by Paul Apple | Apr 19, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: TURN OR BURN – BACKSLIDERS NEED TO REPENT AND RESPOND TO GOD’S GRACIOUS INVITATION TO AVOID EXPERIENCING HIS WRATHINTRODUCTION:2nd Message of the book – The Lord’s patience and longsuffering and tender mercy and gracious character is never so evident as when...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FORSAKING THE LIFE-GIVING FOUNTAIN OF THE ONE TRUE GOD FOR BROKEN CISTERNS MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSEINTRODUCTION:There is no nation in the ancient world that had it so good as the nation of Israel; yet no nation was so foolish in turning away from the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE FAITHFUL PROPHET DRAWS COURAGE FROM HIS DIVINE CALLING TO COMMUNICATE ALL THAT GOD HAS REVEALEDINTRODUCTION:This is our introduction to the “Weeping Prophet.” Jeremiah will reflect an unusual depth of emotion as he laments the sins of Judah and God’s...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE LORD’S UNCHANGING DOMINION AND PROMISE OF ULTIMATE RESTORATION SHOULD GIVE HOPE EVEN IN THE MIDST OF DESOLATION AS WE CONTINUE TO APPEAL TO HIS MERCYINTRODUCTION:Deliverance and restoration have not yet arrived. The prophet continues to be burdened with...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE ANGER OF THE LORD HAS PUNISHED HIS PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR SIN – TRANSFORMING THEIR FORMER GLORY INTO DEVASTATION – AND THIS WRATH WILL FALL UPON THEIR GLOATING ENEMIES AS WELLINTRODUCTION:God is always justified and righteous in His judgments. Here we...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE JOURNEY FROM DESPAIR TO HOPE HINGES ON THE CHARACTER OF GOD – HIS LOVINGKINDNESS, COMPASSION AND FAITHFULNESSINTRODUCTION: Everyone faces situations of suffering, grief, and trial. It is important to remember that this context in Lamentations arises from...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE DAY OF THE LORD’S ANGER CONSUMES JERUSALEM WITH TOTAL DESTRUCTIONINTRODUCTION: This chapter should be a wake-up call to those who minimize or overlook the extent and severity of God’s wrath. Sin must be taken seriously. If God would so fiercely...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: JERUSALEM LIES DEVASTATED WITH NO ONE TO COMFORTThis is one of the darkest chapters in all of Scripture. You can find a few glimmers of hope – but for the most part this is a picture of sorrows without comfort. The repeated refrain says it all: “There is no...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: 3 STARK CONTRASTS BETWEEN SPIRITUAL GRIEF AND SPIRITUAL JOYINTRODUCTION: This passage should remind us of the riches we enjoy in union with our Lord Jesus Christ. The heart of the OT prophet was broken as he surveyed the landscape of the devastated former...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE UNGODLINESS OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTERS ONLY SERVES TO INCREASE OUR SENSE OF URGENCY IN PROTECTING THE VULNERABLE FLOCKINTRODUCTION:Cf. Under Armour commercial – “We must protect this house”Something much more at stake than a football game – precious lives of...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DESPITE THEIR DECEPTIVE NATURE, THE APOSTATE FALSE TEACHERS ARE EXPOSED AND DOOMED TO DESTRUCTION FOR THEIR PURSUIT OF UNGODLINESSI. (:12-13) DECEPTIVE NATURE EXPOSEDA. Trojan Horse Syndrome – Danger from Within 1. Hidden Danger “These men are those who are...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CERTAIN ETERNAL DESTRUCTION AWAITS THE APOSTATE FALSE TEACHERS WHO ARE MARKED BY LUST, REBELLION AND IRREVERENCEINTRODUCTION: “marked out for this condemnation” (vs.4)I. (:5-7) THREE OT EXAMPLES OF ETERNAL DESTRUCTION OF APOSTATESIntroduction: Urgency of...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST MUST BE MAINTAINED AS A KEY FUNDAMENTAL OF HISTORIC CHRISTIANITYINTRODUCTION:What undermines this essential doctrine of the Lordship of Jesus Christ? 1) Back in the days of Jude Form of Gnosticism he was reacting against 2)...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE EFFECTIVE PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN CAN RESTORE THE WEAK PERSECUTED BELIEVER AND LOVING INTERVENTION CAN RESCUE SINNING UNBELIEVERS INTRODUCTION: John MacArthur: [I am following his view of this passage rather than the majority position that focuses on...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FAITH THAT PATIENTLY PERSEVERES AVOIDS THREE DANGERS BY THE PROPER FEAR OF GOD INTRODUCTION: Craig Blomberg: Many commentators end the body of the letter at 5:6, but this appears a singularly inappropriate place for so major a break. Vv. 1–6, after all,...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DON’T USURP THE ROLE OF GOD AS JUDGE OR MASTER PLANNER INTRODUCTION: A lot of times Christians try to play God without even realizing the folly of what they are doing. Craig Blomberg: Despite formal parallels with 5:1–6, the present section really is...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: HUMBLY DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU INTRODUCTION: David Nystrom: So here the two ways are set with particular clarity and urgency before his readers: earthly wisdom or heavenly wisdom, self-interest or the law of love, self-exaltation or...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE ROOT AND FRUIT OF GODLY WISDOM VALIDATES OUR FAITH AND PROMOTES PEACE – TWO CONTRASTING TYPES OF WISDOM INTRODUCTION: George Guthrie: We now come to a focal passage for the whole of James. As noted in our treatment of James 1:5–8, true wisdom, the wisdom...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE TAMING OF THE TONGUE IS NO SMALL MATTER — BUT IT WILL PREVENT BIG-TIME TROUBLE INTRODUCTION: David Nystrom: James’s thought in the present section has three layers. The first (3:1–2) is a proverb concerning teachers, which serves to introduce the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OBEDIENT DEEDS (GOOD WORKS) = THE TEST ( OR EVIDENCE) OF GENUINE FAITH INTRODUCTION: Dale Allison: James appeals to Abraham to teach that justification is by works and not by faith alone. Romans and Galatians, by contrast, appeal to Abraham to teach that...
