Covenant Naples

We all struggle with fully surrendering to God even though his justice and mercy are evident. But not the Gibeonites. They set an example in this passage by wisely surrendering while there was still time.

Sermon Outline:

I. The Opposite of Surrender

II. The Wisdom of Surrender

III. The Blessing of Surrender

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. What makes surrender to God different from other forms of surrender in our lives?

2. What obstacles prevent people today from surrendering to God? What fears or misconceptions might hold someone back?

3. How are we tempted to resist God’s authority in our own lives? What “alliances” do we sometimes form to justify our resistance to God’s will?

4. How does the gospel clarify the difference between a fearful surrender and a hopeful one?

5. What area of your life do you still resist surrendering to the Lord? What would it look like to “kiss the Son” in that area?

Like the value of remembering our marriage covenant, there is tremendous value for God’s people in remembering and renewing our covenant with God. We are not likely to forget that we belong to God, but we may be inclined to drift in our understanding of all that our relationship with God entails.

Sermon Outline:

I. We all need to remember the gracious nature of God’s covenant.

II. We all need to remember the unchanging standard of God’s covenant

III. We all need to remember the communal character of God’s covenant

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think God commanded Israel to renew the covenant at this point in the conquest?

2. Joshua builds an altar of uncut stones to offer burnt and peace offerings. What might the use of uncut stones teach us about grace and human effort? What does the fact that the sacrifices came before the giving of the commands teach us?

3. The blessings and the curses of the covenant were proclaimed at Shechem—where God first promised the land to Abraham. How does this moment demonstrate the faithfulness of God to keep his promises?

4. Why do you think it was important that nothing was omitted when Joshua read the Word to the people? How does this challenge our tendency to focus on comfortable parts of Scripture while avoiding difficult passages?

5. How might viewing Sunday worship as covenant renewal change your engagement with church gatherings and the Lord's Supper?

In Joshua 7, Israel had a devastating defeat at Ai, caused by hidden sin in the camp. The people were humiliated, confused, and discouraged. Had they forfeited God’s blessing forever? Was their mission over? As we turn to Joshua 8, we find a profound truth: Failure is not final when God’s grace is involved.

Sermon Outline:

I. Grace Gives us a New Beginning

II. Grace Calls us to Walk in Obedience

III. Grace Triumphs Over Our Failures

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. How does God’s immediate restoration of Israel after their repentance challenge the way we often think about our own failures and God’s forgiveness?

2. How does this passage show that God’s grace does not remove our responsibility to walk in obedience?

3. What does it mean for us that Christ became a curse for us, and how does this free us from the weight of our past failures?

4. How have you seen God’s grace take a past failure in your life and use it for good? What lessons from Joshua 8 encourage you to trust God with your own past mistakes?

5. If grace is not only about forgiveness but also about transformation, what practical steps can you take this week to walk in obedience in response to God’s grace? How does knowing that “failure is not final” motivate you to live differently?

Hidden sin may seem small, but like unseen bacteria, it spreads, infects, and destroys. And as we will see in Joshua 7, God takes it seriously because its consequences are never just personal.

Sermon Outline:

I. The Defeat

II. The Discovery

III. The Discipline

IV. The Door

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Can you share an example where you’ve seen hidden or private sin have unexpected consequences that spread beyond the person who actually committed the sin?

2. When we sin, it is like throwing a rock into a calm pond. The impact starts in one place, but the waves go out from there all the way to the surrounding shores. How does this perspective challenge the common notion of “victimless crimes” or “private sins”?

3. What do you think of Achan’s confession of sin? How does the gospel transform our experience of confessing our sins?

4. How does Jesus’ finished work on the cross turn our sin and failure into places of hope and restoration? What “trouble” situation in your life do you need to invite Jesus into today?

Sermon Outline:

A parable is a story with a spiritual cutting edge

1. Two Men

2. Two Destinies

3. Five Living Brothers

Sermon Discussion Questions:

- For what was the rich man punished?

- In what ways does this parable reinforce the lesson of Luke 16 verse 9?

- What does the parable teach about future punishment and the means of avoiding it?

- What ought people to be doing now and why?

- What is surprising about the location of a desire for evangelism in Luke 16 verses 27

and 28?

- There are classically three questions about evangelism:

1. Do you believe the realities of this parable?

2. Do you love people?

3. Will you warn them?

Which one of those three questions do you find most challenging?

When God calls us to walk by faith and not by sight, we want to know why. When he tells us to obey before we see what he is going to do, we insist that he show us first before we will act. When he asks us to trust him over our own strategies, we are inclined to lean on our own understanding. But Joshua 6 stands as a reminder to us of this fundamental truth: Victories in the Christian life are not won by human strength or wisdom, but by trusting the promise-keeping God.

