Read: Romans 10:14–21
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” 19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” 20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” 21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
Think for a moment about how many words you have heard and read this week. We are inundated by thousands of words every day, and we add to the noise with our own conversations, jokes, comments, and posts. And—if we’re honest—much of this verbal noise leaves us empty, discouraged, and exhausted.
But every Sunday something incredible happens. We hear a few words and then confess together: “This is God’s good word for us.” Suddenly, these are not just more words. They are different in kind and quality. God himself is speaking.
When we say this after the Scripture reading, we are making a bold claim: God has spoken; he has revealed himself in the Bible. And more than that, his words are good, and they are for us. This Sunday we will continue to hear Paul’s words to the Romans. What strikes me is that Paul himself mainly quotes the Holy Scriptures, words of Moses and Isaiah, to make his case that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ.” God uses this beautiful harmony of inspired texts to proclaim one Word and to speak one good Word to us: Jesus Christ. The Word that became flesh. When we hear this Word, it is unlike anything we could ever hear throughout this week. It’s a Word that brings about faith–life-giving, soul-refreshing, God-honoring faith.
In a world overflowing with words, may God grant us ears to hear this Sunday, to sit under these words, and to see Jesus in these words as we receive them for what they truly are: God’s good word for us.
