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  • Romans 3:27-31

    Romans 3:27-31
    2025/10/13

    Romans 3:27-31Senior Pastor Alex KennedyLast week we focused on the humbling truth that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Each and every one of us have missed the mark and fallen short of God’s standard. But the great news is that those who place their hope in Christ as Savior “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Remember, justification is that legal term meaning we are declared not guilty by God!
    In our passage today, Paul continues this thought with an important question, “Then what becomes of our boasting (v. 27)?”If we’re honest, we all have a tendency to boast. Pastor Alex reminded us that boasting is an outward expression of an inner problem: pride. Let’s remember, this is not a new problem. In fact, we can trace boasting (and pride) all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve convinced themselves that they knew better than God and chose to go their own way rather than following and trusting Him. The reality is boasting is incompatible with the truth of the gospel… that we are justified by God’s grace as a gift (3:24). Elsewhere Paul reminds, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). If salvation were possible through the Law or any means of our own doing, then we would be able to boast in something we could earn. But the only response to salvation as a gift of God is a posture of gratitude and thankfulness to Him. Let’s remember who authored the book of Romans. If anyone would have had a right to boast in his accomplishments, lineage, education, and religious pedigree it would have been Paul. And yet, Paul considered all these things “rubbish” (literally garbage) compared to knowing Christ Jesus (see Philippians 3:5-11)!In addition to running completely counter to the truth of the gospel that salvation is a gift of God by grace alone through faith alone, boasting affects our everyday lives in several ways. First, boasting causes division. When we think better of ourselves because of anything – our race, our social status, or our achievements – it automatically divides and separates us from others. In addition to division, boasting can also reveal itself as anxiety in our lives. When the things that we boast about are threatened – i.e. our marriage, our kids, or our livelihood – we are vulnerable to fear and anxiety. Questions to Consider:
    1. First and foremost, is there anything in which you are tempted to boast as the grounds of your confidence or self-worth? As Paul reminds us in Galatians 3:14, “Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ask God to expose anything that feeds the lie of self-sufficiency.
    2. Ask God to expose anything that gives you a heart of pride. Ask God to remove any sense of false security about things we might be tempted to boast about in our own strength.
    3. Ask God to reveal anything that gives you a sense of shame. If you haven’t done so already, confess those things to God, ask His forgiveness, and then thank God for that forgiveness He freely offers (1 John 1:9).
    4. If you’ve never put your trust in Christ alone as your Savior and would like to know more about what a relationship with Him looks like, we’re here to help. Send us an email at questions@carmelbaptist.org and someone from our team will reach out to you.

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    35 分
  • Romans 3:21-26

    Romans 3:21-26
    2025/10/06
    Romans 3:21-26Senior Pastor Alex KennedyThis passage is thought to be one of the most important paragraphs ever written. Paul has just spent the last two chapters explaining the purpose and insufficiency of the law, and now he starts with, "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law". "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" means that all have, are, and will always fall short of God's glory. God is the standard, and we all fall short.To read more, please go to: https://carmelbaptist.org/carmel-sermon/romans-321-26/

