by Paul Apple | Sep 13, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN CONNECT US TO THE LOVE OF CHRIST SO THAT WE CAN EXPERIENCE ALL THAT GOD HAS FOR US INTRODUCTION: Stephen Fowl: Formally, the passage begins with Paul situating himself relative to God (3:14–15). Paul then makes a series of...
by Paul Apple | Sep 12, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GRANTING THE GENTILES EQUAL ACCESS AND PRIVILEGES IN THE BODY OF CHRIST MANIFESTS THE MANIFOLD WISDOM AND ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD INTRODUCTION: Andrew Lincoln: 3:1–13 is formally a digression on Paul’s apostolic ministry to the Gentiles and on the mystery...
by Paul Apple | Sep 11, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GENTILES ARE NOW UNITED WITH JEWS IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD ON THE BASIS OF THE RECONCILING WORK OF CHRIST INTRODUCTION: Frank Thielman: The focus of 2:11–22 is the social alienation between Israel and the Gentiles and Christ’s role in solving this problem...
by Paul Apple | Sep 9, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S POWER HAS CHANGED OUR OLD POSITION (DEATH) TO OUR NEW POSITION (LIFE); GOD’S POWER HAS CHANGED OUR OLD PRACTICE (SIN) TO OUR NEW PRACTICE (HOLINESS: GOOD WORKS) INTRODUCTION: Stephen Fowl: These verses focus on how Christ’s superiority over...
by Paul Apple | Sep 9, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE LIVING AND REIGNING CHRIST RULES OVER ALL AS HEAD OF HIS CHURCH INTRODUCTION: We have been praying along with Paul that the Holy Spirit would give us spiritual insight in the full knowledge of God so that we would especially know His tremendous power...
by Paul Apple | Sep 8, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE GUARANTEE FOR SUCCESS IS GOD’S POWER WORKING FOR US — THE SAME POWER THAT RESURRECTED AND EXALTED CHRIST TO HIS POSITION AS HEAD OVER ALL (BOTH IN THE UNIVERSE AND IN THE CHURCH WHICH IS HIS BODY) INTRODUCTION: Why do we need the Enabling...
by Paul Apple | Sep 7, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WE NEED THE ENLIGHTENING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO FULLY UNDERSTAND AND RELATE TO GOD INTRODUCTION: When a baby is born, his eyes are opened to a whole new world, a different dimension than anything he has ever known. He is very limited as to what he can...
by Paul Apple | Sep 6, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE HOLY SPIRIT SECURES THE SAINTS’ FUTURE — SECURES IT FOR US AND FOR GOD INTRODUCTION: God wants us to appreciate the blessings He has given us. Sometimes we need a little reminder to get our focus off of some of the areas of confusion and...
by Paul Apple | Sep 5, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OUR SOVEREIGN GOD PREDESTINED US TO AN INHERITANCE THAT MAGNIFIES HIS GLORY INTRODUCTION: Frank Thielman: God did not simply predetermine that they would be his children because it gave him pleasure to do so (v. 5), but in his capacity as the God who effects...
by Paul Apple | Sep 5, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH INSIGHT INTO THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL = THAT CHRIST SHOULD HAVE THE PREEMINENCE INTRODUCTION: All of us wrestle with the question: What is the will of God for my life? Why doesn’t God show me clearly what He wants me to be...
by Paul Apple | Sep 4, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: REDEMPTION FREES US FROM THE BONDAGE OF CAPTIVITY TO JOYFULLY SERVE CHRIST INTRODUCTION: We live in an age of terrorism where the taking of hostages is a frequent occurrence. We understand what it is like to be a hostage; we identify with the hostages in...
by Paul Apple | Sep 3, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: TO MAGNIFY HIS GRACE, GOD DETERMINED THOSE HE CHOSE WOULD BE AUTHENTIC SONS WITH FULL RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES INTRODUCTION: Our relationship to God can be pictured in a number of ways: (cf. John MacArthur here) 1) Servants — subjects of His kingdom...
by Paul Apple | Sep 2, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOD IS SOVEREIGN IN BOTH THE PROCESS AND GOAL OF ELECTION – WHICH IS HOLINESS EXPRESSED IN LOVE INTRODUCTION: Piper: The difference between predestination, which is mentioned in verse 5, and election (or choosing) which is mentioned in verse 4, is that...
by Paul Apple | Sep 1, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OUR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS AND PRIVILEGES ARE IDENTICAL TO THOSE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST Our thinking and how we act are based too much on our short-sighted focus on our own personal limitations and our own lack of personal significance or influence. This...
by Paul Apple | Aug 31, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE AUTHORITATIVE WORD FROM GOD DEFINES THE HIGH CALLING OF BELIEVERS WHO ENJOY HIS GRACE AND PEACE Klyne Snodgrass: Letters in the ancient world followed a set form. They began by identifying the writer and the readers or addressees. This was usually...
by Paul Apple | Aug 21, 2023 | Book Reviews
In what sense is the kingdom of God present since His rule is active right now and in what sense does the kingdom of God await eschatological consummation? George Ladd attempts to provide some clarity to key concepts related to the Kingdom of God. He traces the OT...
by Paul Apple | Aug 14, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE GREAT COMMISSION FOCUSES ON MAKING DISCIPLES WORLDWIDE BASED ON THE AUTHORITY AND ABIDING PRESENCE OF JESUS CHRIST INTRODUCTION: Daniel Doriani: The commission has a sandwich structure. At the top and at the bottom, Jesus gives reasons for accepting the...
by Paul Apple | Aug 12, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PEOPLE RESPOND IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO THE EMPTY TOMB OF RESURRECTED KING JESUS INTRODUCTION: After all of the studies in the Book of Matthew, in this text we come to the victorious climax = the Resurrection of Jesus Christ that proves His identity as...
by Paul Apple | Aug 11, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD BODY OF JESUS AND SECURING HIS GRAVE FULFIL MESSIANIC PROPHECY AND SUPPORT THE VALIDITY OF HIS RESURRECTION INTRODUCTION: Donald Hagner: In the kerygma of the early church it is not only the death of Jesus that is important but also...
by Paul Apple | Aug 10, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS WAS AN EARTH-SHAKING EVENT INTRODUCTION: Walter Wilson: In keeping with the magnitude of the event, Jesus’s final moments of life are depicted in a manner that is both solemn and dramatic. The scene opens with the supernatural onset...
