Covenant Naples

Fireworks light up the sky for a night. This Sunday we look at the Light that has been shining for 2,000 years and has never been overcome. "The Light Still Shines," John 3:16–21. Bring a friend! Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. This series has repeatedly distinguished between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing him. Nicodemus knew the Scriptures better than anyone and was still in the dark. Wher...

Jesus has a very interesting conversation with a man named Nicodemus. He’s a good man, moral, upright, loves God and the Scriptures as best we can tell. He’s a spiritual leader of his people. But what Jesus will say to him in this passage is that it’s not enough. What Nicodemus needs, what all of us need, is the one thing we cannot provide or produce for ourselves. We need to be born again.  Sermo...

In this passage, Jesus is going to clear the way to God. Even more, he’s going to show us that he himself is the way to God because he is the temple. Sermon Outline: I. What Jesus Does II. What Jesus Claims III. What Jesus Is Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. Have you ever had an experience of going through the motions of worship at church, in prayer, in your quiet time, and coming away feeling like...

In this passage, we encounter a wedding that has run out of wine. This situation was not only sad, it had the potential to bring great shame and even legal trouble upon the groom’s family. But fortunately for them, Jesus was there. When the wine ran out, Jesus supplied a superabundance. And John tells us exactly why he chose to record this story. Join us to find out. Sermon Outline: I. The Joy tha...

In this passage, we see dominos starting to fall in a chain reaction. It begins with John the Baptist pointing to Jesus as the Lamb of God. That leads to Andrew and another disciple following Jesus. That leads to an invitation to Peter coming to Jesus. Jesus invites Philip to follow him. Philip does, and then he invites Nathanael to come and see for himself. He does. Domino after domino fell, and...

Many people have their own ideas about who Jesus is, but we want to derive our picture of him from what the Bible says. Who is Jesus according to the man God appointed to introduce him to the world?  Sermon Outline: I. The Lamb of God Who Takes Away Sin II. The Savior of Humanity We Cannot Manufacture III. The Son of God Who Demands a Response Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. What are some versions...

John the Baptist makes it clear that he is not the Christ. In a world driven by pride, John leads us down a very different path, a path marked by humility, as we look to the one Jesus Christ who humbled himself for prideful people like me and you.  Outline I. Confess: You are not the Christ II. Acknowledge: You have a role in the kingdom of God III. Proclaim: Jesus is the worthy Savior Sermon Ques...

We have these two desires woven deep into us as fallen humans: the desire to be rescued, and the desire for another person to understand our struggles. We’re looking for a hero that can close the gap between us and them. John introduces us to that hero in these verses. Sermon Outline: I. Jesus Moves In. II. Jesus Makes God Known. III. Jesus Pours Out Grace. Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. How does...

While many do not receive Jesus, those who do receive him and believe in his name receive the most extraordinary gift: the right to be called children of God. Sermon Outline: I. The Witness II. The Light III. The Gift Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. Before you came to faith, or perhaps in a season when your faith was distant, what were you trusting in as your source of light and meaning? How did t...

The Word who is God, who made all things, and who carries life and light into darkness is inviting us to know him personally. Sermon Outline: I. We Must Know Jesus as the Eternal Son. II. We Must Know Jesus as the Creator. III. We Must Know Jesus as Life and Light. Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. How much do you relate to the distinction between knowing about Jesus versus actually knowing him? Wha...

Why did Jesus leave? It’s a question many of us feel but rarely ask out loud. Psalm 110 reveals that, despite our perception, Jesus isn’t distant or absent. He is actively reigning, interceding, and tirelessly fighting our enemies. He will crush the enemies we face in the world and those that dwell inside of us.     Sermon Outline:  I.   Priestly Kingship  II.   His Purpose and Power III.   His Pe...

What if the most extraordinary Person in the universe stepped into your everyday life…and you missed Him? In Luke 10, Martha welcomes Jesus, serves Him, and believes in Him...and still misses what matters most. This Sunday, we’ll see how easy it is to miss Jesus…even with good things...and what it looks like to be truly captivated by Him. Don’t just be near Him. Don’t just stay busy for Him. Fix y...

We have an enemy in our midst. Behind our trials, our frustrations, our confusion, our despair, our wanting to quit is not only our own sinful tendencies, but a personal enemy bent on destroying us. But in Christ we don’t have to be victims anymore.  Sermon Outline: I. Our Adversary II. Our Responsibility III. Our Assurance Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. Where do you most often fail to recognize...

That we must humble ourselves is the major point of this passage, and we see this theme repeatedly in both the Old and New Testaments. But just because it is common in Scripture does not mean it is common in our faith and practice. We are proud and we are inclined to exalt ourselves even when it means God opposes us. Yet grace is promised to the humble. So what does it look like for Christians to...

Shepherding was hard and generally thankless work. And that is exactly the image the Bible uses for spiritual leadership. Consequently, shepherds can be prone to shepherd selfishly rather than sacrificially. How do we overcome this?  Sermon Outline: I. The Shepherd’s Perspective. II. The Shepherd’s Calling. III. The Shepherd’s Reward. Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. Think of a leader in your life...

Peter is writing to people who are suffering because of persecution. He walks them through gospel truths that will sustain them in the sea of affliction. For nothing is sweeter than entrusting yourself to the God who is faithful. Small group questions 1) Why do you think Peter warns them to not be surprised by the fiery trial? Why do you think we are still surprised when suffering comes? 2) What d...

Peter reminds us here that we are living in the last stage of God’s plan to bring all things to their culmination in his glorification through Jesus Christ and the victory he has already accomplished. Nothing and no one will be exempt from this process that will bring salvation to some and condemnation to others. Because this is the end toward which all history is moving, Christians should live to...

What we expect when we go into suffering greatly impacts how we experience it. If we expect that following Jesus is going to be an easy journey, we will be unprepared for the suffering which is a normal part of the Christian life. Sermon Outline: I. Arm Yourself with the Mindset of Christ. II. Leave the Past Behind. III. Live in Light of the Future. Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. What would it lo...

In this passage, Peter tells us the outcome of the great battle of world history. Christ triumphs! Believers who know the outcome of history can take heart in the face of our suffering so that we do not back down or resort to our old ways of life. Instead, we can continue to follow the example of Jesus who also suffered for doing good.  Sermon Outline: I. Take heart, Christ has died and triumphs o...

Spiritual battles are won by prayer warriors. So, how can we support one another and our mission partners as prayer warriors amid the spiritual conflict that rages for the soul of the nations?  Sermon Outline: I. We Must Pray Broadly. II. We Must Pray Perseveringly. III. We Must Pray Missionally. Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. Which metaphor more accurately describes your current prayer life wart...

The Bible teaches us that a good life is a godly life. Here we find not only the importance of relationships, but how to be godly in relationships, how to be godly in our speech, and how to be godly even when we suffer for it, and how to become the kind of people who have healthy relationships, even amid circumstances like suffering and persecution.  Sermon outline: I. How Godly People Live in Chr...

While modern society may be engaged in a war on men, the Bible is not. We recognize that God created humanity male and female and that they are not the same. When God made woman, it was good. When God made man, it was good. When he brought them into a relationship of headship and submission, it was good. Of course, like everything else, being a man has been complicated by the fact that we are all...