The Gospel of Christ Jesus: A Universal Call! Psalm 49: 1-4

Text: “Hear this (the Gospel), all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: both low and high, rich and poor, together.”

Psalm 49:1-2.

          “So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

Romans 10:17.

Good morning, Gospel-sharing Christian!  Why would you desire to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ: God’s message of Eternal Salvation through faith in His Son?  This Jesus, Who was sent down from Heaven, incarnated (God in bodily form) as man; lived a life of sinless Holiness for over thirty-three years among men; performed many Divine miracles; then went to a cruel Roman Cross to hang there and suffer and bleed, and die to bear away the sins of ‘His people’ that would believe and receive Him as Saviour and Lord; then rise again from the dead, to justify all those that God the Father had given Him, in Eternity, to save?  Why would you want to share such a Gospel message?

Fully believing this glorious Gospel message of Eternal Salvation in Christ – how could you and I ever cease from seeking to share such an Eternally vital message with other precious souls?

This is that very same vital message of Eternal Salvation that the prophets of old cried out to all that would hear their urgent cry:  “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that that no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”  (Isaiah 55:1)

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”  (Revelation 2:29)

What a vital Gospel message is to be proclaimed by you and I, when the Lord God grants us a passion for the perishing souls all around us?  There is, basically, only ONE message to give:

“For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Romans 10:13)

“Neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men, whereby ye must be SAVED.”  (Acts 4:12)

This Gospel is a universal call to Salvation – but only God’s elect will ever respond in faith; for faith is ‘...the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.’ (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“All that the Father hath given Me (Jesus Christ) shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.”  (John 6:37)

As in Christ’s parable of the sower in Luke’s Gospel, the seed was sown universally, in all the farmer’s land, yet only that which was sown ‘...on good ground...’, ‘...sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.’  (Read again Luke 8:5-15)  Likewise, the Gospel of Salvation in Christ Jesus and through faith in His Sacrifice at Calvary’s Cross, is shared with all that will hear.  However, only the Lord Himself chooses whom to grant faith to, that they might indeed believe (trust) in Jesus and be saved.

“For unto us (the elect believers of God) was the Gospel preached, as well as unto them (those that would not believe): but the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Hebrews 4:2)  Such an important verse of Scripture, it deals with two distinct human souls, the THEM and the US!  Check it out!

However, it is not for you and I, born again believers, to know, or try to discern, exactly who will believe, and who will not believe – it is only our duty to proclaim the Gospel message, - God ALONE chooses which hearer to grant His vital gift of saving faith! ‘Salvation is of the Lord!’  (Jonah 2:9)

Verse 2. “Both low and high, rich and poor, together.  Our preaching ought to have a voice for all classes, and all should have an ear for it.  To suit our word to the rich alone is wicked sycophancy, and to aim only at pleasing the poor is to act the part of a demagogue...”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 227)

It is our bounden duty to preach/teach the glorious Gospel of Christ, and Him Crucified for to save sinners, for this is the means God has provided for us to spread out the ‘...good seed...’ of His Word.  You and I cannot discern the elect ‘...good ground...’ that will successfully receive God’s message of Salvation, for that is the choice of a Sovereign Lord God Who will save just whomsoever He has determined to save from ‘...before the foundation of the world...’.  Therefore, you and I must spread the Word, and leave the outcome of our sowing in the Divine hands of Him who saves precious souls.

“For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.  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?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent?  As it is written, How beautiful the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace (between sinful man and a thrice Holy Lord God), and bring glad tidings of good things!”  (Romans 10-15)

When the universal call of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached: those whom God has determined to save, will hear the Gospel, receive faith from God to believe (trust), and be soundly and Eternally saved.  Those that merely hear with their ears and not their hearts, will not receive God’s gift of faith to believe and receive Salvation – they will be Eternally lost.

“What then?  Israel (National Israel) hath not obtained that which he seeketh for (Eternal Salvation); but the election (all God has preordained to be saved) hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.” (Romans 11:7-8)

The universal call of the Gospel is ineffectual in ‘quickening’ the dead spirits of the natural man/woman; for that universal call is foolishness in their eyes and minds – since the Lord God has not seen fit to grant them His gift of faith to believe it.  (1 Corinthians 2:12-14)

Thought: The universal call of the Gospel will only grant faith to those whom God Himself has chosen to save.  “Of His Own will begat He us with the Word of truth...” (James 1:18) (1 Peter 23)