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  • Romans 10:1-21

    Romans 10:1-21
    2026/02/23
    Romans 10:1-21Senior Pastor Alex KennedyLast week we looked at Romans 9, which is all about God's sovereignty in the salvation journey. Romans 10 focuses on our role of how we believe and what role we play in the lives of others.Paul begins by talking about his Jewish brothers and their "zeal for God". Paul understood this well from his background, but zeal and passion are not enough. The Jews built their own system of righteousness, which falls short (Rom 3:23). They "did not submit to God's righteousness" (v3). Verse 4 declares that Christ is the outcome to everyone who believes. So, a Jew who sought by works to establish his own righteousness would not recognize Christ as "the end of the Law" and would stumble over him.The point of the law wasn't the law;the point of the law was to point us to Jesus.Paul goes on to quote parts of the Old Testament when writing about Moses (Lev 18:5). Paul is saying, "if you want the law to judge you, fine. Go for it. God will judge you by the law, but it won't be good. God demands perfection, so if you're hoping to be justified by the law, you had better live a life without sin. (James 2:10) Jesus Christ is the ONLY one in history that did that.Paul speaks about "righteousness based on faith" (v6-7). Faith knows that you don't need to ascend to heaven because Christ has already come down from it. Faith also knows that you don't deal with you own sins because Christ has already done that too!"But what does it say? The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart." (See Deut 30:12-14) Word hear in the Greek is "rhema", which means "the word of faith that we proclaim verbally".Paul goes on to be clear in verse 9: "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord..." Confess means to "agree". We have to agree with God about Jesus' identity that He is the eternal Son of God. There is an outward confession flowing from an inward conviction that finishes Paul's statement, "...and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (life/death/and resurrection), you will be saved." In Rome, saying "Jesus is Lord" was dangerous because it meant that you believed that Caesar was not. You had to stand on your faith and conviction.Our faith is personal but it's not private.In verses 11-13, Paul is reminding them of God's impartiality, just like he did when discussing human sinfulness (Rom 3). So, everyone has sinned (Rom 3:23) and everyone can be saved (Rom 10:13).In verses 14 and following, Paul shifts his focus to the role we play in helping others believe. He uses the word "preach" which means "herald". A herald would have been a living newspaper that made announcements in the town marketplace and city streets. We are all in the streets, and we should all be heralds (preachers) for Jesus!We are sent...to preach...for others to hear...and believe...and then called...and finally saved...to be sent...etc...We are meant to live a sent life, whether overseas, in the marketplace, or across the street to our neighbors. It is not optional.Paul then quotes Isaiah 52:7 "how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News!" So, we can:Pray - remember, someone prayed for you, so be sure to pray for the lost around you.Give so others can go - maybe you are called to the Nations today, but you have the means to help someone else who is called today.GO to the Nearest (home), your Neighbors, and the Nations.Questions to Consider:What are ways we sometimes try to “be good enough” instead of trusting Jesus?How does it encourage you that salvation is available to everyone?Have you personally confessed Jesus as Lord? What does that look like in everyday life?Verse 17 says faith comes from hearing the message. How did you first hear about Jesus?Who do you know that prayed for you to trust Jesus as Lord?Who are you praying for daily that is lost and needs Jesus? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    40 分
  • Romans 9:1-33

    Romans 9:1-33
    2026/02/19
    Romans 9:1-33Senior Pastor Alex KennedyChapters 9 is a "hard left turn" from Paul celebrating the security of the love of Christ in chapter 8, to thinking of his own Jewish people. Paul is grieving that his "kinsmen" do not know Christ, and he is offering to be "cut-off from Christ for the sake of my...kinsmen according to the flesh" (like Moses did in Ex 32). Remember, the Jewish people are the chosen nation to show the covenant between God and man to the world through the person of Jesus. So what happened?
    Question 1: Have His promises failed? (If He failed the Jews, then how can we be sure He won't fail us?)
    Answer: True membership in God's chosen people is based on faith, not physical ancestry. He gives an example of Abraham and his descendants. To be a physical descendant of Abraham is not enough. God only has children...not grandchildren. (Romans 4:4). Abraham and Sarah are told they will have a son. Remember, Abraham and Sarah were old, and they "helped" God by producing an heir, Ishmael, through Gomer. God doesn't need us to intercede in His plan. Isaac is the son of promise.
    The second example Paul uses is Isaac and Rebekah and their twins, Jacob and Esau.(v10-13). Rebekah was told that "the older will serve the younger" (Gen 25:23). Malachi 1:2-3 is what Paul references in verse 13 when he says, "As it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'" This reference of hated is a Hebrew idiom for preference, like when Jesus says to "hate your father and mother (Luke 14:26). Again, God is sovereign and has a plan.
    Question 2: Is God unjust? (v14) Did God somehow do something wrong by only showing mercy to Jacob and not to Esau?
    Answer: Mercy is receiving something that you don't deserve. If you deserved it, it would not be "mercy"; instead it would be justice. So, if God doesn't owe anyone mercy, we can't say it is unfair for Him not to show it to someone. Paul uses the example of Ex 7:3-4 where God hardened Pharaoh's heart. We read this as if it is God's "fault". We must read the whole story because we see that Pharaoh hardened his own heart first. This is the intersection of God's sovereignty and human responsibility. They are woven together. His sovereignty doesn't excuse our responsibility, and we cannot isolate one from the other. We can't fully explain both but we can accept both. God's hardening of Pharaoh's heart was a "giving him over" to his own stubbornness.
    When God hardens someone,He doesn't create the hardness;He allows the person to gohis or her own way.
    to read more, go to: https://carmelbaptist.org/carmel-sermon/romans-91-33/

