Covenant Naples

God allows his servants to suffer weakness in order to demonstrate his power through us while keeping us humble. Listen to discover the joyous freedom of learning to boast in our weaknesses!

Sermon Outline:
I. The Problem with Boasting
II. The Remedy for Boasting
III. The Redemption of Boasting

Sermon Discussion Questions:
1. Why do you suppose that some of the people through whom God does his greatest work in this world also suffer so greatly?

2. Why is it so important for Christians to become aware of our own weaknesses? How do we become aware of our weaknesses?

3. When we experience ‘thorny’ situations in life, should we pray for God to remove the thorn? If we pray and he doesn’t remove the thorn, how can we know that Jesus’ promise in verse 9 is true for us?

4. In verse 9, what is the connection between boasting in our weaknesses and the power of Christ resting upon us? What might it look like practically to boast in our weaknesses?

5. Put this verse in your own words: “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Spend some time in prayer asking that God will help you understand and embrace this upside-down principle of his kingdom.

This is the twenty-fifth sermon in the series "God's Strength in Our Weakness", today, May 23rd, 2021, Pastor Trent Casto delivers his sermon entitled "Only the Weak are Strong" based on 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.

In this message we’re going consider how the gospel transforms us from being people who suffer fools gladly to being the kind of people who suffer gladly as fools for Christ and his church.

Sermon Outline:
I. The Church Too Readily Suffers Fools for Leaders
II. Leaders Too Reticently Suffer as Fools for the Church

Sermon Discussion Questions:
1. What are some of the societal or cultural factors that make us inclined to suffer fools as leaders?
2. Based on what you know of what the Bible says about leadership, what are some ways in which Christian leadership should look different from the kind of leadership you might find in a non-Christian environment? (For some ideas about Christian leadership, see 1 and 2 Timothy.)
3. Why do you think Christian leadership involves suffering? If you are a leader, how willing are you to embrace suffering for Christ and his church? For those who are not leaders, how can you prayerfully support your leaders?
4. What might it look like today for you to boast in your weaknesses? And why would you? (Consider 2 Corinthians 1:8-10; 4:7; 12:9-10)

This is the twenty-fourth sermon in the series "God's Strength in Our Weakness", today, May 16th, 2021, Pastor Trent Casto delivers his sermon entitled "Suffering Fools" based on 2 Corinthians 11:1-15.

Satan has been a deceiver from the beginning, and he hasn’t slowed down. He aims to seduce the bride of Jesus to embrace another Jesus to our eternal harm. Join us to find out how to remain faithfully devoted to Jesus and resist disguised deceivers.

Sermon Outline:
I. Because We're All Susceptible to Deception, We Must Remain Devoted to Jesus
II. Because We're All Susceptible to Deception, We Must Resist Disguised Deceivers

Sermon Discussion Questions:
1. Have you ever been deceived that you are aware of? What were some of the factors that made you susceptible to deception?
2. Think about Genesis 3 and how Satan deceived Eve and then Adam. How did he approach it and what can we learn from that event?
3. What is the fundamental problem of humanity? How does getting clear on the answer to this question help keep us from being seduced by another Jesus?
4. How can Christian community help protect us against deception? What is the role of shepherds with regard to deception?

This is the twenty-third sermon in the series "God's Strength in Our Weakness", today, May 9th, 2021, Pastor Trent Casto delivers his sermon entitled "Holy Jealousy for Jesus' Bride" based on 2 Corinthians 11:1-15.

In defending himself against his attackers in Corinth, the apostle Paul gives us a picture of the kind of ministry God commends. What is the nature of the fight we are engaged in and what is the ultimate goal of our ministry? Find out here.

Sermon Outline:
I. A Ministry God Commends is Fighting the Right Battles with the Right Weapons in the Right Manner.
II. A Ministry God Commends Understands the Proper Use of Spiritual Authority.
III. A Ministry God Commends Makes Much of the Lord, Not of Itself.

Sermon Discussion Questions:
1. Are there any areas in your life where you’re trying to fight a spiritual battle with worldly weapons such as intimidation, deception, or manipulation?

2. Pastor Trent addressed six strongholds that are erected against the knowledge of God. What are some other strongholds that we need the power of the gospel message to bring down in the lives of believers or unbelievers?

3. How should spiritual authority be exercised in the church for building up rather than tearing down? Why do you think it’s difficult for leaders to exercise authority, and why do you think it’s difficult for people to submit to authority?

4. In what aspects of your life or ministry are you tempted to compare yourself with others? How would your life be different if you were concerned with pursuing the Lord’s commendation?

5. If the glory of God were your only aim in life, is there anything you would start doing? Is there anything you would stop doing? Is there anything you would do differently?

This is the twenty-second sermon in the series "God's Strength in Our Weakness", today, May 2nd, 2021, Pastor Trent Casto delivers his sermon entitled "A Ministry God Commends" based on 2 Corinthians 10:1-18.

