The Book of Romans ~ Lesson Twenty-Two

"Beautiful Feet"

Romans 10:1-21 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.

   For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven’ (to bring Christ down to earth). And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”

   And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

   But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

   But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have: “The message has gone throughout the earth, and the words to all the world.”

   But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said:  “I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation. I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”

   And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying, “I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”

   But regarding Israel, God said, “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.”

God's arms are and have always been open to us. It's our choice to run into them or run away. Do you refuse to accept His offer and cling, as the religious Jews of the day, to religion? What about those who don't know Him...have never heard about Him? Here is a link to a song that brought tears to my eyes. Even if it isn't your type of music, would you please listen? This is where Christ would be if He were walking the streets today. Now He walks the streets preaching the Good News through His obedient ones. Lord, let that be me! youtube.com/Lecrae Rebel-Beautiful Feet

I want to pull this out of the passage and focus on it: As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

   But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (verses 13-15)

1. Trust in God = No Disgrace. No matter who you are or where you come from, God is willing to take you in and love you beyond all reason. Because of the sacrifice that Jesus made for your sins, you can be made right with God if you believe in Jesus.

1 John 5:3-5 (NLT) Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (Jesus)

Being religious is NOT how to loveGod. To love God is to be obedient to what He calls you to do. Jesus teaches us to love God, love others and treat others as we would want to be treated. This is what believers must do. If we love Jesus, we love others as He did ~ extravagantly!

2. Call on God = Receiving from His Generous Hand. The generosity we receive from Him is not earthly wealth as some would like you to believe. It is receiving a reprieve from the death sentence deserved, for a relationship with God through Christ undeserved.

Ephesians 1:5-7 (NLT) God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

He gave His best to purchase our freedom from sin's death grip. It gives Him pleasure to be reunited with those He created and loves beyond all human reason. No one can love us that much or that well.

3. Believers Share = Beautiful Feet. If you were passed out on the ground and helpless wouldn't it be wonderful seeing the feet of the paramedics running to revive you and take you to the hospital were the doctor could restore your health? This is what the feet of those who share the Good News of Jesus are to those who are knocked down by sin. All of us have been on the floor without God and we heard the Good News from someone. It's our turn to share if we know Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NLT) We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

Do you love this much? If you are a believer in Jesus you should and must love this much to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. This takes giving our whole lives over to Him.

Have you received from God's generous hand the salvation found in Jesus? Then rejoice and share the wonderful promise of eternal life filled with delight and comfort. Give yourself fully to God's purpose of reconciliation with mankind to Himself through Christ Jesus. Be the Beautiful Feet that bring others to Jesus. If you don't know Him please receive what He has to offer. Just ask Him and He will send someone with Beautiful Feet to you. Hold on to the most Beautiful Feet ~ His nail-scarred ones ~ they will lift you up and into eternal life with Him.