Covenant Naples

The message of the Gospel is for all peoples in all places. If we are to disciples the nations, as commanded by Christ, we must assure that the good news is heard by all. This means redoubling our commitment to send and go, until Christ returns or all have been reached. I. Because of God’s sovereignty, the Christian faith is transnational and His church is universal. II. There is no Scriptural war...

I. How should we engage in the mission to disciple our community, when the culture around us is hostile to our faith? 1. Embrace your place as a religious minority. (The culture war is over and we lost). 2. Settle down in one place. Build a life and stay there as long as you can. 3. Pray for the people around you, especially those who do not share your faith in Christ. 4. Be a blessing to the comm...

This week we will consider an often overlooked aspect of the great commission. We will consider together how God has given us the mission critical task in the discipleship of our families. We will look to the Scriptures to understand God‘s call on our lives to disciple our family, the context of family discipleship, and the comfort Christ offers all of us as we acknowledge our own failures and sho...

This week we will consider some difficult laws in Deuteronomy. We will see how these laws reflect the grace and mercy of God toward sinful humanity in that they aim to minimize the misery of life in a world under the curse of sin. And in the midst of these depressing scenarios, we will discover a ray of hope that one day the curse of sin will finally be removed and laws that mitigate the effects o...

Human life is of such value that an unnatural death leaves a stain on the community that must be dealt with through another death. The shedding of innocent blood pollutes the community and blood is on everyone’s hands. If that is true, what does that mean for a nation that has shed the blood of 63 million innocent babies? What does that mean for a nation giving regular witness to mass shootings, g...

War is a fact and harsh reality of our present existence in the world. War brings death and destruction of every sort, to every sort of person and community it touches. And yet, here in Deuteronomy 20, we find specific instructions regarding war. Join us to discover how to think biblically about war today, even while we await the One who will bring an end to war for all time. Sermon outline: I. Go...

History is littered with stories of an injury, followed by a retaliation, followed by escalating violence and death. Such retaliatory feuds and vigilante justice destroy families, communities, and even nations. Where there are people, harm will be done, both accidental and intentional. How can a society prevent these incidents from spiraling out of control? And how should we as individuals respond...

For ages, witchcraft, sorcery, and communicating with the dead have been ways of seeking answers about the future. In this passage, Moses presents us with a better way to live as God’s covenant people. Sermon Outline: I. We Should Support Those Who Serve God and His People. II. As God’s People, We Should Reject False Practices and False Prophets III. We Should Heed Those Who Speak for God to His P...

There are a lot of ideas about what fathers need to be like in our culture. But what does the Bible say about our Heavenly Father that helps us understand the role of earthly fathers? We will look at a half of a verse on Sunday from 1 John 3:1 to help us navigate this important topic. Questions: 1 What was your understanding of how fathers should love their children growing up? Has that changed as...

Abuses of power by those in leadership is rampant. This is nothing new. Deuteronomy reminds us that wielding power is very dangerous for a sinful person. How can we wield power in such a way as to honor God and bless people? Join us to find out! Sermon Outline: I. Godly Leaders Must Be Chosen. II. Godly Leaders Must Resist the Temptations of Leadership. III. Godly Leaders Must Be Subject to God’s...

We are prone to forget who God is and what he has done for us. He is the source of every good thing we enjoy, and yet, amid the rush and busyness of life, we forget. And when we forget we become increasingly ungrateful, idolatrous, and rebellious. God in his wisdom has built reminders into the calendars of his people to help us remember and rejoice. Join us this week to remember and rejoice! Sermo...

If you are a Christian and you don’t really belong to a church - maybe you even attend church - but you don’t belong to a church - you need to belong to a church. You need a TEAM on your side, in your corner. Conclusion: What if all of this sounds quite inspiring, but you’re not sure you’re up to the task? What does Church Planting Take? What does living a Christian life take? It takes MUCH more t...

