by Paul Apple | Nov 14, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: CERTAIN EGREGIOUS CRIMES ARE WORTHY OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT INTRODUCTION: Any society which does not punish these types of offenses severely will be undercutting its own survival. The rationale is not so much deterrence as it is the protection of the image of...
by Paul Apple | Nov 12, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FREEDOM AND PROTECTION AFFORDED TO HEBREW SLAVES (IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE CUSTOMS OF SURROUNDING PAGAN NATIONS) INTRODUCTION: The culture of slavery described in the economic system of the Israelites as they prepared to move into the Promised Land differed...
by Paul Apple | Nov 11, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ONE TRUE GOD REQUIRES APPROACHING HIM AND WORSHIPING HIM ON HIS TERMS INTRODUCTION: This is a transition paragraph that bridges the narrative from the giving of the Ten Commandments to the fuller revelation of the Book of the...
by Paul Apple | Nov 9, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS DISPLAY THE CHARACTER OF GOD AND REVEAL HIS MORAL WILL FOR HIS COVENANT PEOPLE INTRODUCTION: These are not moral suggestions. These are divine commandments. Christ was able to sum up these requirements under 2 main headings: Love for God...
by Paul Apple | Nov 5, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S PEOPLE PREPARE FOR INTIMATE COVENANT RELATIONSHIP BY A PROCESS OF CONSECRATION AND MAINTAINING BOUNDARIES THAT RESPECT GOD’S AWESOME TRANSCENDENCE INTRODUCTION: God has finally fulfilled His promise to bring His people out of Egypt and all of the way...
by Paul Apple | Nov 3, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PROGRESSIVE REVELATION INTRODUCES THE IMPORTANCE OF SHARED LEADERSHIP INTRODUCTION: The traditional model of church leadership reflects some type of hierarchy with the burden of the pastoral work being carried out by the dominant senior pastor. Yes, there is...
by Paul Apple | Nov 2, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S WORK OF REDEMPTION ENHANCES HIS REPUTATION AND EARNS PRAISE AND COMMITMENT INTRODUCTION: The material in the first half of chapter 18 is the necessary background information for the more important discussion in the second half of the chapter regarding...
by Paul Apple | Oct 30, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: VICTORY IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE REQUIRES GOD’S PEOPLE ACTIVELY FIGHTING WHILE DEPENDING ON THE POWER OF THE LORD WHO DESERVES ALL THE CREDITINTRODUCTION:Spiritual warfare is a reality for every believer. The forces of evil wage war against God’s kingdom agenda....
by Paul Apple | Oct 29, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: TESTING GOD BY DOUBTING HIS POWERFUL PRESENCE TO PROVIDE EXPOSES OUR SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY BUT ENHANCES GOD’S PATIENCE AND GRACEINTRODUCTION:Time after time the Lord leads His children into difficult circumstances in order to test their hearts. Certainly by...
by Paul Apple | Oct 28, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PATTERN OF MANNA DISTRIBUTION REFLECTS THE UNIQUENESS OF THE SABBATH AS A HOLY DAY SET ASIDE FOR REST AND WORSHIPINTRODUCTION:The sabbath must be appreciated by the Jews as a gift from God to facilitate rest and worship. Now in the church age we practice...
by Paul Apple | Oct 27, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE BREAD OF HEAVEN MUST BE GATHERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS AND CONSUMED THAT DAYINTRODUCTION:The bread of heaven which God freely provided every day as a gracious gift for all the Israelites in the wilderness had to be gathered and consumed...
by Paul Apple | Oct 27, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD PUTS A STOP TO GRUMBLING BY MANIFESTING HIS PRESENCE AND HIS PROVISIONINTRODUCTION:Despite God’s demonstrated faithfulness and goodness, God’s people are quick to grumble and complain. When tough times of testing pop up, we have a tendency to pop off....
by Paul Apple | Oct 25, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD DIRECTS BOTH OUR TRIALS AND HIS GRACIOUS PROVISION TO MANIFEST HIS SUPREME GLORYINTRODUCTION:The entire book of Exodus is all about God getting glory for Himself – enhancing His reputation in the eyes of both His covenant people and His defeated enemies....
by Paul Apple | Oct 24, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: OUR CIRCUMSTANCES ALWAYS CHANGE, BUT OUR FAITH IN GOD’S PROVISION SHOULD NEVER WAVERINTRODUCTION:How quickly their change in circumstances caused a reversal in attitude of God’s people — from faith and thanksgiving and praise and worship to despair and...
by Paul Apple | Oct 23, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED DELIVERANCE SHOULD CELEBRATE GOD’S- VICTORY- POWER- UNIQUENESS- DOMINIONINTRODUCTION:This song of Moses artfully sets the standard for how believers should worship and praise their Redeemer for His powerful deliverance. The echoing...
by Paul Apple | Oct 18, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: AS WE STEP OUT IN FAITH THE POWERFUL SALVATION OF THE LORD GLORIFIES HIS NAMEINTRODUCTION:The crossing of the Red Sea is one of those classic bible stories that is foundational for the Christian faith. God directs His people into desperate circumstances...
by Paul Apple | Oct 12, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPERATE SITUATIONS CALL FOR FAITH INSTEAD OF FEAR IN LIGHT OF GOD’S CONTROL AND HIS DESIRE TO GLORIFY HIS NAMEINTRODUCTION:God is not bashful about leading His people into seemingly impossible situations. In this text we find the Israelites, no sooner than...
by Paul Apple | Oct 11, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DIVINE GUIDANCE USES PERPLEXING AND CHALLENGING PATHS TO BOTH PROTECT AND PREPARE US FOR WHAT LIES AHEADINTRODUCTION:Illustration: I love the spooky Halloween oriented commercial where you have the four terrified victims trying to determine what route to...
by Paul Apple | Oct 10, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: SYMBOLIC ACTS OF COMMEMORATION HELP GOD’S PEOPLE APPRECIATE THEIR DELIVERANCE AND REDEMPTIONINTRODUCTION:Having explained the Passover, Moses now goes into more detail about 2 observances that will help God’s people remember, celebrate and perpetuate God’s...
by Paul Apple | Oct 8, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE CITIZENS OF GOD’S KINGDOM (WHICH IS OPEN TO ALL WHO WILL BELIEVE) MUST CELEBRATE GOD’S FAITHFULNESS ACCORDING TO HIS INSTRUCTIONSINTRODUCTION:God showed His remarkable faithfulness to His promise to His servant Abram regarding His elect people, “Know for...
