by Paul Apple | Apr 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: BELIEVERS SHOULD NEVER SUE FELLOW BELIEVERS INTRODUCTION: Remember the book written by Jay Adams, Competent to Counsel – that laid a lot of the groundwork for the basis for nouthetic counseling. Adams made the argument that believers would be wrong to...
by Paul Apple | Apr 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CHURCH DISCIPLINE MUST BE ENFORCED AGAINST SEXUAL PERVERSION INTRODUCTION: The failure of the Christian church to enforce church discipline against sexual immorality in its midst has severely compromised its inner health and outward testimony. Tolerance has...
by Paul Apple | Apr 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP AGGRESSIVELY CONFRONTS SIN AND PROVIDES JUST THE RIGHT BALANCE OF NURTURE AND DISCIPLINE FOR THE NEED OF THE MOMENT TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR INTRODUCTION: Sin in the church of Jesus Christ cannot be ignored or...
by Paul Apple | Apr 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: BOASTING IN PARTICULAR PROMINENT PREACHERS DEMONSTRATES ARROGANT PRIDE AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY INTRODUCTION: Christians often play the game of “Look at whose camp I am in! We are followers of Dr. John MacArthur; we are disciples of C. J. Mahaney . . .” Even...
by Paul Apple | Apr 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE JUDGMENT OF THE LORD IS ALL THAT MATTERS WHEN IT COMES TO ULTIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CHRISTIAN MINISTRY INTRODUCTION: We all are used to performance reviews at work. We are used to receiving them – might not like them all that much – if we supervise...
by Paul Apple | Apr 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: TWO FOOLISH MISTAKES THAT UNDERMINE GOD’S WISDOM AND CAUSE DIVISION WITHIN THE LOCAL CHURCH INTRODUCTION: In this section Paul has already shown how the church must be built on the wisdom of God rather than human wisdom. His goal is to combat divisions that...
by Paul Apple | Apr 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: BECAUSE THE LOCAL CHURCH IS GOD’S HOLY SANCTUARY, ANYONE WHO DAMAGES IT WILL BE PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY INTRODUCTION: But there is a far more dangerous threat to the integrity and health of a local church than the use of poor construction materials by spiritual...
by Paul Apple | Apr 2, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE HARD WORK OF SPIRITUAL MINISTRY CAN REAP ETERNAL REWARDS WHEN WE BUILD WISELY ON THE PROPER FOUNDATION INTRODUCTION: Remember in the last paragraph Paul had introduced the two analogies for Christian workers: that of a farmer and that of a builder. Here...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ALL OF THE ACCOLADES FOR SPIRITUAL MINISTRY SHOULD GO TO GOD WHO CAUSES THE GROWTH — NOT TO THE PARTICULAR SERVANTS LABORING TOGETHER ON GOD’S BEHALF INTRODUCTION: Paul is not saying that we should refrain from expressing appreciation and rendering...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CHILDISH SECTARIANISM IS AN UNNATURAL STATE FOR THE BELIEVER AND STUNTS SPIRITUAL GROWTH INTRODUCTION: Mark Taylor: In 3:1 Paul drops the comparison between the “man without the Spirit” (natural man) and the “spiritual man” (2:14–15) and pinpoints a...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE HOLY SPIRIT DIRECTS THE COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF DIVINE WISDOM THROUGH THREE FUNDAMENTAL PROCESSES INTRODUCTION: Remember the promise of the Lord to His disciples before he left them: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper,...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS ONLY FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO DON’T UNDERSTAND GOD’S REDEMPTIVE PROGRAM INTRODUCTION: Even though God is in the business of revealing truth to His chosen ones; never forget that the unsaved have no capacity to understand...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PREACHING DERIVES FROM ITS FOCUS ON THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST AND ITS DYNAMIC OF THE POWER OF GOD RATHER THAN FROM THE ELOQUENCE OR PERSONALITY OF THE PREACHER INTRODUCTION: What makes for an effective sermon or for a powerful preacher? What...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE DIVINE INITIATIVE IN ELECTION NULLIFIES MAN’S PRIDE SO THAT GOD GETS ALL THE CREDIT INTRODUCTION: How does the world evaluate people? On the basis of intelligence, strength, power, economic standing, accomplishment, etc. None of these matter when it...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ONLY THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST CRUCIFIED IMPACTS MAN WITH THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD INTRODUCTION: Man pridefully asserts his own supposed strength and exalts his own worldly wisdom. He tries to formulate a religion where he can call the shots and approach God...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CHURCHES NEED TO BE UNIFIED AROUND THE SIMPLICITY AND POWER OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE (THE CROSS OF CHRIST) RATHER THAN LOYALTY TO ONE PARTICULAR PREACHER INTRODUCTION: Divisions in the church undermine our testimony and replace submission to Christ with...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THANKSGIVING IS ROOTED IN GOD’S FAITHFULNESS AND FOCUSES ON THE GIFTS OF GOD’S GRACE IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST [THREE EXPRESSIONS OF PAUL’S THANKSGIVING FOR THE CORINTHIAN BELIEVERS – ALL ROOTED IN THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD] INTRODUCTION: Thankfulness for God’s...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S CALLED SAINTS NEED TO HEED THE MESSAGE FROM GOD’S CALLED APOSTLE BACKGROUND TO THE EPISTLE: Dan Nighswander: Corinthians is a letter. That observation helps us to know how to read it and what to look for as clues for understanding. This awareness is...
by Paul Apple | Mar 31, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GROW AND GLORIFYI. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS THE PERSONAL GOAL”but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”McNab: “Knowledge of God implies personal experience and continuous fellowship, the secret of Christian...
by Paul Apple | Mar 31, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DILIGENT WATCHMEN ALWAYS STAND GUARD – OVER PERSONAL CHARACTER – OVER GOD’S TRUTHINTRODUCTION: “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things”Our Motivation for Standing Guard and PerseveringI. (:14-15) STAND GUARD OVER...
