Covenant Naples

The Gospel of Luke begins and ends with worship reflecting the “great joy” that entered the world through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This great joy, distinct from mere happiness, becomes accessible to us when we receive the gift of faith in Jesus Christ.

Sermon Outline:

I. The source material of great joy are the things of Jesus.

II. Great joy marvels at the work of Jesus.

III. Great joy is seeing that all the Scriptures point to Jesus.

IV. Great joy leads to continual worship of Jesus.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. How do you distinguish between happiness and joy? Have you ever known a person who exuded great joy? What were some of their unique characteristics?

2. John Calvin wrote that we are all partly unbelievers until we die and see Jesus. When you have gone through seasons or moments of disbelief or doubt what was it that helped your faith strengthen?

3. Do you still find yourself in awe of Jesus and His work in your life? If so, how do you cultivate that sense of wonder?

4. Can you think of examples in your life when you “disbelieved for joy”?

5. The sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing Jesus throughout Scripture. How can we deepen our understanding of how the entire Bible points to Jesus? Are there specific passages or stories that have helped you see Jesus more clearly in Scripture?

6. If you were to share your faith with a non-believer what proofs of the resurrection would you use to help convince them that Jesus is alive?

7. The Gospel of Luke concludes in the same way that it opened: with great joy through worship. How does the knowledge of Jesus' resurrection impact your worship? In what ways can we foster a spirit of worship characterized by great joy in our lives?

The effectiveness of Jesus’ death on the cross only stands if Jesus was raised from the dead. The eyewitnesses say he is risen. But are they credible witnesses? Join us to see how their initial response of unbelief provides more support for our belief.

Sermon Outline:

I. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was unexpected, even though it had been predicted.

II. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was not initially believed, even though it was reported by reliable eyewitnesses.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Where do you personally fall on the spectrum of skepticism/belief regarding Jesus' resurrection? What factors contribute to your perspective?

2. The two main points highlight how the resurrection was unexpected and initially not believed, even by Jesus’ closest followers. Why do you think the disciples struggled to accept the resurrection reports at first?

3. Peter’s reaction models for us a willingness to “go and look” at the evidence for ourselves. What experiences or influences have shaped your journey of examining the resurrection accounts? What questions still remain for you?

4. For those who do believe in the resurrection, how does this truth impact your daily life? In what ways have you experienced the joy and hope the sermon describes?

It’s not news that many Americans have left and are leaving the church. Some of them even have pretty good reasons. So why should we stand firm in the church? Join us to find out.

Sermon Outline:

I. The Mystery of the Church

II. The Message of the Church

III. The Mediator of the Church

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Americans are leaving the church in large numbers these days for various reasons (hypocrisy, moral failures, busyness with activities, etc.). What reasons resonate with you or those you know who have left the church? Why haven’t you left?

2. Paul saw his ministry and calling as a gift of grace from God, not something he earned or deserved. How does viewing our service in the church this way change our attitudes and motivations?

3. The mystery revealed to Paul was that Gentiles are included as full heirs and members of God’s family, the body of Christ. Why was this so revolutionary and difficult for early Jewish Christians to accept? Where do you see the sharpest divisions among followers of Jesus in the church today?

4. A united, diverse church proclaims Christ’s victory over spiritual powers. How well are we displaying this vibrant unity amidst diversity of every sort? What steps could we take to better embody this counter-cultural reality?

5. Paul was willing to suffer imprisonment and persecution for the sake of the gospel reaching the Gentiles. What can we learn from Paul's example about having the right perspective on suffering for the gospel?

Over and over in scripture we see God bring his people safely through frightening ordeals. But rather than bringing them into a life of comfort and complacency, the people frequently seem to land somewhere far outside their comfort zone, with a mission to claim the victory God has already guaranteed. This dynamic continues in our lives and churches today. God gives the church the sacrament of baptism to tell Christians we are safe, loved, redeemed and released into a life of mission for Christ.

Questions:

1. In Isaiah 43:1-4 how many reasons does God give us to “fear not”? What are they?

2. How does the love of God propel Christians into a lifestyle of mission?

3 .Where in your own life do you see the temptation to complacency? Consumerism?

4 .What might happen if Christians don’t respond to the call to plant churches? What might happen if we do?

5. Acts 9:31 describes comfort from God in the midst of church planting mission. How do we reconcile this with Jesus’s call to “take up your cross”?

6. Will you prayerfully consider how God may be calling you out of your comfort zone to support the church plant?

When the enemy is crouching at your door, who do you turn to and how do you win the battle? God had a very interesting “battle” plan for his people that included a really loud choir. In this passage we will see what utter dependence on God looks like in the middle of the battle as he has the victory.

Outline:

1. The Context

2. The Peril

3. The Prayer

4. The Praise

Sermon Questions:

1. Read Ephesians 6:10-18a and Zec 4:6-7. How do those verses relate to the passage in 2 Chronicles?

2. The people of Judah were probably expecting a different battle plan when the Jahaziel stood up to speak the word of the LORD. What were the expectations of the Jewish people for a messiah and how to Jesus confound those expectations as the true messiah?

