Romans 10:16-18

But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly,

“Their sound went out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”

Isn’t it true that you can be hearing something but not really be listening? The Bible said that this is what would happen to the Jews when Jesus came the first time. Last time, I talked about the process involved in bringing salvation to others. There is another very important part.

The Bible also tells us that without God involving Himself in the lives of people, no one would listen to what is being said about God and His salvation.

One of the things I know about myself is that if I really think that something is important, I am going to pay close attention to it. If I don’t think something is important, I might even hear something but not really be paying attention. So, it is true that in order to be saved people have to be sent out and the message has to be spoken, but it is also true that people have to be listening or the message still won’t get through.

Christians also have another duty and that is to pray. We should be praying that God would open the ears of those who we are speaking to so that they can hear the message. We can be right on track with all of the other parts of the process and still fail by not praying. In fact, prayer helps with every part of the process of evangelism. It is important that we don’t start thinking that it is by our preaching or by our money that people become Christians. It is because of God that people become Christians. We can be thankful to God that He has allowed us to participate in doing such a good thing with Him.