Beautiful Feet

Rev. Todd R. Lattig

Lectionary • Sermon • Submitted 9 months ago • Presented 9 months ago

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Hear what the Lord our God has to say to us through the prophet Isaiah: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! (Isaiah 52:7 NLT)

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Scripture Reading

Romans 10:5–15 (NLT)

5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

Focus Statement

Hear what the Lord our God has to say to us through the prophet Isaiah:

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,

the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! (Isaiah 52:7 NLT)

Things to Consider

It is so easy for us to lose faith when it comes to ourselves.

Do you know what I mean by that?

We so often believe in the power of God…

EXCEPT when it comes to God’s power to USE US!

Surely God cannot be THAT powerful?

Okay, let me pause here because this is a serious situation we’ve got ourselves here.

Because if that is what we are thinking either we are not really giving it much thought...

or our egos are way, way too big.

You know what I mean?

I mean, are we soooo complicated that God is powerless to find a purpose for us?

OF CORUSE NOT!

If we believe in the power of God, we MUST then believe in the power of GOD OVER, ABOVE, and EVEN THROUGH US!

If we believe that, there’s nothing that can stop us from serving Christ with all our hearts and souls!

What’s more it will keep our feet moving and our minds from straying into what Paul calls “full of every kind of wickedness”.

For idle hands and feet make up the devil’s playground, amen?

What Scripture Says

Before we understand what the Scripture is saying,

We have to first learn of the complex historical context behind the Roman church and this letter written to it.

First, it must be noted that Paul DID NOT establish this church.

He has yet to ever visit Rome and is looking forward to doing so on his way to preach the Gospel in Spain...

as Paul states that his

“ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.” (Romans 15:20 NLT).

So, this is a church that has already been established and, given the amount of names he greets,

one can be sure there was multiple congregations/meeting places.

Also, the history of early Christianity in Rome was complicated.

There was a large Jewish population in Rome...

That was afforded great freedoms and lived fairly peacefully under Roman law.

That is until Christ took hold...

You see, first Jews heard the Gospel message in their synagogues and with that hearing came converts....

But there were also Gentile believers in the Jewish God who also met in the synagogues and some of them also became followers of Christ.

Out of this came a tension between the two groups…so much so that the Emperor Claudius kicked all Jews (Christ-follower, Gentile, Hebrew or otherwise) out of Rome.

Following Claudius’ death, Nero became Emperor and was friendly to the Jews, Christ followers included)...

and allowed them all back into Rome…that is until the Great Fire…afterward he blamed and persecuted the Christians.

But he was able to do so because of the conflict that once again rose between the Jewish and the Gentile Christ-followers.

As one reads Romans, it becomes clear that the Gentile Christ-followers had become resentful and, perhaps, even hateful toward their Jewish counterparts...

And Paul addresses this when he writes in Romans 11:13-25…and I am going to take the time to read this as it is important…Paul writes:

13 I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this, 14 for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them. 15 For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead! 16 And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too. 17 But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. 18 But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root. 19 “Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.” 20 Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. 21 For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either. 22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. 23 And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree. 24 You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong. 25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.

In this Scripture, Paul is pleading with…urging…the Gentile Christians to have humility...

To see that God has not written off Israel...

and that the Jews are STILL God’s people.

For Paul, the Gospel MUST be coupled with humility...

After all it is not OUR Gospel…but the Gospel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST.

Which brings us to today’s passage, which is pretty self-explanatory…especially given the context behind it...

Friends, we all have different gifts...

We all bring something to the table...

Just like there were differences between the Jewish Christ-followers and the Gentile Christ-followers...

So, too, there are differences between all of us.

Some of us are more seasoned veterans…some of us newer to the faith...

Yet, in Christ, ALL of us are equal…and EQUALLY LOVED...

And that IS THE GOOD NEWS, amen?

What’s more, if we are too caught up bickering of over who is or isn’t doing what...

If we get caught up in human pettiness rather than keeping our eye on the big picture...

Who is going to spread the good news to those who need to hear it.

Sisters and brothers, Paul is telling us that we only have so much energy to spend…

and if we spend it in earthly ways…what gain will there be for the Kingdom of God?

Rather, HOW BEAUTIFUL THE FEET are of those who focus their energy of speading the Good News!

What This Means for You

How can you use your beautiful feet?

Have you been caught up in things that are petty compared to the Gospel?

Have you been focusing on worldly things...

Things that can be as simple as how we measure success...

Though numbers, through financial gain, though the amount of participation...

Or as complicated as relational conflicts...

or what we feel we DESERVE to GET out of religion…as opposed to what we can GIVE...

Or have you been focused on each individual or group of people before you…

as if they are the only thing in the world in that matter in that moment…

Knowing how much they mean to God and, by extension, how much they mean to you.

What This Means for Us

Friends, we are all being called to beautify our feet by carrying the good news upon them to all people...

We have been doing that well this summer...

Through our Potluck Suppers…and now through Theology on Tap at Angry Erik’s on the first Thursday of each month...

And there are many more ways in which we can continue to do so.

That is the BIG PICTURE…and if we are going to grow…

what we do has to be sustained by joyful…beautiful feet…who TRUST that God is working NO MATTER what...

And we have to ENDURE…not just quit when things seemingly look down from our perspective...

REMEMBER…it’s God’s perspective we should be seeking out…not our own.

Now, just so you know…rumors do go around in churches…and Pastor’s do HEAR EVERYTHING…#justsaying

And one has come to my attention that I feel would be constructive to address right here and right now...

because honesty and directness are the best policies...

and I am not a huge fan of gossip.

I have heard that I evidently know that I will be moved next year…

and I am presuming that implies that I don’t really care what happens here or not.

The funny thing is…I don’t ever recall having that conversation with anyone...

And I know those to NOT be my words or thoughts.

This kind of behavior and gossip is NOT productive to Spiritual growth and, in fact, Paul writes about Gossip at the beginning of Romans...

Saying how people’s “lives became full of every kind of wickedness” including gossip, which Paul calls malicious behavior.

I can tell you right now that I know no such thing...

And a church not doing well is NOT GOOD for a pastor either...

I have been honored and privileged to serve this congregation...

And I want nothing more than it to be an effective witness for Christ.

Friends, let us not allow our fear of the unknown to run away with our imaginations...

If you have a concern bring it the source…not to a third party...

I am always available to chat, answer questions, pray, and support you in whatever way I can.

Let us not get swept away by fear or bitterness or anything that is not of God...

Rather, let us work TOGETHER to make our feet the most beautiful feet in the area…amen? Amen!

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