This is the last sermon in our series, "Jesus, Friend of Sinners". Today, April 25th, 2021, Chris Voorhees delivers his sermon from John 4:1-18 & 25-26​ entitled "The Woman at the Well".

Outline:
line crossing
sin removing
shame breaking
salvation bringing

Questions:
What do you make of the phrase in verse 4 “And he had to pass through Samaria”?
When do you think the woman began to see who Jesus was?
For the sake of the gospel, what are some man-made boxes that you think God is calling you to cross?
While not addressed directly in the sermon, what do you make of her theological assertions about worship and Jesus’ response in verses 19-24?
What shame have you been holding into that needs to be left at the well with Jesus?

The power of forgiveness and faith are showcased by Christ as he turns the tables on a self-righteous Pharisee and grants salvation to the unlikeliest recipient.

Points:
This woman gives us a picture of redemption: sorrow at sin, overwhelmed by grace, affectionate in gratitude, extravagant in worship.
Love is not how forgiveness is earned, it is how forgiveness is displayed.
Those who experience forgiveness know a fullness of joy, peace, and abounding love that ever eludes the unrepentant, the self-righteous, and the faithless.

Questions for further study:
Do you think this is the woman’s first encounter with Jesus or not? Why?
What is the relationship between forgiveness and love?
What importance do you attach to the specific gestures of love (washing, kissing, anointing the feet) that the woman displayed?
Compare and contrast the understanding of Simon and the sinful woman concerning who Jesus is.
Can you identify any signs of hope for Simon the Pharisee?

The ministry of Jesus is to seek and save the lost. In this story, He brings salvation to the most unlikely of sinners, but not everyone approves…


Points:

I. Salvation is wholly a gracious work of God.

II. Grace is amazing. It is also controversial, scandalous, and deeply unpopular.

III. Repentance is confession of sin, turning to God, and resolution to walk in new obedience.

IV. The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.


Questions and points for further study:

Did Zacchaeus earn his salvation by paying his debts and giving to the poor?

Does Jesus reference to Zacchaeus as a son of Abraham indicate that he is saved by his Judaism?

Read Exodus 22 and/or Leviticus 6. What were Zacchaeus’ responsibilities vis-à-vis restitution according to the Old Testament law?

Read the account of the blind beggar in Luke 18: 35-43. It is another account of Jesus singling a man out of a Jericho crowd. Compare and contrast Jesus’ words and actions with the Zacchaeus narrative.

In your ministry, do you seek the lost or the righteous?

This is the second sermon in our series, "Jesus, Friend of Sinners". Today, April 11th, 2021, Brent Whitefield delivers his sermon from Luke 19:1-10​ entitled "Zacchaeus".

Two men hang on crosses condemned to death beside Jesus. One dies condemned to spend eternity away from the presence of God, and one dies with the assurance of being with God forever. How you respond to Jesus determines everything about your life now…and forever.

Sermon Outline:
I. Two Condemned Men
II. Two Responses to Jesus
III. Two Different Outcomes

Sermon Discussion Questions:
1. Why do you think the Bible includes this little story about the thief being saved at the very end of his life?
2. Based on the fact that Jesus tells the second thief he was going to be with Jesus forever, what must a person do to be saved?
3. If turning from rebelling against Jesus to trusting in Jesus is all that is necessary for salvation, why do you suppose anyone would not trust in Jesus?
4. What is your posture toward Jesus today, rejection like the first thief or trust like the second? If rejection, will you trust him today? If trust, how can you show your gratitude for what he has done for you?

This is the first sermon in our series, "Jesus, Friend of Sinners". Today, April 4th, 2021, Trent Casto delivers his sermon from Luke 23:32-43​ entitled "Theif on the Cross".

Sexual desire was created by God and it is good. So why do we make such a big deal about the sin of lust? Join us to find out the real trouble with lust, the hope of the gospel for those struggling with lust, and a better way to live.

Sermon Outline:
I. The Trouble with Lust
1. When Lust Bites, it Does Not Let Go
2. When Lust is Indulged, it is Not Satisfied
3. When Lust Prevails, it is Not Without Victims
II. The Hope of the Gospel
III. A Better Way

Sermon Discussion Questions:
1. Why do you think the sin of lust is associated with so much shame?
2. What does the apostle Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 6:18 when he says, “…the sexually immoral person sins against his own body”?
3. Read Matthew 5:27-30 in which Jesus discusses lust. Is lustful intent without action innocent or sinful? In light of this passage, what should be our posture toward lust in our lives?
4. How does the gospel set us free from the shame and guilt of our own sexual sin or the sins of others against us?
5. Psalm 51 is the psalm David wrote after his lust led him to take another man’s wife. Pray this psalm back to God and make it your own confession of this sin.

This is the final sermon in our series, "The Seven Deadly Sins". Today, March 28th, 2021, Trent Casto delivers his sermon from 2 Samuels 13:17-22, entitled "Lust".