Third Sunday in Lent
March 23, 2025
(Romans 10:9–17, NIV) “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. 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. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 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!” But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”
God, in his infinite wisdom, promised and sent the Savior, the Redeemer of all mankind first to the descendants of Abraham, the Jews.
Just as all, Jews and Gentiles are sinners, so also all, Jews and Gentiles, are invited to repent and to be saved eternally.
We are to pray for all men. “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:3–6, NIV84)
To call on God in repentant faith is what God wants. Without Jesus Christ, no one could be saved. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” That is the message of the Gospel, which we who have received it are to share with everyone.
Prayer
O almighty God, look upon the needs and prayerful requests of thy people and stretch forth the right hand of thy majesty to answer our God-pleasing prayers and be our defense against all our enemies. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord. Amen
