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Dr. Law and Dr. Grace - Part 4
Lester Roloff

Lester Leo Roloff (1914–1982) was an American fundamentalist Independent Baptist preacher whose fiery sermons and extensive ministry left a significant mark on 20th-century evangelicalism. Born on June 28, 1914, near Dawson, Texas, he was the youngest of three sons to Harry Augustus and Sadie Isabel McKenzie Roloff, raised on a cotton farm in a strict Baptist environment. Converted at age 12 during a revival at Shiloh Baptist Church in July 1926, he began preaching at 18. He attended Baylor University, famously bringing a Jersey cow named Marie to sell milk for tuition, and later studied at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. In 1936, he married Marie Brady, and they had two daughters, one biological and one adopted. Roloff’s preaching career began in small Texas churches, including pastorates in Houston and Corpus Christi, where he launched The Family Altar radio program in 1944, eventually broadcast on 180 stations. After filling in for a revival in 1950 following B.B. Crim’s death, he founded Roloff Evangelistic Enterprises in 1951, shifting to full-time evangelism. He broke with the Southern Baptist Convention in 1956 over theological differences, aligning with Independent Baptists, and established Alameda Street Baptist Church in Corpus Christi. Known for preaching against homosexuality, communism, alcohol, and modern vices, he also founded homes for troubled youth, starting with the Rebekah Home for Girls in 1968.
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Sermon Summary
This sermon delves into the spiritual condition of humanity, emphasizing the inherent sinfulness and spiritual deadness of individuals from birth, highlighting the need for a spiritual rebirth through Jesus Christ. It illustrates the futile attempts of individuals to find healing and salvation through worldly means, such as self-righteousness, good works, and religious practices, ultimately leading to disappointment and failure. The narrative follows the journey of seeking help from various 'doctors' representing different human efforts to address spiritual needs, culminating in the realization of the necessity to 'join' with Jesus for true transformation and salvation.
Sermon Transcription
Chapter 2 of the book of Hebrews, verse 9, But we see Jesus, who is made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. Now then, I'm the sinner, I'm the sick unto death, I was stillborn, spiritually. So were you. You know what a stillborn is? You know what a stillbirth is? That means you were born dead. I was born dead. The Bible said you had to quicken who were dead. Where did you get dead when I was born? I was born dead spiritually. This is the very heart of the need for grace right here. Nobody was born good or alive. They were born dead in sin. And they live in sin. And there's no other way to live except in sin, until you're born again. All right, I'm the sinner. I realize there's something wrong with me. And so I say to my neighbor, I'm ailing. I need help. I wonder what can be done. He said, I recommend an old doctor. He's unusual. He's tough, he's hard, he's aided. But he's been in practice a long, long time. I recommend that you go to him. His offices won't look too good, and you won't think he's much of a modern doctor. But I recommend that you go to him. I said, where's his office? He told me. I went down to see Dr. Law. I said to the little nurse, I'd like to see Dr. Law. As he entered, he's always in. He's waiting for you now. I walked in. Not too much formality about Dr. Law. He looked at me. He said, you have serious trouble. I said, how'd you know? He said, I can tell by looking at you. I said, what do you think's wrong with me? He said, I don't think I know. You have heart trouble. I said, you haven't even examined my heart. And like any old sinner, I begin to get mad. And he ruffled my feathers the wrong way. I said, let me tell you, Dr. Law, you've never seen me before. And you diagnosed my case by just one brief glance. And I said, I'm here to tell you, I'm having trouble with my feet. They've been carrying me to the dance hall, and I've been dancing, and they've been carrying me to the liquor store, and I'm having trouble with these hands. He said, it's not your hands, it's your heart. I said, I've been having trouble with these eyes. These eyes have been watching television till 12 and 1 o'clock at night, and I couldn't get enough rest to go to sleep, and my wife's just as bad as I am, and I need some help with these eyes. He said, no, it's not eye trouble you're having. You don't need an optometrist. You need a heart specialist. I said to him, I'm having trouble with this old tongue. Ah, listen, that old tongue spits out oaths and dirty jokes, and it criticizes and it cuts people to pieces. He said, it's not your tongue, it's your heart. Well, immediately I fell out with him. I said, I