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    33 分
  • Romans 3:1-20

    Romans 3:1-20
    2025/09/29
    Romans 3:1-20Senior Pastor Alex KennedyPaul continues his letter in Chapter 3 by handling Jewish objections to his teaching by using a diatribe, which means he set up a dialogue with his critics by posing questions and then answering them.
    Objection 1 - "Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value circumcision?" (v1) In other words, "If my Jewishness doesn't save me and circumcision is no guarantee, then what advantage is there to being a Jew and having the sign of circumcision?"
    For us today, it could be stated, "What advantage then is there in being baptized? Is there any advantage to being a member of Carmel Baptist Church?"Answer 1 - "Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God (The Old Testament)." God gave His Truth to the Jews instead of to another people group. They were entrusted with it. (Romans 9:4-5)Objection 2 - "What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?" (v3)Answer 2 - "By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar" (v4)"God is faithful to all His words - the ones that threaten judgment for disobedience as well as to the ones that promise blessing." If, then, Paul implies, God judges Israel for her sins, He is still faithful, true, and just."
    But this same faithfulness that also involved punishment for disobedience was conveniently forgotten.
    Objection 3 - "But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us?" (v5)In other words, if my badness makes God look good, then how can God judge me for my badness? I'm a bad person. You're saying we're all bad, but all we're doing is making God look really good...
    Answer 4 - "By no means! or then how could God judge the world?" (v6-8)Sinning like crazy so we will know grace like never before is bizarre thinking. There are no victimless sins. Every choice to do wrong harms someone. Sin grieves the heart of God, and it is an affront to His character. Sin separates the Creator from the creation He loves so dearly.Verses 10-12 show us we are worthless in terms of our spiritual good, but not in terms of our human worth. All humans are always valuable because the image of God cannot be erased, but it is marred by sin. Sin isn't something we just do, it is something that affects every part of us - our mind, our will, our speech, our relationships. Like a disease, it's spread through the whole system. (v 13-18)The law wasn't given to justify us, but to silence us because it removes all boasting and exposes the depth of our guilt. The purpose of the law wasn't to correct sin, but to reveal it.We must let the law do its work, and then run to Jesus Christ. He is the way, the Truth, and the life. God is going to change us, but it's not going to be by the law. (Romans 1:16)

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    33 分
  • Carmel Baptist Church 60th Anniversary Celebration

    Carmel Baptist Church 60th Anniversary Celebration
    2025/09/23

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    31 分
  • Romans 2:12-29

    Romans 2:12-29
    2025/09/15
    Romans 2:12-29Adult Pastor Brad FergusonEverybody believes in something. In this portion of his letter, Paul addresses the church in Rome with two things that he knew that they were struggling with - knowledge and works. It is no different for us today.
    Paul is explaining that both Jews and Gentiles are accountable before God. Having the Law (the Jews) or not having it (the Gentiles) does not excuse anyone—what matters is obedience from the heart.
    Gentiles who sin without the Law will perish apart from it, and Jews who sin under the Law will be judged by it. "Judged" and "perished" are equal terms that both mean eternal separation from God. Just hearing the Law does not make a person righteous; only those who obey it (perfectly) will be justified. No one can do that.
    Even Gentiles, who do not have the written Law, sometimes follow their conscience and demonstrate that the Law is written on their hearts (caring for the sick, honesty, etc.). God will ultimately judge all people through Jesus Christ, the One who came on our behalf to take the punishment that we deserve (Isaiah 53).
    Paul then addresses the Jews specifically, pointing out that although they boast in having the Law and their covenant identity of circumcision, they often fail to live by it, which leads to hypocrisy and causes God’s name to be dishonored.
    Finally, he explains that true circumcision is not outward or physical but inward, which he describes as circumcision of the heart. This is brought about by the Spirit rather than just following the letter of the Law. True righteousness and identity before God are not based on external rituals or heritage but on inward obedience and transformation by the Spirit. Only His work of grace in our lives will lead to righteousness. He does the work as we submit to Him.
    What keeps people from Christ:
    1. I've sinned too much - your sins are no match for the love of God
    2. I have unanswered questions - everyone does, but you don't have to wait. With the Holy Spirit, you can grow in your understanding of who Jesus is
    3. I just can't surrender - no pursuit in life is truly fulfilling except for the pursuit of Jesus. He is the way, the Truth, and the life
    4. I've seen too many bad examples - Everyone falls short, and we can not put our hope in a person, but rather we must look to our perfect Father
    5. There's too much evil in the world - Due to God's love of us and His design of our free will, the world will always be fallen. But God is here in His creation of beauty, music, joy. laughter, hope, etc..

    Questions to Consider:
    1. Why is it important that God is just (fair) with everyone?
    2. How do you feel knowing that God sees and knows your heart?
    3. How can our actions affect how others see God? Why does that matter?
    4. Is your faith more "outward" (what people see) or "inward" (your heart before God)? Why?


