ible Study - All In (7) - Committed to HIS Mission - Romans 10:9-17 - November 29, 2020

 

Bible Study – All In (7) – Committed to HIS Mission – November 29, 2020

This is our final lesson in this series of study entitled, “All In – A Life of Commitment.”

Our focus scripture is Romans 10:9-17.

GOD desires for all people to hear and respond to the gospel.

Notice, salvation is a two-step process (1) to hear and (2) to respond to the gospel. To hear, does that mean a person has to hear with his or her ears? No! Not necessarily. A person needs to hear in his or her heart/the eyes of his or her heart where truth resides.

What is GOD’S mission? What is our mission? The key is, do our lives, as Spirit-born Christians, reflect GOD’S mission?

What is the great commission as instructed by JESUS before HE returned to Heaven? It is found in Mark 16:15:

¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

The mission is to go. As Spirit-born Christians, we have the light. We are the salt. We are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, WHO empowers and enlightens us to carry our GOD’S mission. Does this mean we have to go to some foreign land? It might but not necessarily. All of us travel in various parts of the world from our own household to our neighbor next door, in our neighborhood, city, state or wherever we find ourselves. Those places are our world. 

Opportunity surrounds us every day, ask our LORD to open your eyes to see it and respond. Even a cup of cold water is part of HIS mission to those thirsty for the living water which only comes from a Spirit-born relationship with JESUS. 

This is the message of hope for those who are lost in sin and for those who once knew JESUS as their personal Savior but have fallen back into sin. Satan wants a Spirit-born Christian who has, as back in the day, backslid, think he or she is no longer worthy of restoration. But that is a lie. 

GOD never leaves or forsakes HIS Spirit-born Children. 

GOD is right where you left HIM, repent and return. 

Remember the parable of the prodigal son? JESUS waits with great anticipation for your return. Take your first step toward home, now! JESUS gave HIS sinless life just for you. If you have never received JESUS, do it now or if you have received JESUS as your Savior but have not been living for HIM, confess it and return, now. Take that first step, JESUS waits and watches just for you. WOW! I can hear the rejoicing that is taking place in Heaven just for you. My prayers go for you as you return home.

Read the parable of the prodigal son as recorded in Luke 15: 11-32:

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ He also said, “A man had two sons. ¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets^[d] to them. ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.^[e] 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to eat his fill from^[f] the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything. ¹⁷ When he came to his senses,^[g] he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!^[h] 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. ¹⁹ I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.”’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. ²¹ The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, ²⁴ because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So, they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. ²⁷ ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’^[i]

²⁸ “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So, his father came out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets^[j] with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

³¹ “‘Son,’^[k] he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Think about it, you are special because GOD does not make junk. You make yourself a junkie.

What is the gospel? It means “Good News.” We are all physical and as such, we will all die physically. There is nothing we can do to prolong our physical lives upon earth. This is why GOD sent HIS only earth born SON as 100% human. As such, he (JESUS) was subject to sin and physical death, yet 100% Divine. JESUS is the only human to live a sinless life, therefore, all humans have hope in JESUS. Why? JESUS lived a sinless life, gave HIS sinless life upon the cross by the shedding of HIS sinless blood to pay, in full, for all sin, past, present and future. How do we know that? GOD raised JESUS from the physically dead on the third day to show the world that JESUS paid the price for sin and conquered eternal death.

When GOD resurrected JESUS on the third day, HE resurrected JESUS in HIS Glorified body. JESUS’ Glorified body is like the Glorified bodies all Spirit-born Christians will receive in the twinkling of the eye when JESUS returns to earth for the second time. Until then, will we have a body when we exit our earth suit and dwell in Heaven? YES! Scripture reveals that Spirit-born Christians will NOT be found naked. But I digress ----

GOD required a perfect sinless sacrifice to pay for the original sin of mankind, which came through Adam and Eve. The penalty for their original sin was eternal death. GOD provided a provisional place holder which we read in Hebrews 9:22 before JESUS came to earth:

²² According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Since JESUS was the final and perfect sacrifice, all sin has been dealt with by GOD. Every human’s part is to accept what JESUS willingly and freely did for all mankind. But there is one vital component. What do you think that is? Every person must accept JESUS as his or her personal Savior by faith. Let’s examine -----

Let’s read Romans 10:9-10:

⁹ If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 

GOD did not make salvation complicated. So many try to figure salvation out. We want to do it our way but GOD’S way is simple and direct. It is trusting in what GOD’S Word reveals to us. Trust and obey is the only way to be happy in JESUS.

