Hear God's Word - Romans 10:13-15

Text

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,

Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

“Their sound has gone out to all the earth,

And their words to the ends of the world.”

19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:

“I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation,

I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”

20 But Isaiah is very bold and says:

“I was found by those who did not seek Me;

I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”

21 But to Israel he says:

“All day long I have stretched out My hands

To a disobedient and contrary people.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ro 10:13–21.

• Faith comes through hearing the message of Christ, so God sends preachers to proclaim the gospel by which sinners call on the Lord.
• Physical listening is not enough; hearers must receive, believe, and obey the Word rather than letting it pass without response.
• Faithful preaching explains God's text instead of forcing a preferred idea onto it, and hearers remain responsible to attend carefully.
• The Spirit uses public reading and preaching to save sinners, feed Christ's sheep, expose sin, and produce doers of the Word.

• Do I listen to preaching expecting God to address me through his Word?
• Am I hearing only sound, or receiving the message with faith and obedience?
• Does the preaching I value explain the text or merely use it to support another idea?
• What truth from the latest sermon must become action rather than forgotten information?

Preaching

Authorized public proclamation and explanation of God's Word centered on the gospel of Christ.

Hearing with faith

Receiving the proclaimed Word with believing attention and obedient response.

Sent messenger

A preacher commissioned to carry God's good news rather than a self-appointed speaker.