How Shall They Believe If They Do Not Hear?

INTRODUCTION.

A.        In Mark 16:16, Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (NKJV)

B.        The first step in being saved is belief. Belief is a requirement because without belief, one will not act.

C.        To make certain that the world would have an opportunity to believe, Jesus sent the apostles to teach. Paul writes, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14, NKJV)

D.        With this lesson, we will address the subject of teaching the lost by posing the same type of question: How shall they believe if they do not hear? And how shall they hear if we do not teach them?

E.        Let us now consider three reasons why we should be the ones to carry forth the Gospel message.

I.         THE COMMAND TO GO.

            A.        Jesus commanded His apostles to go.

                        1.         Consider the parable of the man who had a great supper and invited many. (Luke 14:16-24)

                                    a.         Those who were initially invited refused the invitation.

                                    b.         The master then told his servants, “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.” (v. 21b)

                                    c.         Then the master told his servants, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” (v. 23)

                                    d.         Likewise, we are to go and teach.

                        2.         We see the command to “go” in Matthew 28:18-20.

                        3.         Mark’s account also says “go” in Mark 16:15-16.

            B.        The apostles obeyed Jesus’ command to “go” beginning on the day of Pentecost, following the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

                        1.         Peter and the other apostles seized the opportunity to teach in Acts 2.

                        2.         Peter seized another opportunity in Acts 3:11-26.

                        3.         Peter also acted upon an opportunity to preach to the Sanhedrin. (Acts 4:5-12)

            C.        Those who heard the apostles and obeyed, became teachers.

                        1.         Stephen. (Acts 7)

                        2.         Philip taught the people of Samaria and the man of Ethiopia. (Acts 8)

                        3.         Aquila and Priscilla. (Acts 18:24-28)

            D.        Just as those, whom the apostles had taught, went and taught others the Truth, so are we to teach the Truth to the lost.

II.       HOW SHALL THEY BELIEVE IF THEY DO NOT HEAR?

            A.        One cannot be expected to believe if he has not heard. (Romans 10:13-17)

            B.        Consider the following line of reason:

                        1.         “Something must be done before it can be known, reported, or believed. Hence, in the order of nature, there is first the fact, then the testimony, and then the belief. A was drowned before B reported it – B reported it before C believed it, and C believed it before he was grieved at it. This is the unchangeable and universal order of things as respects belief. In this example when we reason from effect to cause, it is grief, belief, testimony, fact – and from cause to effect, it is fact, testimony, belief, grief. We ascend from grief to belief – from belief to testimony – from testimony to fact. We descend from fact to testimony – from testimony to belief – and from belief to grief. To this there is no exception, more than against the universality of the laws of gravity. If, then, there was nothing said or done, there could be no testimony, and so no faith.” (The Confirmation of the Testimony, Alexander Campbell, Millennial Harbinger, Vol. I, pg 9)

                        2.         The progression towards belief is as follows:

                                    a.         Fact = Jesus’ life, teachings, death, burial, and resurrection.

                                    b.         Witnesses = the apostles and other disciples of Jesus who walked with Him and learned from Him. Also, 500 witnesses to the resurrected Jesus. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8)

                                    c.         Testimony = the teachings of the apostles, whether it be verbally or written.

                                                (1)       John 20:31 - “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (NKJV)

                                                (2)       Ephesians 3:4 - “by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),” (NKJV)

                                                (3)       Colossians 4:6 - “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” (NKJV)

                                                (4)       1 Thessalonians 5:27 - “I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.” (NKJV)

                                    d.         Belief = Belief develops in those who hear the testimony that was told by the witnesses who saw the facts. Consider the examples of Philip, Steven, Aquila and Priscilla. Their belief developed because they heard the testimony of the witnesses to Jesus Christ.

                        3.         We believe because we read the testimony of those who were witnesses to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

                        4.         We also believe because someone else brought this testimony to our attention.

                        5.         Our part in the process of leading others to believe in Jesus is that of sharing the testimony.

                                    a.         You will hear people refer to “witnessing” for Jesus. They “witness” by telling others about their conversion.

