Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church

Heidelberg Catechism | Introduction

Part 1 of Covenant Waterfall's catechism class on the Heidelberg Catechism - Introduction.
Teacher: Rev. Henning Dafel.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: https://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Pay Back The Money! | Exodus 22:1-15

Just this past week, newly minted minister of Public Works, Dean McPherson, reported that a host of luxury state-owned homes used by some of the previous ministers in our cabinet, were vacated as they left office. But the homes were left in a disgusting state – graffiti on the wall, houses falling apart, looted fittings when they left - ripped out taps, build in cupboards and even kitchen sinks! Public servants elected to serve the people of South Africa at the highest level, to build the country; stole, plundered and damaged property that actually belongs to us, the South African people.
In this morning’s text, we’re continuing through the civil laws – laws particular to the nation of Israel in the Promised Land. In particular, those laws which concern private property. Like we’ve seen in previous weeks, these civil laws are the practical application of the moral law – the Ten Commandments. The Commandment that is being applied in this text is the Eighth Commandment – don’t steal. The biblical assumption behind this Commandment is that we are entitled to own property. The Command to not steal doesn’t make sense if that is not true. In God’s sight, it is a sin to take something that doesn’t belong to you, or damage something that doesn’t belong to you. These laws look at what needs to happen if we steal or damage our neighbour’s property. What we’ll see from this text this morning is that because we are to love God and our neighbour, we are to treat our neighbour’s property with respect.
Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: https://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Covenant Theology 23 | The New Covenant Part 3

Part 23 of Covenant Waterfall's catechism class on Covenant Theology - The New Covenant Part 3.
Teacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
This catechism class series is based upon Faithful God: An Introduction to Covenant Theology by Antonio Coppola. The book is available internationally through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0639967566
It is available in South Africa through Christian Book Discounters: https://www.christianbooks.co.za/shop/faithful-god/
Afrikaanse weergawe ook beskikbaar deur Lig in Duisternis:
https://www.liginduisternis.co.za/product/troue-god-n-inleiding-tot-verbondsteologie/ 
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: https://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

An Eye For An Eye | Exodus 21:12-36

Some of the greatest atrocities in history has been committed against other humans have happened because those who committed the atrocities dehumanised their victims. The Nazis saw the Jews as sub-human. Slave traders of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade saw their slaves more as packhorses than people. The Soviet Union regarded those who opposed its communist and socialist policies as enemies of the state, expendables with whom they could do as they please, sending them to the Gulags. Whenever humans are dehumanised, whenever they are not seen for who they are – image bearers of God with innate dignity and purpose – then it is very likely that all sorts of injustices unfold.
In this text, we continue looking at some of Israel’s civil laws in the Book of the Covenant. In particular, we focus on how justice was to be administered in the face of various crimes. What we’ll see here is that God’s law is aimed at achieving justice for all – not just a select few in society. The reason for this is that because we are all created in God’s image, all human life is precious in God’s sight and therefore everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and equality under the law.
Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: https://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Covenant Theology 22 | The New Covenant Part 2

Part 22 of Covenant Waterfall's catechism class on Covenant Theology - The New Covenant Part 2.
Teacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
This catechism class series is based upon Faithful God: An Introduction to Covenant Theology by Antonio Coppola. The book is available internationally through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0639967566
It is available in South Africa through Christian Book Discounters: https://www.christianbooks.co.za/shop/faithful-god/
Afrikaanse weergawe ook beskikbaar deur Lig in Duisternis:
https://www.liginduisternis.co.za/product/troue-god-n-inleiding-tot-verbondsteologie/ 
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: https://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Redeemed From Shackles | Exodus 21:1-11

We’re all familiar with those horrific and barbaric images of slavery from the not so distant past. Of men, women and children captured against their will and herded onto ships in shackles, like animals, where many will die and those who survive will be forced into a life of hard labour, while suffering under inhumane conditions, with no prospect for freedom. Tragically, slavery still persists today in many parts of the world. Young children and women are being kidnapped and sold into slavery – they’re human trafficked. They’re ripped away from their homes and families to be abused for the rest of their lives. Pure evil.
This text is all about slavery. Critics of Christianity often point to texts just like the one we’re going to look at today, as evidence of how the Bible justifies the barbaric practice of slavery. Some even blame the Trans-Atlantic slave trade on Christianity itself. Is this really a fair critique? What we’re going to see as we look at this text, is that the slavery that the Bible describes is vastly different from the slavery that we typically think of. Further, we’ll also see that while the Bible assumes the existence of slavery as a part of society, it never defends the practice. In reality God’s law goes out of its way to protect the poorest and vulnerable of societies. But ultimately, what we’ll see from this text is that it points us to Christ and his gospel. Because Christ redeemed us from slavery to sin, we can serve him with joy and gladness.
Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: https://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Covenant Theology 21 | The New Covenant Part 1

