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I. FAITH IS ESSENTIAL TO WORSHIP (ver. 13). "He that cometh to God must believe that He is," etc. Acceptable worship is not speech, ritual, or bodily service, but the devotions of a soul quickened by a living faith.

1. Not a corporate faith, the current faith of a community to which we belong.

2. Not a traditional faith.

3. But an individual faith which has been reached by our own examination of facts and evidence, and which has become a living power within us.

II. INFORMATION IS ESSENTIAL TO FAITH (ver. 14). Faith implies objects known to us. We cannot believe in something, however true, that is unknown. Men know nothing of God until they are informed. The knowledge does not come either as an intuition, or as a truth conveyed by nature. "The world by wisdom knew not God." There must come a special revelation.

III. PREACHING IS ESSENTIAL TO KNOWLEDGE. "How shall they hear without a preacher?" Let the word "preacher" stand for all who convey from God necessary information — prophets, apostles, and all true modern expositors of the blessed Book. Had not such messengers appeared whom God made organs of communications to men, what should we have known of Him? What to produce a living faith? The publication of the gospel by preaching is God's established instrumentality for giving the world a knowledge of the great things of faith.

IV. DIVINE COMMISSION IS ESSENTIAL TO PREACHING. "How shall they preach except they be sent?" The men who give the true knowledge are the men only whom God sends. There are many unsent preachers proclaiming their notions. Who are the sent ones? What are the criteria by which to determine the point — volubility, animal warmth, popularity? Not necessarily so. He is the sent who is divinely qualified by having the right conceptions, the right sympathies, the right speech.

(D. Thomas, D.D.)

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KJV: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

WEB: For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed."