Romans 10:12-15
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? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
My brother, Joe, has ugly feet.
It might seem mean-spirited to point that out, but it’s true! I’m pretty
sure he would admit as much. Now, few of us actually have attractive feet, but
my brother’s feet are kind of square and he can spread out his toes to the
point where they look oddly like “gorilla feet” – so yes, my brother has ugly
feet.
But Joe also happens to be a terrific preacher, teacher and writer of
the gospel, which means, according to the Apostle Paul, that he has beautiful
feet!
As it is
written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”What a strange and interesting thing to say! What does Paul mean?
First of all, Paul is quoting from the prophet Isaiah, who lived some
700 years before Christ:
How
beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who
proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to
Zion, “Your God reigns.” Isaiah 52:7
The prophet was referring to the return of the Jews to their own land
following a time of exile. The messenger bringing the good news of God’s
deliverance is running across the hills and is seen as a beautiful sight.
But it also conveys an equally powerful image to the culture in which
Paul lived. And we learned a few weeks ago, the word translated “good news”
here is the Greek word, euongelion,
which means “the good message.” In the culture of ancient Greece it was a word
often associated with battle. When victory had been achieved on the battle field,
a messenger would be dispatched to bring the “good news” – the euongelion – back to the King or the
people back home. Because he was the bearer of good news, it would have been
said that he had beautiful feet.
Paul transposes this image to those who preach the good news of God’s
grace through Jesus Christ.
Now, before you assume Paul is talking only about professional
preachers, let me challenge you a bit.
Like many of you, I have a Facebook account that I visit several times a
week (sometimes several times a day!). I mainly use it to keep in touch with my
boys and to tease my friends who are Packer fans. But I also, like you, watch
with interest, curiosity and sometimes amazement at the things that people deem
worthy of posting on their status lines!
And I have noticed that, quite often, what people choose to share with
others on Facebook is good news. Someone gets engaged; someone has a baby;
someone gets a new job – and they instinctively share that good news with
others.
In a sense, they “preach” their particular bit of good news to the
world.
See where I’m going with this?
We are not all called to be full time vocational preachers in the sense
of what Jeff and I and the other pastors do at FBCG each weekend. But we are
all called to be bearers of the good news!
Some of us have pulpits; some of us have Facebook; some of us have
neighborhoods and apartment complexes; some of us have offices and classrooms;
but the point is, all of us who are followers of Jesus have received good news
– and we all have feet to carry us into the particular world in which we live.
So, let me ask a personal question: How beautiful are your feet?
Pastor Brian Coffey
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1 comment:
I don't have beautiful feet by any means, but because my wife & I walk the walk about Christianity as best that we can, one of our couple friends have been coming to church & getting involved. They have also invited friends & family members and they have come to FBCG also. We came here because one of our couple friends walked the walk before us. It really is a blessing to have others see how you are and want to know what it's all about.
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