Close to God… But Missing Him

Close to God… But Missing Him

Good morning everyone. If we haven’t met, my name is Matt. I’m the teaching pastor here at Blue Oaks. If you’re new, we’re making our way through the book of Romans.

Last week we wrestled with one of the hardest questions in the Christian life: Can God be trusted when his plans don’t make sense?

This week Paul asks a different question. And I think it’s one of the most sobering questions in the entire Bible.

Have you ever spent several minutes looking for something… only to discover it was right in front of you the whole time?

Maybe it was your phone.

You looked in the kitchen.
You looked in the bedroom.
You looked in the car.
You even asked someone else to help you find it.

And then they looked at you and said, “Matt… it’s in your hand.”

Or your sunglasses.

You checked the kitchen.
The bathroom.
The bedroom.

Only to discover they were sitting on top of your head.

Or maybe you’ve done this — Driven home from work. A drive you’ve made hundreds of times. You pull into your driveway and suddenly realize… “I don’t even remember the last fifteen minutes.”

Your eyes were open. You were looking straight ahead. But somehow you weren’t really seeing.

It’s amazing how close something can be… and still be completely missed.

That’s exactly what Paul is talking about today.

Not missing your keys.
Not missing your phone.
Not missing your freeway exit.

Missing God.

And what’s so surprising is that the people Paul is talking about weren’t atheists. They weren’t indifferent. They weren’t hostile to religion.

They were incredibly devoted.

They prayed.
They studied Scripture.
They worshiped.
They loved God.

Or at least they thought they did.

And somehow… they missed the very Messiah they had been waiting for.

That’s why I’ve titled today’s message: Close to God… But Missing Him.

Alright, let’s begin in Romans 9, verse 30.

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.

Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.

Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. (Romans 9:30-10:4)

One of the things I appreciate about Paul is — he isn’t afraid to tell us when something surprises him.

Because what he says here would have shocked almost everyone listening.

The Gentiles — people who weren’t looking for God, who didn’t have the law, who didn’t grow up with the Scriptures — found righteousness.

Meanwhile Israel — the people who had devoted their lives to knowing God — largely missed him.

How is that possible?

Paul tells us.

They pursued righteousness. — “…not by faith but as if it were by works.”

In other words, they were trying to earn what could only be received.

Then Paul says something that I think is both heartbreaking and incredibly insightful.

Look at verse 2:

For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God… (Romans 10:2)

Notice what Paul doesn’t say.

He doesn’t say they were lazy.
He doesn’t say they were indifferent.
He doesn’t say they didn’t care.

He says they were zealous. They were passionate. They sincerely wanted to honor God.

But sincerity and truth are not always the same thing.

Have you ever met someone who was sincerely wrong?

Some of you are married to someone like that… don’t look at them.

Seriously though, we’ve all experienced this.

You confidently walk into the wrong meeting.
You confidently take the wrong freeway exit.
You confidently send a text… to the wrong person.

Confidence doesn’t make you correct.

Sincerity doesn’t automatically make something true.

Paul is saying Israel’s problem wasn’t a lack of passion. It was that their passion was pointed in the wrong direction.

Verse 3 explains it.

Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own… (Romans 10:3)

That’s such an interesting phrase — “…sought to establish their own.”

They’re trying to build a righteousness of their own.

To prove themselves.
To measure up.
To become good enough.

And before we’re too hard on them… don’t we do the same thing?

Maybe not with the law of Moses. But we all have our own scorecards.

Some people build their identity on success.

Others on being a good parent.
Others on being generous.
Others on being moral.
Others on always being right.
Others on serving in church.
Others on knowing the Bible.

We all have this tendency to quietly ask ourselves:

“Am I enough?”
“Have I done enough?”
“Have I earned enough?”
“I think God must be pleased with me now…”

Or on bad days…

“I’ve really blown it this week.”
“I don’t think God could be pleased with me.”

The scorecard is always moving. And it’s exhausting.

Maybe that’s why this matters so much in the Bay Area. We live in a place where almost everything is measured.

Test scores
Stock prices
Performance reviews
College admissions
Promotions
Followers

It’s easy to spend your whole life feeling like you’re only as valuable as your last performance.

I wonder if that’s why so many people experience faith as pressure instead of peace.

Because if your relationship with God is based on your performance… you’ll never know when you’ve done enough.

You’ll always wonder if there’s one more prayer to pray.

One more Bible study to attend.
One more habit to fix.
One more thing to prove.

Paul says that’s exactly what Israel was doing.