Part 21 of Covenant Waterfall's catechism class on Covenant Theology - The New Covenant Part 1.
Teacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
This catechism class series is based upon Faithful God: An Introduction to Covenant Theology by Antonio Coppola. The book is available internationally through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0639967566
It is available in South Africa through Christian Book Discounters: https://www.christianbooks.co.za/shop/faithful-god/
Afrikaanse weergawe ook beskikbaar deur Lig in Duisternis:
https://www.liginduisternis.co.za/product/troue-god-n-inleiding-tot-verbondsteologie/ 
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: https://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Worship, Pure and Simple | Exodus 20:22-26

If you’ve ever been to King’s Park to watch the Sharks or the Springboks, you will know that there is a whole build up to the game itself. There are typically a variety of performers, fireworks, smoke and lights, dancing and plenty of loud music. It’s meant to get people in the mood for the big game, hype everyone up, get people excited for their team. That’s all wonderful and probably entirely appropriate for a big rugby game.
The problem though is when churches feel the need to mimic our culture’s way of entertainment with the supposed purpose to make people feel more comfortable during the worship service. Much of contemporary worship style borrows heavily from the latest fads – it sees the worship service as a performance, a slick, well-oiled production. In fact some churches even have “production teams” which oversee the lighting, audio and video arrangements. Creativity in worship is encouraged – with the service often designed to engage all the senses – striking visual displays, dramas, videos, good-looking people on the stage in the worship band, who sing well-rehearsed, catchy and emotive songs.
In this text, God instructs his people on how he desires to be worshipped. He does not want his people to copy the flashy, ornate and slick methods of worship that the surrounding pagan cultures employ. Instead God’s people are to worship God how he desires – purely and simply, in obedience to his Word. The heart of biblical worship is not to make us feel comfortable, or have a pleasant experience. Instead, the focus of biblical worship is about God, his glory and his desire to meet with his covenant people. What we’ll see in this sermon is that because Christ offered himself upon God’s altar, we have been reconciled in peace to him.
Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: https://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

Covenant Theology 20 | The Davidic Covenant Part 3

Part 20 of Covenant Waterfall's catechism class on Covenant Theology - The Davidic Covenant Part 3.
Teacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
This catechism class series is based upon Faithful God: An Introduction to Covenant Theology by Antonio Coppola. The book is available internationally through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0639967566
It is available in South Africa through Christian Book Discounters: https://www.christianbooks.co.za/shop/faithful-god/
Afrikaanse weergawe ook beskikbaar deur Lig in Duisternis:
https://www.liginduisternis.co.za/product/troue-god-n-inleiding-tot-verbondsteologie/ 
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: https://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!

A Better Mediator | Exodus 20:18-21

If you’ve ever got into a serious dispute of any kind, whether it be with a work colleague, boss, business partner, or perhaps even your spouse, and things get to a point where the relationship completely breaks down; you will know that in order to try and restore the relationship, a mediator is appointed. What does this mediator do? A mediator represents the views of each party to each other, they restore communication. Ultimately they try to bring the two parties together, reconciling the relationship, so that they can come back into each other’s presence.
The nation of Israel has been camping below Mount Sinai and has just heard the voice of God himself speak the Ten Commandments. They are terrified, they feel inadequate under the demands of God’s law, and they fear his judgement, as they see before them his presence in form of thunder and lightning and smoke upon the mountain. They’re shaking in their boots, they want God to stop speaking and they don’t want to draw near to him at all. Because of this, they cry out for a mediator – Moses – as a go between them and God, in this covenant that God established with Israel.
What we’re going to see in this sermon is that this covenant that God makes with Israel at Mount Sinai (which the NT calls the "old covenant"), is really just pointing to something much greater and infinitely superior: a New Covenant. In this covenant, Christ, not Moses is its mediator, and because Jesus is the better mediator of this new covenant, this means that we can come freely and with confidence before the presence of God.
Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.
For more information about Covenant Waterfall Presbyterian Church, please check out our website: https://covenantwaterfall.co.za or email us: info@covenantwaterfall.co.za. We'd love to hear from you!