3. When you have faced peril in your life, who or what do you typically turn to? What are some of things you have told yourself that haven’t been helpful? What has been helpful?

4. What is the difference between “maybe prayers” and “because prayers”? How would you describe your prayer life?

5. Charles Spurgeon said “When a man searches for arguments for a thing it is because he attaches importance to that which he is seeking.” Where do you see man searching for arguments and to what is being ascribed importance?

Dividing walls sometimes exist among God’s people. In this week’s passage, Paul addresses the original dividing wall separating Jewish and Gentile believers. He shows us that because Christ’s reconciling work on the cross has broken down every dividing wall between Christians, we must live as one people reconciled to God and indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

Sermon Outline:

I. The Way We Were

II. The Way We Are

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. What are some modern day dividing walls that exist among Christians today?

2. Why do you think divisions and hostility can easily develop between groups of Christians today? How can we combat those tendencies and live out the unity Christ purchased?

3. Do you currently have any relationships with fellow believers that are broken or divided? What walls exist between you and how can you start tearing them down this week through repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation?

4. What practical steps can you take this week to build relationships with believers different than you (racially, politically, generationally, etc.) to demonstrate the unity of the church?

5. How should the truth that the church is the dwelling place of God impact how we view, speak about, and interact with our local church? Does this reality motivate you to greater commitment to the church?

Salvation is a gift of God’s grace received with the empty hands of faith which results in a life devoted to doing good. Join us to discover the amazing grace of God revealed in these verses.

Sermon Outline:

I. How Are We Saved?

II. Who Saves Us?

III. For What Purpose Are We Saved?

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think it was essential for our salvation to be based on God’s grace rather than our own merits? When does salvation by grace alone actually become good news for people?

2. Saving faith is more than just believing facts about Jesus in our minds. There’s a difference between intellectual agreement and true, saving trust. How can we evaluate whether our own faith is genuine rather than just intellectual assent? What’s the difference?

3. How does a proper understanding of salvation exclude all possibility of boasting?

4. We’re saved not just from something but also for something: good works. What are some ways you can be doing good as part of your normal day-to-day life?

5. If you believed in the depths of your soul that you did nothing to earn or deserve the salvation you have received, how would that change the way you see the non-Christian people around you? How would you think differently about people who appear to be “lost causes”?

Paul tells us in this passage that we were dead in our sin and floating down the stream of our sinful desires carried along by the power of Satan himself. What is a more hopeless situation than being dead? But this passage also contains the best news: Though we were dead in sin, God in His great mercy and love made us alive in Christ, raised us up with Him, and seated us securely with Him in the heavenly places.

Sermon Outline:

I. Our Need for Salvation

II. God’s Action for Salvation

III. Our Future in Salvation

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Ephesians 2:1 describes humanity as “dead in trespasses and sins.” In what ways have you seen or experienced the reality of spiritual death prior to knowing Christ? If you are a Christian, how would you describe the difference in the influence of the world, the flesh, and the devil on your life after Christ saved you?

2. The apostle Paul emphasizes that God saves us purely out of mercy and love, not because of our works. Why is salvation by grace alone so important to understand? What problems can result from forgetting this truth?

3. Reflecting on your own faith journey, when have you experienced the “immeasurable riches of God's grace” (Eph 2:7)? How might remembering his grace and kindness make it easier to share the gospel with others?

4. Discuss the significance of being “made alive together with Christ” and being “seated with Him in the heavenly places.” How does this impact our perspective on present challenges and the assurance of our future?

5. Reflect on the analogy of different lifeguard rescue techniques in the sermon. How does the extreme nature of our spiritual condition impact the way we understand God's salvation? What are the implications for our evangelistic efforts?

On account of sin, the eyes of our hearts have become cloudy and we no longer see or know as we ought to see and know. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God opens our spiritual eyes to fully grasp the hope we have in Christ, our value to God, and the immeasurable greatness of His power for us as His church.

Sermon Outline:

I. How We Can Know

II. What We Should Know

III. Why We Must Know

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you suppose faith in Jesus and love for fellow Christians are both necessary evidence of true Christianity? In what ways have you seen your faith in Jesus and love for other Christians grow recently?

2. Can you tell of a time when you had an “eye-opening” experience where a spiritual truth became clearer? How did it impact you?

3. Of the three things Paul prays the Church would know more fully (our future hope, our value to God, and God’s power in us), which one stood out most to you and why? How would your life be different if you saw this reality even more clearly?

4. The sermon described four demonstrations of God's power. Which one most encourages or challenges you right now and why?

5. We are Christ's body, called to carry out His mission in the world. How do you sense God calling you or our church to participate more fully in spreading the gospel locally and globally? What next steps can we take?