by Paul Apple | Sep 26, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOOD COMMUNICATION FOSTERS FELLOWSHIP IN THE GOSPEL INTRODUCTION: Benjamin Merkle: This section contains Paul’s concluding remarks to the saints in Ephesus and can be divided into two parts: (1) a commendation of Tychicus and his task (Eph. 6:21–22) and (2)...
by Paul Apple | Sep 26, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE PROTECTION OF THE SAINTS AND THE FORWARD PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL DEPEND ON ALERT INTERCESSORY PRAYER INTRODUCTION: Harold Hoehner: It is important to note the repetition in this verse. Prayer and petition are mentioned four times. This is not tautology...
by Paul Apple | Sep 26, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WALK STRONG – DEFEND AGAINST THE ENEMY WITH THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD INTRODUCTION: Stephen Fowl: As a way of completing his epistle, Paul in this final substantive section shifts from admonitions about walking in a manner worthy of the gospel to a discussion of...
by Paul Apple | Sep 26, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WALKING WISELY INVOLVES FULFILLING YOUR ROLE IN RELATIONSHIPS OF SUBMISSION AND CONSIDERATION INTRODUCTION: Stephen Fowl: It is crucial that readers interpret 5:21 as pointing both backward and forward. It serves to conclude a section that presents some of...
by Paul Apple | Sep 25, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WALK WISELY – IN THE WILL OF THE LORD – UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT INTRODUCTION: Frank Thielman: The theme of wise conduct within the household binds the entire passage together. In light of the evil times in which believers live, Paul...
by Paul Apple | Sep 25, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: KEEP YOURSELF PURE AS YOU WALK IN THE LIGHT AND EXPOSE DEEDS OF DARKNESS (ESPECIALLY SEXUAL IMPURITY, GREED AND SHAMEFUL SPEECH) INTRODUCTION: Remember the theme of Walk in Love (5:1-2). This leads into the discussion on abstaining from impurity = the...
by Paul Apple | Sep 23, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE CHRISTIAN MUST REJECT HARMFUL BEHAVIOR (WHICH DESTROYS COMMUNITY) AND IMITATE THE LOVE OF GOD (WHICH BUILDS COMMUNITY) INTRODUCTION: Harold Hoehner: To review, Paul has exhorted the Ephesians not to walk as the Gentiles do. He described the lifestyle of...
by Paul Apple | Sep 22, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE CHRISTIAN WALK MUST BE RADICALLY DIFFERENT — – THAN THE UNSAVED – THAN OUR OLD SELF INTRODUCTION: Andrew Lincoln: In terms of its structure and sequence this pericope has two parts—the exhortation not to live like the Gentiles (vv...
by Paul Apple | Sep 21, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: IN HUMILITY AND LOVE, PROMOTE UNITY IN A CONTEXT OF DIVERSITY WITH THE GOAL OF MATURITY INTRODUCTION: Harold Hoehner: The revelation of the unification of Jewish and Gentile believers positionally as “one new person” (2:15), the body of Christ, and the...
by Paul Apple | Sep 13, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN CONNECT US TO THE LOVE OF CHRIST SO THAT WE CAN EXPERIENCE ALL THAT GOD HAS FOR US INTRODUCTION: Stephen Fowl: Formally, the passage begins with Paul situating himself relative to God (3:14–15). Paul then makes a series of...
by Paul Apple | Sep 12, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GRANTING THE GENTILES EQUAL ACCESS AND PRIVILEGES IN THE BODY OF CHRIST MANIFESTS THE MANIFOLD WISDOM AND ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD INTRODUCTION: Andrew Lincoln: 3:1–13 is formally a digression on Paul’s apostolic ministry to the Gentiles and on the mystery...
by Paul Apple | Sep 11, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GENTILES ARE NOW UNITED WITH JEWS IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD ON THE BASIS OF THE RECONCILING WORK OF CHRIST INTRODUCTION: Frank Thielman: The focus of 2:11–22 is the social alienation between Israel and the Gentiles and Christ’s role in solving this problem...
by Paul Apple | Sep 9, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S POWER HAS CHANGED OUR OLD POSITION (DEATH) TO OUR NEW POSITION (LIFE); GOD’S POWER HAS CHANGED OUR OLD PRACTICE (SIN) TO OUR NEW PRACTICE (HOLINESS: GOOD WORKS) INTRODUCTION: Stephen Fowl: These verses focus on how Christ’s superiority over...
by Paul Apple | Sep 9, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE LIVING AND REIGNING CHRIST RULES OVER ALL AS HEAD OF HIS CHURCH INTRODUCTION: We have been praying along with Paul that the Holy Spirit would give us spiritual insight in the full knowledge of God so that we would especially know His tremendous power...
by Paul Apple | Sep 8, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE GUARANTEE FOR SUCCESS IS GOD’S POWER WORKING FOR US — THE SAME POWER THAT RESURRECTED AND EXALTED CHRIST TO HIS POSITION AS HEAD OVER ALL (BOTH IN THE UNIVERSE AND IN THE CHURCH WHICH IS HIS BODY) INTRODUCTION: Why do we need the Enabling...
by Paul Apple | Sep 7, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WE NEED THE ENLIGHTENING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO FULLY UNDERSTAND AND RELATE TO GOD INTRODUCTION: When a baby is born, his eyes are opened to a whole new world, a different dimension than anything he has ever known. He is very limited as to what he can...
by Paul Apple | Sep 6, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE HOLY SPIRIT SECURES THE SAINTS’ FUTURE — SECURES IT FOR US AND FOR GOD INTRODUCTION: God wants us to appreciate the blessings He has given us. Sometimes we need a little reminder to get our focus off of some of the areas of confusion and...
by Paul Apple | Sep 5, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OUR SOVEREIGN GOD PREDESTINED US TO AN INHERITANCE THAT MAGNIFIES HIS GLORY INTRODUCTION: Frank Thielman: God did not simply predetermine that they would be his children because it gave him pleasure to do so (v. 5), but in his capacity as the God who effects...
by Paul Apple | Sep 5, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH INSIGHT INTO THE MYSTERY OF HIS WILL = THAT CHRIST SHOULD HAVE THE PREEMINENCE INTRODUCTION: All of us wrestle with the question: What is the will of God for my life? Why doesn’t God show me clearly what He wants me to be...
by Paul Apple | Sep 4, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: REDEMPTION FREES US FROM THE BONDAGE OF CAPTIVITY TO JOYFULLY SERVE CHRIST INTRODUCTION: We live in an age of terrorism where the taking of hostages is a frequent occurrence. We understand what it is like to be a hostage; we identify with the hostages in...
