North Park Baptist Church of Bridgeport CT

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Living in God’s Family

September 21, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 12:9-13

Mark Smith

Living in God’s Family

Date Preached: September 21, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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In Romans 12:3-8 Paul gave us instruction on getting started in the church. He used the metaphor of a body to illustrate the diversity of the members of a church, but also the need to have all members functioning in a healthy way in the body. This body is real, it is the body of Christ to which all born-again believers belong.

In Romans 12:9-13, Paul will use a new metaphor to explain how we are to relate to others in the church: the metaphor of a family. Since all born-again believers are part of God's family, this is a very helpful way to explain how we are to live in the church. We'll see that in this message.

Living in God’s Family

Getting Started in the Church

September 14, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 12:3-8

Mark Smith

Getting Started in the Church

Date Preached: September 14, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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In Romans 12:3, Paul turns to explain how believers in Jesus are to relate to other. He begins with our relationships in the church. In 12:3-8 Paul urges us to first get a right attitude toward ourselves and then a right appreciation of others in the church. He finishes by urging us to put to use the special gifts God has given to us for the upbuilding of the body of Christ, the church.

Getting Started in the Church

The Christian’s First Steps

September 7, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 12:1-2

Mark Smith

The Christian’s First Steps

Date Preached: September 7, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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What are the first things you'd advise a new Christian to do? You would probably not think of the two steps Paul advises as he transitions from theology to Christian living in Romans 12:1-2. Let's discover what those steps are. They aren't just for new believers. They lay the foundation for the Christian life for all believers. If we fail to take them we'll struggle to live as God wants. It's no mistake Paul puts them first, they are that important.

The Christian’s First Steps

Is Israel Still Part of God’s Plan? Part 2

August 24, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 10

Mark Smith

Is Israel Still Part of God’s Plan? Part 2

Date Preached: August 24, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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In answering the question, "Is Israel still part of God's plan?", Paul dealt with Israel in the past in Romans 9. In Romans 10 he turns to deal with Israel in the present. Having already laid blame for Israel's failure to obtain righteousness to their unbelief (Romans 9:30-33), Paul delineates three problems that were continuing to keep Israel from being saved in Romans 10. I think you may recognize in these problems the same issues keeping people that you know from being saved. today.

Notes for this sermon can be found here.

Is Israel Still Part of God’s Plan? Part 2

Is Israel Still Part of God’s Plan? – Part 1

August 17, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 9

Mark Smith

Is Israel Still Part of God’s Plan? – Part 1

Date Preached: August 17, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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The mood definitely seems to change in Romans 9. From eagerly proclaiming the glories of God's plan of salvation by faith alone in Romans 1-8, Paul seems to be almost defensive in chapters 9-11. Apparently some in the Roman church wondered about Paul's credentials, especially considering what he taught about the Law. Was he anti-Jewish? Had God changed his mind about the Jewish people? Had he gone back on his promises?

In Romans 9-11 Paul will explain what had changed in God's relationship with Israel and why it had changed, He starts in chapter 9 with Israel's past. In chapter 10 he'll deal with Israel's present. In chapter 11 he'll deal with Israel's future.

This message focuses on chapter 9, Israel's past.

Is Israel Still Part of God’s Plan? – Part 1

Completely Secure

August 10, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 8:31-39

Mark Smith

Completely Secure

Date Preached: August 10, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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One of the tactics Satan uses against Christians to keep them off balance and upset is to place doubts in their minds about their relationship to God, his love for them, and the certainty of their salvation. So far in Romans 8, Paul has attempted to quell insecurity about these issues with scriptural facts. As he closes this chapter he leads us up the summit of the mountain of certainty and far away from the valley of doubt below. Journey with us to the mountain top.

Notes for this sermon can be found here.

Completely Secure

Assurances for When We Are Weak

August 3, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 8:26-30

Mark Smith

Assurances for When We Are Weak

Date Preached: August 3, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Romans 8 is the assurance chapter. We've already seen how the Holy Spirit gives us assurance of victory over sin, of the fact we are God's children, and of the glorious future God has promised us. But Paul has also spoken of suffering for Christ. All of God's children suffer for Christ in some way, some way more than others. In the context of this assured suffering, God's promises are even more precious. We'll find two fresh assurances for times when we are weak in our passage this week, Romans 8:26-30.

Assurances for When We Are Weak

Suffering Now, Glory Then

July 20, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 8:18-25

Mark Smith

Suffering Now, Glory Then

Date Preached: July 20, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Paul finished Romans 8:17 stating that all God's children will suffer with Jesus for being his followers. In Romans 8:18-25 he puts that suffering in perspective, comparing what we are experiencing now with what we one day will experience. He includes creation in current suffering and explains that creation will have a 'then' moment, also, when its bandage to decay is broken and it is restored to its original purpose..

In the in-between time we live in hope, in the certainty that what God has promised us will become ours.

