Romans 10:1-21
Everyone Who Calls on the LORD Will Be Saved
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.
5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” 6 But 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). 8 But 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: 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.”
Luke 14:15-24
Parable of the Great Banquet
15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”
Moses wrote about the law, and the righteousness of the law...The law showed that we sin, and we need One who is full of Grace and Truth...We live in a broken world and we are lacking...Because to be Perfect and Good, no one can attain righteousness, so we are in need of a Savior...
God is ready to answer all people, even those who are hard and make excuses about Him...St. Paul wrote that everyone who calls on the LORD will be saved...He did not qualify his statement with ethnicity or culture, but he said that everyone who calls on God will be saved...In Jesus' Parable of the Great Banquet we see that He too, emphasizes who His Father invites to His Kingdom...Many guests were invited at first and did not accept His invitation...The poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame are all invited...
God wants His house to be full...God wants all to be saved...He wants us to come into His Kingdom and heaven, but it seems we have excuses of life...The excuses heard from the first round of invitations that are given out by God, are not very good excuses...One could not make it because, he had to go look at a field he just purchased...Another just bought five oxen and could not make it to the banquet...Another just got married and could not come...
God wants us to invite the poor the crippled, the blind, and the lame to our banquets, like He did...When they are served, we are serving Him...Who will ascend to heaven?...Everyone will be saved if they say the LORD is the LORD...The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 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."...The color of your skin or the country you are from does not qualify you, nor disqualify you...But if we ignore His invitation to heaven, we will not make it...Jesus said not one of those who had their excuses who were invited will not get a taste of His banquet....But all are invited to be saved...For “everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”...