Notice the word “confess.” The word “confess” carries the idea of “to say the same thing” or “to agree.” It also carries the idea, “to agree with established truth.” We are to agree with GOD that we are sinners and in need of salvation from eternal death that only faith in JESUS can resolve. We are to believe not just in our head but in our hearts. We have to move our faith from being head knowledge to our heart or to the very core of our being, where truth resides.

The first Adam blew it and sinned, the second Adam, JESUS, came in the flesh and was sinless. JESUS paid the price for sin, in full, so that all who place their faith in HIM will have eternal life as GOD originally intended. Adam and Eve and their offspring lost their eternal life and inherited eternal death. But JESUS restored eternal life for all who place their faith in HIM as their Savior. No person can be good enough or work hard enough to earn Salvation. Salvation is a gift from GOD for all who believe. John 3:16-17 captures the heart of GOD for all mankind.

Let’s read Romans 10:11-13:

¹¹ For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame,^[g] 12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. ¹³ For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.^[h]

During the later part of my working career, the LORD kept showing me this verse. I would think, that it was comforting. Little did I know that a person who did not like me was busy trying to replace me. Why? Was it because I was not doing the job? No! It was because I was doing it well. I was in a position where I had access to leading edge information and would share it in meetings which made others not look so good. I tried to explain that I traveled in different circles. I offered to brief those before a meeting with the latest info I had but that did not work. After the fact, I learned that an effort was out to replace the portion of my duties which some resented. My replacement had been selected and as the process was being finalized, it was discovered that my replacement had falsified their information which terminated the hiring process. I learned this all after the fact. It was then that this verse of scripture became very meaningful. Yes, GOD has your back 24/7. WOW! AWESOME!  

I knew GOD had called me to do what I was doing and so ordered my steps and richly blessed my steps. Do you trust GOD to richly bless you as you serve HIM in what HE has called you to do?

Let’s read Romans 10:14-17:

Israel’s Rejection of the Message

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful^[i] are the feet of those who bring good news.^[j] 16 But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?^[k] 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.^[l] 

All of mankind seeks truth. Often, we attempt to repackage salvation as a way to get material things. A Spirit-born person can never achieve any greater joy than walking with GOD through faith in JESUS. Spirit-born Christians have the truth and must share the truth with others. And what is that truth? As we read in Colossians 1:24-29: (The Apostle Paul was writing to the Christians in Colossae.)

²⁴ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the church. ²⁵ I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, ²⁶ the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. ²⁷ God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸ We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. ²⁹ I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.

CHRIST, in me and you, the hope of glory. Do not hide the truth. Christians are the light and the salt. Let JESUS shine through your life as led by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Christians are the vessels through whom GOD takes the Gospel of truth to others. Christians are vessels of clay as expressed in 2 Corinthians 2:4:

⁷ Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.

Let’s read again our scripture:

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful^[i] are the feet of those who bring good news.^[j] 16 But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?^[k] 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.^[l] 

Do you want pretty feet? Then bring the Good News to others.

Christians, especially Spirit-born Christians have the message of salvation but it must be shared. Sharing the Good News is a calling. GOD, through the indwelling Holy Spirit does the calling and equipping.

Christian, you are the light and the salt. Are you sharing the light of the Gospel with others as GOD gives you opportunity? If not, why not?

Confess it to GOD and ask HIM to reveal to you the why not and then ask HIM to clear the path for you to be all GOD has in HIS plan for you.

We who know the truth through faith in JESUS have been chosen by GOD. Ephesians 1:3-6 reveals to us - ³ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^[c] 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons (Daughters) through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

Have you ever wished and hoped that you would be chosen for something?

It does not get any better than being chosen by GOD. HIS desire is for us to be the instruments to reach out to others as led by the Holy Spirit. All Christians are called to reach out to others with the truth. Why? Because we are chosen. Think about being chosen by GOD! Awesome! Consider the many others who are chosen but do not know it. They need to hear the Good News and they need to see CHRIST in each of us who know the truth. They are chosen by GOD to receive salvation through faith in JESUS. 

Blessings!!!