Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church

To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain | Philippians 1:18b-26

The British evangelical author C.S. Lewis famously wrote in his classic work, Mere Christianity:
“A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.”
In this text we see Paul grappling with something very similar. He’s in jail, waiting to hear his fate – whether he’ll be sentenced to death or released. But either way, he will rejoice – as he has his eyes set on eternity – he knows that whether he lives or dies, he belongs to Christ and therefore he will live wholeheartedly for his glory. What we’ll see in this passage is that because Christ will save us, we too can live a heavenward life, for his glory.
Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: http://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Doctrine of God 5 | The Independence of God

Part 5 of Covenant Waterfall's catechism class on the Doctrine of God: The Independence of God.
Teacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: http://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Rejoicing Through Trials | Philippians 1:12-18a

In this passage we see Paul paying a high price for faithfully preaching the gospel. He experiences a two-fold affliction: firstly he is locked up in jail, and secondly, other Christians are envious of his ministry and trying to spite him. Yet in the midst of it all, Paul is rejoicing. How come? Paul understood how to glorify God through trials. What we will see in this sermon is that because God works good through all things, we can rejoice in God and glorify him through our trials.
Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: http://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Doctrine of God 4 | The Names of God

Part 4 of Covenant Waterfall's catechism class on the Doctrine of God: The Names of God.
Teacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: http://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. 

Abounding Love | Philippians 1:9-11

You may have heard the increasingly popular catch-phrase, “love is love.” On the surface, it sounds like something virtuous and good. What can possibly be wrong with love? In fact, hasn’t Jesus commanded us to love one another? Yet the agenda that is really behind this phrase is a “love” that is devoid of truth. It doesn’t really matter who you love, whether it is love between two men, or two women, or any relationship that is unwise – as long as you follow your heart, go with your feelings, it is seen as legitimate.
Now we only need to look around us to see that this understanding of love is not working. Look at how confused the culture is, no one can even agree on the definition of a woman. This confusion has led to more people on therapy, anti-depressants, and a rise in divorce. This is the end point of following your heart.
In this morning’s passage, we get an insight into Paul’s prayer for his beloved Philippian church. In this prayer, Paul prays that instead of being tempted by the lure of the world, they would abound in love. Not in a love devoid of truth, but instead a love rooted in truth, in God himself. And that understanding this love would cause them to live in purity and blamelessly for Christ’s glory.
Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: http://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Doctrine of God 3 | The Knowledge of God

Part 3 of Covenant Waterfall's catechism class on the Doctrine of God: The Knowledge of God.
Teacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: http://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. 

God Finishes What He Starts | Philippians 1:3-8

Perhaps you have sunk into cycles of self-pity, despair and bitterness during the course of your life? For whatever reason, circumstances don’t pan out as you hoped they would. Loss of hope often leads to prayerlessness and you start to think, well what’s the point of praying anyway, it looks like no one’s answering them.
As we saw last week, Paul, the author of the letter to the Philippians is in jail for his faith. He’s in a Roman jail, which is not exactly the lap of luxury. In fact he would have been constantly chained to a guard throughout his incarceration, left with no privacy whatsoever, loss of all his freedoms, unsure of his fate. Truly awful circumstances.
Yet in the midst of these extreme trials, he pens this letter to the Philippian church. Throughout the letter, there is no hint of self-pity. Instead, the letter abounds with joy and affection for the church.
How come? As we shall see in this text, Paul finds his joy not in circumstances, but instead in the hope that God will complete the work that he started in his life - this biblical doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. It is this truth in which he finds his assurance and joy in Christ.
Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: http://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Doctrine of God 2 | Existence of God continued

Part 2 of Covenant Waterfall's catechism class on the Doctrine of God: The Existence of God continued.
Teacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: http://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. 

Enslaved Saints | Philippians 1:1-2

It’s really sad to see how common divorce is becoming among younger couples these days. I know a few Christian couples who’ve been together for years, with kids, now divorced. This is absolutely tragic. What is behind all this? Currents in our culture which hold up the ideal life as one which our self-fulfilment and happiness is the highest virtue. We live in a fundamentally self-centred culture. Many couples get married with this attitude and end up extremely unhappy as they soon discover that marriage is about serving your spouse and pouring your life into your children – it’s not self-centred, but other-centred.
Yet this is actually nothing new. The default human sinful setting is that we’re turned in upon ourselves. We are naturally self-centred. We are starting a new series in Philippians this morning and even here we see the same problem arise. A church some 2000 years ago was struggling with similar problems – self-centredness and pride. Paul, the author of this letter, in these two introductory verses, addresses these issues head on, and then unpacks them in the rest of the letter. What we’ll see this morning is that those of us who are in Christ have not been saved for a self-centred existence, rather we are now enslaved saints of Christ – if we understand this – will bring us incredible freedom, peace and joy.
Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: http://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Doctrine of God 1 | Introduction and Existence of God

Part 1 of Covenant Waterfall's catechism class on the Doctrine of God: Introduction and the Existence of God.
Teacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: http://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za.