Carmel Baptist Messages

Romans 14 - Living in Harmony with One AnotherSenior Pastor Alex KennedyChapter 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 5:1-2Spiritual maturity is more thanbuilding strong convictions;it is learning to show restraintin 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)-politicsHow 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:Have you ever judged someone for doing something differently than you? What happened?Are there things you feel strongly about that others might see differently?How can we tell the difference between a clear sin and a personal conviction?How would our relationships change if we remembered that God is the judge, not us?Can you think of a time when your actions might have affected someone else’s faith?What is one way we can build each other up this week instead of criticizing?Would others describe me as someone who brings peace—or division? 

Making the Word Clear - in Every LanguageSenior Pastor Alex Kennedy with Jason Elam & Milt JonesAt 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 weightof the bad newsbefore we can be gratefulfor the good news.God's Word:Every word mattersLearn from historyJesus is the center (the fulfillment) of it allBible Translation moves people:from silence to understandingfrom confusion to clarityfrom despair to hope"How beautiful are the feet of thosewho bring good news." -Isaiah 52:7What do we do now?Pray for a people group - there are still 494 groups that are very hard to reach.AdvocateGiveSoak yourself in Scripture - God will continue to change you!Questions to Consider?What does God's Word mean to you?What is your role in Bible translation?How will you guard your life and those around you from "forgetting God and His Word"?

Romans 13:8-14Senior Pastor Alex KennedyPastor Alex used the illustration of "Get Up, Get Dressed, and Get Going Loving Others" to teach us what Paul was saying to the church in this part of his letter to the church in Rome.Get Up - Verses 11-12To "know the time" means that Jesus brought in the kingdom of God and yet we wait for His return. Paul makes 3 statements about time:#1 - "for you to wake from sleep" is a metaphor for a life of moral carelessness and laxity. In other words, it is the spiritual lethargy that plagues so many people in the church.#2 - "For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed" is a reminder that we are always getting closer to Jesus' return. This speaks to our past (justification), our present (sanctification), and our future (glorification).#3 - "The night is far gone; the day is at hand" tells us that we are not "night people" anymore because we are living in the light of Christ.Get Dressed - Verses 12-14We need to put on the "light clothes" that we have been given. Ephesians 6:13-18 shows us that we are to put on the armor of God and use the armor for the purposes that they have been given.Paul goes on to say in verse 13, "Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy." We are to imagine that the day has dawned and that Jesus is standing in front of us as we ask, "how should I behave?", "What is really eternally important?"He goes on to say, "put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." (Gal 3:27) Romans 6:3 taught us that we are legally righteous before God. We are "in Him", "covered with Him". This means we have to live as if we are clothed in Him. We are supposed to remember "who we are wearing," what He did for us, what He wanted for us, and what it cost Him.""Make no provisions" means we must put off specific sins by naming them clearly. These could be envy, lust, anger, impurity, greed, etc... Do not leave the door crached open for sin."We don't defeat sin by managing it-we defeat it by starving it."Get Going Loving Others-Verses 8-10"Owe nothing to anyone" links back to verse 7, and that means the command does not prohibit all borrowing but means that one should always "pay what is owed" fulfilling whatever repayment agreements have been made.The one debt we never cease payingis the call to love one another.Paul then goes on in verses 9-10 to explain how "neighbor love" fulfills the law. Paul lists the commandments that instruct our horizontal relationships and sums them up with, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." God's law is God's guideline on how to love others, how to do good for those around us. "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (v10). Paul refuses to pit love and law against each other.Stott said, "If then we truly love our neighbors, we will seek their good, not their harm, and we will thereby fulfill the law." The law restrains behavior; love reshapes desire.Questions to Consider:How can we actively “clothe” ourselves with Christ each day?What do you think it looks like spiritually to be “asleep”?If Jesus returned soon, is there anything you would want to change about your life?Are there any habits or attitudes we need to bring “into the light”?How does loving someone actually fulfill God’s commandments in real life?Can you think of a recent situation where you chose love—or didn’t? What happened?

