Good morning, church family. My name's Bec, if I haven't met you yet.
We're going to continue reading from Romans chapter 10, starting at verse 14.
The previous verse says,
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
So that's where we're picking up from in the very next verse, verse 14.
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.
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.
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.
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.
But of Israel, he says,
All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.
This is the word of the Lord.
Good morning, everyone.
If you're visiting today,
My name is David.
I'm one of the pastors here.
A warm welcome to you.
We're in Romans 10.
If you want to get your Bibles open to there,
and I'm just going to pray before we sit under God's word.
Father, we ask for your spirit to illuminate our minds
so that we understand your word.
And we pray for your mercy,
that your word would penetrate each one of our hearts,
that we might see the Lord Jesus as he is,
that we might be rejoicing in the salvation we have in him.
A fresh, Lord, maybe for the first time,
we pray that you'd be in this room now speaking by your word.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
There was a public atheist, Alex O'Connor.
I don't know if you've come across his material.
He shares his personal experience
to what he sees as one of the biggest problems of Christianity,
the problem of divine hiddenness.
If there is an all-loving God who desires a relationship with us,
then why is God so hidden?
Alex says this,
If there is a God, then simply why is he hidden from so many of us
so much of the time?
I've looked in poetry, I've looked in the Psalms,
in Job, in Ecclesiastes,
I've looked in Dostoevsky,
I don't think I said that right,
I read C.S. Lewis,
I listened to worship music,
I prayed,
I studied the gospel,
I even got an actual degree in theology at a university,
and nothing, nothing.
Not once, not nearly, not ever,
not even briefly have I experienced anything
that it speaks to the existence of a God in the universe.
I don't want to quickly minimise this problem.
You can almost hear his heart in this.
I don't think apologetic arguments,
like the fine-tuning of the physics in this universe that we're even here,
like that is astonishing,
but I don't think multiplying those kind of arguments solves this problem.
We should take this problem seriously,
because we believe from Genesis and the whole Bible
that we were created for face-to-face communion with God.
So where does the problem for Alex O'Connor
and many others seeking God lie?
What's going on?
Where's the problem?
Let's consider that question
as we look at the problem for Israel in Paul's day,
in our passage today.
Where does the problem lie?
Just to get our bearings again,
chapters 9 to 11 is answering the problem that,
in Paul's day,
so many Israelites,
despite all their privileges,
having all the Old Testament knowledge,
they're outside the kingdom.
They're not saved.
Throughout these chapters,
the contrast is always there.
They're outside,
but Gentiles are flocking in.
They're in.
What?
What's going on?
Chapter 9 is focusing,
saying God's word has not failed.
It's always been the case since Ishmael and Isaac
that it's not the physical descendants of Abraham,
it's those born of promise,
God's sovereign mercy choosing.
Now, that's looking from heaven's angle,
but he flips the coin
and looks from human responsibility angle as well.
It's always 100% God's sovereign mercy
and 100% human responsibility.
We saw last week,
Israel are responsible
because they're trying to be right with God
by what they do.
They're not listening to the whole Old Testament
that pointed forward to Christ.
They've got so much passion,
so much zeal,
but they don't have knowledge
because all the Old Testament
was pointing to Jesus.
It's always been by faith.
It was always pointing to Jesus.
It was always pointing to the nations coming in.
The law, prophets and writings
clearly said this.
God has brought salvation
right up to Israel's heart and mouth,
but they have not submitted
to God's righteousness,
his way of being right with him,
which is by faith in his son.
Now, in our passage this morning,
Paul is, I think,
zooming in on the problem a bit deeper.
Is the problem in that
they haven't heard the gospel?
Have they not heard this wonderful message?
So we're going to see
three things this morning.
We're going to look at three things.
The vital links
chain,
you need these links
in order to be saved
in verses 14 and 15.
He then identifies
where in those links
is the problem
and then we're going to see
how do we get that missing ingredient.
I'm changing language there.
How do we get that vital link
that's missing?
So that's where we're headed.
So verses 14 and 15.
How then will they call on him,
call on Jesus,
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?
Nowhere else in all the scripture,
I think,
lays it out so clearly
what someone needs
from God
to that person
to be saved.
Here's what you need.
It's a beautiful passage.
Where does the fault lie
with Israel not being saved?
Now he doesn't mention Israel
until verse 19.
The immediate context is
the gospel's going everywhere,
everyone.