They were standing right in front of the Messiah… and still trying to build their own righteousness.

Then he says something that changes everything. Verse 4:

Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4)

The goal was never to become good enough for God. The goal of the law was always to lead people to Jesus.

Everything pointed to him:

The sacrifices
The priesthood
The temple
The festivals
The prophets

The whole story was moving toward Jesus.

And tragically, some people became so focused on the signposts… they missed the destination.

They loved the map.
They studied the map.
They memorized the map.
They argued about the map.
They built their lives around the map.

But they missed the person the map was leading them to.

And if we’re not careful… we can do exactly the same thing.

We can become experts in Christianity… without actually enjoying being with Jesus.
We can know Bible stories… without knowing Jesus.
We can attend church… and serve faithfully… and give generously… and still subtly believe our standing with God depends on how well we’re doing this week.

Paul says that’s not the gospel. The gospel isn’t about building a righteousness of your own. It’s about receiving the righteousness that Jesus has already accomplished for you.

So Israel was standing right in front of Jesus… and still trying to earn what he had come to give.

So Paul says, “Let me show you what the gospel actually looks like.”

Look at verses 5 through 13:

Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 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.” (Romans 10:5-13)

If the first section is about the problem… this section is about the solution.

And I think Paul is trying to help us breathe.

Because trying to establish your own righteousness is exhausting. It feels like you’re constantly climbing.

Trying harder.
Doing more.
Becoming better.
Hoping someday you’ll finally arrive.

Paul says that’s not how the gospel works.

Listen to what he says. He quotes Moses and says:

“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (Romans 10:6)

In other words… who’s going to climb high enough to reach God?

Then, “Who will descend into the deep?” Who’s going to go low enough?

Who’s going to do something extraordinary?
Who’s going to accomplish the impossible?

Paul says… you’re asking the wrong question.

Because the good news of Christianity isn’t that we finally figured out how to reach God. The good news is that God reached us.

Jesus already came down.
Jesus already entered our world.
Jesus already lived the life we couldn’t live.
Jesus already died the death we deserved.
Jesus already rose from the grave.
The work has already been done.

I wonder if that’s why Jesus’ last words on the cross weren’t, “Keep trying.”

They were, “It is finished.”

Everything changed because of those three words.

Religion usually asks, “What do I need to do to get to God?”

The gospel asks, “What has God already done to come to me?”

That’s a completely different starting point.

I was thinking this week about how much of our lives are built around earning things.

You earn a degree.
You earn a promotion.
You earn trust.
You earn a paycheck.
You earn a starting position on the team.

Almost everything valuable in life comes through effort.

So it’s no surprise that many of us assume our relationship with God works the same way — surely we must earn his acceptance.

But Paul says… No. This is the one relationship you don’t earn. You receive it.

I think that’s why verses 8 through 10 are so beautiful.

Paul says,

The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart… (Romans 10:8)

Notice the word “near.”

Not distant.
Not hidden.
Not reserved for spiritual superstars.

Near.

God isn’t hiding from people. He’s drawing near to them.

In fact, that’s been the story of Scripture from beginning to end.

In the garden, God came looking for Adam and Eve.
In the wilderness, God dwelled among his people.
In Jesus, God literally stepped into human history.

The direction has always been the same. God moving toward us. Not us clawing our way toward him.

Then Paul says:

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. (Romans 10:9)

Sometimes people read that like it’s a formula — say these words… believe these facts… done.

But that’s not what Paul is describing.

He’s describing surrender.

In the Roman Empire, saying “Jesus is Lord” wasn’t just a religious statement. It was a declaration of allegiance.

Everyone knew the phrase that shaped the empire — Caesar is Lord.

To say, “Jesus is Lord” was to say, “My ultimate loyalty belongs to someone else.”

It wasn’t merely information. It was reorientation. A whole new center for your life.

Then Paul reaches this incredible conclusion. Verse 12:

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him… (Romans 10:12)

I love that word — all.

Not the religious.
Not the successful.
Not the moral.
Not the people who finally got their lives together.

All.

Then Paul quotes one of the most hope-filled promises in the Old Testament:

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)

Everyone.

Imagine hearing those words as a first-century Gentile.

For generations you had been told you were an outsider.

Now Paul says, “The invitation has your name on it too.”

And honestly… that’s still one of the most beautiful truths in Christianity.

No one is too far away.
No one has failed too badly.
No one has too much baggage.
No one has too much regret.

The invitation is still open.

And I don’t want us to rush past what Paul just said. Listen to it again.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)

That’s one of the simplest and most hope-filled promises in all of Scripture.