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    34 分
  • Romans 8:31-39

    Romans 8:31-39
    2026/02/10
    This last section of Romans 8 is such an encouragement to those who have faith in Jesus Christ. Paul raises several questions and gives five statements to prove that there can be no separation between the believer and the love of God, and that a believer is completely secure in Christ.
    Question 1 - What shall we say to these things? In other words, how should we think and respond in light of all the things God has done?
    -There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (v1)-We have been set free from the law of sin and death (v2)-The Spirit of God dwells in us (v9)-We have been adopted into God's family (v15)-As HIs children we are heirs of God (v17)-We have received the Spirit (v23)-God called you, justified you, and glorified you (v30)
    Question 2 - If God is for us, who can be against us?
    Notice that the list of things above do not depend on us. They depend on God Himself. So no one can be against us! He goes on to say "He who did not spare HIs own Son but gave up for us all". The word "spare" is used only one other place in the Old Testament, and it is when Abraham is about to sacrifice Isaac on the alter (Gen 22:12). The word "withheld" is the same word translated "spare" in v 32. God did NOT spare His own Son, and by giving Him over to death, He proved His unconditional love for us. (John 3:16)
    Question 3 - Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
    Through the sacrificial death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, God declares the believing sinner "justified". That declaration never changes. Even when we accuse ourselves, or others accuse us, there is no ground for eternal charges. (Rom 6:1-2)
    Question 4 - Who is to condemn?
    "Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." Jesus is the One who died for our sins, and He is at the right hand of God interceding for us. Jesus, who alone has authority from God to judge and condemn, cannot and will not condemn His own who are in Him by faith. That is how secure we are in Christ.
    He is interceding for us. He is our High Priest who gives us the grace we need to overcome temptation. He is our Advocate with the Father. Jesus has you covered! (Heb 7:25; Heb 4:14-16; 1 John 2:1)
    Question 5 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
    He lists 7 physical things that are real world issues for us living in a fallen world...tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and sword (death). This list increases with intensity, and all of them would be very hard to deal with physically and emotionally. Paul dealt with these things personally. (2 Cor 11:23-38) (Rom 8:17-18)
    We will all suffer, but we can have hope. We can trust in the promises of God that no one or nothing will be able to separate us from the love of Christ. Suffering is nothing new, and has historically been the experience of God's people. (Heb 11) (2 Cor 4:7-11)The purpose of our suffering is so that the life of Jesus may be seen in us through the hard times in a way that shows the surpassing power of God at work in us. This is how we are "more than conquerers" (v37). We can only do this through His power. We have the confidence that God is ever present in our trials, and this assurance is an anchor for us when we do experience those things. God loves us and He is for us.Paul concludes this section by reminding us that there is no one and absolutely nothing that can ever separate us from the love of Christ and from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all keeping you eternally secure. You can't get more loved and secure than that!