So I think these links
are for everyone.
Young and old,
whatever passed,
anyone who calls on Jesus
to be saved from sin
and judgment.
You can hear different words,
that calling,
but there is a calling
because it expresses
the belief in the heart.
Save me.
Forgive me.
Rescue me.
Take charge of my life.
There is a calling.
You can't just be born
into the kingdom.
You've got to call.
In fact,
I think Christians
never stop calling.
We're saved
from that moment of calling,
but we're constantly calling.
Jesus,
please help me today.
Please rescue me from this.
A Christian is just calling.
But you can't call
if you don't believe in him.
Believe is not less
than theological understanding,
but it is more.
It's committing yourself
to the person of Jesus.
But you can't give yourself
to Jesus
unless you've heard of him.
The wording here of hearing,
it could even mean
when you hear about Jesus,
you're hearing Jesus
speak to you.
When you hear the message,
you're hearing Jesus.
I know my voice
is ordinary today,
but through God's word,
you're hearing Jesus.
But you can't hear Jesus
without someone preaching,
without someone telling
over the back fence
in Grace Kids right now.
Why Jesus tonight?
But someone can't preach
unless they're sent.
So where's the problem?
There's the vital links.
Where is the problem?
Verse 15b picks up
the first vital link.
Has God sent preachers?
And he quotes Isaiah 52,
how beautiful are the feet
of those who preach
the good news.
Now the context there
is God is sending.
This,
what Isaiah talked about,
the good news,
this is it.
He's sending.
It's here.
The context there is,
it's God himself speaking.
The context there is,
Jerusalem is singing
for the salvation.
But the context is also,
all the ends of the earth
shall see the salvation
of our God.
Now what's,
what follows after Isaiah 52?
Isaiah 53,
yes.
And it's one of the most
clearest,
beautiful,
prophetic
pictures
of what Jesus
was going to do.
His suffering
to deal with sin
and his resurrection
and triumph
making many righteous
and the victory.
Has God sent people
to declare
this good news?
Absolutely,
Paul said.
He sent the apostles.
The start of Romans,
chapter 1,
verse 5,
Jesus Christ,
our Lord,
through whom we have
received grace
and apostleship
to bring the obedience
of faith
for the sake of his name
among the nations.
He's writing
to a church
in Rome
about 20,
25 years
after Jesus
and there's
an established church
in the heart
of the known world.
Has he sent?
Yes,
he's sent.
The apostles,
the church
is living proof.
We here today
are living proof.
He is sent.
Now I'm guessing
the focus
on beautiful feet
isn't that
Paul got a pedicure.
The focus on,
I think the focus
on feet
is they've travelled.
God has sent.
They've travelled.
They've crossed borders.
Any difference
in the world,
you have to go
across differences
to get the message
across.
Whether geographic
or social differences
amongst us,
they've travelled.
God indeed
has sent
his word.
Now I think
something is implied
here.
If God is sending
anyone,
if God's the one
sending anyone
who says
salvation is in
Jesus,
he is Lord,
just by faith,
not by what you do,
however you express
that,
whatever words you use,
you have the authority
of God.
We're going to do it
humbly,
don't get me wrong,
but I think we've also
got to know
the confidence
we can have.
God is sending.
Some ask the question,
what about
the person
in tribal Africa
who has never heard?
Some want to say
God is inclusive,
that he's very inclusive,
the gospel is to all people,
but inclusive in the sense
that,
well,
they may not have heard
about Jesus,
but as long as they're just
depending on God's mercy,
they will be saved
by Jesus,
even though they've never
heard about him.
But I don't know
how you square that
with this,
I just don't know
how that fits
with this passage.
Now,
God doesn't
condemn someone
for not hearing
about Jesus.
Romans 1 says,
all creation,
everyone knows
there is a God
and everyone
suppresses that truth
and everyone
exchanges God
for created things.
Or your conscience,
we've all got a conscience,
no one lives up
to their conscience.
So whatever we know
about God,
that's the reason
we need to be saved.
That's,
we haven't responded
to what we've heard.
You think about
Cornelius in Acts 10.
If there is anyone
who should be in,
just,
he's never heard
about Jesus,
he's fearing
the Jewish God,
he's so morally upright,
he should be in.
But what does God do?
He sends Peter.
And in hearing
the gospel,
he believes
and he's saved.
There was a man
named Joseph.
He shared his story
as part of
the Billy Graham
Crusades.