Suffering Now, Glory Then

Certain of Being God’s Child

July 13, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 8:14-17

Mark Smith

Certain of Being God’s Child

Date Preached: July 13, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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A second ministry of the Holy Spirit is to help believers know they are God's children and thereby to give them assurance of their salvation. In Romans 8:14-17 Paul tells us how we can know if we are God's child (hint: not everyone is), the privileges of being God's child, and how the Holy Spirit works in us to assure us we are God's child.

Certain of Being God’s Child

Seeking Holiness in the Right Place

July 6, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 8:1-13

Mark Smith

Seeking Holiness in the Right Place

Date Preached: July 6, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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What is the right path to personal holiness? In Romans 7, Paul told us he was convinced that obedience to the Law (or legalism) as a path to personal holiness was a dead end. All trying to do that had accomplished for him was to make him frustrated. He knew what to do but couldn't make himself do it.

In Romans 8:1-13 Paul will elaborate on what he discovered did work, as he hinted at the end of chapter 7. It turns out that the Holy Spirit dwelling within every born-again believer is the way to personal holiness. These thirteen verses are required reading for any believer who wants to refuse to let sin reign in his or her body (Romans 6:12) and who wants to consistently present the members of his or her body as servants of righteousness (Romans 6:12).

Notes for this sermon can be found here.

Seeking Holiness in the Right Place

Seeking Holiness in All the Wrong Places

June 29, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 7:1-8:4

Mark Smith

Seeking Holiness in All the Wrong Places

Date Preached: June 29, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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If the Law isn't necessary for salvation, is it necessary for sanctification (growth in holiness)? That's the issue Paul deals with in Romans 7. He tells us about the Christian's standing in relationship to the Law, the 'problem' with the Law', the impossibility of gaining holiness by obeying the Law, and the believer's deliverance from the law of sin.

If, as a Christian, you've been frustrated in trying to avoid sin and live as you know God wants you to, this message is for you.

Notes for this sermon can be found here.

Seeking Holiness in All the Wrong Places

Choose Your Master

June 22, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 6:15-23

Mark Smith

Choose Your Master

Date Preached: June 22, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Since we are not under the law but under grace does that mean we shouldn't be concerned about sinning? That's the question Paul knew some in Rome might ask after what he had just written in Romans 6:14. His answer is an emphatic "No." Paul's reason for saying so has to do with what allowing the members of our body to be used for sin will result in. It will result in slavery to sin.

In Romans 6:15-23 Paul likens what we offer the members of our body to serve to the practice of voluntary slavery. The question is not, "Can we be unconcerned about sinning," but, "Who or what will you be a slave to?" There are just two choices with their two different outcomes, as we'll see in this message,

Choose Your Master

Freed from Sin’s Control

June 15, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 6:1-14

Mark Smith

Freed from Sin’s Control

Date Preached: June 15, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Paul's declaration at the end of Romans 5 led to a plausible objection to his gospel: "If our sin makes God's grace abound, why not sin more so God's grace would abound more and he'd be glorified even more?"

As Paul points out this is as far from his thought as anything could be. This leads him into the most important discussion in the New Testament on the relationship of believers to sin. As we'll see, born-again believers in Jesus actually have been freed from the control of sin. They can now choose to serve God rather than sin. They are dead to sin but alive to God.

Notes for this sermon can be found here.

Freed from Sin’s Control

Jesus, the New Adam

June 8, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 5:12-21

Mark Smith

Jesus, the New Adam

Date Preached: June 8, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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How can one person possibly change the destinies of all people?

Paul has just claimed that Jesus, through his death and resurrection, made it possible for all people to have eternal life. To explain how something like this could be possible, Paul turns to Adam, the first man, and shows how Adam did something that affected all of us. Since Adam could do so, how much more could God's Son, Jesus do the same or better? That's the gist of this complicated section in the Book of Romans.

Sermon notes can be found here.

Jesus, the New Adam

Immediate Blessings of Salvation

June 1, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 5:1-11

Mark Smith

Immediate Blessings of Salvation

Date Preached: June 1, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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In Romans 5 Paul turns from explaining the powerful gospel of salvation to telling us some of the other blessings that come with being justified by God. In 5:1-11 Paul enumerates nine immediate blessings of salvation. In the rest of chapters 5-8 he'll explain some others, some of which take time to fully experience. Here, however, his focus is on blessings we fully experience as soon as we are saved. As we consider these we have to ask, are they yours yet?

Notes for this sermon can be found here.

Immediate Blessings of Salvation

Abraham – Saved by Faith

May 25, 2025

The Book of Romans

Romans 4

Mark Smith

Abraham – Saved by Faith

Date Preached: May 25, 2025

Series: The Book of Romans

Speaker: Mark Smith

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A question naturally arises from Paul's explanation of the gospel. Is his teaching that people are saved by faith alone in keeping with the Hebrew scriptures or is it Paul's invention? In Romans 4 Paul answers that question by referring back to Abraham, the Father of Israel, showing that he was saved by faith alone. The gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone is clearly illustrated by Abraham, demonstrating that Paul's gospel is Biblical. It is the gospel all people need. There is no other option.

Notes for this sermon can be found here.

Abraham – Saved by Faith

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