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    30 分
  • Romans 8:19-30

    Romans 8:19-30
    2026/02/03
    Romans 8:19-30Senior Pastor Alex KennedyOne way to expose ourselves to the Spirit is to think about the extravagant love of Christ. We must "put to death" sin. Through the Spirit, we must fight violently against sin. When we do this, we can love what He loves. Remember, we do not fight sin to "earn" the favor of God. You are already His child!
    Verse 15 speaks of adoption. Immediately upon Roman adoption:
    1. Old debts and legal obligations are paid in full
    2. Receive a new name and identity
    3. Father becomes instantly liable for all debts
    4. There is an understood obligation to honor a please the Father

    This is the how we should see our adoption to God. There is security in this because even today a judge will say, "Do you realize that this adopted child is 'more yours' than any biological child you could have?" The reason for this is that an adopted child cannot legally be disinherited while a biological child can. Your security as God's child is secure!
    Verse 16 says that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. This happens through our changed life (conviction over sin, hunger for God's Word, etc..) We live differently.
    Paul goes on to teach how we share in what Christ has: heirship, suffering, and glory. Heirship and glory are eternal, but suffering is only temporary (2 Cor 4:16-18).
    Three Groanings
    1. Creation (v20) - Through original sin, creation longs to be set free from bondage and obtain freedom.
    2. Ourselves
    3. The Spirit on our behalf

    We live in weakness, but the Spirit prays for us, even when we do not know the words to say (v26-27). Be encouraged that both Jesus and the Spirit intercede for YOU!
    Romans 8:28 is one of those verses that is often taken out of context or said to encourage...but can hurt. It doesn't say, "all things are good". It says that all things He works together in His understanding of the "big picture" for good.

    If we love God for what He does for us,we will quit.If we love God for who He is,we can endure the suffering.

    Suffering can make us bitter or better. We must get to a place to be able to say, "I don't understand it, but I trust You."
    Verse 29 shows us that "the good" He is working is conforming us into the image of His Son. It is our sanctification. WE are made in His image (Imago Dei) on purpose.
    Paul wraps up this section with a powerful "not yet" Truth. He uses past tense language to speak reality of not only what has happened, but what will happen. He says, "He also glorified" us. It is sure because God always finishes what He started. (Phil 1:6)
    Questions to Consider:
    1. How is being God’s child different from being God’s employee or servant?
    2. When do you most forget that you are God’s child?
    3. What is an area of suffering for you today? Do you trust God enough to ask, "What do you want me to learn from this?"
    4. Is there a situation in your life that feels hard to believe God is working for good?
    5. How can you rely more on the Spirit instead of just trying harder?


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    32 分
  • Romans 8:1-11

    Romans 8:1-11
    2026/01/20
    Romans 8:1-11Senior Pastor Alex KennedyIn response to what Paul had just previously written (Rom 7:24-25), he writes "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Condemnation is a legal term that references a sentencing. Often we feel like we are one failure away from being out of God's favor, like we are on probation. Paul is saying that the "case is closed" forever, so we do not fear judgement!
    Verse one tells us we are delivered from the legal condemnation of sin, and verse two shows us that we are being delivered from the actual power of sin. In this case, to be freed from the law of sin and death through Christ means no longer being "under" the law for justification or sanctification.
    Verse 3 shows us how He did it:
    1. God sent His Son
    2. in the likeness of sinful flesh (the incarnation)-His humanity was both real and sinless at the same time
    3. for sin (the atonement)
    4. He condemned sin in the flesh - God judged our sins in the sinless humanity of His Son, who bore them in our place.
    5. to sanctify us according to His Spirit - the flesh renders the law powerless, and the Spirit empowers us to obey it.

    This sanctification is not perfectionism; it is saying that obedience is a necessary and possible aspect of Christian discipleship. Although the law cannot bring this obedience...the Spirit can.
    The law of sin and death is real, but the law of the Spirit of life is stronger. We don't overcome sin by effort alone, but by a new power at work within us.
    How do we walk according to the Spirit? Verse 5 shows that this starts with our mind. Whatever we set our minds on shapes our lifestyle and character.
    Set your mind:-to focus intently on something-to be preoccupied with something-to have the attention and the imagination totally captured by something
    Overcoming sin in our lives begins with what we tune our minds to...this means that we never forget our privileged standing or the fact that we are loved, and to let this dominate our thinking, our perspectives, and therefore our words and actions.
    The reality today is that we spend a lot more time on social media than we do on the things of the Spirit...
    "What we scroll shapes our soul."
    Whatever preoccupies our mind controls our life. Our mindset has consequences. (Gal 6:8)
    Verse 7 shows us the mindset of the flesh:-Is hostile to God-It does not submit to God's law-In fact, it cannot
    Thankfully, in the Spirit, God promises spiritual resurrection now and physical resurrection in the future! May we focus our attention and our lives to live in the freedom of what He has done for us.
    Questions to Consider:
    1. Where do you find yourself exhausted in trying to beat sin in your own strength? Do you have a phrase of condemnation that plays over and over in your mind? Ask the Spirit to help you let that go.
    2. "What we scroll shapes our soul." What content gets the longest stare in your life? How does that impact your mind? How could this week look different?
    3. Do you have a friend or family member that you have "forgiven" but still keep an account of wrongdoing? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live like the Father and let that go.
    4. What is one small way your family could set your minds on the Spirit this week?