I don't know
if you've heard
this before.
Not that he was
saved at the
Crusades,
but he shared
how he was saved
at the Crusades.
He's from the
Maasai people
in Kenya
and northern
Tanzania
and just
on an African
road,
someone shared
the gospel
with him
and he believed
right away.
It's kind of like
the Ethiopian
eunuch
kind of story.
And he was so
delighted that
he went to
his own village
and Joseph
began going
door to door
telling people
about the cross
of Jesus
and he expected
their faces
to just light
up.
But to his
amazement,
the men grabbed
him,
held him down
while the women
got some sort
of barbed wire
and just beat
him.
And they dragged
him out of the
village and
somehow he
survived that
and he thought,
I must have
got something
wrong.
I must have
said it wrong.
And so he
rehearsed it
again and
must be by the
spirit's power.
He went back
and he said
it again.
He died for
you so that
you might find
forgiveness and
come to know
the living God.
And the men
grabbed him and
the women beat
him again and
they dragged him
out again and
somehow he
survived again.
Now, I don't
know why, I
think I would
have given up
by then, he
went back.
And before he
could even open
his mouth, the
men grabbed him
again.
And the
women beat
him again.
And this
time he woke
up in his
bed and the
women are
trying to
nurse him
back to
life and
the whole
village comes
to Christ.
God
sends, he's
still sending.
Don't expect a
positive response
necessarily.
Has he sent?
Yes, and he's
still sending.
Well, have
they heard?
Let's go to the
next vital link.
Have they
heard?
We're going to
come back to
verses 16 and
17 because I
think that's the
climax of the
point.
So we're going to
come back.
So verse 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.
Now this is
quoting Psalm
19, which the
verse is actually
about the
heavens declaring
the glory of
God, which
theologically,
that's God's
general revelation
to everyone.
You can know
something about
God just by
looking at the
stars, seeing
the sun.
Now you
can't be saying
that by nature,
looking at nature,
you can understand
Christ because
again, that
doesn't square
with this
passage.
How does this
quote then
answer, has
Israel heard?
I don't think
he's just
grabbing hold
of these words
to exaggerate
the point.
I think some
people see
Paul as
exaggerating a
bit.
The close
context here,
and I think
throughout
Romans 10,
is that the
Gentiles, the
world is
coming in.
Israel can't
say they
haven't heard.
I think he's
picking up the
context of
Psalm 19.
The first bit
of Psalm 19
is general
revelation, but
the next part,
if you know it,
is about the
law.
God has
spoken to
Israel, a
very
understandable
word.
God is
speaking again,
his gospel.
I think he's
using it as a
picture.
God is
committed to
his glory.
You can see
that in general
revelation.
He wants
everyone to
know his
glory.
His light
from the
sun reaches
every nook
and cranny
on the
earth.
Everyone can
see it.
In the same
way, he is
going to
speak to
the whole
world about
Jesus.
The light of
Jesus will
reach every
nook and
cranny over
the face of
the world.
going to
I think
this light
dawned
immediately
at
Pentecost.
You've
got the
diaspora of
the Jewish
people coming
from all
over the
known world
and
immediately
they're
hearing the
word of
God in
their own
language and
many come
to faith.
Immediately
the light
just
spreads.
That's the
book of
Acts, isn't
it?
The word
of God
will not
stop.
Whatever
tries to
stop it,
the light
is spreading.
You can't
stop it.
Has
Israel not
heard?
Just think
of Paul's
missionary
experience,
his first
hand
experience.
He went
to the
synagogues
first.
They
heard
everywhere
he went
and they
even
accused
Paul
of
having
heard
in
Acts
24
verse
5.
They
charge
Paul
before
the
Roman
governor
Felix.
They
say,
we have
found
this
man
Paul
a
plague,
one
who
stirs
up
riots
among
all
the
Jews
throughout
the
world.
They're
testifying
against
themselves.
This
guy's
a
plague.
All
the
Jews
have
heard
about
his
message.
Have
they
heard?
God's
light
has
reached
them.
It's
reached
them.
It's
spreading
as far
as the
sun
spreads
on the
face
of the
earth.
Now
verse
19 and
20,
he seems
to dig
in.
They've
heard,
but was
that a
superficial
understanding?
Do they
really
understand?
Did they
really
understand
the message
they were
hearing?
Is that
the
problem?