Romans 13:1-7Senior Pastor Alex KennedyToday we continued our series in the book of Romans with a passage that specifically speaks to our responsibility and relationship to government. Paul reminds us that we are to be subject to governing authority because all authority is established by God. Submitting to authority is submitting to God who put that authority in place. Sometimes God gives good leaders as a blessing, and sometimes He institutes evil rulers as a means of trial or judgment.Simply put, the purpose of government is to protect its citizenry and punish wrong doers (v.4). Without government, society would devolve into anarchy… lawlessness. In the Old Testament, at the time of the judges, we see just such an example of that terrible cycle of wickedness when there was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25).While we owe government leaders our taxes and honor, we must never give them our hearts or ultimate allegiance. Pastor Alex put it this way: “Our hope is in God’s house not the White House.” Our allegiance is to Christ as King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords. We run into trouble when we get those allegiances reversed. But, is there ever an appropriate time for civil disobedience? We are to submit right up to the point where obedience to the state would entail disobedience to God. At those times we must follow what Scripture tells us and not obey civil authorities. Some classic examples in Scripture of those who chose to disobey were Daniel (see Daniel chapter 1 and 6) and the Hebrew midwives (see Exodus chapter 1). Whenever laws are passed which contradict God’s law, civil disobedience becomes our Christian duty. May the Lord give us the wisdom to discern when those times come and the courage to stand for the truth regardless of the personal cost. Here are a few practical ways to honor our governing authorities:(1) Pray for Them: 1 Timothy 2:1–4 reminds us to pray for those in authority. Our leaders are those put in place by God for His purposes. Pastor Alex challenged us to ask ourselves the following question: Do you talk to God more about our leaders than you talk to others about our leaders?(2) Give What is Owed: Whether its taxes, revenue (wages), respect or honor, give to all what is owed (Hebrews 13:7). Remember, honoring a particular leader doesn’t mean you endorse or approve of them… it’s to honor God who put them there. (3) Engage: Look for ways to get involved. Serve on your city council. Run for office. 

Romans 12:14-21Senior Pastor Alex KennedyWe live in a world that pushes us into division. The word "hate" is prevalent in our culture, and it has become an acceptable way to look at others. In our flesh, this is a normal and natural response, but that is not how we, as followers of Jesus, have been called to live. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can live peacefully with those we have conflict with.Paul is writing to the church in Rome that is experiencing some of the same love/hate culture, but the intensity is much greater because their lives were at stake.Beginning in verse 14, Paul calls us to bless (speak well of) those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (wish ill will) them. The exhortation is to bless our persecutors constantly. (Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60) In other words, we shouldn't let someone else's behavior determine our behavior.Practically speaking, outside of the spiritual destruction this causes, a lifestyle of persistent resentment and hostility towards others leads to severe health problems and anxiety-related disease. Paul goes on to say, "rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." He is still talking about those who persecute you or those you don't get along with. Again, this can only be done through the power of the Holy Spirit.Verses 16-18 focus on our mind. We must remember that retaliation escalates, but grace diffuses. We must be careful in "winning the argument" that we "lose the person". It is not worth it.We also do not need to avenge ourselves (v19). God sees. God knows. God will handle it better than we will. We don't forgive others because we don't think they deserve it. We forgive because we trust God with justice."If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." (v20). Why should we love, forgive, feed, clothe, and bless like that?Jesus commanded it (Matthew 5:33-34)Jesus practiced it (Luke 23:34)People will notice - that is living the gospelPaul wraps up this section by summarizing it all: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." The word "overcome" is a military word that means to "overpower". It is an extremely penetrating and radical insight. Paul says that to repay evil with evil is immediately to lose the battle to evil! The only way to defeat evil is by doing good to the one who has done harm.If you hate a person who haswronged you,that person has won!The only way to defeat the evil is to forgive and love the person.We must forgive as we have been forgiven (Eph 4:32)God loved us when we were enemies (Rom 5:10; Col 1:21)Practically speaking, this is how to live out Romans 12:I will not gossip about people who hurt me.I will not try to "get even".I will pray for people who hurt me.I will speak kindly about people who hurt me.I will not rehearse offenses in my mind.I will not poison others against them.I will do good if they need help.Remember, if you try to do these things on your own, it will not work. You will fail. But, when you are abiding in Christ, you have an endless capacity to show love. It will not run out! (Rom 5:8)Questions to Consider:When someone wrongs you, what is your first instinct—to bless, ignore, gossip, or get even?Do you struggle more with being right or being at peace?Are you more concerned with winning arguments or preserving relationships?Do you trust God to handle injustice, or do you feel the need to take matters into your own hands?Who is the hardest person in your life to love right now? What have you actually done to love them?Do you only show kindness to people who treat you well?Do your words (tone, sarcasm, criticism) create peace or tension at home?What specific “evil” are you currently facing—and how are you responding to it?

