by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR GIFTEDNESS AND DOCTRINAL UNDERSTANDING CONTRIBUTES TO A MORE EFFECTIVE MINISTRYINTRODUCTION:In the last 5 verses of Acts 18, we get introduced to a very special preacher. We see the beginning of the ministry of Apollos in Ephesus. His...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CONCENTRATE ON AGGRESSIVE MINISTRY AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THE COMPLETE CYCLE OF MINISTRY BLESSINGINTRODUCTION:I am convinced that one of the primary purposes of the Book of Acts is to motivate us to aggressive ministry as we witness time and again God’s...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PERSEVERANCE IN MINISTRY FEEDS ON DIVINE ENCOURAGEMENTINTRODUCTION:By the time the Apostle Paul arrived in Corinth, he had many reasons to be discouraged and fearful in the ministry.- Remember his call in Acts 9:15-16 “he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE PROCLAMATION OF THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD LEAVES NO ROOM FOR TOLERANCE OF WORTHLESS RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY(no matter how sophisticated or intellectual or culturally accepted)INTRODUCTION:Some commentators have criticized Paul’s approach in Athens based on a...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE PROCLAMATION OF THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD LEAVES NO ROOM FOR TOLERANCE OF WORTHLESS RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY(no matter how sophisticated or intellectual or culturally accepted)INTRODUCTION:J I Packer: (Knowing God) What were we made for? To know God. What aim...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE PROCLAMATION OF THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD LEAVES NO ROOM FOR TOLERANCE OF WORTHLESS RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY(no matter how sophisticated or intellectual or culturally accepted)INTRODUCTION: The University of Richmond where Jenny attended has a very special contest...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: YOUR RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL REFLECTS YOUR VALUE SYSTEM:- PASSION FOR THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD OR- JEALOUSY FOR THE SECURITY OF MAN’S TRADITIONSINTRODUCTION: Funerals have a way of stopping you in your tracks and making you think about what really matters in...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE ALL POWERFUL GOD DELIVERS BELIEVERS FROM THE SHACKLES OF SATAN AND SININTRODUCTION:If you are a believer in Jesus Christ and still living in bondage to sin, you need to open your eyes and see that the chains have fallen off. God delights to use simple...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE DISTINCTIVENESS OF THE GOSPEL MUST NOT BE SULLIED BY ASSOCIATION WITH DEMONIC RELIGIOUS PROFITEERINGINTRODUCTION:Are you appalled as I am at the amount of profiteering surrounding false religion in our day? Just look at the false teachers who tickle the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CULTURAL SENSITIVITY CONTRIBUTES TO CHURCH GROWTH –INTEGRATION OF NEW TEAM MEMBERS MAY REQUIRE ACCOMMODATION TO CULTURAL PRACTICESINTRODUCTION:Some people are all about Convictions. They have no problem discerning right from wrong. They are not...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Uncategorized
BIG IDEA: PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL MAINTAINS THE INTEGRITY OF THE MESSAGE AND STRENGTHENS BELIEVERS IN THE FAITHINTRODUCTION:Acts chapter 15 fills some of that transition gap between Paul’s first and second missionary journey. If you think of missionaries you know...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: SALVATION IS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH WITH NO CONNECTION TO LEGALISTIC OBSERVANCE OF THE MOSAIC LAWINTRODUCTION:Some controversies are more important than others. Down through early church history there were a number of significant church councils that...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PIONEER MISSIONARIES STAY ON COURSE, STRESS THE FUNDAMENTALS AND BRING BACK A GOOD REPORTINTRODUCTION:The definition of a Pioneer: “One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow; as, pioneers of civilization; pioneers of...
by Paul Apple | Apr 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ALL CREDIT FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE WORKS OF FAITH MUST BE DIRECTED BACK TO GOD ALONEINTRODUCTION:Who would think of trying to rob God of His glory? Of taking credit or praise to themselves for something that God has actually accomplished? Actually each of us in...
by Paul Apple | Apr 9, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE BOLD PREACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD AND THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST EXCITES NEW CONVERTS AND ANGERS JEALOUS TRADITIONALISTSINTRODUCTION:As a seminary student, I always imagined what it would be like to have enthusiastic large groups of people calling out:...
by Paul Apple | Apr 9, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DO NOT REJECT THE MESSAGE OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN PROVISION OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, THE SEED OF DAVID, IN HIS CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTIONINTRODUCTION:Today you have the privilege of sitting under the preaching of the greatest expositor in NT church...
by Paul Apple | Apr 9, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PAINFUL DESERTION MUST NOT DISCOURAGE US FROM PURSUING KINGDOM GOALSINTRODUCTION:Monday we celebrated Memorial Day (seems like a long time ago) = remembering the ultimate sacrifice of those soldiers who gave their lives to fight for the freedoms that we...
by Paul Apple | Apr 9, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: MISSIONARIES ARE SENT OUT TO RESCUE LOST SOULS FROM THE DOMAIN OF DARKNESS WITH THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORDINTRODUCTION:Acts is primarily a Missionary Manual – it is all about the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth through God’s appointed ambassadors...
by Paul Apple | Apr 9, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: KINGDOM GROWTH CANNOT BE HALTED BY DIFFICULT PHYSICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OR BY INTIMIDATING PERSECUTION INTRODUCTION: Sometimes we get discouraged in the spiritual warfare and forget that we are on the winning team. God is Sovereign. Even when it looks like...
by Paul Apple | Apr 9, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CATCHING GOD’S VISION FOR GENTILE CONVERSIONS LEADS TO EXPLODING CHURCH GROWTHINTRODUCTION: John 4:35 – “Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.”Stott: Expansion and OppositionThe inclusion of the...
