Romans 13:8-14

Romans 16:17-27

Romans 16:17-27 Senior Pastor Alex Kennedy Paul moves into a warning to begin this last portion of his letter. He warns the church "to "watch out" for those who cause divisions and create obstacles." He is speaking about the primary issues of doctrine that can confuse and give Satan a win (different than his focus in chapter 14). In verse 19, Paul states, "I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil." Without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, a person, a pastor, or a church is powerless. In verse 20, Paul echoes Genesis 3:15, where Satan is crushed under Jesus' feet. He refers to Jesus as the "God of peace". This theme that begins in Genesis runs through the rest of the OT as we see the Prince of Peace...the "serpent crusher" is coming. This crushing begins on the cross, where we can have freedom from sin and reconciliation with God, but it concludes when "the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire..." (Rev 20:3,10) Christ and the gospel bring peace. False teachers bring division and discord. In verses 25-27, Paul moves into his conclusion, which we call a doxology. A doxology is a word that gives glory to God. Paul's aim in these last words is to move his readers to give glory to God. He does this by reminding us of the gospel - what it does, and what it is. "Now to Him who is able to strengthen you" shows us that the gospel has power not only to save us as unbelievers, but also to strengthen us as believers. The rest of verse 25 says, "according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages." The word mystery does not refer to something puzzling or difficult to grasp, but to something that was previously hidden and is now revealed. Pastor Alex used the illustrations of a building site (the supplies are all there, but you don't know how they will all be used), the movie plot twist (you couldn't see it revealed the first time you watched it, but watching it again allows you to see the clues), or the connect the dots example (the dots are all there...Abraham, Noah, David, etc., but you can't make out the picture until the dots are connected). Jesus is the answer! The mystery of the gospel was not God changing His mind. It was God revealing what He had planned from the very beginning. Part of this mystery revealed is that the Gentiles-the nations-are full fellow citizens with Jewish believers by faith in Jesus. (Rom 16:26; Eph 3:6) He concludes, "to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Paul has taken us to the edge of the gospel through it's depth, beauty, justice, mercy, and power. The proper response is worship! The Glory Trail in Romans 1:5 - "the sake of His name" 1:21-23 - "exchanged the glory" 3:23 - "fall short of the glory of God" 5:1-2 - "rejoice in the hope of the glory of God" 5:8 - "Christ died for us" 8:1 - "no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" 8:28-30 - "He also glorified" 11:36 - "to Him be the glory" 16:27 - "to the only wise God be glory forevermore" Questions to Consider: 1. What kinds of people does Paul warn the church about? What are some of the ways you can be influenced by false teachers, sometimes without realizing it? How can you guard against that? 2. Why is the message of Jesus meant for all nations? 3. What are some key take-aways for you from this 41 week study of Romans? How has this sermon series encouraged or challenged you? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Romans 16:1-16

Romans 16:1-16 Senior Pastor Alex Kennedy We all have times where we ask the question, "does what I do really matter in the big picture?" After all the theology and practical Truth that Paul laid out in this letter to the Roman church, he ends with a list of names. Other than Priscilla and Aquilla (and possibly Rufus), none of these names are listed anywhere else in Scripture. That said, these were people that were important to Paul and helped him with the task that he was called to do. Without them, and millions of other "known unknown" people, we may not be followers of Jesus Christ today. This is a list of 28 people. He referenced people that were single, married, widows, and widowers. He greeted men and women, slaves and social elites, new Christians and mature believers. There were Greeks, Romans, and Jews. He met some in prisons, many is synagogues, several in market places, and a few in churches. They came from all over the Roman empire, from multiple backgrounds and traditions, but they all had one thing in common: salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. The body of Christ is held together by those who serve in obscurity. Even though Paul wrote half of the New Testament, he did not operate alone. He still needed people. The same is true today. Whether your ministry is seen or unseen, it is so important. God ordains and appoints our assignments, so lean in and enjoy the ride! Acts 11 and Hebrews 11 both lists include unnamed champions of the faith. Acts 11:21 says, "And the hand of the Lord was with them, a great number who believed turned to the Lord." Their faithfulness, even in anonymity, helped the gospel continue. More importantly, being "unknown" kept the light on Jesus Christ. To those who may feel unknown in their labors, know that you are known by the Father in heaven. To those who would honestly say, "I don't know the Lord", you can rest assured that He knows you. It's one thing to be named by Paul here in the Bible but so much better to be named in the Lamb's Book of Life! Questions to Consider: 1. Why is it important that Paul appreciated and encouraged others publicly? 2. Who is someone that has encouraged your faith recently? 3. What does this passage teach us about teamwork in the church? 4. How does social media sometimes reward fame more than faithfulness? 5. Who are some of the people that may be "unknown" at Carmel, but make a huge difference in the ministry that the Carmel family is able to live out? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Romans 15: 1-13