don't even like your attitude. I said, you seem plum egotistical. He said, no, I just know what's wrong with you. Well, I said, I'll tell you one thing, you're wrong about it, and I'm not going to pay any attention to you, and there are other doctors in this town, and I'm... He said, yeah, the woods are full of them, and when you make your rounds and won't get real help, come on back. I said, I'll never be back! Isn't that just like a sinner? Down the street I went. You know where I went, don't you? I went to Dr. Religion. That's where most people go when they get in trouble, Dr. Religion. Oh, yes. I went in, and he had the plush office, and neon signs were flashing, and he had nurses all around, and I'll tell you, we just looked like we had really run into a tremendous doctor. Dr. Religion. And so, he had some assistance, and he said, I'd like for you to go see Dr. Not-So-Bad. Well, I said, all right, that sounds pretty good to me. So I go into the office, and Dr. Not-So-Bad said, I don't really think you're so bad. I see nothing seriously wrong with you. Well, I said, I like that. I feel better already. Yes, sir, not so bad, doctor. Isn't that what the sinner says? I'm not so bad. I've never killed anybody. I take care of my wife and my children. I'm not so bad. But that old doctor's a quack, and you'll never get well going to Dr. Not-So-Bad. In a little while, I found out that he'd failed, and I went back to Dr. Religion, and he said, you know, I think the way you look, you've told me every time, you're not feeling just right. I'd like for you to go to Dr. Feeling-Good. He's one of my newest doctors, and he's just got the latest training there is. And I think if you go in there, you'll start feeling better right away. So I went to Dr. Feeling-Good, and he ran me through his little simple tests, and I got nowhere, but I wasn't feeling any better. I go back to Dr. Religion, and he said, I'll tell you what I believe. I've got a doctor over here in a very lovely office. Oh, doctor, I try. And I go in to Dr. I Try, and he said, I don't think you're trying. I said, well, tell me how to try. But that didn't work either, and yet people are trying. You ever heard anybody say, I said, the man, are you a Christian? He said, I'm trying to be. He said, I'm working at it, working at it. You never get saved like that. I go back to Dr. Religion. He sends me in to Dr. Do Good, and he tells me just to do good. And this world's full of these do-gooders, you know, but they don't do good. Nobody can do good without God. He sent me to Dr. Be Better and Do Better, but I couldn't because I had a bad heart. Oh, Dr. Religion. Finally, he's getting a little discouraged with me. And he said to me, I've got a doctor in here in an office. I have a tremendous staff. I said, yeah, I noticed that. I've about been to all of them. He said, there's one that you haven't been to. I'd like you to go visit Dr. I Join. So I go in there, and a big sign says, Dr. I Join. And I go in to him, and he said, now, I don't care how many doctors you've been to. If Dr. Religion sent you in here, I must have the answer for you. And I want you to start the church. Well, I said, which one? Oh, it doesn't make a lot of difference, the church of your choice. The one that's convenient to get to. The one that has a nice young people's program. You know, you have children, and they'll need to play. I said, yes, I sure do. And I'll do it.
Dr. Law and Dr. Grace - Part 4
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Lester Leo Roloff (1914–1982) was an American fundamentalist Independent Baptist preacher whose fiery sermons and extensive ministry left a significant mark on 20th-century evangelicalism. Born on June 28, 1914, near Dawson, Texas, he was the youngest of three sons to Harry Augustus and Sadie Isabel McKenzie Roloff, raised on a cotton farm in a strict Baptist environment. Converted at age 12 during a revival at Shiloh Baptist Church in July 1926, he began preaching at 18. He attended Baylor University, famously bringing a Jersey cow named Marie to sell milk for tuition, and later studied at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. In 1936, he married Marie Brady, and they had two daughters, one biological and one adopted. Roloff’s preaching career began in small Texas churches, including pastorates in Houston and Corpus Christi, where he launched The Family Altar radio program in 1944, eventually broadcast on 180 stations. After filling in for a revival in 1950 following B.B. Crim’s death, he founded Roloff Evangelistic Enterprises in 1951, shifting to full-time evangelism. He broke with the Southern Baptist Convention in 1956 over theological differences, aligning with Independent Baptists, and established Alameda Street Baptist Church in Corpus Christi. Known for preaching against homosexuality, communism, alcohol, and modern vices, he also founded homes for troubled youth, starting with the Rebekah Home for Girls in 1968.