podcast was not a believer. I mean he would make statements throughout the podcast about you know Christ is Lord and and that this needs to be a nation one nation under God.

He would make statements like that but you could tell by other things that he said he did not really have a transformed heart that truly believed in God plenty of other behaviors and habits in his life that he loved sin that he clung on to.

And he didn't really understand that sin would eventually be his judgment if he did not repent. So recited a lot of words didn't really believe them. That preacher at one point reminded him of what the gospel was.

But what the preacher shared was really kind of a textbook definition of penal substitutionary atonement. I'm not going to go into the long explanation of that now but that was basically the answer the preacher gave to him of that Jesus died on the cross for our sins he as our substitute we deserve to die.

But Christ took it upon himself instead. And and and that is the message of the gospel now. All of that was true. But what was missing in that exchange. There was nothing on the part of the preacher to say to this man.

And you must repent of your sin and believe in what I just told you. Or you will perish under the judgment of God. There was nothing like that in the message. All it was was just sharing information. But there wasn't anything in that sharing that was imperative upon the other person.

Like it's more than just saying Christ is Lord. That's true. That's good. Thank you for repeating that statement. But you actually have to believe it. And Christ as Lord you understand that he is also your judge.

And whose righteousness are you going to be judged by on the day of judgment when we stand before God. Will you be judged on your righteousness. Remember the Jews are trying that and they're not going to succeed.

Or will you be judged according to Christ's righteousness which has been imputed to the person who believes by faith. There is an imperative to repent and believe in the gospel. I'll get to that again here in just a moment.

It's more than just sharing information but that there actually must be a call to respond to it again. This first point here as we're looking at verse 14 in these first two questions of verse 14 the point here is that preaching is necessary.

You've probably heard this quote from Saint Francis of Assisi. Preach the gospel if necessary. Use words. You ever heard that said before. Two problems with that quote number one Saint Francis of Assisi never said it.

It's actually no record that he ever said this. This was a real popular quote when I was growing up in a Christian culture in the 90s. I even went to a a whole uh like conference that was built around this quote not a verse from the Saint Francis of Assisi.

There was even a gospel music album that came out in 1998 that was inspired by that quote from Saint Francis of Assisi. And he never said it. Somebody came up with it and wanted to give some weight to it.

So they just grabbed Saint Francis's name and stuck it on there and said well Saint Francis said it so it must be it must be important. But he never said there's no record in any of Saint Francis's teachings writings that he ever made such a.

That's the first problem with the quote. It's not even Saint Francis's second problem with the quote. Words are necessary. So preach them. Preach the gospel if necessary. Use words. I mean I understand the point your actions need to match with the gospel that you claim that you believe in if you claim that you're a follower of Jesus Christ.

And you must demonstrate with your life that you are follower of Jesus Christ. But your actions are not the gospel. They are the effect of the gospel. Some of you are surely aware that there was another attempt on the president's life last night at the White House Correspondents Dinner.

When I heard about it I pulled it up on social media. And I'm just seeing video after video that people are posting of all of the commotion that was going on in the Correspondents Dinner. Uh Secret Service agents with guns they're looking for the guy.

You hear pops in the background and all this kind of thing. But you don't know what's going on. How do you know what's happening. Somebody has to tell you. You don't turn on the news and just look at whatever is happening going.

I think that the stock market's down. Right. I can't really quite tell. But maybe that's what's going on. Right. We don't try to discern news by just simply observing everybody's actions. When you turn on the nightly news if those of you still do that or you watch a YouTube video I don't know to catch your how are people catching their news most of the time anymore.

Not as much by cable and newspaper as it used to be. But whenever you turn on the news you don't sit there and watch the person who's supposed to be delivering the news to you mime it with with uh with charades to communicate to you the news.

They tell you the they open their mouths and they tell you what's going on in the world. And that's how the message of the gospel needs to be shared. Not by your actions though your actions may affirm to a person who's watching you that you really believe what it is that you say.

But the message of the must be announced. It must be spoken. There must be words. Preach the gospel if necessary. It's necessary. So use words. The preaching is necessary. How will they believe in him of whom they have never heard.

Part two is people are needed. We need people to share the message of gospel. And that's in the last question of verse 14 and going into verse 15. How are they to hear without someone preaching. And how are they to preach unless they are sent.

Now let's look at the first question first. How are they to hear without someone preaching. A lot of times when it comes to sharing the message of the gospel we tend to have this idea that that needs to be done by great preachers.

And certainly there's a need for great preachers. It is hard to ignore the impact of people in history and the great preaching that they have done. There's a movie out in theaters right now about george whitfield and all of the things that he did in helping to shape the founding of the united states of america just by preaching preaching the gospel.

That movie's called the great awakening. I haven't seen it yet but i've heard it's great for those of you who've seen it. Let me know your good review afterward. George whitfield and jonathan edwards are two great preachers during the first great awakening that are often attributed with helping to shape the moral mind of the culture.

When the united states of america was being founded and it was just through preaching the gospel. They weren't preaching politics. They weren't. They weren't telling everybody well we've got this great constitution that everybody's going to sign.

It wasn't like that it was. It was preaching the gospel of jesus christ. And even the message of the gospel helped to form the hearts of the people that would be at the beginning of this nation a nation that was founded most principally upon a desire to want to hear the word of god preached.