Romans 15:1-13 Senior Pastor Alex Kennedy The first six verses of chapter 15 are a summary of chapter 14, but these verses lift up Christ as the example. Paul uses the terms "stronger" and "weaker" to describe the people in the church. The weak refers to believers with restrictive consciences regarding morally neutral practices. The strong refers to believers who understand their freedom in Christ. Paul calls the strong to use freedom lovingly instead of selfishly, and the goal is unity, peace, and building one another up in the church. Our culture trains us to cancel people, but Christ calls us to carry people. Psalm 69, Mark 10:45, and Phil 2 all point out how Jesus came as a servant to mankind. Christ didn't misuse His freedom to take advantage of people; rather, He used it to serve others. Verse 4 references the Old Testament. Paul did not set out to write the "other half" of the Bible. The purpose of his letters to the churches was to reveal the mystery which was contained in the Old Testament-the revelation that God was making one new man out of both Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:15). To do that, he is continually quoting the Old Testament and explaining its meaning and relevance in light of the ministry and death and resurrection of Jesus. As we learn from the past (the OT), we are motivated to endure in the present, looking ahead in hope (confidence) to the future. Hope is not optimism. Hope is an anchor. In verses 5-6, Paul prays that the church would live in harmony. This is not a prayer to robotically agree on everything, but a prayer for their unity of mind in essentials. Why? "So that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." In verse 7, Paul shows us that Jesus welcomed us (it is a finished fact), so we should welcome one another. As wide as we imagine the gap to be between ourselves and our most disliked enemies, Paul reminds us that there was never a gap wider than the one between us and God. If Christ has accepted us when we were weak, we can accept others when they differ from us in much less significant ways. Never make people earn from you what Christ freely gave to you. Paul then shifts to the Jew and the Gentile by quoting Psalm 18:49, Deut 32:43, Psalm 117:1, and Is 11:10. Paul is using the 3 sections of the ancient Jewish text, the TaNaK to show that the inclusion of Gentiles with Jews has always been part of God's plan. It is not just a New Testament reality. The church is one of the only places where people who would never naturally gather become family. Paul ends this section with another prayer in verse 13 which speaks of hope. Hope isn't a wish that may or may not come true. Hope is an expectation based on a promise of God. Because God always keeps His promises, we have a guaranteed future that awaits us. That is why we can endure trials with joy and peace. This prayer is a conditional promise: you must trust in Jesus in order to find that hope. Once you trust in Jesus Christ, your hope comes from the power of the Holy Spirit in you! Questions to consider: 1. We hear Pastor Justin every Sunday say, "welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you". What does this mean in the context of today's passage? 2. Do I usually think more about my preferences or other people’s good? Give an example. 3. Are there people Christians sometimes struggle to accept or love? Who? Why? 4. What steals your joy or peace most often? 5. How does remembering Jesus help us endure difficult people or situations? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Romans 14 - Living in Harmony with One Another

