Covenant Naples

Many of us have heard Psalm 23 at one point in our lives, whether in church or perhaps at a funeral. Perhaps we’ve seen a painting depicting Jesus as a shepherd, and that painting brought us comfort. When Jesus made the claim to be The Good Shepherd, he was offering words of comfort to many, but they were also words of consternation and blasphemy to others. Jesus’ words can divide, but ultimately they will bring people together from all over the world and all throughout history.

Sermon Outline:

I. Who Jesus says he is

II. Why Jesus says he came to us

III. How Jesus shepherds us

IV. How Jesus knows us

V. Who Jesus came for

VI. How Jesus loves us

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. What comes to mind when you think of Jesus being your shepherd?

2. In what ways did the religious leaders of his day act like wolves?

3. How can we avoid/repent of ways we have been wolf-like towards others in the Church?

4. Do you believe the Good Shepherd is for you?

5. In what ways do you feel the Good Shepherd nudging you gently, prodding you, or even grabbing hold of you in some area of your life?

6. What does it mean to you that

Jesus confronts the religious leaders of his day for their negligent shepherding of the people of Israel. He picks up where they failed and reveals Himself as the gate – the only door - to the sheepfold, where those who enter find salvation, protection, and life abundant.

I. Those who belong to Christ can distinguish between true and false teaching

II. The Door is the exclusive entry point to salvation

III. To go in by the door is to embrace Christ by faith

Coming in through the door not only secures salvation, but also the promise of protection and the means to prosper

Questions:

1. What is the connection between Jesus ‘I Am’ statement here and the episode of the blind man healed in the previous chapter?

2. Who is the gatekeeper that Jesus references in verse three?

3. It has been observed that sheepfolds in the ancient Near East did not typically have a door, but the shepherd served as a door in the night. What light might this shed on Jesus' statement?

4. What are some of the ways that people try to enter into the sheepfold?

5. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” Who is the thief?

6. What does the abundant life look like for the believer?

The world is a dark place and our lives frequently are as well. Jesus said “I am the light of the world”. Join us as we consider what Jesus meant and how his light speaks to our deepest needs.

Jesus is the light of the world.

I. Jesus is the light of life.

II. Jesus is the light of wisdom.

III. Jesus is the light of joy.

Discussion Questions:

1. Where are you currently experiencing darkness in your own life?

2. If you are a Christian, how are you seeing the light of Christ most clearly in your life today?

3. For Christians, how is following Jesus like following a light in a dark place?

4. If you are not a Christian, what personal risks and benefits might be involved in deciding to following Jesus?

In the passage we are considering today, Jesus Christ tells us the second thing we need to know about him when he says, “I am the bread of life.” What does that mean, and what does it mean for us? We can sum it up this way: Because Jesus Christ is the bread of life, he alone offers the satisfaction we seek. Join us to consider three implications of the fact that Jesus is the bread of life.

Sermon Outline:

I. Because Jesus Christ is the bread of life, we must seek him.

II. Because Jesus Christ is the bread of life, we must come to him.

III. Because Jesus Christ is the bread of life, we must feed on him.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think there are an increasing number of people who are unhappy and dissatisfied or do you think it has been pretty constant over time? Explain your answer.

2. Why do you suppose that people who seem to have it all (money, success, respect, etc.) are sometimes the most miserable people?

3. What does Jesus mean in verse 27 when he says, “Do not work for the food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you”? What is the practical application of that for you in your life today?

4. How can Jesus call people to come to him and also say “no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him”? What does this say about our spiritual condition apart from God’s work of grace in our hearts?

5. What is the difference between Jesus saying, “There is the bread of life, go out and get it” and “I am the bread of life, come to me”?

Many people have ideas about who Jesus is, and some people define him as they think it is best. But in this new series, we are not going to impose upon Jesus our own ideas about who he is. Instead, we are going to let Jesus define himself through a series of statements in which he tells us definitively who he is. On this Easter Sunday, he tells us the first thing we need to know about him in a world full of death: “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Sermon Outline:

I. Jesus is Confident in the Face of Death.

II. Jesus is Outraged in the Presence of Death.

III. Jesus is Victorious Over the Power of Death.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Jesus’ actions in response to the sisters’ plea to come and help their brother are puzzling. Why does Jesus wait until Lazarus is already dead to come and visit?

2. Have you ever felt puzzled by God’s actions, or his seeming lack of action? How does this story comfort us?

3. Why is it significant that when Jesus stood outside of Lazarus’ tomb, he wept?

4. Do you believe Jesus is the resurrection and the life? If so, what difference does that make for you today? What difference does that make when you die?

