Jan 26, 2020
Originally Presented: March 30th, 2008
Scripture Reading: Romans 10:11-15
In discussing the status and future of the Jewish people in light of their rejection of Christ, Paul highlights the wonder that God has included Gentiles in His plan of redemption. Sandwiched in between two 'whoever' quotations (Rom 10:11,13), we read "there is no distinction between Jew and Greek" (Rom 10:12).
The statement "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved" supports the idea that Gentiles, as well as Jews have access, through Jesus, to God. The same Lord is Lord of all and the riches of God abound to all who call upon Him, whether Jew or Gentile.
This is wonderful news to Americans and Chinese and Brazilians and Frenchmen. But who will take this message to them, or our next door neighbor, for that matter? The glory and majesty of the message of Christ issues in the urgency and importance of the task of the messengers.
To the extent that we are captured by the wonder of the salvation of a people whom God has called to Himself, our lives are governed by that glorious purpose. According to Fox News, 20,000 Iraqis have converted to Christianity since the beginning of the war 5 years ago. More than to bring democracy to an oppressed people, this is God's wondrous, overriding purpose, working in the awful throes of war. This work is the grand purpose for all human history, both in peace and in conflict. The history of the world is the display of the wondrous designs of the Almighty in redemption.