Beautiful Feet
Introduction
Friends of ours had been waiting for ten years for a baby. They had been told it was impossible. One day there was a ring on our doorbell. There she was. It was written all over her face. As soon as she was in the house she started jumping up and down, stamping her feet with joy and delight, announcing the good news. She had conceived. Their wait was over. She was carrying the good news in her own body. There is nothing more exciting than being the bearer of good news.
You too are the bearer of good news. The message of Jesus is in you. That is why, according to the apostle Paul, you have beautiful feet (Romans 10:15).
As his followers, we are all called to share the good news of Jesus. Some of us have the immense privilege of being called to do it as a full-time job. Way back in January 1978, when I was practising law, I wrote in my prayer diary:
‘I long to spend my whole time preaching the gospel – telling people about the love of Jesus. But Romans 10:15 warns, “How can \[people\] preach unless they are sent?” I cannot and will not be able to preach the gospel unless I am sent by God to do so – it is a wonderful calling. “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”’
The heart of the good news is a righteousness that comes by faith (v.6). ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ (v.13).
Proverbs 18:7-16
7 The mouths of fools are their undoing,
and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.
9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.
10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honour.
13 To answer before listening –
that is folly and shame.
15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16 A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
Commentary
Run to the Lord
This passage in Proverbs is full of practical wisdom. We need to guard our lips: ‘Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words’ (v.7, MSG). ‘Gossip’ is very tempting but to be avoided: ‘Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?’ (v.8, MSG).
We need to work hard and not be ‘slack’: ‘Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism’ (v.9, MSG). It is foolish to rely on wealth: ‘The rich think their wealth protects them; they imagine themselves safe behind it’ (v.11, MSG). Pride leads to downfall: ‘Pride first, then the crash’ (v.12a, MSG). Humility leads to honour (v.12b).
There is also some very good advice to those hosting or helping on Alpha: ‘Answering before listening is both stupid and rude’ (v.13, MSG). ‘Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights’ (v.15, MSG).
In the midst of all this practical advice, there is a verse that ties in with today’s theme: ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe’ (v.10). Not all are safe. Only those who run to the strong tower, which is ‘the name of the Lord’, will be saved.
Even here we find the roots of the teaching of the New Testament that those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Prayer
Romans 10:9-21, 11:1-6
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. 11 As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
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!’
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But 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.
19 Again 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.
20 And Isaiah boldly says,
‘I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.
21 But concerning Israel he says,
‘All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people.’
11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
Commentary
Call to the Lord
I was eighteen years old. I had been a Christian for two months when I had the privilege of telling someone the good news about Jesus in such a way that he believed. His life, like mine, was changed that day.
Do you remember the first time you understood the good news about Jesus and believed in him? Have you ever had the privilege of telling another person the message of Jesus in such a way that they believed?
The claim of the New Testament is breathtaking. The name of the Lord was so sacred in the Old Testament that no one dared take it on their lips. Now we know that the name of the Lord is Jesus. Not only can we take his name on our lips but when we believe in him and call on him we are ‘saved’ (10:9–10).
The Christian message is both exclusive, because Jesus is the only name given for our salvation, and inclusive, because everyone in this world can call upon his name.
Jesus is easily accessible to all of us. ‘No precarious climb up to heaven to recruit the Messiah, no dangerous descent into hell to rescue the Messiah.’ Paul continues:
‘The word that saves is right here,
as near as the tongue in your mouth,
as close as the heart in your chest’ (vv.6–8, MSG).
It is important to not only believe in your heart, but to actually say you have done so: ‘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. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved’ (vv.9–10).
I have often noticed on Alpha, for example, that something happens to a person, a change takes place, when they ‘confess’ with their ‘mouth’ for the first time, ‘I am now a Christian.’
Paul is keen to emphasise that as far as salvation is concerned, ‘There is no difference between Jew and Gentile’ (v.12a). It is ‘the same Lord \[Jesus, who\] is Lord of all, and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”’ (vv.12b–13).
It is of utmost importance, therefore, that we tell people the good news about Jesus. People cannot call on the name of the Lord unless they believe. They cannot believe unless they hear. They cannot hear unless someone tells them. People will not tell them unless they are sent (vv.14–15). It is an amazing privilege to be sent out to tell people. ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ (v.15).
It is not enough simply to be a member of the race of Israel (any more than it is enough now to be born in a Christian country). Paul demonstrates this by quoting Moses and Isaiah. Not all believed. Some were disobedient and obstinate (v.21).
The answer to the question, “Has God rejected his people?”, is, “No, no, no” (11:1–4). The rejection of Israel is only partial. There always has been and always will be a remnant. Paul was an example of that truth (v.1).
Paul refers to Elijah (who was depressed after Mount Carmel) saying, ‘I am the only one left.’ God says, in effect, ‘Cheer up, I kept for myself seven thousand people who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ It is all of grace (v.6). Paul says, ‘So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace’ (vv.5–6).
Prayer
1 Chronicles 3:4-16
4b David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years, 5 and these were the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba
10 Solomon’s son was Rehoboam,
Abijah his son,
Asa his son,
Jehoshaphat his son,
11 Jehoram his son,
Ahaziah his son,
Joash his son,
12 Amaziah his son,
Azariah his son,
Jotham his son,
13 Ahaz his son,
Hezekiah his son,
Manasseh his son,
14 Amon his son,
Josiah his son.
15 The sons of Josiah:
Johanan the firstborn,
Jehoiakim the second son,
Zedekiah the third,
Shallum the fourth.
16 The successors of Jehoiakim:
Jehoiachin his son,
and Zedekiah.
Commentary
Put your faith in the Lord
God created us to live in a relationship with him. Until we find that relationship, there will always be something missing in our lives.
God loves you and wants you to find fulfilment and purpose in that relationship. That is why worship of God is central to our lives and it is the backbone of the book of Chronicles. Faithful worship is what matters most of all.
God is faithful to you. He calls you to be faithful to him. Unfaithfulness leads to trouble.
The chronicler continues his introduction to the people of Israel. The list of the kings of Judah (3:10–16) is almost like the index to the books. Much of 1 Chronicles is devoted to King David – who is held up as an example of true worship and faithfulness to God.
One of the great themes of the Book of Chronicles is the importance of this faith in the Lord. He is going to demonstrate that not all the people of Israel were faithful.
You may feel very isolated and alone at times. It may appear that there are not many believers around you. But there always remains a remnant who have faith in God.
This is one of the key messages throughout the Book of Chronicles. ‘Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful’ (2 Chronicles 20:20).
Prayer
Pippa adds
In Romans 10:13 it says,
‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
It’s as simple as that.
Verse of the Day
Romans 10:9
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.
Thought for the Day
God loves you and wants you to find fulfilment and purpose in a relationship with him.
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References
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.