Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Saturday, 27 September 2014 "How can they hear without a preacher?"Daily Scripture: Romans 10:11-13 Scripture reassures us, “No one who trusts God like this—heart and soul—will ever regret it.” It’s exactly the same no matter what a person’s religious background may be: the same God for all of us, acting the same incredibly generous way to everyone who calls out for help. “Everyone who calls, ‘Help, God!’ gets help.”
14-17 But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That’s why Scripture exclaims,
A sight to take your breath away!
Grand processions of people
telling all the good things of God!
But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another: “Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?” The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to.
Reflection Question:
Paul stated a fundamental premise behind all of his missionary preaching in verse 12: "There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord is Lord of all." Many of his contemporaries disagreed strongly. But he pointed to their own Scriptures, quoting Joel 2:32 in verse 13, and Isaiah 52:7 in verse 15. God wanted to reach everyone in the world, he said. And how were all those people going to hear about God's love, about Jesus' life, death and resurrection, if no one went and preached to them?
For us, the main divisions are not between Gentiles and Jews (though we should get rid of any lingering anti-Semitic attitudes or practices). But disparities in educational level, income, social prestige and other factors block many people from feeling welcome in the church. And too often, Christians (intentionally or not) adopt an "if you build it, they will come" attitude: "We're here every weekend—it's not our fault if they don't come." Paul's challenge resonates: "How can they call on someone they don't have faith in? And how can they have faith in someone they haven't heard of? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent?" What role can you play in taking the love of Jesus outside the walls of the church? Will you do it?
Family Activity:
Paul's missionary journey carried him many places as he shared the good news of Jesus and His love. Gather your family for a local "missionary" drive. Before you leave, select a few places you would like to stop and share God's love in some way. Would you like to take treats to firefighters or police officers and thank them for their service? How about praying for local store owners as you shop? Could you offer to do some yard work for a neighbor? Maybe you could visit a lonely neighbor or those in a nursing home. You might also want to walk through your neighborhood praying for your school and places of worship. Pray and ask God to help your family be missionaries, sharing God's love wherever you go.
Today's Prayer:
O God, I'm so grateful that your love has found me, and is reshaping my life day by day. Help me not to hoard that love, but to find ways to use my gifts, talents and contacts to share your love, to be a bearer of good news. Amen.
Insight from Julie Peters
Julie Peters is the Associate Director of Student Ministries at The Church of the Resurrection.
Today’s scripture from Romans, one of my personal favorite letters from Paul, poses lots of questions. These questions lead me to ponder even more questions. Questions that may spring from working with students in Rezlife and specifically from working with students in Ministry As a Career (MAC) Track. These students are exploring call…a call to follow Christ whole-heartedly, a call to use their gifts in ministry to the world, and also the possibility of a call to ministry as a Pastor or other vocational ministry.
Join me on a quick journey…
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?
These questions are straight from Paul’s letter…but what if we take it a little further, and make it a little more personal?
How will we as a congregation send out preachers of this good news into a hurting world? Who will tell the next generation about this good news in a way that resonates with them? How will we equip our young preachers of the good news and send them to their generation? What roles can each of us play in sending out these preachers? Am I called to go? Am I called to equip? Am I called to see and affirm gifts in others? Am I called to support others who are going out?
I work with a generation of amazing, creative, passionate young people who care deeply about the brokenness, hurt, captivity and injustice in the world around them. Jesus Christ, the Lord we follow, is the Good News. And in this Good News…the hurt and brokenness are met with healing, the captives are set free, and the injustice is set right. We are the ones who will equip them to translate this Good News to their generation.
This photo shows young people from Resurrection sharing the Good News in South Africa.
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