Romans 12:3-8Student Teaching Pastor Jason SalyerThe Call to HumilityThe passage begins by grounding our identity in a humble recognition. There is an insanity with pride. God warns us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought, but to see ourselves through His grace. If we think of ourselves on a "path of humility", one ditch we can fall into is pride, while the other ditch is insecurity. We must recognize the grace of God in our lives and renew our minds with this kind of redirected thinking. In today's culture, the message we hear is "be true to yourself." Then, the culture trains us to look around for validation. We then remove ourselves from anyone that would question that message. There is a better way! Paul is imploring us to look up and receive our identity from Christ. Then, because we don't have to pursue our own lives, we can give our lives away. Once we think that way, we can recognize correctly the body of Christ.Members of the BodyTo explain how we relate to one another, Paul uses the image of a human body. Just as a physical body has many parts that all perform different but essential functions, the Church is one unified body in Christ. We are not just a collection of individuals sitting in the same room; we are saved into a new life and a new family of faith, being "members one of another," meaning we are truly interconnected and interdependent.We serve one another becausewe need one another.The path to unity is humility and service.Gifts to Serve Christ and His BodyWhen we trust Jesus Christ for salvation, one of the blessings that we receive are gifts from the Holy Spirit. The gifts listed in Scripture are not comprehensive lists, but are examples of ways that you can edify and build up the church.In Ephesians 4:7-8, Paul writes, "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people." This passage is referencing a conquering King that has come home and passed out the spoils of victory to his subjects. As the subjects use the gifts, it is a reminder of the victory. In the same way, we have received gifts of the Holy Spirit to remind us of the victory we have in Jesus...but we need to use those gifts!Because we have different gifts, Paul provides examples of ways our gifts can serve the community. Whether we teach, lead, give, or show mercy, our focus is to express our giftedness with the right mindset. More important than the gift is how we use it. We are called to serve not just with our hands, but with a specific kind of heart of generosity, diligence, and cheerfulness.You don't have to fully understand your gift to use it. As you give yourself away, others will point out the gift you have been given. Remember, the gift is not about you. It is first about God, and then it is for building up the body of Christ.Reflection: Do you see the true value and role that you and others play in the body of Christ? How can you better align your perspective with God’s word?Discussion Questions:Why is it sometimes easier to either overestimate our lives in (pride) or underestimate it (insecurity) rather than see ourselves "soberly" through the lens of God's unearned grace? (v3)Paul says we "belong to one another." How does your view of the church change if you see yourself as a vital organ in a body rather than just an individual attending a service? (v4-5)Paul attaches specific instructions to the gifts (e.g., give with generosity, lead with zeal, show mercy with cheerfulness). Why is the heart-attitude so critical in how we use our gifts to serve? (v6-8)Think of some people at Carmel that you know are using their gifts to serve, give, and love the body of Christ. What gifts do you recognize in them.If you are not currently serving, where could be a place that the church could use your giftedness? Come by the Carmel room next Sunday and let someone know that you are willing to serve where needed.

