Dear Church,
 
I remember my first trip to Africa; I was five years old. On our way to our final destination, we had a stopover in Kenya and before we landed, for the first time, I saw the snow-clad Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa. For a five-year-old, this imposing figure of the Majestic Mount, rising above the surrounding African plains was a sight to behold. Now, for me Romans 8 is like this, it is the tallest chapter rising above all others. Now, this doesn’t mean that it is any more God-breathed than Job 5, but it encompasses some breathtaking theology (theology: study of God’s revelation of Himself). Things like our Justification by grace, through faith in Christ alone, our life through the Holy Spirit, our present suffering and future glory and finally about God’s everlasting love. These are core understanding of our faith that would transform our Christian walk.
 
With this in mind we are starting a 4-week sermon series on Romans 8 called:  The Transforming Truth of Romans 8. 
 
Part One:  Sunday, November 19^th:  “Life Through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 8:1-17)
Part Two:  Sunday, November 26^th:  “Suffering Now and Glory in the Future” (Romans 8:18-25)
Part Three: Sunday, December 3^rd:  “Details of Our Lives Woven for Our Good” (Romans 8: 26-30)
Part Four: Sunday, December 10^th:  “Nothing Can Separate Us From God’s Love” (Romans 8:31-39)
 
Since this is an important study, I hope ALL of us can be prepared for this series. Come to church prepared in prayer, expecting God to speak. Write down notes but keep your attention on the message, sometimes in our eagerness to take notes we may miss some crucial points. You can always go back and listen to the message later (on our church website in the sermon archive). Pray before, during and after the message about the personal application of the message. Most people expect the Pastor to do all the preaching and life application for them, but when we through prayer put in genuine self-introspection and self-application change happens in our spiritual life.
 
Be encouraged,
Mathews