Dr. Sinclair Ferguson

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Palm Sunday was not Jesus’ first trip to Jerusalem. Why was he greeted with such fanfare upon his arrival this time?

2. Jesus was treated like a true king when he entered Jerusalem but died friendless days later. Why did the enthusiasm for Christ’s promised reign fail to generate enduring faith or courageous loyalty to Him?

3. On at least three occasions in John’s Gospel (2:4, 7:30, 8:20) we are told that Jesus’ ‘hour’ has not yet come. In 12:23, Christ announces that the ‘hour’ has come. What does this mean?

4. What is it about Christians that will convince the world to believe in Christ?

5. How do we know that the prayer of Christ in chapter 17 is not only for his apostles but for us as well?

How seriously do you take your words? How seriously do you take the commitments you make to God and other people? Most of us, most of the time, speak without thinking. But this week the Preacher of Ecclesiastes helps us see that our words matter because they reveal the posture of our heart toward God. What do your words say about your heart?

Sermon Outline:

I. Because Words Matter, Hearing Words is Better Than Speaking Words.

II. Because Words Matter, Considered Words are Better Than Rash Words.

III. Because Words Matter, Fewer Words are Better Than More Words

IV. Because Words Matter, No Words are Better Than Broken Words.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you suppose it is so difficult to control our tongues/speech? If you have, tell of a time when you intentionally spoke less and what you learned from it.

2. Would you characterize your times in corporate worship or private prayer as being marked by reverence and awe of God? Why or why not?

3. Jesus said, “on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:36-37). What does he mean by that and what are the implications for us?

4. What vows or commitments are you currently neglecting? What is to be done about it?

5. How does the gospel free us from condemnation for our sins of speech, while also engaging our hearts so we want to honor God with our speech?

What really drives us to excel in the workplace? Envy is rarely talked about nor admitted to. Yet, the Bible tells us it is often the motivation behind our labors and toil. Come join us to find out what the bible says about our work, those that won’t work, meaningful relationships and the contented peaceful life Jesus offers us.

1. Do you consider yourself and envious person? Have you considered ways envy might be operating in your life that were previously hidden from you?

2.Why is so hard to admit we are envious people?

3. What would you say to the man or woman who believes working is just part of the rat-race and unnecessary?

4. Are you content with what God has given to you? What does biblical contentment look like? How do we know if we have found it?

5. How might the analogy of “two-handed” vs “one-handed” serve us and others?

6. Are we more comfortable going it alone, or living in community? Why or why not? What are some of the benefits of living life in community? What makes it difficult?

7. Consider this week what you are living for!

God has a way of making everything beautiful in its time, and it is our confidence in this fact that enables us to find joy in the present moments that may be filled with pain or sorrow. One of those places of pain and sorrow is our frustration over the injustice that exists in the world and the wickedness that is so prevalent all around us. In this passage, the Preacher assures us that while injustice and oppression are realities, and death is inescapable, there will be a judgment that makes sense of everything.

Sermon Outline:

I. The Problem of Injustice and Oppression.

II. The Lessons of Death.

III. The Death of Death.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Where have you personally witnessed or experienced injustice or oppression? Describe the experience.

2. How does the promise of a coming day of judgment give hope to those who are suffering injustice?

3. Why can there be no good news if there is no ultimate judgment?

4. How does death humble us? What is humanity supposed to learn from the reality of death?

5. If we are experiencing injustice, oppression, or even the grief of loss, how does the gospel offer us real hope? How should we live in the face of such realities?

In one of the most famous poems ever written, Ecclesiastes reminds us that we are not in control of the seasons of life and we are not capable of comprehending them. Yet, with the ups and downs and perplexities of the changing seasons, the sovereign God is working out all his holy will. Join us to experience the tremendous comfort this passage offers people living in a broken world.

Sermon Outline:

I. God Controls the Seasons, We Do Not.

II. God Always Comprehends the Seasons, We Do Not.

III. Trusting God’s Sovereignty Through the Seasons Allows Us to Enjoy His Gifts in Every Season.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. What situation or season of life has brought you to the place where you had to admit that you do not have control? Describe what that experience was like.

2. Does the fact that you are not in control of your life burden you or relieve you, and why?

3. God’s perspective encompasses everything, while our perspective is necessarily limited. How does this reality help us to trust him in the midst of the more challenging seasons of life such as an illness, grief, or conflict?

4. How does trusting God’s sovereignty free us to enjoy his good gifts in every season of life?

5. Is there a place in your life where you need to give up the struggle to control or understand a situation and simply rest on the loving sovereignty of God? (Psalm 131) Take some time to do that in prayer.