In this final session, Roger brings the heart of Jesus Christ towards His sheep and warns pastors of the consequences of leading one of these little ones astray. Jesus is calling a last day's remnant to Himself and is looking for pastors who will lead His flock and prepare them for His soon return!
In this teaching session, Roger comprehensively and very competently demonstrates the dangers of the Emergent Church, which claims to be emerging in these last days to meet the needs of a post-modern generation. Rather than focussing on narrow doctrine, this new movement focusses instead on experience; but the many spiritual disciplines and exercises that it promotes and practises are rooted in Roman Catholic mysticism and are taking many that are being misled back to Rome!!
Roger shares much insight and wisdom as it pertains to his more than three decades of Christian ministry. Perhaps the single greatest sign that we could very well be the generation to see the return of the Lord is the unprecedented rate at which apostasy has come wholesale into the Church. Roger indeed stands as a watchman in our generation, sounding a trumpet and warning the body of Christ to be on guard against deception!!
Romans 9
Paul’s great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart was for his own kinsmen according to the flesh. Such was his great love for his nation that he wished himself were accursed from Christ for his people Israel. Nationally, they had not come into the salvation of Messiah with only a remnant being saved. Paul in seeking to reconcile this fact with the faithfulness and justice of a covenant keeping God, demonstrates from history that God has always chosen to call by election showing mercy to whom He will, calling for Himself not only a remnant from Israel but a people also from among the Gentiles!!
Admittedly, this ninth chapter of Romans is a very difficult passage of Scripture over which many have argued and debated. In seeking to be faithful to the text of Scripture, we endeavour to exegete the passage faithfully!!
Romans 8:24-39
Jesus told His disciples plainly,"...In this world ye shall have tribulation: but be of god cheer; I have overcome the world (Jn. 16:33). The Apostle Paul in echoing the same sentiments, spoke too of a necessary suffering with Christ that we might receive our inheritance as beloved children in an age yet to come. The great hope of our glorification with Christ at His appearing ought to be a great source of encouragement to us as believers, not least when enduring under trial and hardship.
In these final verses of Romans chapter 8, Paul is relentless in his argumentation, mounting one case after another; all designed to lift the believer’s eyes heavenward. The gist of his reasoning is this: We are the children of God, foreknown of God before the foundations of the world, predestined, called, justified with the sure hope of being glorified. If this be so then what weapon formed against the child of God can prosper? If God be for us, who can be against us? Be of good courage!!
Romans 8:15-23
Paul continues in this chapter to set forth the redemptive purposes of God in Christ Jesus for mankind. Turning away from looking at the believers experience in the here and now, Paul now looks ahead to the future wherein shall be revealed the full redemptive purposes of God in the glories which await us at the coming of Christ. When asked how this can be? The answer lies in our adoption as sons and daughters of God! As such we have been grafted into the family of God and have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father!! As such we have now become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together!
This sermon seeks to lift believers’ eyes above this world to see the wonderful inheritance that has been laid up for us in the ages to come when the Saints shall inherit the earth in a Kingdom that is yet to come wherein creation itself awaits the manifestation of the sons of God at which time it too shall be delivered from bondage into the glorious liberty of the children of God.