Notice what Paul doesn’t say.

He doesn’t say, “Everyone who has their life together.”
He doesn’t say, “Everyone who has cleaned themselves up.”
He doesn’t say, “Everyone who’s been in church long enough.”

He says, everyone.

Which means if you’ve been sitting here wondering, “How do I actually begin a relationship with Jesus?” Paul just answered your question.

You don’t earn it. You don’t achieve it. You receive it.

By trusting the one who has already done everything necessary to bring you to God.

And maybe today, for someone here, this isn’t just another Sunday. Maybe this is the day you stop trying to prove yourself to God… and simply receive what Jesus has already done for you.

If that’s you, you don’t need special words. You don’t need a perfect prayer. You simply need to call on him.

Tell him you trust him.
Tell him you’re placing your life in his hands.
Tell him that Jesus is Lord.

If you’re ready to do that and you’re not sure how, let me lead you in a prayer. Would you bow your heads with me?

God, I admit that I’ve spent much of my life trying to do things my own way. I’ve sinned against you and against others. I’ve trusted in myself more than I’ve trusted in you.

And today I want to turn from that.

Thank you for sending Jesus to do for me what I could never do for myself. Thank you that he lived the life I couldn’t live, died in my place, and rose again.

Today I place my trust in him. I receive your forgiveness. I receive your grace. I surrender my life to you. Jesus, you are Lord.

Help me follow you from this day forward. Amen.

If that’s the prayer you prayed today, Paul’s promise is for you: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Now there’s nothing magical about those words. God isn’t saving people because they recited a script. He’s responding to a heart that trusts him.

And if today is the day you’ve placed your trust in Jesus, I’d love to know about it.

Tell me after the service.
Tell one of our pastors.
Tell the person you came with.

Because we’d love to help you take your next step.

Alright, Paul isn’t finished.

Because as soon as he says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” another question emerges.

If that’s true… how can people call on someone they’ve never heard about?

And that’s where Paul takes us next.

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. (Romans 10:14-17)

Paul has just said, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

And then he immediately asks a series of questions. They’re almost like dominoes. One naturally leads to the next.

How can people call on someone they don’t believe in?
How can they believe in someone they’ve never heard about?
How can they hear unless someone tells them?

Paul is helping us see something that’s easy to forget — faith is personal… but it was never meant to be private.

The good news always moves from one person to another.

And when I read those verses, I can’t help but think about the first person who invited me to church.

I’ve shared this story with you recently.

I had a neighbor who volunteered in the student ministry at his church. He was several years older than I was, and I really looked up to him. He was one of those guys you respected and wanted to be around.

One day he invited me to come to church with him. His sales pitch was pretty simple.

“There’s basketball… and cute girls.”

Which, let’s be honest… is a pretty effective invitation when you’re in high school.

And yes… there was basketball.
And yes… there were cute girls.

But looking back now, I don’t think that’s why I went.

I would have gone anyway. Because what meant the most to me wasn’t what he promised. It was the fact that someone I admired wanted me to come with him.

He cared enough to include me in something that mattered to him.

And I wonder if he had any idea what that invitation would eventually lead to.

Following Jesus.
Being called to ministry.
Seminary.
Helping start Blue Oaks.
Standing here today.

I seriously doubt he was thinking, “I’m about to change the course of this kid’s life.”

He was simply inviting his neighbor to church. That’s all.

But isn’t that often how God works?

He uses ordinary people… having ordinary conversations… extending ordinary invitations… to accomplish extraordinary things.

I think we sometimes underestimate what God can do with one simple invitation.

That’s exactly what Paul is describing.

Look at verse 15.

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. (Romans 10:15)

I’ve always loved that verse. Not because feet are beautiful. Let’s be honest… most feet are not.

Especially after years of playing soccer. I’ve seen those feet. Beautiful isn’t the word I’d use.

Paul isn’t complimenting their feet. He’s celebrating what those feet are carrying.

Good news.

Imagine living in an ancient village.

No phones.
No email.
No internet.
No news alerts.

When a battle was over, the only way anyone knew the outcome was if a messenger came running over the horizon.

Can you picture the scene? Everyone is watching the road.

Waiting.
Wondering.
Praying.

Then finally someone appears in the distance. Before they even speak, everyone is asking, “What news are they bringing?”

If they came announcing victory… those dusty, tired feet suddenly became beautiful.

Not because of how they looked. But because of what they carried.

Paul says that’s us.

We carry good news.

