by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD INVITES UNSUSPECTING DISASTER UPON THE SELF SERVING LEADERS WHO SHOULD BE PROTECTING AND FEEDING HIS VULNERABLE FLOCKINTRODUCTION:In the first half of Chap. 56 we saw God’s message of encouragement to those who were traditionally viewed as Outsiders – to...
by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: BLESSING PROMISED TO ALL WHO COMMIT TO GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS – EVEN GENTILES AND EUNUCHSINTRODUCTION:How big is God’s heart for sinners? We learned in Chap. 55 that the gospel of God is a “Whosoever” gospel. While some people might try to twist the doctrine of...
by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD OFFERS JOY AND PEACE AT NO COST TO ANYONE WHO WILL SEEK HIM IN REPENTANCE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATEINTRODUCTION:[Begin with aside from Matt. 23 about the Pope’s visit this week to the United States – what would Jesus say of the Pope and the message of...
by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: RESPOND TO GOSPEL TRUTH WITH JOYFUL EXPECTATION OF THE GLORIOUS FUTURE THAT AWAITS THE REDEEMED OF THE LORDINTRODUCTION:Isaiah 53 addressed the great fundamental question of “Why did the promised Messiah, the faithful Servant have to suffer and die on the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: INSTEAD OF FUTILITY, GOD’S SERVANT FINDS SATISFACTION AND EXALTATION THROUGH BEARING OUR SINS ON THE CROSSINTRODUCTION:The life and death of Christ seem like such a tragic waste when viewed apart from the results He accomplished. How could the Son of God...
by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE PERFECT SERVANT OF GOD WILLINGLY LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR SINFUL SHEEP IN SILENT SUBMISSION TO SUFFERING AND OPPRESSION TO ACCOMPLISH GOD’S PLAN OF REDEMPTIONINTRODUCTION:We are familiar with the OT background of prescribed animal sacrifices. What was...
by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD HAS PUNISHED HIS SERVANT AS OUR SUBSTITUTE WHO PAID THE PENALTY FOR OUR SINS TO GIVE US PEACEINTRODUCTION:Who will pay the penalty of divine wrath for your sins?- There is no question that each of us has sinned and we are characterized as sinners before...
by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PEOPLE OVERLOOK THE TRUE SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THREE MAIN REASONS: HE IS LARGELY UNKNOWN, UNREMARKABLE, UNPOPULARINTRODUCTION:Last week Stanza #1 – THE EXALTATION OF THE SUFFERING SERVANTThis Sunday Stanza #2 — THE REJECTION OF THE DESPISED...
by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FOCUS ON THE ASTONISHING EXALTATION AND DEGRADATION OF GOD’S SUFFERING SERVANTINTRODUCTION:These verses form an introduction and summary to the fourth Messiah/Servant song which is detailed in Chap. 53 – here we are entering on holy ground; one of the most...
by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: 3 WAKE UP CALLSINTRODUCTION:Before the new technology of alarms on our cell phones, when we would stay overnight in a motel, most of us probably took advantage of their wake up call service in the morning. You could always use the radio alarm clock in the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 7, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PRESENT PRESSURES MUST NOT DISTRACT US FROM LISTENING TO GOD’S WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT REGARDING THE CONSUMMATION OF SALVATION AND RIGHTEOUSNESSINTRODUCTION:God goes to great lengths to get our attention. He wants to communicate to us His plans for the future....
by Paul Apple | Apr 6, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FOLLOW THE LIGHTHOUSE OF GOD’S INSTRUCTION OR TORCH YOURSELVES – THE VICTORIOUS SERVANT/DISCIPLE HAS GOD AS HIS HELPER IN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND PERSEVERING COMMITMENTINTRODUCTION:Our daughter Jenny worships at Capitol Hill Baptist Church – one of their...
by Paul Apple | Apr 6, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE LORD GOD IS A PARTNER BELIEVERS CAN COUNT ON TO NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE USINTRODUCTION:Stories of abandonment tug at our hearts. We might hear in the news of some poor newborn child that has been abandoned by its mother and found in some isolated spot....
by Paul Apple | Apr 6, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S SERVANT-KING WILL SUCCEED IN HIS MISSION OF BLESSING ISRAEL AND BRINGING LIGHT TO A LOST WORLDINTRODUCTION:The nature of Progressive Revelation (God making His plans known over time in an increasingly detailed manner) means that God doesn’t lay all of...
by Paul Apple | Apr 6, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE HEARING DEFICIENT WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE PEACE AND PROSPERITY UNTIL THEY HAVE EARS TO HEAR –4 KEYS TO SPIRITUAL LISTENINGINTRODUCTION:As parents we have all experienced situations where are exhortations to our children fell on deaf ears. We might repeat...
by Paul Apple | Apr 6, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FALSE RELIGIONS CANNOT DELIVER EVEN THE MOST POWERFUL OF NATIONS FROM THE HUMILIATION OF DIVINE VENGEANCE FOR ARROGANT PRIDE AND WICKED BEHAVIORINTRODUCTION:Scripture teaches that God is the one who raises up world powers and God is the one who brings them...
by Paul Apple | Apr 6, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: ONLY THE TRUE GOD CAN CARRY HIS PEOPLE AND DELIVER ON THE PROMISE OF SALVATION INTRODUCTION:Some heavily promoted fights end up being huge mismatches. I didn’t stay up to watch the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout (couldn’t afford it anyway and Karen would have been...
by Paul Apple | Apr 6, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE UNIQUENESS OF GOD DETERMINES THE EXCLUSIVITY OF SALVATIONINTRODUCTION:Our culture of pluralism with its naïve foundational tenet of tolerance for all religions finds the Christian doctrine of an exclusive gospel to be absolutely repugnant. How can you...
by Paul Apple | Apr 6, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE UNIQUE CREATOR-LORD RAISES UP CYRUS TO ACCOMPLISH HIS SOVEREIGN PURPOSES TO DELIVER HIS PEOPLE FROM THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY (TO INHABIT THE CITY OF GOD)INTRODUCTION:Amazing text today – one that makes liberal scholars gag and scramble to try to explain...
by Paul Apple | Apr 6, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: IDOLATRY MAKES NO SENSE IN LIGHT OF THE UNIQUENESS OF THE ONE TRUE GOD AND HIS PRECIOUS, IRREVOCABLE PROMISES TO THOSE HE HAS REDEEMEDINTRODUCTION:Why are we tempted to trust in ourselves? Why do we doubt the sufficiency of our God? Why do we set up idols...