It's
like
thinking you
hear
Abba's
song
Dancing
Queen
correctly
as you
sing
along.
See
that
girl,
watch
her
scream,
kicking
the
dancing
queen.
Just
if you
don't
know,
that's
not
the
lyrics.
You're
not
hearing
it
right.
There's
no one
kicking
anyone.
Was it
a superficial
hearing?
Do they
really
understand?
Well,
if we
quickly
survey
Acts,
Stephen,
the
first
martyr
in
chapter
7,
he
declares
his
vision
after
his
speech.
He
sees
Jesus
at the
right
hand
of
God
in
heaven.
Now,
that's
pretty
clear
to
Jewish
ears.
And
they
cried
out and
they rushed
at him,
they dragged
him out and
they stoned
him.
They
heard it
all
right.
They
understood.
And
there's
rage.
Paul
is
converted
and he
starts
preaching
in
Damascus,
the very
town he
went to
put people
in prison,
and the
Jews plot
to kill
him.
He
has to
be lowered
in a
basket
at
night
time
out
the
wall.
There's
rage.
We
see this
pattern
again and
again in
Acts.
they
hear
Paul's
preaching,
they
either
exile
him
or
they
try
and
kill
him.
They
are
jealous
for the
law of
Moses
and the
temple
and they
hear the
message.
Jesus
is now
the
center
of
God's
salvation
plan,
fulfilling
the law
and temple.
They
understand
it
all
right.
They
hear
the
lyrics,
they
just
hate
God's
tune.
They
understand
the
lyrics.
They
see
Gentiles
automatically
become
sons and
daughters of
the living
God simply
by faith
and there's
a rage.
Their
jealous
anger
shows that
they
understand.
They
get it.
They
get it.
God's
love
to
God.
He's
quoting
Moses
and
Isaiah.
Moses
is the
first
in line
saying
the
Old
Testament
was
pointing
forward
to
this
time.
The
nations
are
going
to
flock
in
and
Israel
are
going
to
be
angry.
They've
heard
since
Moses.
they
understand.
Coming
back to
Alex
O'Connor
who I
started
with,
has he
truly
understood
the
gospel?
I
don't
know
the
man.
God
ultimately
knows.
My
first
encounter
with
Alex
was
in
a
podcast
interview
with
Jordan
Peterson.
He
was
pressing
Jordan
Peterson,
do you
believe
in
Christianity?
Jordan
Peterson
talks
about
Christianity
non-stop
but he's
reluctant to
commit to
say,
yes,
I'm a
Christian.
Alex
was
pressing
him and
he came
up with
this
test
for
Jordan
going,
do you
believe
this?
Yes
or no?
He
said,
if I
went
back in
time
with a
Panasonic
video
camera
and put
that
camera
in front
of the
tomb
of
Joseph
of
Arimathea,
would
the
little
LCD
screen
show
a
man
walk
out
of
that
tomb?
I
couldn't
come up
with a
better
question.
That's
a great
question.
Does
Alex
understand
who
Jesus
is
claiming
to be
and
what
he's
done?
God
is
a
We
as a
church,
as we've
got
opportunity
to share
who Jesus
is,
how he's
impacted
our lives,
can I
encourage us
by all
means,
please,
let's go
the extra
mile to
make sure
people
actually
understand
what we're
saying.
Let's
use
language
people
comprehend.
Let's
address
any
stumbling
blocks,
any
questions,
any
doubts.
Let's
take them
seriously.
Let's
be patient.
Let's
use
rational
arguments
to go
belief in
Jesus is
not only
possible,
it's
wonderful.
We need
to
distinguish
between
what people
think
we're
saying,
you've
got to
be
good
to
go
to
heaven,
from
faith.
But in
the end,
the
responsibility
lies with
each person
to respond
to what
they've
clearly
heard and
understood.
That's
not our
burden to
carry.
Let's
go the
extra mile
to help
people
understand,
but it's
not our
burden to
carry how
they respond.
So where
then is
the
fault
in the
vital
links to
be
saved?
Verse 21,
the Lord's
assessment
through Isaiah
is all
day long
I've held
out my
hands.
It's a
gesture of
welcome and
embrace.
All
through Israel's
history,
I've held
out my
hands.
Constant
offer of
grace.
grace,
even to
this day,
to a
disobedient
and contrary
defiant
people.
This is
from Isaiah
53,
again,
at the
heart of
who Jesus
is.