Not advice.
Not self-improvement.
Not another list of things people need to fix.

Good news:

God has come near.
Jesus has died.
Jesus has risen.
Forgiveness is available.
Grace is available.
Hope is available.
Life is available.

That’s the news we’ve been entrusted with.

And here’s what I find encouraging. Paul doesn’t say, “How beautiful are the feet of pastors.” Or missionaries. Or professional Christians.

He simply says, “Those who bring good news.”

That includes every follower of Jesus.

Sometimes it’s a sermon. More often… it’s an invitation.

A conversation over coffee.
A neighbor.
A coworker.
A teammate.
A friend who simply says, “Would you come with me?”

Because someone did that for you. And someone did that for me.

But that raises another question. If the good news about Jesus really is good news… If it’s available to everyone… Why doesn’t everyone receive it? Why do some people hear the same message… and walk away?

That’s not just our question. It was Paul’s question too.

Remember where this chapter began. Paul’s heart was breaking because so many of his own people had rejected Jesus.

So he ends this chapter by wrestling with that very issue.

Look at verses 18 through 21.

But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”

And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.” (Romans 10:18-21)

Paul has one final question to answer.

If the good news has gone out… If people have heard… why have so many still rejected it?

And Paul’s answer is fascinating.

He says, “Yes… they’ve heard.” In fact, he reaches back into the Old Testament to show that this moment shouldn’t surprise us.

God had been preparing his people for this all along.

Then he quotes Isaiah. And finally he ends with one of the most moving pictures in the entire chapter.

Listen again to verse 21.

All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people. (Romans 10:21)

I love that image. Because it tells us something about the heart of God.

When I was younger, I used to picture God standing with his arms crossed… waiting… disappointed… maybe even irritated.

Like a parent saying, “I’ll be here whenever you finally get your act together.”

But that’s not the picture Paul gives us. God isn’t standing with crossed arms. He’s standing with open arms — “All day long…”

What an incredible phrase.

Not for a moment.
Not until he gets frustrated.
Not until his patience runs out.

All day long.

That’s the posture of God toward people who have wandered away.

He’s still reaching.
He’s still inviting.
He’s still pursuing.

One of the things I’ve noticed over the years is that people often assume they’re searching for God. And sometimes that’s true.

But if you read Scripture carefully… you discover something even more beautiful.

Long before we ever started looking for God… God was looking for us.

Which means your story with God didn’t begin when you found him. It began when he came looking for you.

Think about the first pages of Genesis.

Adam and Eve sinned. They hid. Who came looking?

God did.

Throughout the Old Testament… God kept sending prophets… kept calling his people back… kept inviting them home.

Then Jesus came. Not because humanity had finally figured out how to find God. But because God had come looking for humanity.

The story of the Bible is not primarily people reaching for God. It’s God reaching for people.

That’s why this chapter ends with open hands… not crossed arms.

Now… those open hands don’t force anyone. Love never does.

God allows people to resist him.
God allows people to walk away.

That’s part of genuine love.

But don’t confuse rejection with a lack of invitation. The invitation has always been there. And it’s still there.

Maybe that’s exactly what someone here needs to hear today.

Maybe you’ve believed that God is tired of you… that you’ve wandered too far… that you’ve made too many mistakes… that you’ve ignored him one too many times.

Paul ends Romans 10 by saying, “No…

His hands are still open.
He’s still inviting.
He’s still calling.
He’s still pursuing.

Because that’s who he is.

When we began today, I asked if you’ve ever missed something that was right in front of you.

Your phone.
Your glasses.
Your freeway exit.

It’s amazing how close something can be… and still be missed.

Paul’s concern is that the same thing can happen spiritually.

It’s possible to know about God… without knowing him.
It’s possible to love religion… and miss Jesus.
It’s possible to spend your life trying to earn what God has already offered as a gift.

But the good news of Romans 10 is that God hasn’t made himself difficult to find.

He came near.
He made the first move.
He opened his arms.
He sent his Son.
He offers his righteousness as a gift.

And He continues to invite every person who will call on his name.

So maybe the question this morning isn’t, “Is God close to me?” Maybe the better question is, will I receive the one who has already come near?

Because that’s the invitation.

Not just for people who are exploring faith. But for every one of us.

Every day we choose…

Whether we’ll trust our own righteousness… or rest in his.
Whether we’ll keep trying to prove ourselves… or simply receive his grace.
Whether we’ll keep him at a distance… or walk into the open arms that have been extended toward us all along.

Alright, let’s pray as the worship team comes to lead us in a closing song.