Romans 10:1-2, 3-4
1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.

3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

The Lead In

Romans 10:9-13
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

God’s not looking for us to do all the right things. He’s looking for relationship. He wants us to look up at him and say “Jesus, what do you want? I’m all yours”. “Jesus, you are Lord” “you are the boss.” And then he makes it clear that this gift of salvation is not ONLY for the Israelites—it’s for everyone!

Paul basically says “Jesus is not just for the church people! He’s for EVERYONE!”

The Big Point

Romans 10:14-15
14 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? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace,  who bring good tidings,  who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

YOU. You are how they will know. God’s not going to open the heavens and yell out “hey guys! Look, I’m real!” Your life changed by Jesus and your mouth talking about it is God’s plan for the rest of creation knowing His story. 

Matthew 24:14
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

When’s the last time you share the gospel with someone? It’s so incredibly easy to get comfortable in life and to let personal evangelism fade away. It doesn't matter how you do it, but open your mouth and proclaim the message of Jesus! That’s literally the whole reason we are here!!

Barna Group:
“40% of Gen Z Christians think it’s wrong to share the gospel because it’s immoral to try to change someone’s beliefs.”

We’re so afraid of hurting someone’s feelings or being seen as intolerant that we’re unwilling to share the best news on earth with people!

Church, we can’t forget what our end goal is: people need to hear about Jesus. Regardless of how you serve in the church, you’re primarily an evangelist. Your job is STILL the gospel.

Acts 1:8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

1 Peter 3:15

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

2 Corinthians 5:20

20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

That coworker of yours who’s “a good person” might be doing all kinds of good things. But if they don’t know Jesus it doesn’t matter.

Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

• Good people don’t just go to heaven.
• Giving money to a church or a nonprofit doesn’t get you to heaven.
• Showing up here every Sunday or serving on a team doesn’t get you to heaven.
• All dogs don’t go to heaven.
• We are NOT “all God’s children”.

We live in a broken and lost city. A city where the vast majority of people have no relationship with Jesus. We know that over 80% of people in Indiana don’t go to any church on any given Sunday.

In a recent census survey, 57% of Indianapolis indicated NO RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION of any kind —that’s not just “not christian”, that’s “not anything” —not muslim, not hindu, not christian, catholic, not atheist, agnostic or spiritualist just NOTHING.

This is not an Us vs. Them situation.
It’s an Us FOR Them situation.

We should be broken over the lost in our city. Broken over those who feel they have no option other than violence. Broken over those who are abandoned to all morality out of self preservation. Broken over those who are marginalized. Victimized. Paralyzed by their own fear and insecurity to the point that it drives them to extreme responses to average situations.

Are you broken over the lost in our city?

If you are:

• Your prayer life will show it
• Your actions will show it
• Your finances will show it
• The way you spend your “free time” will show it
• The way you go out of your normal path to serve someone else will show it
• Your excitement to share the gospel will show it.
• The way you open your mouth and speak the hope of Jesus to people you see will show it.

Or,

• Your apathy will show it.
• Your tight grip on your schedule will show it.
• Your unwillingness to sacrifice your time, effort, finances for others will show it.
• The way you avoid that hard person at work will show it.
• The way you just turn and walk away when someone is being bullied at school will show it.
• The way you stay silent when God gives you opportunity to share the hope of Jesus with someone will show it.

“How can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard?”