Sermon Outline:

I. Victory Comes through Trusting Obedience to God’s Word.

II. God’s Justice is Real, but So is His Mercy for Those Who Trust Him.

III. God’s Word of Blessing or Curse Will Come to Pass.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. In Joshua 6, God’s instructions for conquering Jericho made no military sense. Have you ever faced a situation where God called you to trust him despite the plan seeming unconventional? How did you respond?

2. Hebrews 11:30 tells us that “by faith the walls of Jericho fell.” How does this passage challenge the idea that faith is merely belief and not action? What does trusting God look like in practical ways in our daily lives?

3. Jericho was devoted to destruction, yet Rahab and her family were spared because of her faith. What does this teach us about God’s justice and mercy? How does Rahab’s story foreshadow the salvation offered in Christ?

4. Joshua’s victory over Jericho pointed forward to Jesus’ greater victory at the cross. How did Jesus’ victory differ from Joshua’s? How does trusting in Christ change the way we fight the spiritual battles we face today?

One of the things that is commonly absent in modern piety is a sense of reverence for God’s holiness. We hear his commandments as suggestions that we are free to accept or reject as it suits us. But these responses betray a faulty understanding of who God is. In this passage, God corrects our misunderstanding.

Sermon Outline:

I. Humble Ourselves

II. Assess Alignment

III. Seek Direction

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. American culture’s tendency to view everyone as equals can distort our view of God. How have you observed this in contemporary Christian culture? What does a proper reverence for God’s holiness look like in daily life?

2. Joshua’s encounter with the commander of the Lord’s army caused him to fall on his face in worship. Have you ever experienced God’s presence in a way that humbled you? What was that experience like?

3. How can we regularly assess whether we’re aligned with God’s purposes rather than expecting God to align with ours?

4. Joshua’s response to the commander was “What does my lord say to his servant?” followed by immediate obedience. What practices might help us maintain this posture of humble submission and obedience in our relationship with God?

5. How does understanding Christ’s work on our behalf change how we approach God’s holiness? In what ways does this gospel truth give you hope in your daily Christian life?

We all carry things we wish we could leave behind—past mistakes, failures, or choices that seem to define us. Yet God offers a powerful path to a new identity that isn't defined by our worst moments, but by his steadfast love.

Sermon Outline:

I. God Reinforces Our Identity.

II. God Removes Our Shame.

III. God Reminds Us of His Faithfulness

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. How does remembering your baptism help strengthen your identity as God’s child? What practices help you hold onto this identity when you’re struggling with doubt or shame?

2. The Israelites faced “reproach” or taunting from their enemies who claimed God couldn’t save them. In what ways do you experience similar taunts or doubts today, either from others or from your own thoughts, about God’s ability to save or help you? What can we do about it?

3. God’s faithful provision often comes wrapped in “simple brown paper”—through ordinary daily provisions rather than dramatic miracles. Give examples of how you have seen God’s faithfulness demonstrated through ordinary means in your own life. How can we cultivate gratitude for these everyday provisions?

4. In baptism and the Lord’s Supper, God has given us signs of promise and salvation. How should these sacraments help reshape how you view yourself?

Forgetting what God has done not only means we are less prepared to face future challenges in the life of faith, but it also means we are less prepared to pass on the message of God’s faithfulness to the next generation. Come and find out why memorials matter.

Sermon Outline:

I. The Memorial Command

II. The Memorial Creation

III. The Memorial Commemoration

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. What are some personal “memorial stones” in your own life that remind you of God’s faithfulness? How do these memories strengthen your faith during challenging times?

2. The passage emphasizes the importance of passing faith down to the next generation through explaining the significance of memorials and God’s works. In what ways do you (or can you) intentionally share stories of God’s faithfulness with children, family members, or others in your life?

3. The sermon draws parallels between baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the Jordan River crossing as significant memorials. How do these sacraments serve as reminders of God’s work in your life? How can we make the most of these practices?

4. Joshua 4:24 gives two purposes for God’s miraculous work: that all peoples may know God’s might, and that his people may fear him forever. How does understanding God's might lead to proper “fear” of him? What does this kind of fear look like in daily life?

This morning, I want to turn our attention to Psalm 2. As many of you know, Psalm 2 is a companion to Psalm 1. Together, they introduce us to the Psalter giving us two checkpoints. Psalm 1 directs us in the way of discipleship of living God. He is our shepherd. We are his sheep. Have we planted ourselves firmly in the stream of living water and in the company of the righteous that we might enjoy the blessed life?

By contrast, Psalm 2, which is, by the way, among the most quoted Psalms in the New Testament, steps back and considers the bigger picture. Why is that? No surprises here, but the world around us is chaotic, unjust, and unpredictable. If our faith is to be resilient, we need more than the stream of living water, we also need an orientation to this world’s chaos and tragedy. You ask, “Is that possible?” Of course, it’s possible. With God, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). Unfortunately, though, all too often we Christians forget to take with us the compass that is Psalm 2.