Romans 14 - Living in Harmony with One Another Senior Pastor Alex Kennedy Chapter 14 is about how to get along with people in the church who disagree with you on something you feel passionate about. Paul addresses a specific dispute; most likely over whether Christians need to abide by Jewish food laws. Verse 1 addresses the overall issue as a matter of conscience. A "matter of conscience" is a practice about which God has not specifically spoken in His Word. It has not been clearly forbidden or commanded. It is a preference, and Paul is saying that there are things we will disagree about in church that should not lead to division. There ARE essentials that should be non-negotiable for all true believers (virgin birth, deity of Jesus Christ, substitutionary atonement, etc...) See also Gal 1:8-9, I Cor 5:1-2 Spiritual maturity is more than building strong convictions; it is learning to show restraint in the weight you give those convictions. Unfortunately, the longer you are in church, the more you start to hold your opinions on everything and think everyone else needs to live by your opinions. In your mind, these are not even opinions anymore; they are just the way things are-the way mature Christians "should" see the world. Current "Dividers" in the Church -alcohol -the way people dress at church -school choice (public, homeschool, private) -politics How do we live in unity? Show kindness to those of another opinion (v3) It is okay to have convictions, but if the Bible hasn't condemned a thing, we should give space to believers whose convictions differ on matters that Scripture does not address plainly. Trust others to the Judge (v4) Remember, they don't answer to you. They answer to God. In the Romans church, the "weak" needed to be strengthened, and the "strong" needed to be considerate in the exercise of their freedom. The same is true today. Obey your conscience (v5) Listen to your conscious and follow that. As those who live under Truth, God speaks to you and your follow that Truth in your unique way. Accept that your conscious can be transformed by the Holy Spirit (v6-14) We all need to hold the "non-essentials" loosely and be open to growing and understanding how other believers see convictions. The Holy Spirit might change your heart and stance on a matter, and that can be very good. Care more about them than our freedoms (v15-17) In 1 Cor 10:23, Paul says, "“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up." Just because you "can" do something doesn't mean you "should". There are always others watching you and following your example, so be careful in what you choose to do. Let's care more about unity than uniformity. Let's fight for our unity and not our opinions. Questions to Consider: 1. Have you ever judged someone for doing something differently than you? What happened? 2. Are there things you feel strongly about that others might see differently? 3. How can we tell the difference between a clear sin and a personal conviction? 4. How would our relationships change if we remembered that God is the judge, not us? 5. Can you think of a time when your actions might have affected someone else’s faith? 6. What is one way we can build each other up this week instead of criticizing? 7. Would others describe me as someone who brings peace—or division?  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Making the Word Clear - in Every Language

Making the Word Clear - in Every Language Senior Pastor Alex Kennedy with Jason Elam & Milt Jones At the end of Moses' life (around 1400BC)(Deut 31) he reminds the people that God will never leave them, and that He wants to be near to them. While God will be faithful, Moses warns the people that they might forget Him. He institutes the Feast of Tabernacles that includes the reading of Torah so that they might remember. Fast-forward to 586BC. The exile has happened, and many are taken into captivity where there is no Scripture for the next 142 years. Then, in 444BC, we have the story of Nehemiah. In Nehemiah 8, we see that the people are gathered in the square. Waves of people are returning from exile, and the language has changed. The people hear the Scripture for the first time (v1-8), and the Levites are translating it for understanding. Hearing Scripture is good. Understanding Scripture is transformational. The people are aware of God's goodness and of their depravity. They begin to weep. Nehemiah tells them, "Do not weep...the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Neh 8:9-10). God restores His Word to heal people. He restores people to their purpose of knowing Him and loving Him forever. We must understand the weight of the bad news before we can be grateful for the good news. God's Word: 1. Every word matters 2. Learn from history 3. Jesus is the center (the fulfillment) of it all Bible Translation moves people: 1. from silence to understanding 2. from confusion to clarity 3. from despair to hope "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news." -Isaiah 52:7 What do we do now? 1. Pray for a people group - there are still 494 groups that are very hard to reach. 2. Advocate 3. Give 4. Soak yourself in Scripture - God will continue to change you! Questions to Consider? 1. What does God's Word mean to you? 2. What is your role in Bible translation? 3. How will you guard your life and those around you from "forgetting God and His Word"? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.