by Paul Apple | May 19, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FORGIVEN SINNERS DISPLAY EXTRAVAGANT LOVE THAT THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS REJECTINTRODUCTION:How should we respond to our Savior in light of the extraordinary forgiveness we have received solely by His grace? The more we understand our sinfulness, the deeper should...
by Paul Apple | May 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE MIRACLES PERFORMED BY JESUS:- CONFIRM HIS IDENTITY AS PROMISED MESSIAH- CALM THE DOUBTS OF COMMENDED DICIPLES (LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST)- CALL OUT THE DUPLICITY OF HIS UNREASONABLE CRITICSINTRODUCTION:Don’t underestimate the value of the miracles performed...
by Paul Apple | May 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: NO HEARTACHE IS TOO HOPELESS FOR THE COMPASSIONATE GRACE OF JESUS — WHO ALONE HAS THE POWER OVER EVEN DEATHINTRODUCTION:J. C. Ryle: Let us never forget this great truth. The world around us is full of sorrow. Sickness, and pain, and infirmity, and...
by Paul Apple | May 16, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE GREAT FAITH OF THE HUMBLE GENTILE CENTURION FOCUSED ON THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF JESUS TO JUST SPEAK THE SAVING WORDINTRODUCTION:When we come to Jesus as little children in humility and complete dependence, we see the simplicity of trusting Him to...
by Paul Apple | May 15, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: SPIRITUAL SECURITY COMES FROM OBEYING THE WORD OF THE LORDINTRODUCTION:This is one of the simplest lessons the Lord Jesus ever taught His disciples. It is a familiar story to any child from their Sunday School days. The interpretation is straightforward. The...
by Paul Apple | May 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: BE CAREFUL WHOM YOU FOLLOW –4 TYPES OF LEADERS NOT TO FOLLOWINTRODUCTION:As parents we understand how important it is for our children to have good role models. We know that children very easily can pick up bad traits from having friends who are a bad...
by Paul Apple | May 13, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: LOVING OUR ENEMIES- DISTINGUISHES DISCIPLES FROM THE WORLD- REVEALS OUR CONNECTION TO OUR MERCIFUL FATHER AND- IMPROVES OUR RELATIONSHIP FOR THE SAKE OF EVANGELISMINTRODUCTION:The command to love our neighbor as our self is radical enough once we understand...
by Paul Apple | May 12, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THOSE WHO EMBRACE THE VALUE SYSTEM OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD RECEIVE BLESSING RATHER THAN CONDEMNATIONINTRODUCTION:The shocking impact of the message delivered here by Jesus has been blunted by our familiarity with the Sermon on the Mount. This dramatic contrast...
by Paul Apple | May 12, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PAY ATTENTION TO LEADERSHIP SELECTIONINTRODUCTION:Leadership selection is critical to the success of any enterprise. You must have clearly defined character qualifications and job definitions. You must both choose wisely and then provide the necessary...
by Paul Apple | May 12, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: COMPASSION FOR HUMAN NEED TRUMPS LEGALISTIC CONFORMITY BECAUSE:- JESUS IS LORD OF THE SABBATH- JESUS PUTS A PRIORITY ON DOING GOODINTRODUCTION:Self-righteousness always blinds us to the true inner demands of God’s moral standards. We can be so concerned with...
by Paul Apple | May 11, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: CRITICS OF CHRISTIANITY FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THE RADICAL MISSION AND THE NEW MOVEMENT COMMANDED BY JESUSINTRODUCTION:Leaders who sit on top of any hierarchical system with its perks and advantages oppose any changes that would threaten to unseat them and...
by Paul Apple | May 11, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE MIRACLES OF PHYSICAL HEALING AUTHENTICATE THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF JESUS TO CLEANSE FROM SIN AND TO FORGIVE SINSINTRODUCTION:Jesus constantly used miracles of healing in the physical realm to authenticate His Person and to point to the deeper spiritual...
by Paul Apple | May 10, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP (FORSAKING ALL AND FOLLOWING CHRIST) OFFERS THE PROSPECT OF ABUNDANT MINISTRY FRUIT DESPITE OUR SINFULNESS BECAUSE OF THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF JESUSINTRODUCTION:How can we with all of our sinfulness possibly be adequate as...
by Paul Apple | May 8, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WE NEED TO SUBMIT TO THE ABSOLUTE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST WHO REIGNS OVER THE KINGDOM OF GODINTRODUCTION:If the demons understand the person and power and authority of Jesus Christ, how much more so should we submit and enjoy the blessing of His...
by Paul Apple | May 8, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PROCLAMATION OF GRACIOUS MESSIANIC MISSION THAT EXTENDS TO THE GENTILES REJECTED BY HOSTILE HOMETOWN CROWDINTRODUCTION:The gospel message is only Good News to those who humble themselves and acknowledge that their spiritual condition is characterized by...
by Paul Apple | May 7, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS AS THE SECOND ADAM DEFEATED THE TEMPTATIONS OF SATAN BY RELYING ON THE WORD OF GOD IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRITINTRODUCTION:We know that there is no temptation but such as is common to man. We know that Adam and Eve were defeated by Satan in their...
by Paul Apple | May 6, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST TESTIFIES TO HIS LEGITIMATE CLAIM TO BE THE PROMISED MESSIAH AND TO THE UNIVERSALITY OF HIS SAVING WORKINTRODUCTION:Jeremy Myers: In those days, people naturally assumed that Jesus was the son of Joseph and Mary. Luke corrects...
by Paul Apple | May 6, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: AT THE BAPTISM OF JESUS, GOD ENDORSES HIS SON AS BOTH BELOVED DEITY AND SUFFERING SERVANT EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO ACCOMPLISH HIS REDEMPTIVE MISSIONINTRODUCTION:What a majestic moment as God the Father commissions God the Son for His earthly Messianic...
by Paul Apple | May 6, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WICKEDNESS HATES THE LIGHTINTRODUCTION:John 3:19-20“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to...
by Paul Apple | May 5, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST (DEALING WITH ULTIMATE DESTINY) IS FAR SUPERIOR TO THAT OF JOHN THE BAPTISTINTRODUCTION:It is easy for spiritual leaders to get too full of themselves. They can imagine that their popularity and their large following equates to...