Romans 12:9-13Adult Pastor Brad FergusonPaul gives 13 commands in these five verses, but we must be careful that this isn't a "check the box" list. There needs to be an understanding that this is the work of the Holy Spirit in us, but there is work for us to do as well. In these ways that the Lord is growing us, we need to have a devotion to Him.LOVEIn verse 9, Paul starts with focusing on love because love lays the foundation for everything. (1 Cor 13:13; Gal 5:22; Col 3:14; 1 John 4:16, etc.) This love initiates with othersIt is undeserved, unmerited, and unconditionalIt is tethered to Scripture instead of listening to the world's viewIt is without hypocrisy - don't pretend to love...truly lovePaul goes on to say, "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good". We should be horrified at the evil in the world. We should be horrified at the evil in our own hearts. Unfortunately, as humans, we have a bad habit of normalizing evil over time. Things that once horrified us are now tolerated.We should run from sin, and run towards what is good (Col 3:2).RELATEIn verse 10, Paul moves from this general overview of love to how to implement this love with our relationships.Love one another deeply (1 Peter 1:22; 1 Thes 4:9; John 13:35) - If we show genuine care for one another, it is a powerful example of the gospel!Compete with one another in honoring each other - Be the initiator.Verse 12 says, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer,". Paul directly put affliction in the middle. We will all face trials and pain in our lives. That is a guarantee. But that affliction should be surrounded by hope and prayer.Our only hope is Jesus Christ, but He is enough!We must be persistent in our prayer life. Too often, we give up or just run out of hope. We must let affliction run it's course because we are growing to be more like Jesus through that suffering. (James 1:2-4)Questions to ConsiderWhat is the difference between loving someone because you have to and loving them because you want to?What does it mean to "outdo one another in showing honor"? How can you honor a sibling, parent, coworker, or classmate this week instead of trying to be first yourself?How can we "rejoice in hope" when we are going through something tough? What is a difficult thing right now that we can share together and pray about?

Romans 12:1-2Senior Pastor Alex KennedyPaul's writing style typically moves from doctrine (Ch. 1-11) to practice (Ch. 12-16), so the key word he opens with in chapter 12 is "therefore". this "therefore" is there to remind us of all the mercies that God has shown us that Paul mentioned in the first part of his letter:God did not abandon us (Rom 3:23)God gives us a righteousness we could never earn (Rom 3:24)Our relationship with God is restored (Rom 5:1)God's love came first (Rom 5:8)We are given a new master (Rom 6:18)Our guilt has been removed (Rom 8:1)God becomes our Father (Rom 8:15)God redeems every circumstance (Rom 8:28)God's love is fierce (Rom 8:38-39)God's plan of redemption continues (Rom 9-11)When we realize the depth of God's mercy, Romans 12:1 suddenly makes sense, and our life in Christ is a response to mercy.The altar of our surrenderis built on the foundationof mercy.God's mercies are the motivation for our obedience. This is why we "present your bodies as a living sacrifice". When Paul uses the word "bodies", the original readers would have immediately thought of the sacrifices used in the Old Testament, which represent the totality of one's life and activities. Some offerings in the OT were "sin offerings", which were for shedding blood and asking for forgiveness. Jesus was and is our sin offering. Instead, the offering Paul points to is a "whole burnt offering", which was a valuable animal from your flock. It had to be without defect. This animal would have been very expensive, and it showed that all you had was at God's disposal. The burnt offering was always burnt totally and it represented complete consecration and devotion to God.The altar isn't a moment-it's a lifestyle.Surrender isn't a one-time decision -it's a daily decision.Paul goes on to say that this sacrifice is "holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." This word "spiritual" literally means "logical".Tim Keller says, "In short, once you have a good view of God's mercy, anything less than a total, complete sacrifice of yourself to God is completely irrational!"Verse 2 begins, "Do not be conformed to this world", which means "stop being conformed". (1 Peter 1:14-15) Culture constantly tries to tell us who to be, but we need to let God reshape us into His image.What we scroll conforms our soul.For most people, the primary reason we conform is fear. We fear not fitting in, what others will think about us, or the backlash that comes from living differently."But be transformed by the renewing of your mind". This is a change from the inside out. (2 Cor 3:18; Matt 17:2). We renew our minds through the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.Christianity is not about becominga nicer version of the old you.It's about becoming a new creation.The goal in all of this is that "by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."Questions to Consider:How has God shown you mercy in your life? Reflect on the relationships, the decisions, the mistakes, and the places you've been and how He has woven them all together to bring you to where you are.How does understanding God's mercy help you want to serve Him?What does it mean to be a "living sacrifice" in your daily life?What are some "patterns of this world" that we are tempted to follow?How can we, in our home, "defend against" the pressure to be like the rest of the world?