Isaiah
said,
some
people just
will not
want to
come,
will not
hear it.
verse 16
is the
missing
link.
They
have not
all
obeyed
the
gospel.
For
Isaiah
says,
Lord,
who has
believed
what he
has
heard
from
us?
That
root word
for
obey
is the
same
for hear.
I think
he's
playing off
the hear
here.
hear here.
It's like
a parent
talking to
a child.
You
didn't
listen to
me.
True
listening
is
obedience.
So,
too,
with God.
The fault
is not
with ears.
The fault
is in the
heart of
not obeying
what is
clearly
heard.
the
announcement
from
heaven
in the
gospel
is such
wonderful
news.
Like,
through
the
crucified
risen
saviour,
there's
complete
forgiveness.
Complete
forgiveness.
There's
assurance
you are
declared
right.
That
heavenly
judgment,
that
courtroom,
you
are
justified.
You're
right with
God.
There's
assurance.
There's
a legal
name
change.
You
have
the
right
to be
called
children
of
God.
You're
adopted
simply
by faith
in
Jesus.
There's
divine
connection
and
communion
and
power.
There's
resurrection
power in
your life
now by
his
spirit
dwelling
in
us.
We
have a
hope.
We're
born into
a living
hope.
His
resurrection
is going
to be
ours.
We're
looking
forward to
the
resurrection
of the
universe
and
that's
ours
simply
by
faith.
It's
such a
wonderful
message.
You've
got to
scratch
your
head
and
wonder
why
doesn't
everyone
just
what's
going
on?
What's
the
barrier
here?
You've
got to
confess
at the
heart
of
Christian
faith
is
Jesus
is
Lord.
God
is
the
Lord.
requires
handing
over
your
allegiance
to
him.
He's
your
Lord.
He's
the
Lord.
I
think
we should
expect
Satan
to rage
against
this.
His
lies
will
rage.
If you
hand
yourself
over
completely
to
Jesus,
you
will
be
miserable.
you
should
expect
the
world
to
rage
because
we
want
to
keep
control.
We
want
the
kingdom
or
the
blessings
without
the
king
to
tell
us
how
to
live.
You
should
expect
your
remaining
sinfulness
to
rage.
We
want
to
sit
on
the
throne
of
our
lives.
Even
as
Christians
it's
hard,
isn't
it,
to
hand
over
control
to
Jesus.
God
has
brought
the
gospel
light
right
to
Israel's
heart
and
mouth.
They
understand
the
fault
lies
in
their
disobedience
of
unbelief.
They
don't
want
Jesus
to be
Lord.
So
how do
we get
this
vital link
of
faith?
Verse
17,
how do
we get
it?
So
faith
comes
from
hearing
and
hearing
through
the
word
of
Christ.
The
kind of
hearing
that can
lead to
faith
can
only
happen
with
the
word
about
Christ,
the
word
of
Christ.
St.
Francis
of
Assisi,
hopefully I
said that
right,
preach
the
gospel
at
all
times,
use
words
if
necessary.
He
preached
the
gospel
at
all
times,
use
words
if
necessary.
Is
that
right?
Here
at
Grace,
we
actually
like
the
term
witness
a
bit
more
than
evangelism
because
we're
witnessing
all
the
time,
our
whole
lives.
Just
the
other
day I
heard
someone,
an
unbeliever,
talk
about
their
boss,
just
seeing
in
their
boss
their
patience
and
peace.
they
could
see
a
difference.
There
was
a
witness.
But what
creates
faith and
what
nourishes
faith is
the
word
about
Christ.
It's
not
some
general
notion
of
God.
Words
are
necessary.
That's
why we
get together
each week,
isn't
it?
we
got to
keep
the
word
of
God
central
in
this
church.
Like
preaching,
it can
be
doctrinally
true,
but
sometimes
it can
miss
Christ.
Christ
is
missing
from
the
sermon.
If
you
hear
that
from
us,
pull
us
up.
Our
songs,
I
got a
musical
friend,
he
was
saying
that
his
faith
was
just
becoming
malnourished
because
he
realised
all
the
songs
are
about
my
praise
of
God.
There
was a
wrong
emphasis.
The
songs
weren't
about
what
God
has
done,
what
Jesus
has
done.
That's
what
nourishes
faith.
By
all
means,
some
songs
that
go,
I
worship
you,
Jesus,
they're
appropriate,
don't
get me
wrong.