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    40 分
  • Romans 2:1-16

    Romans 2:1-16
    2025/09/15
    Romans 2:1-16Senior Pastor Alex KennedyWe tend to be a lot more vocal in our criticism of others than we are of ourselves. We find all kinds of excuses for our sin. Condemning others while excusing ourselves is what allows us to hang onto both our self-righteousness and our sin. Paul is pointing out in this portion of his letter that, "you are condemning yourself."
    Both the Jews and the moral Greeks might conclude that God's condemnation did not apply to them because of their higher planes of living, but the entire human race stood condemned before God because God's judgment is based on three things:
    1. Truth (v2-4)
    2. inescapable impartiality (v5-11)
    3. Jesus Christ Himself (v12-16)

    God is not grading on a curve. God's judgment is not based on our self-evaluation of our morals, but is based on the Truth. We should never try to take God's place as judge by condemning others without examining our own lives.
    Verse 4 tells of God's kindness, forbearance, and patience. It is God's kindness that leads us to repentance. It is intended to give us space to repent, not to give us an excuse for sinning.
    Romans 1 and 2 are setting before us the same two people that Jesus does in His parable about the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Romans 1 is about the younger brother, and Romans 2 is about the prodigal son. Both are lost. Sin is sin.
    Verse 6 is a quote from Psalm 62 where the Psalmist is complaining about a group of religious people who honor God with their mouths while their feet are quick to run after violence. They have an external show of religion, but internally they are still filled with wickedness. Paul's point is that external practices of religion do not equal inward transformation.
    Christians are justified by grace alone, but this grace is a transforming grace that leads to deeds. A person doing good shows that his heart is born again. On the other hand, a person who continually does evil and rejects the Truth shows that he is unregenerate, and therefore will be an object of God's wrath.
    Without judgement, salvation has no meaning. Without the reality of God's present and future wrath, the cross is emptied of its glory. We cannot appreciate who Christ is unless we have first acknowledged who we are.
    "There are but two objects that I have ever desired to behold; the one, is my own vileness; and the other is, the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ: and I have always thought they they should be viewed together." - Charles Simeon
    Questions to Consider:
    1. Why do you think it’s easier to notice sin in others than in ourselves?
    2. How could you show the same patience and kindness toward others that God has shown you? In what areas can you give friends, co-workers, or teachers the benefit of the doubt?
    3. How can you cultivate a heart that seeks God’s glory rather than your own interests?
    4. Paul stresses that God shows no favoritism. How does this challenge you when you are tempted to think of yourself as “better” than others?
    5. If God were to “repay each one according to their deeds” today, what would that reveal about the direction of your life?


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    36 分
  • Romans 1:18-32

    Romans 1:18-32
    2025/09/02
    Romans 1:18-32Senior Pastor Alex KennedyA God of love must hate anything that harms those He loves. Paul spends Romans 1:18-3:20 showing us why we need God to give us righteousness, and why we cannot earn, deserve, or attain it ourselves. God's wrath is a righteous and holy response to humanity's sinful, rebellious nature. Ultimately, Paul is showing us that the gospel is necessary because there is such a thing as "the wrath of God".
    Verse 18 tells of a vertical brokenness (ungodliness) and a horizontal brokenness (unrighteousness of men). Another term for this is sin. When we choose to sin, we express contempt for God's character, calling bad things good. The verse ends with the phrase "suppress the truth". In other words, a choice is made to sin.
    The natural world bears witness to God through its beauty, complexity, and design. Creation testifies to the existence, greatness, power, and glory of God. God, who is invisible and unknowable, has made Himself both visible and knowable through what He has made (Psalm 19).
    So, verses 19-20 show us that it is against this deliberate human rebellion that God's wrath is revealed. It is His righteous opposition to evil, and is directed against people who have a knowledge of God's truth through creation, but deliberately suppress it in order to pursue their own way.Verse 22 it says, "claiming to be wise, they become fools". In Greek societies, someone who was a "moros" deserved to be silenced because the Greeks despised volitional stupidity. Paul is saying that man chooses to be stupid in his disobedience to a good and loving God.The heart of Paul's message is idolatry. An idol is any person, place, thing, or thought that you look to in order to get your needs met apart from God. Today's idols are more "mental than metal". In verse 23, Paul is saying that this is the worst possible exchange. Man turns his back from the Creator to the created. In other words, "those made in the image of God start making God in the image of man." Even when people refuse to acknowledge and depend on God, they do not stop worshipping. We always worship someone or something. It is how we are created.The consequence of idolatry is the moral disintegration of human society (v 24-32). We have a habit of looking to the gift rather than the Giver (Jer 2:11-13). Verse 24 says, "therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves." His anger goes quietly and invisibly to work in handing sinners over to themselves. Idolatry leads to immorality.The vertical disobedience leads to horizontal disobedience (v 26-28). The men and women of Rome practiced homosexuality, which Paul calls out as "unnatural". Whether it is homosexual sin or heterosexual sin, it is all sin and is not a part of God's plan for His creation. Sex is to be between one man and one woman who are married as a part of a covenant relationship. That is God's way.Paul ends this portion by saying, "as a society, you asked to be free from God. This is what you get." Then he lists 21 qualities that defined the culture (v29-31).Not only do the ungodly:
    1. know God exists and
    2. that what they are doing is morally wrong
    3. but they also go further to approve of it, meaning they consent to doing evil and even praise their debauchery. (Prov 28:4)
    The wrath of God is all about His love.


