March 12 - Romans 10:2-8

 

Opening Prayer

Last Week

What was valuable, or what stuck with you from last week?

Romans 10:1-10:15

10:1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation. ² I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes, ⁵ since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them. ⁶ But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” that is, to bring Christ down ⁷ or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. ⁸ On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: ⁹ If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, ¹² since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. ¹³ For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Israel’s Rejection of the Message

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

10:2

Check out Jesus’s response to the Sadducees in Mark 12:18-27.

It’s not just that they are mistaken. They are deceived.

            This happens today, too –

                        Things we “know” but just aren’t so.

                                    “God helps those who help themselves!”

                                    “God will never give you more than you can handle.”

                                    “My Jesus would never confront …” name your favorite sin.

                                    These are often half-correct.

                        Biblical illiteracy.

                        A different authority in place of God’s Word.

                        Assuming we can’t trust what God’s Word says.

            The Christmas Carol effect

 

What is the place of zeal in the Christian faith – assuming that it is rightly connected to knowledge?

10:3

Ignorant, unaware, uninformed – how could this be?

-        The wrong emphasis.

-        Deceitful hearts!

 

Ponder the line, “they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.” What does this mean?

10:4

Christ is the end of the law – the goal of the Law

            The purpose of the Law is to lead us to Christ – to reveal our need for His righteousness.

10:5

Moses – Lenten Focus

 

“The one who does these things will live by them.” – Leviticus 18:5

           

Leviticus 18:1-5 - The Lord spoke to Moses: ² “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am the Lord your God. ³ Do not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, or follow the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You must not follow their customs. ⁴ You are to practice my ordinances and you are to keep my statutes by following them; I am the Lord your God. ⁵ Keep my statutes and ordinances; a person will live if he does them. I am the Lord.”

 

Why does God repeat, “I am the Lord”?

 

What is the foundation of Israel’s relationship with God?

 

Does God have expectations that, when we follow them, are life giving and beneficial to us?

 

Can those behaviors save us?

10:6-8

Deuteronomy 30:11-15 – “This command that I give you today is certainly not too difficult or beyond your reach. ¹² It is not in heaven so that you have to ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ ¹³ And it is not across the sea so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea, get it for us, and proclaim it to us so that we may follow it?’ ¹⁴ But the message is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may follow it. ¹⁵ See, today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and adversity. 

 

The message of faith is all about God coming to us.