I'm thinking today of Romans chapter 10. It's
a unique message for an important time of year.
In Romans chapter 10, Paul is talking about getting
out the gospel. How then are they to call on
him in whom they have not believed? That's verse
14. Or how are they to believe in him whom they
have not heard? And how are they to hear without
a preacher? That's the rest of 14. And then down
in verse 16, in the middle of a discussion about
how the Word of God has to get out and how the
Word of God will grow faith, there is this kind
of excerpt. It says, however, they did not all
heed the good news. For Isaiah says, quote, Lord,
who has believed our report, unquote. The bottom
line is this. Even if someone is sent, even if
someone goes, not everyone will hear the gospel.
Not everyone will respond positively to the message
that God is willing to save souls. I remember
in the story of Lazarus and the rich man, the
rich man is begging the angel at the gate to
send somebody back to his brothers to warn them.
And he says, no. They have Moses and the prophets,
and even if they saw somebody come back from
the dead, even then they wouldn't listen. And
that's exactly where we're living today. Jesus
has come back from the dead, and believers have
been born again and are now living on this earth
and delivering the message about Jesus, and still
there are those who will not believe. It does
not lessen our obligation to share, but it reminds
us that even this year, even this time, as we
are celebrating the coming of Jesus, who is the
most spectacular way that God declared his love
and his salvation available to people. sometimes
won't hear. Tell them anyway.