But
we
need
to
keep
it's
the
word
of
Christ
that
creates
faith and
nourishes
faith.
So
St.
Francis
is
wrong.
Be a
witness
all the
time,
but you
need
words.
Can I
ask at
this point,
what are
people
hearing
from you?
Please
may
not be
a
hobby
horse,
some
secondary
hobby
horse of
Christianity.
They
don't need
to hear
that.
They
need to
hear
Christ
first
and
foremost.
fortunately,
it
doesn't
even
need
to
be
a
well
crafted
word
to
create
faith
and I
take
great
comfort
from
this
in
my
job.
God's
sovereign
mercy
can
use
the
dullest
tool
in
the
shed.
Charles
Spurgeon,
how he
was
converted
I think
illustrates
this.
The
prince of
preachers,
how he
was
converted,
it was
on a
wintry
Sunday,
January
6,
1850.
He was
in a
Methodist
church and
because of
the snow,
the preacher
couldn't
turn up so
someone had
to get
up and
say
something.
There was
about 15
people
present
and
this
shoemaker
or
tailor,
he got
up and
read Isaiah
45,
22,
look unto
me and
be ye
saved,
all the
ends of
the earth,
for I
am God,
there is
no other.
And
then he
said something
along the
lines,
now looking
don't take
a deal
of pain,
it ain't
lifting your
foot or
your finger,
it is just
look.
A man
needn't go
to college
to learn
how to
look.
A child
can look,
however
weak or
however
poor a
man may
be,
he can
look,
and if
he looks,
he shall
live.
And he
focuses on
Spurgeon,
a young
man,
because he's
15 at
the time,
look to
Jesus Christ,
look,
look.
You have
nothing to
do but
look.
And
Spurgeon
says,
I did
look.
And that
was the
moment.
Such a
simple
word.
Spurgeon
says,
I thought
I could
dance all
the way
home.
I could
understand
what John
Bunyan
meant when
he declared
he wanted
to tell the
crows on
the ploughed
land all
about his
conversion.
He was
too full
to hold.
He felt
he must
tell somebody.
God can
use a
very simple
word.
We've got
baptisms coming
up here.
It's such a
reminder.
God's voice
is still
being heard.
He's still
bestowing all
his spiritual
riches on
all who
call on
him.
He's
still
sending
his voice
to the
ends of
the earth.
Chapter
10, you
can't miss
the emphasis.
Everyone.
There's no
distinction
between Jew
and Greek.
He's the
Lord of
all.
He's bestowing
his riches
on all
who call
on him.
Everyone
who calls
on the
name of
the Lord
will be
saved.
That
light of
the gospel,
he's still
spreading it.
It's like
the sun in
the heavens,
the light of
the gospel,
is reaching
people sitting
in darkness.
He's going
to reach
every nook
and cranny
of the
globe.
That's
the heart
of God.
He's
merciful,
he's
outreaching,
he's
generous.
I don't
care enough
about how
lost people
are.
I don't.
But God
does.
When you
see the
heart of
God,
that's what
fills our
heart.
Let the
heart of
God fill
your heart
afresh.
That we
might keep
weeping
to those
who don't
know,
and keep
praying for
opportunities.
Like,
do you
pray before
you go in
for your
haircut?
you go in
for your
haircut?
keep
inviting.
Keep
reading the
newsletters of
gospel workers.
Invest
time.
Let's keep
praying,
holding the
ropes of
prayer while
they're going
down into a
place that
hasn't heard.
I hope we
sense the
privilege of
being God's
mission partners.
It's his
mission.
He uses
ordinary
us to be
part of
that.
God's
voice is
still being
heard.
And praise
God for
that.
Will you
pray with me?
God's
Father, may
none of
us pat
ourselves on
the back for
having responded
to your
word.
We praise
your mercy
alone to
give us
eyes to
see the
Lord Jesus.
Just as
you said to
Peter when
he confessed
to you,
that flesh
and blood
did not
reveal this,
but my
Father in
heaven revealed
this to
you.
So we
praise you
for your
mercy in
sending
people into
our lives
to share
your word.
We just
praise the
God you
are.
You're not
hidden.
Your voice
is heard in
all the
earth.
Father,
help us
to sense
that
privilege of
being used
by you.
Give us
confidence and
humility.
Help us not
get distracted.
Father,
please be
using us to
save more
and more
people, both
locally and
globally.
In Jesus'
name, amen.