Those first pilgrims that came over to this land from europe came here because they were trying to escape the tyranny that was upon those who wanted to worship god freely according to what the bible says preaching has had some amazing impact.

So there is a need for great preachers. And every once in a while we see god raise up incredible preachers in our culture and in our time. Billy graham is one that often gets cited because of just how incredible and immense his evangelistic ministry was.

Even my son and i when we were pulling into the the parking spot this morning to unload the trailer as we were coming in it was billy graham that came on the air. His stuff is still going out is still being broadcast.

And by some estimates by the time that he died he may have preached the gospel to a billion people. And that's god who in his timing may set people in those times and places to proclaim the gospel. Great preachers are certainly needed.

But there are also a need for preachers who are just going to sit and talk with a person one-on-one and share the gospel with them that way. And that's preaching too. And there are people that you are going to interact with that i may never actually meet.

And it's perfectly okay if like in the spirit of andrew peter's brother you're talking with a person and you're saying to yourself i don't know how to answer this question but my pastor does. And you want to bring them to church to come talk to me.

That's great too. That's perfectly fine. And i've shared the gospel with people many times in that way because somebody didn't know i don't know how to answer this question but i know somebody who could maybe answer these questions for you.

And if i don't know i'll tell you to go talk to alan. But there are people that you will interact with and share the gospel with them in a way that i may never have that opportunity with that person parents the gospel you're teaching to your children you're preaching the good news.

It may not be behind a podium it may not be in front of an audience. It may not be with a big podcast ministry but just sitting around the dinner table and opening up the bible and reading it together and helping your kids understand their own sin and their own need for a savior whenever you have to discipline your kids.

And you may go through a lesson with your child and saying to your child you've sinned. But first you've sinned before god before you sin against me. And then using that disciplined moment to tell them about the savior who saves.

And all of these moments and sharing with them the gospel of christ with your kids will eventually lead to a day god willing their hearts are penetrated by the truth that you've continued to share with them and plant and so in them for years.

And finally by the blessing of the spirit it registers and they come to know the truth and are saved because of your preaching because of the good news that you announced to your child even through a loving conversation.

People you may minister to in a hospital in a nursing home in your neighborhood friends family co-workers out in the public open air preaching or sitting down at a coffee shop over a cup of joe and sharing the good news of jesus christ.

These are all manners and forms of preaching that needs to happen. And we need people to preach. How are they to hear without someone preaching. But then verse 15 really does kind of look into the scope of preachers in front of large crowds.

Or even missionaries that go abroad. Verse 15. How are they to preach unless they are sent. So we need churches also who are behind people who are missionaries who will go into other parts of the world.

Now missionary mission work can happen right here in casagrande. It can happen in arizona. It can happen in the united states of america believe it or not there are even missionaries that are being sent to the united states from other parts of the world.

I've met them. We often think about well africa africa needs missionaries. Sure we can send missionaries there. But when i told you i've met missionaries that have even come to the united states. And missionaries i've met came from africa.

They came to the united states to share the gospel and plant churches and make disciples of all nations. So it may be going into another part of the world. But whatever it might happen to be it's that preaching is needed.

Preaching is still needed. And how are they to preach unless they are sent. And so we come to that verse as i started with in the beginning as it is written how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news.

What a person who would commit themselves to sharing the gospel of jesus christ with somebody else. And their feet are beautiful. Who come to announce the gospel of peace. There can be peace between you and god.

The judgment of god is satisfied by jesus christ who died on the cross for you who rose again from the dead. And all who believe in him will not perish but have everlasting life. Those who are not in christ are under the wrath and judgment of god.

But if you believe in jesus his wrath is satisfied. We're quoting here from isaiah 52. It's the very next chapter isaiah 53 that we read of the suffering servant. That prophecy concerning jesus christ.

He who was crushed for our iniquities upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace. And by his wounds we are healed. The world needs to hear this as i said as i said to you at the start that quote from henry greenwood there's all kinds of messages that are coming from the world.

The devil saying come unto me but i will destroy you. The world saying follow me but i will deceive you. The flesh saying follow me but i will fail you. It is only christ who says come unto me and i will deliver.

And that's ultimately what the word salvation means. To be saved is to be delivered to be delivered from the hand of god into the hand of god that he whose wrath burns against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men as we read about in romans 1 18.

For those who are in christ jesus his love is poured out upon us. Paul goes on in verse 16 to say. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. This is part three. Now the proclamation that brings new life.

We've heard of preaching that is necessary people that are needed. But then finally remembering recognizing that this proclamation of the gospel brings new life. Verse 16. They have not all obeyed the gospel.

Everyone who has heard it has not obeyed. And particularly as this pertains to israel not all in israel have obeyed the gospel. Now what is this about obedience. Because as you've heard me say as you've heard from paul as we've been going through the book of romans you are not saved by your works.

You're saved by grace through faith. Romans 4 5. To him who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly. His faith is counted as righteousness. So what is this about obeying the gospel.

I didn't know we had to obey anything in order to be saved. My friends obedience to the gospel comes in this way. Repent and believe. That's obeying the gospel. That's exactly the way jesus presented it at the very beginning of his ministry mark 115.

The time has come the kingdom of god is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel. That's the obedience to the gospel. As i said to you a moment ago the gospel is not just merely information. It does demand a response.