6 day plan

The Bible for all Australians

Day 6 of 6

NIV

Romans 10:14

14How, 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?

Reflection:

A few years ago, I happened across the movie “The Beautiful Country”. Spoiler alert: if ever you need a good, hard cry, I recommend watching this movie. It tells the tale of a “Bui Doi” (a slang term for the children born to American soldiers during the Vietnam war) named Binh. Bui Dois were abandoned by their American fathers at the end of the war and were also rejected by the Vietnamese for being part-American, ‘the enemy’. The movie tells the tale of Binh fleeing Vietnam, with his four-year-old brother in tow, to seek asylum in the USA and attempt to find a better life with his father.

The story is gut-wrenching, filled with suffering. His little brother dies on the boat along the way from starvation and disease; I’m not sure I’ve ever cried so hard as when I watched his tiny little linen-wrapped body thrown overboard into his watery grave. Binh eventually makes it to America a broken man. At the very end of the movie, Binh shares his story with a new American friend, to which the friend replies: “Why did you go to all that trouble? The US government would have flown you here for free if you’d let them know”. All the events in the movie suddenly feel like a total waste. Needless suffering, needless death. It leaves the viewers thinking, “How was he supposed to know that?!” Salvation was at his fingertips the whole time, but no one ever told him.

As Christians, we preach the gospel every week, we create events for people to come and hear the good news, whenever they like. But for some reason, we tend to expect them to come to us; that they will understand our systems, our timetables, or even recognise the importance of hearing what we have to say. Unlike Binh’s earthly father, they have a heavenly Father who both knows them and loves them.

When this passage says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good news”, there is a suggestion that this person has travelled to the place of the hearers. They have stepped outside the walls of their place of worship and brought the news to the doorstep of those who don’t know.

Reflect on your own story: how were you first introduced to the gospel, to church, to a faith community? Were you completely on your own, or did someone bring you the news?

What is one way we can be more effective in bringing the good news to those around us?

Prayer:

Lord God, grant me the boldness to bring your gospel into places it has not yet reached. Show me how to be a bearer of good news to those who are seeking it. Please guide me, but also be patient with me. Amen.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

Days

1
2
3
4
5
6

Suggested Plans

14

Out of the Darkness

14

Mothers of the Bible

Romans 10:1-21

1Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

5Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” 6But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7“or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For 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. 11As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

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

16But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.”

19Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,

“I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;

I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”

20And Isaiah boldly says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;

I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”

21But concerning Israel he says,

“All day long I have held out my hands

to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.