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    33 分
  • Romans 7:14-25

    Romans 7:14-25
    2026/01/13
    Romans 7:14-25Senior Pastor Alex KennedyAs a reminder, the law reveals the holiness of God. It shows us our sin. It condemns us, but it cannot change us. The gospel alone can do that. We need something more than the law. We need the law-fulfilling and sin-bearing substitute, Jesus Christ.
    Verses 14-17 and 18-20 say virtually the same things. Paul is reiterating what he is saying because he believes it is critical to understanding. The Christian life includes real struggle with sin. We can be encouraged because the struggle itself is evidence of new life. The fight to push away sin doesn't mean that you are failing; it means you're alive. (Gal 5:17)
    We must be careful not to equate struggle with failure. "If you hate your sin, you are not its slave - you are its enemy."
    Verses 21-23 remind us that we all have a Civil War going on inside of us. (see also Gal 5:17 and Col 3:9-10) These two selves, the natural man and the spiritual man, are both in you working against each other.
    Our struggle with sin is evidence of belonging to Christ.
    In verse 24, Paul says, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" Wretched in this context means "the exhaustion of hard labor". Paul is completely worn out because of his unsuccessful effort to please God under the principle of Law. It is critical for us to see his shift here from "What should I do?" to "Who will rescue me?". Our freedom begins when our self-confidence dies and we see that our victory doesn't come from self-control, but from Christ alone.
    We must be careful that we do not "camp out" in Romans 7. This chapter is like a hallway that takes us somewhere. It is showing us the problem, and Romans 8 is the solution...
    Our struggle with sin is not surrender to it, and ALL Christ-followers struggle. Grace from God trains us to fight and not settle. This is our struggle on the way to freedom. The struggle is not the destination. Ultimately, in Christ, we will be united with Him and the Civil War within us will be over!
    Questions to Consider:
    1. Give an example of "not doing what you want to do"? Why is this so challenging?
    2. What helps us turn to Jesus when we mess up instead of hiding or giving up?
    3. How can our family respond with grace when someone struggles or fails?
    4. Who is someone you can trust to talk to when you let sin get the best of you?
    5. What is one way you can depend on Jesus this week instead of only relying on yourself?


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    31 分
  • Christmas Eve 2025

    Christmas Eve 2025
    2026/01/06

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    12 分
  • On Baptism: Romans 6:3-4

    On Baptism: Romans 6:3-4
    2026/01/06
    On Baptism: Romans 6:3-4Worship Pastor Justin Taylor
    On Baptism “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Rom 6:3-4).
    All too often we can define baptism by what it is not. In other words, we can be correct in stating that baptism is not what saves you and that it is a symbol. However, in order to understand the richness and beauty of what baptism is we must go much further by turning our hearts and minds to the scriptures. Jesus made it clear that we are to be baptized because He commanded us to do it. The word of God leads us to a clearer understanding of what baptism is and what it means should lead our hearts to respond in worship and obedience.
    Baptism as SymbolThe authors of the New Testament write about symbols in the same manner of what they point to, similar to how we as Americans view allegiance to our nation in our pledge to the flag. When we are baptized, we are confessing faith in the finished work of Christ before others in the body. (Colossians 2:12-15)
    Baptism as PledgeTo be obedient in baptism was to be baptized into the body of the early church and to proclaim faith in Christ alone as Lord and Savior. All too often today, we separate the step of faith of receiving salvation from our baptism, but the Scriptures point those who have trusted in Christ to pursue baptism in obedience to Christ’s command. We are to show outwardly before others what has taken place inwardly in their life. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
    Baptism in the Narrative of ScriptureSo why water? Of all the many symbols Jesus could have used to symbolize the movement from cross to empty tomb, he chose water to do it. When reading the biblical phrase, “the waters” it most often refers to a symbol of chaos and death. We find this in Genesis 1, Elijah and Elisha, Jonah, and several times throughout the Exodus to name a few. The examples go on and on all throughout the Bible.
    To pass through the waters of judgment, like God’s people did through the Red Sea, we are delivered from judgment and now walk in the freedom of new life. Why? Because all of these symbols of passing through the waters pointed to the ultimate picture of life coming out of death, a picture of glorious resurrection.

    To read more, click here: https://carmelbaptist.org/carmel-sermon/on-baptism-romans-63-4/

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    45 分