                                    b.         In truth, we cannot be true witnesses in that we were not present when Jesus walked this earth. However, we can show the lost the written testimony of the witnesses (the apostles and inspired writers) so that the written testimony (the Bible) might lead the lost to believe in Jesus Christ.

            C.        We are to teach people so that they might believe. We should not rely upon the lost’s initiative to study the Bible. We must be the instrument that takes the Gospel to the them.

III.      WE MUST CONTINUE THE WORK OF JESUS.

            A.        What was the work of Jesus?

                        1.         Jesus came to finish the Father’s work. (John 4:34-38)

                        2.         Jesus knew that His time was limited to work the works of the Father. (John 9:3-5)

                        3.         The work of Jesus was to seek and save the lost. (Luke 19:9-10)

            B.        Jesus left the apostles to continue the work that the Father started and that Jesus was to finish. (His part was done with the establishment of the New Covenant by His death on the cross of calvary.)

                        1.         We have already seen Jesus’ parting instructions in Mark 16:15-16.

                        2.         However, in John 14:8-12, Jesus told His apostles that they would do “greater works” than did He.

                                    a.         The works to which Jesus referred were not miracles. Although the apostles were able to perform miracles, none were as great as those done by Jesus.

                                    b.         The works were not the forgiving of sins. Jesus forgave sins of His own authority.

                                    c.         The only conclusion that we can draw is that the works to which Jesus referred were the works which His Father had sent Him to do: Seek and save the lost.

                                    d.         After Jesus left this earth, the apostles were to continue seeking and saving the lost by teaching them about Jesus Christ.

                                    e.         The greater works refer to the fact that the apostles would be continuing in the work of Jesus. Once He ascended to the right hand side of His Father, Jesus’ work was done.

                                                (1)       Jesus knew that a time would come when He could work no more. (John 9:24)

                                                (2)       Just prior to His death, Jesus said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

            C.        The apostles continued in the work of Jesus by teaching others the Gospel. As seen earlier, those others worked in the work of Jesus by teaching those who were lost.

            D.        Since we are part of those “others,” we too must be continuing in the work of Jesus.

                        1.         Let us follow the example of Stephen.

                        2.         Let us follow the example of Philip

                        3.         Let us follow the example of Aquila and Priscilla.

IV.      WE NEED LESS TALK AND MORE ACTION.

            A.        I could preach a hundred lessons on personal evangelism, but if we do not take action, then the lessons are all for nothing.

            B.        Imagine the folly of a man who bought a piece of land, dug a huge hole, waited on the rain to fill the hole, then waited on fish to jump into the pond just so that he could go fishing. We are no different when we build a meeting place and wait for the lost to come jumping in to be saved.

            C.        Jesus did not give the command to “drag in the lost.” He told his disciples to go out and teach the lost.

            D.        The question for us is quite simple: Are we simply talking or are we acting? Souls are at stake, including our souls.

            E.        In the insurance business, you are taught that if you contact one hundred people, thirty will allow you to talk to them. Then, out of that thirty, you should be able to sell insurance to ten of them. With teaching the lost, the statistics may be lesser or greater. It does give us a general idea that not everyone we try to teach will obey the Gospel. However, as long as we are “planting” and “watering,” then God will surely give the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)

CONCLUSION.

A.        Where do you stand in your efforts to teach the lost? Begin this week by inviting people to our upcoming Summer Bible Lectureship. It is a start. Then let us all work to talk to the lost about Jesus Christ. We talk about the weather. We talk about politics. We talk about our medical ailments. Why not first talk about Jesus Christ?

B.        No amount of materials to distribute will help if we do not take action today.

------------------------------------

How Shall They Believe If They Do Not Hear? -- May 25, 2003 -- File # 659 - Personal Work

by John M. Duvall – Lawton, OK