by Paul Apple | Jul 19, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: STUBBORN REJECTION OF THE CLAIMS OF CHRIST LEAD TO BRUTAL MISTREATMENT AND SHAM TRIALSINTRODUCTION:Wicked hearts don’t want to objectively evaluate the claims of Jesus Christ. We need to get it out of our heads that mankind has some type of moral neutrality...
by Paul Apple | Jul 19, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FAILURE TO BOLDLY IDENTIFY WITH CHRIST DOES NOT HAVE TO DEFINE US IF WE RESPOND TO GOD’S MERCY AND REPENTINTRODUCTION:God is not only the God of second chances – but of third and fourth chances! We see here in the story of Peter’s denials of the Lord that...
by Paul Apple | Jul 18, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ONLY JESUS HAS THE POWER TO HAND HIMSELF OVER TO THE AUTHORITIESINTRODUCTION:Who is ultimately in control? That is a fundamental question in every situation of life. Never was the answer clearer than at the time of the betrayal and arrest of Jesus Christ....
by Paul Apple | Jul 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: LEARN THE LESSONS FROM JESUS ON PRAYER SO THAT WE TOO MAY TRIUMPH OVER TEMPTATION –TEN LESSONS ON PRAYER FROM JESUS IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANEINTRODUCTION:This short passage captures the deep emotion of Jesus as the weight of His propitiatory...
by Paul Apple | Jul 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST MUST BE PREPARED FOR SUFFERING AND REJECTION AS THEY ENTER INTO SPIRITUAL WARFAREINTRODUCTION: On Sunday morning we were challenged to choose the discomfort and suffering of combat boots over the comfort of household slippers. If we want...
by Paul Apple | Jul 17, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: INSTEAD OF STRIVING FOR LEADERSHIP PREEMINENCE, FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST TO LEAD BY SERVING OTHERSINTRODUCTION:This topic of church leadership is one of my hot buttons (see the Leadership Studies page on my website). Because of pride and ego, we tend to...
by Paul Apple | Jul 16, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER BUILDS ON THE IMAGERY OF PASSOVER AND ANTICIPATES FINAL KINGDOM CONSUMMATIONINTRODUCTION:Here we have the famous last meal before Jesus goes to the Cross. So much happens at this event that is not even recorded in Luke....
by Paul Apple | Jul 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JUDAS IS THE SUPREME EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BETRAY JESUS CHRISTINTRODUCTION:Are you a friend or foe of Jesus? You might counter that this is a silly question. You spend every Sunday in church. You read your bible. You hang out with some Christians. Yes,...
by Paul Apple | Jul 13, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PREPARE FOR HARD TIMES LEADING UP TO – THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE – THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST BE PERCEPTIVE AND READY INTRODUCTION: Let’s face it. We live in a soft society. Luxury, comfort and abundant leisure time...
by Paul Apple | Jul 12, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: AVOID HYPOCRITICAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS BY RECOGNIZING:- THE CONTRADICTIONS IN THEIR THEOLOGY (ESPECIALLY ERRORS IN CHRISTOLOGY)- THE PHONINESS OF THEIR MINISTRY- THEIR EXPLOITATION OF POOR WIDOWSINTRODUCTION:After answering all of their trick questions with...
by Paul Apple | Jul 12, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DOCTRINAL ERROR HAS PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES:- FAILURE TO APPLY GOD’S REVEALED TRUTH- FAILURE TO EXPERIENCE GOD’S RESURRECTION POWERINTRODUCTION:Most people today, even many Christians, find it popular to deny the practical value of doctrine and truth. They...
by Paul Apple | Jul 1, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OUR LEGITIMATE OBLIGATIONS TO CIVIL AUTHORITIES CAN’T TRUMP OUR SUPREME LOYALTY TO GODINTRODUCTION:This is one of the classical Scripture passages dealing with the separation of church and state and what each contributes to the other realm in perfect...
by Paul Apple | Jun 30, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE JEWISH SPIRITUAL LEADERS HAVE SURRENDERED STEWARDSHIP OF GOD’S KINGDOM BECAUSE OF:- THEIR ATTEMPT TO USURP OWNERSHIP OF THE KINGDOM INSTEAD OF FUNCTIONING AS GOOD STEWARDS- THEIR REJECTION AND MISTREATMENT OF GOD’S ENVOYS(DESPITE GOD’S PATIENT LOVE AND...
by Paul Apple | Jun 29, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE SOURCE OF THE BAPTISM OF JOHN ANSWERS THE QUESTION OF THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRISTINTRODUCTION:Answering the question of authority impacts the choice of whether or not to believe. That is why the authority of Scripture is such a major issue. If it truly...
by Paul Apple | Jun 28, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FAILURE TO DISCERN THE DAY OF MESSIANIC VISITATION LEADS TO SERIOUS CONSEQUENCESINTRODUCTION:Do you have the sense that the Messiah is visiting you today – calling for repentance and faith? Do you have a heart of compassion for those who seem oblivious to...
by Paul Apple | Jun 28, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE KING OF PEACE APPROACHED JERUSALEM IN FULFILLMENT OF OT PROPHECY WITH MESSIANIC SIGNIFICANCEINTRODUCTION:Here we enter into the Passion Week which culminates the revelation of the Son of Man with Messianic significance. The Miracles have been performed...
by Paul Apple | Jun 27, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FAITHFULNESS IN SPIRITUAL STEWARDSHIP WHILE THE KING IS AWAY WILL BE REWARDED WHEN THE KING RETURNSINTRODUCTION:This is not a story primarily about stewardship of money. It is not the same story that Christ told on another occasion about investing our...
by Paul Apple | Jun 25, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE SON OF MAN HAS COME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOSTINTRODUCTION:It’s great when Jesus just comes out and states the Big Idea of the story so there is no doubt about the message He wants to communicate. God is in the business of seeking and saving...
by Paul Apple | Jun 24, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: SEIZE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK GOD’S MERCY FOR TRANSFORMATION THROUGH FAITH IN THE MESSIAHINTRODUCTION:There are always individuals that you might expect would come to Jesus in faith – like the Pharisee and the rich young ruler – but who fail to acknowledge...
by Paul Apple | Jun 23, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE COSTLY SACRIFICES FOR GOD’S KINGDOMWILL PROVE TO BE WORTH IT BECAUSE OF CHRIST’S SACRIFICEINTRODUCTION:The call to “Follow Jesus” unreservedly with full heart commitment comes to each of us in our own circumstances. Jesus asks us individually to forsake...
