For "Whoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved" (Joel 2: 32).
Beginning today where we left off yesterday, we see that God has opened the door to Salvation to everyone, regardless of who they are or where they're from.
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
How can anyone call on someone they don't believe exists?
How will they believe in whom they have not heard?
How can anyone believe in someone they've never heard of?
And how will they hear without a preacher?
How can anyone know about Jesus unless someone tells them?
How will they preach unless they are sent?
How can someone tell them, unless they get off their duff and go?
Just as it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News of good things! (Isaiah 52: 7).I never thought of feet as being beautiful, but if God wants to put beauty in them, He's God! And He's telling us that those who will get out of their box and go somewhere inconvenient so they can share with people how much God loves them, then God will appreciate them and reward them.
However, they did not all heed the Good News; for Isaiah says,
Lord, who has believed our report? (Isaiah 53: 1).Paul quotes Isaiah's complaint that the hearers were not heeding the report, they weren't paying any attention to what God wanted them to know and do.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.
The message of Christ is that He fulfilled all those requirements that the Law demanded, for us, He did all the work; we just need to let Him do it, and stop trying to do it ourselves. Accept that He is our Personal Sacrifice.
People need to hear this in order to be able to believe it.
But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;
Their voice has gone out into all the Earth, and their words to the ends of the World (Psalm 19: 4).Paul says, surely, they must never have heard this, or they would have believed it, wouldn't they?
But they must have heard, because God caused His creation to show His majesty to the whole World.
But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they?
Surely Israel had all the advantages, how could they not know?
First Moses says,
I will make you jealous by that which is not a Nation, by a Nation without understanding will I anger you (Deuteronomy 32: 21).Paul quotes Moses, when God told him that, since Israel was trying to make God jealous and angry with all their idols, then God would turn around and let them know how God feels by making them jealous and angry with people who are not even a proper Nation, or even have any understanding of all the advantages He had given Israel.
And Isaiah is very bold and says,
I was found by those who did not seek Me, I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me (Isaiah 65: 1).God called me to faith. I am not descended from Abraham, I never even have been to the Promised Land. I am from across the World from where God gave all His promises and fulfilled them all in His Son. How could I be so privileged when I didn't have any of the advantages they had? I am an example of this verse.
But as for Israel He says,
All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people (Isaiah 65: 2).How frustrated I would be, to give all the advantages to someone who ignored me! All I can do is pray for them.
God's plan, though, has taken this into account. He will leave no strings hanging, He will sew up every loose end, and weave into His Grand Tapestry all the dark as well as the bright threads, for the wonderful, beautiful future He has prepared for us.
My dear reader, God has given to us the charge and commission to go into all the World, and as we go, to share His Love with everybody! And teach them His ways, so that they, in turn, will also leave their comfort zones to carry this Good News even farther! It's up to us! Let God beautify our feet!
O my Father, I pray for all those who have had all the advantages, that they will realize how blessed they have been, and turn back to You in Your calling them to faith. And I also pray for all those who still have never even heard Your Word of Grace.
Father, send out Your workers into all Your fields fallow for seed and ready for harvest. Send out Your children to find all Your lost sheep that have wandered away, and gotten caught in a thicket or trapped in a gorge. Let us carry them all in, by the hand or kicking and screaming, into the safety of Your One Fold with One Shepherd!
And may Your Great House be full, Your Grand Banquet Table have every place filled, to feast and rejoice with our Father and our Lord.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