It is often hard to see the glory of God in the face of death, but yet this is what Jesus shows us in the story of Lazarus. We will look at two truths and two threats to this glory in the story as we conclude our sermon series, “Death is defeated!” Questions: If you read the whole story of Lazarus, what other truths about God’s glory are seen and what are other threats you noticed? How do you hold...

What happens to those who have died and those living when Jesus returns? Stay tuned to find learn about our victory in Christ. I. We will be changed II. Death is Defeated III. What resurrected living looks like Questions: 1. Why must we receive imperishable and immortal bodies? 2. Where is the soul in the intermediate state and how do we know this? 3. How does Paul’s use of sin and law show us our...

The resurrection of the body is the great hope of the believer. When we are raised like Christ, we will no longer be confined by our temporary earthly bodies, but we will have heavenly bodies, fully human, but suited for life eternal in the presence of Jesus. But this resurrection life is only for those who have died to sin and been united to Christ. I. No death – No resurrection II. In the resurr...

The central hope of Christianity is not ‘going to heaven when you die.’ Rather it is our ultimate triumph over death through our union with Jesus in a physical resurrection to live and reign with him forever in a renewed world. Join us to discover more of the implications of Christ’s resurrection victory! Sermon Outline: I. What if the Dead are not Raised? II. Why Must the Dead be Raised? III. Wha...

In this passage, Moses sets out a vision for a wildly prosperous and generous people established on the firm foundation of God’s promises. The question is: will his people remember, trust, and obey? Sermon Outline: I. You Can Trust God to Provide for You when You Open Your Hand to Release a Debt. II. You Can Trust God to Provide for You when You Open Your Hand to Give to the Needy. III. You Can Tr...

04.03.22 Growing Through Giving

Sermon Outline: I. We Should Be Distinctively Different in How We Mourn. II. We Should Be Distinctively Different in How We Eat. III. We Should Be Distinctively Different in How We Worship. Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. Are Christians today any less the sons of God than the people of Israel were in the Old Testament? (Consider 1 Peter 2:1-12 and Galatians 1:1-7 for starters.) Why is it so import...

The temptation to idolatry can come from many directions, including our own hearts. Join us this week to discover why and how we must ruthlessly resist idolatry from every angle. Sermon Outline: I. Resist Spiritual Deception to Idolatry II. Resist Relational Enticement to Idolatry III. Resist Cultural Pressure to Idolatry Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. How would you define idolatry? What are some...

Where does Christianity fit in a pluralistic age? Is God indifferent to whether or not people or worship him because all religions ultimately lead to him anyway? Is there some worship that is acceptable to him and other worship which is not? Join us to find out! Sermon Outline: I. Who We Worship Matters. II. How We Worship Matters. Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. What is wrong with the view that a...

Today we pause our series in Deuteronomy to celebrate the goodness of God to Covenant Church. In response to his goodness, we re-commit ourselves to living out the Rhythm of Discipleship: worship, grow, serve, go. Join us to discover what that means for you!

Many of us worry too much over choices that do not really matter, and not enough about the choices that matter most. In the multitude of decisions we are faced with every year, every week, every day, and even every hour, what if we could simply distill them all down to just one? Join us this week to learn about the one choice that matters most. Sermon Outline: I. Consider What God Does to those Wh...

What does God ask of us who are the recipients of his grace? Join us to find out. Sermon Outline: I. God has extended persevering grace and asks for loving loyalty II. God has exercised electing love and asks for loving responsiveness III. God has distributed tangible mercy and asks for loving imitation IV. God has done mighty works and asks for loving obedience Sermon Discussion Questions: 1. How...

Our sins have provoked the righteous wrath of God and we are helpless to save ourselves from the destruction we deserve. Do we have an intercessor like Moses who will stand in the gap between us and God? And are we prepared to stand in the gap for others who are under God’s wrath? Sermon Outline: I. The Need for Intercession II. The Practice of Intercession 1. The Intercessor Humbles Himself 2. Th...