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Change Our Heart's - Part 6
Richard Owen Roberts

Richard Owen Roberts (1931 - ). American pastor, author, and revival scholar born in Schenectady, New York. Converted in his youth, he studied at Gordon College, Whitworth College (B.A., 1955), and Fuller Theological Seminary. Ordained in the Congregational Church, he pastored in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and California, notably Evangelical Community Church in Fresno (1965-1975). In 1975, he moved to Wheaton, Illinois, to direct the Billy Graham Center Library, contributing his 9,000-volume revival collection as its core. Founding International Awakening Ministries in 1985, he served as president, preaching globally on spiritual awakening. Roberts authored books like Revival (1982) and Repentance: The First Word of the Gospel, emphasizing corporate repentance and God-centered preaching. Married to Margaret Jameson since 1962, they raised a family while he ministered as an itinerant evangelist. His sermons, like “Preaching That Hinders Revival,” critique shallow faith, urging holiness. Roberts’ words, “Revival is God’s finger pointed at me,” reflect his call for personal renewal. His extensive bibliography, including Whitefield in Print, and mentorship of figures like John Snyder shaped evangelical thought on revival history.
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Sermon Summary
In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of bearing fruit as a Christian and bringing glory to God. He warns against being like Judas, who heard and saw everything but never bore any fruit. The speaker encourages believers to embrace the pruning process, even though it may be painful, as it is necessary for producing abundant fruit. He concludes by urging listeners to take the message seriously and make a commitment to never be a fruitless vine.
Sermon Transcription
Was that by that careful pruning, we did get an abundance of fruit. Maggie and I made raisins, we had so many grapes. I think we've still got some of them after 25 years. Now, pruning is not pleasant to the vine, but mandatory to the fruit. And the pruning of the vine dresser is a form of judgment. Our father says, I'm not liking it when you're not bearing a whole lot of fruit. And you've allowed a lot of things to grow up in your life that are really robbing you of the kind of fruit I want. So I'm here now, and I've got the pruning shears, and I'm going to go after you. Well, Lord, can you just do a little bit? And do it in, now, there's kind of an ugly area over there, I don't care much for that. How about a little pruning? But not here, I mean, look at how I flourish here. But no, no, the vine dresser knows what needs cutting. So I want to close by making a few simple suggestions to you. Number one, remember Judah. Will you take this seriously? Remember Judah. He never bore any fruit. Heard everything that the others heard, saw everything the others saw, but he never bore fruit. Remember Judah. You may be approaching right now one of those fruitless seasons. There may be an awful lot of suckers that have grown up in your life, a lot of stuff that's nothing but dead wood that needs to be pruned away. But you like your life the way it is. Remember Judas, and set your heart never to be a fruitless vine. Number two, learn to love the pruning. Sure, at the time of the pruning things do look pretty awful. But oh, the fruit that comes when the pruning is done right. Learn to love the pruning. Stop objecting to what the Lord is dealing with in your life. Learn to say, oh God, go to it. Let me have the full treatment. Cut away everything that's going to keep me from being fruitful. I have only one great priority, one great overwhelming ambition, and that's to bear much fruit that I might bring glory to you and demonstrate to all around me that I'm one of your disciples. And learn to fear the bugs and the blights that affect the vine, and plead with God to keep you a healthy vine. Become totally intolerant of anything that is destructive to the real work of God in your life. And then cultivate and live in a spirit of rejoicing. What is more wonderful than being a fruit-bearing Christian, bringing glory to God, demonstrating his presence in the light? The judgments of God that enable us to be the very people that he created us and redeemed us to become. Now, Father, bless your word to our hearts and lives. And may there come out of every believer in this assembly abundant fruit to the glory of King Jesus. Amen.
Change Our Heart's - Part 6
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Richard Owen Roberts (1931 - ). American pastor, author, and revival scholar born in Schenectady, New York. Converted in his youth, he studied at Gordon College, Whitworth College (B.A., 1955), and Fuller Theological Seminary. Ordained in the Congregational Church, he pastored in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and California, notably Evangelical Community Church in Fresno (1965-1975). In 1975, he moved to Wheaton, Illinois, to direct the Billy Graham Center Library, contributing his 9,000-volume revival collection as its core. Founding International Awakening Ministries in 1985, he served as president, preaching globally on spiritual awakening. Roberts authored books like Revival (1982) and Repentance: The First Word of the Gospel, emphasizing corporate repentance and God-centered preaching. Married to Margaret Jameson since 1962, they raised a family while he ministered as an itinerant evangelist. His sermons, like “Preaching That Hinders Revival,” critique shallow faith, urging holiness. Roberts’ words, “Revival is God’s finger pointed at me,” reflect his call for personal renewal. His extensive bibliography, including Whitefield in Print, and mentorship of figures like John Snyder shaped evangelical thought on revival history.