Covenant Naples

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 need for a savior?
4. Do you struggle more with pride and loathing in your sin or hopelessness? – What is the solution?
5. Are you abounding in the work of the Lord? Will you choose to do so?

Conclusion:
If you have heard the word of the Lord today, then don’t leave without remembering that we will all will be changed and for the better with the resurrection. Remember that Christ has defeated our greatest enemy sin and the death it brought. Be thankful to God for our victory in Christ and remember what it’s all there for. We are to be abounding in the work of the Lord all our days until He returns for us.

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 resurrection, the body of the believer is transformed, not from human to spirit, but from temporal to eternal.

III. The resurrection is not only our great hope, but it uniquely puts this world and life into proper perspective.

IV. Jesus Christ is the template for the resurrection body


Questions for further study

1. Will only the righteous be resurrected or the unrighteous as well?

2. How can it be said that the resurrected Christ has a human body when He appears and vanishes and seems unbound by the laws of physics?

3. What does Paul mean when he writes that believers have been baptized into Christ’s death?

4. Compare the post-resurrection accounts in Matthew, Luke, and John. Why do people have difficulty recognizing the risen Christ?

5. In what ways do you think that a glorified body differs from a temporal body?

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. What Must We Do?

Sermon Discussion Questions:
1. Do you believe it matters whether or not Christians are physically raised from the dead so long as we go to heaven? Why or why not?
2. How does the denial of the bodily resurrection of believers ultimately lead to the denial of the entire Christian faith?
3. If the resurrection of the body turned out to be a lie, how would it affect your life? Would anything change or would you basically go on living as you are now?
4. How is God’s glory connected with your resurrection and what encouragement does that give you?
5. How does the biblical hope of the resurrection propel Christians into bold and courageous living for Christ?

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 Trust God to Provide for You when You Open Your Hand to Release Your Most Valuable Assets.
IV. You Can Trust God to Provide for You when You Open Your Hand to Give Sacrificially to Him.


Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Imagine a world where there are “no poor among you.” What do you think it would take for that to become reality? Why do you think poverty remains a problem in the world and in the church today?

2. What is the relationship between trusting God to bless us and opening our hand to give?

3. How would you describe God’s heart for the poor? How would you describe your heart for the poor?

4. Read Luke 6:30-35 and Proverbs 19:17. How would your life be different if you believed these passages in the core of your being?

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 important to see the imperatives of the Bible in light of the indicative statements about our identity?

2. Is holiness any less important in the life of a Christian today than the people of God in the Old Testament? (Consider 1 Peter 1:13-21 in your answer and any other passages you choose.) How conscious are you of the pursuit of holiness in your own life?

3. How should the mourning of Christians differ from those who are not God’s people?

4. Why do Christians not keep the dietary laws laid down in Deuteronomy 14? How did the end of the dietary laws correspond to the breaking down of the wall of division
between Jewish and Gentile believers? (Consider Acts 10-11
in your answer.)

5. What are some particular ways Christians are called to be in the world while remaining distinctively different from the world?

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 examples today?

2. In this passage, there are three particular sources of temptation to idolatry. Which do you find the most challenging to recognize and resist?

3. What do the instructions about putting people to death teach us about the seriousness of leading people away from full devotion to God?

4. How is being deeply involved in Christian fellowship an important part of resisting idolatry?

5. Imagine we have made an idol of our work, our children, our money, or the approval of other people. How can we apply the gospel to our hearts and be free of the shackles of that idolatry?

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 all religions are equally true and valid?
2. How might the pluralistic spirit of our age lead to cynicism, especially in our emerging generations? What does Christianity have to offer that’s better than cynicism?
3. What are some of the challenges of living as a fully devoted follower of Jesus in a culture like ours? What should be our posture toward the world around us?
4. Where can we learn how to worship God rightly?
5. Syncretism is diluting or distorting true biblical religion with practices or beliefs from non-Christian religion. What evidences of syncretism do you see in your life? What can be done?

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 Who Disobey His Word.
II. Consider What God Does for those Who Obey His Word.
III. Choose the Blessing of Obedience.


Sermon Discussion Questions:
1. How does reducing everything down to just two paths (obedience or disobedience) simplify our choices? What challenge of making choices does this simplification resolves and what challenges does it leave unresolved?

2. In light of this passage and what you know from the rest of the Bible, is disobeying God’s word ever a good idea? If so, when? If not, why do you suppose we do it?

3. How would you describe the difference between a meritorious condition and a necessary condition?

4. For those who are in Christ and have received his salvation as a free gift, does obedience to God’s commands matter anymore? Why or why not?

5. When Christians disobey God’s commands, does this mean we are under God’s curse again? What does the gospel have to say about this?