Monday, October 3, 2022

            God has blessed us with five senses...seeing, smelling, tasting, touching and hearing.  Each one is a gift and plays an important role in helping us to navigate the activities of each day.  In Romans 10:17, Paul wrote about the relationship between hearing and faith.  We read, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”  Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.  Listening to the reading of Scripture is a faith-building exercise.  Occasionally, if we read Scripture aloud, we are able to understand simple truths that we might otherwise miss if we are reading silently.  Early Christians certainly read Scripture.  Israel in the Old Testament lived in an oral-tradition culture where truth and stories were often transmitted by telling them aloud often to new listeners and repeating them for the sake of old hands.
            How often do you listen to Scripture being read?  Whether listening to someone else of yourself, there is power in hearing the Word of God read.  I have read stories of different youth groups doing marathon readings of Scripture such as all the gospels, the entire New Testament, all of Paul’s letters, or, in one case, a group read the entire Bible from Genesis through Revelation in only one setting!  Remarkable!  God uses the hearing of His Word to build our faith and to deepen our walk with Him.  A sermon or a Sunday School lesson is an amplification of the Word itself.  No sermon or study can ever take the place of reading Scripture or hearing Scripture.  And, any good sermon or study wants to be and must be grounded in Scripture.
            Often, when you read the Old Testament, you will find occasions where Israel did not listen to the Word of God or heed the demands of it.  Occasionally, Jesus called out an audience for failing to listen to the truth of God’s Word or put it into practice.  Paul even took his readers to task for not knowing the truth of God’s message to them.  You may recall how Paul even said the Galatian Christians had been deceived, tricked and bewitched by false teachings.  The Berean Christians knew to search the Scripture to confirm the accuracy of teachers and their teachings.  They trusted what they read and heard from God’s Word.  When we have heard the Word of God, then we know how to navigate our way through the challenges and mine fields of the day.
            Paul began Romans 10 by stating his desire that Israel be saved.  But this salvation that Paul hoped for was gained only by hearing and acting upon the Word of God—not human efforts, traditions or man-made customs.  When we learn and know the truth of God’s Word, then we can confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and we can believe that the Father raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10).  Protestants have historically valued and placed great emphasis upon the preached Word—believing that the saving grace and faith that lead to salvation are experienced by hearing the Word of God.  Faith comes by hearing. Consider what you are hearing.  Look for ways to increase your intake of Scripture and watch your faith soar.  Have a great Monday and remember you can share our worship at youtube.com/FirstBaptistKannapolis.