by Paul Apple | Jun 11, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: HYPOCRITICAL HEARTS CANNOT REFUTE THE LEGITIMACY OF COMPASSION AND MERCY TOWARDS THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERINGINTRODUCTION:Jesus never shied away from controversy. He took advantage of confrontational situations to expose hypocrisy and demonstrate His love and...
by Paul Apple | Jun 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE LOVE AND COMPASSION AND RESOLVE OF JESUS KEPT HIS MINISTRY ON TRACK DESPITE POTENTIAL DERAILMENTINTRODUCTION:Today’s ministry climate in America is certainly one of hate and all types of threats. The cultural divide has never been more volatile. There...
by Paul Apple | Jun 9, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL PROVE TO BE BOTH BROAD AND NARROWINTRODUCTION:The juxtaposition of these two short parables with Jesus’ teaching on entrance into the Kingdom of God provides a dramatic contrast as well as some interesting surprises relating to the...
by Paul Apple | Jun 9, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS BREAKS ALL THE RULES OF LEGALISM AND HYPOCRISY TO SET PEOPLE FREE FROM BONDAGE AND BROKENNESSINTRODUCTION:Why were the Pharisees and scribes and synagogue officials deserving of such judgment? This story demonstrates the urgent need for repentance on...
by Paul Apple | Jun 8, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: AVOIDING DISASTER ONLY ACCENTUATES THE URGENCY OF REPENTANCE SINCE IT IS ONLY THE FORBEARANCE OF GOD THAT STANDS BETWEEN US AND ETERNAL DAMNATIONINTRODUCTION:The self-righteous, prideful Jews were horrified at the demand for repentance. How could they...
by Paul Apple | Jun 6, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: BE READY FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRISTINTRODUCTION:How were people in Noah’s day so unprepared for the cataclysmic flood despite so many years of prophetic warning? Jesus had plenty to say on the topic of readiness and alertness and...
by Paul Apple | Jun 5, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: LIFE SHOULD BE ORIENTED AROUND INVESTING IN GOD’S KINGDOM TO LAY UP TREASURE IN HEAVEN RATHER THAN ACCUMULATING WEALTH HERE ON EARTHINTRODUCTION:There are a wide variety of investment strategies and various paths to prosperity promoted by financial planners....
by Paul Apple | Jun 4, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: AVOID HYPOCRISY IN BOLDLY CONFESSING CHIRST IN THE FACE OF PERESECTION IN LIGHT OF FUTURE JUDGMENTINTRODUCTION:The pressure is being ramped up not only against Christ but also against His disciples. Jesus takes this opportunity to build up the courage and...
by Paul Apple | Jun 4, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY FOCUSES ON EXTERNAL FORMALISM AT THE EXPENSE OF INTERNAL RIGHTEOUSNESSINTRODUCTION:Jesus reserved his sharpest criticism for the hypocrisy of the Jewish religious leaders of His day. He was not only concerned that their emphasis on...
by Paul Apple | Jun 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT (SIGHT – the type of understanding that leads to Obedience) DEPENDS NOT ON GREATER REVELATION (LIGHT) BUT ON THE RIGHT HEART CONDITIONINTRODUCTION: — the heart of the passage — v.28 “Blessed are those who hear...
by Paul Apple | Jun 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DOMINION OVER THE REALM OF SATAN REQUIRES THE SUPERIOR POWER OF JESUS CHRIST THAT TRANSFORMS THOSE WHO HEAR AND OBEY HIMINTRODUCTION:As opposition to Jesus intensifies, the arguments posed by the Jewish religious leaders become more irrational and...
by Paul Apple | Jun 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: AS WE PERSIST IN PRAYING AS JESUS TAUGHT US WE SHOULD HAVE THE EXPECTATION OF RECEIVING ANSWERS FROM OUR HEAVENLY FATHERINTRODUCTION:The disciples had the privilege of witnessing the prayer life of Jesus as He communed with the Father. They also saw how John...
by Paul Apple | May 30, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: COMMUNION WITH GOD MUST TAKE PRIORITY OVER SPIRITUAL SERVICEINTRODUCTION:This is a critical passage for women – especially mothers – who are consumed with so many necessary everyday activities that it can be difficult to maintain their communion with God....
by Paul Apple | May 29, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS CONVICTS US ALL OF OUR INABILITY TO MERIT SALVATION BY GOOD WORKSINTRODUCTION:Jesus is concerned with exposing self-righteousness and the inability to fully love God and our neighbor as the law requires. There is no...
by Paul Apple | May 29, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: MINISTRY SUCCESS GOVERNED BY SOVEREIGN GRACE BRINGS THE KINGDOM OF GOD NEAR TO THE LOST ALONG WITH THE CONDEMNATION ASSOCIATED WITH REJECTIONINTRODUCTION:In previous contexts we have seen the failures of some of Jesus’ disciples highlighted as He found it...
by Paul Apple | May 28, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: MAINTAIN A SINGULAR FOCUS (WITHOUT DISTRACTIONS AND COMPETING PRIORITIES) ON SEEKING CONVERSIONS AND FOLLOWING JESUSINTRODUCTION:This section involves a major transition point in the gospel of Luke.Geldenhuys: From iv. 14 to ix. 50 Luke was mainly engaged in...
by Paul Apple | May 26, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS ADDRESSES WRONG PERSPECTIVES ON THE PART OF HIS APOSTLES WITH A SERIES OF 4 CORRECTIONSINTRODUCTION:Mountain top spiritual experiences – such as the Transfiguration – are often juxtaposed next to the valleys of spiritual failure and correction. Here we...
by Paul Apple | May 25, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE TRANSFIGURATION PROVIDES VISUAL AND AUDIBLE TESTIMONY TO BOTH THE IDENTITY OF JESUS AND THE NECESSITY OF HIS REDEMPTIVE MISSIONINTRODUCTION:Our studies in Luke have concentrated on the Identity and Mission of Jesus as the Promised Messiah. But as both of...
by Paul Apple | May 25, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE CALL TO CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP DEMANDS A COMPLETE REORIENTATION OF ONE’S LIFEINTRODUCTION:There are many false views of Christian discipleship. One camp promotes the concept of Easy Believism where the demands of discipleship are reserved for those...
by Paul Apple | May 23, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS CHALLENGES EVERYONE TO KNOW HIS TRUE IDENTITY AND TO RESPOND TO HIS REDEMPTIVE MISSIONINTRODUCTION:At this stage in the training of the twelve, it is time for their final exam. There is really only one question that matters – but it matters to the...