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    44 分
  • Romans 1:8-17

    Romans 1:8-17
    2025/08/25
    Romans 1:8-17Senior Pastor Alex KennedyAs a reminder, once the Jewish people were allowed to return from Rome, they came back to a church full of Gentiles. They found a church that had become non-Jewish in its customs and practice. This culture clash created lots of tension, and by Paul's day, the Roman church was divided. They disagreed about how to follow Jesus, debating about whether or not non-Jewish Christians should observe the Sabbath, eat kosher, be circumcised, etc. Paul is writing to them to show them how to do life together.
    The church in Rome was a big deal because Rome was known for people living in a vile and abominable culture. Paul is thankful "because your faith is proclaimed in all the world."
    Why does Paul want to visit this church?
    1. To be able to mutually encourage one another with the gifts given to each of them. To encourage means "to strengthen". (v11-12)
    2. To evangelize with the gospel

    Why?Verse 14 says, "I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish." This obligation means "indebted to". One definition that applies here for obligation is "to be given something from someone, for someone else, a third party." At this point, you are a debtor to the third party. You have an obligation. You must deliver it.
    And what is the debt...the gospel! Paul was in debt to the Romans to give them the gospel that had been given to him by Jesus.
    He emphasizes both Greeks and barbarians. Just as the Jews divided everyone into Jew or Gentile, the Romans divided people by Greek (learned and sophisticated) and barbarian (any foreigner ignorant of the Greek language and the Greek culture, whether mental or moral).
    Paul is eager to preach the gospel, but why would Paul preach the gospel to people who were already Christians? Everyone needs the gospel, both the "you" inside the church and the "you" who are yet outside it because the gospel is the way people are called to faith, and the way people grow in faith.
    Paul then says in verse 16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel". The gospel will always cause offense, because it reveals us as having a need that we cannot meet. So we will always be tempted to be ashamed of it. The gospel message is actually the power of God in verbal form.It is powerful because it does what no other power on earth can do: it can save us, reconcile us to God, and guarantee us a place in the kingdom of God forever! All that is required to know this salvation is belief. (v 16) This is the first explicit statement that the only way to receive the gospel and its power is through faith. Faith is the channel or connection to the power of the gospel. Paul does say it is boundless and boundaried. It is for everyone...who believes.Paul found so much joy in evangelizing Rome because he recognized the gospel:
    1. is an unpaid debt to the world
    2. and the saving power of God
    We are in a post-Christian nation. We cannot be "asleep in the light". We must choose, and the choice sticks out to the world. The gospel brings us to life (born again), and we must live like that for the rest of our lives by faith.


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    38 分