by Paul Apple | Mar 6, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OATHS ARE UNNECESSARY IN NORMAL SPEECH SINCE GOD DESIRES SIMPLE TRUTHFULNESS BASED ON PERSONAL INTEGRITY INTRODUCTION: Craig Blomberg: Jesus’ followers should be people whose words are so characterized by integrity that others need no formal assurance...
by Paul Apple | Mar 4, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WHEN A DIVORCED PERSON REMARRIES THE RESULTING UNION CONSTITUTES ADULTERY INTRODUCTION: This passage deals with an additional way (other than lusting after a woman in your heart) to become guilty of breaking the commandment regarding adultery. The teaching...
by Paul Apple | Mar 4, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: AVOIDING ADULTERY DOESN’T GIVE YOU A PASS TO INDULGE IN LUST INTRODUCTION: William Barclay: It is necessary that we should understand what Jesus is saying here. He is not speaking of the natural, normal desire, which is part of human instinct and human...
by Paul Apple | Mar 3, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: UNRESOLVED ANGER EXPRESSES MALICE TOWARDS OTHERS (SIMILAR MOTIVATION TO MURDER) WHILE ACTUALLY HURTING OURSELVES INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: The six antitheses (on murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, retaliation, love of neighbor) function in two ways: they...
by Paul Apple | Mar 1, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERSTANDING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS REQUIRED BY GOD, CHRIST BOTH SHARPENS THE FOCUS AND RAISES THE BAR INTRODUCTION: Pastor Brian has called the Sermon on the Mount, Christ’s stump speech – in other words this same message or at least its major...
by Paul Apple | Mar 1, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: KINGDOM CITIZENS SHOULD HAVE A POWERFUL INFLUENCE ON THE WORLD TO COUNTERACT DECAY BY STANDING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS … AND TO SHINE THE TORCH OF TRUTH AND LIFE TO THE DARKNESS AROUND US OUT OF A MOTIVATION TO BRING GLORY TO GOD INTRODUCTION: Show and Tell...
by Paul Apple | Mar 1, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: LIVING OUT KINGDOM DISTINCTIVES MEANS THAT ONE WILL ENJOY BIG-TIME BLESSINGS EVEN WHEN PERSECUTED FOR THE SAKE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS INTRODUCTION: Rather than refer to this discipleship discourse as it is commonly known as “The Sermon on the Mount” I have chosen...
by Paul Apple | Feb 27, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: MANIFESTING THE LIGHT OF JESUS TO A WORLD LOST IN DARKNESS REQUIRES COMMITTED DISCIPLESHIP, EFFECTIVE SOUL WINNING AND IMPACTFUL KINGDOM WORDS AND WORKS INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: The preliminary events are over, and it is time for Jesus to engage in his...
by Paul Apple | Feb 27, 2023 | 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 SPIRIT INTRODUCTION: D. A. Carson: We must conclude that Satan’s aim was to entice Jesus to use powers that were rightly his but which he had...
by Paul Apple | Feb 25, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE COMMISSIONING OF JESUS TO PUBLIC MINISTRY INCLUDED BAPTISM TO IDENTIFY WITH SINNERS, ANOINTING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE PUBLIC APPROVAL OF GOD THE FATHER INTRODUCTION: Walter Wilson: The . . . final segment of chapter 3 both dramatizes Jesus’s role...
by Paul Apple | Feb 25, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE BAPTISM OF JOHN EMPHASIZING REPENTANCE PREPARED THE NATION FOR THE SUPERIOR BAPTISM OF JESUS AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN INTRODUCTION: Craig Blomberg: Matthew abruptly jumps from the events surrounding Jesus’ birth to the time of his adult life....
by Paul Apple | Feb 23, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DIVINE PROTECTION IN RELOCATING THE MESSIAH FULFILS OT PROPHECY INTRODUCTION: Analogy of a chess strategist. God moves people around on the chessboard of life like pawns accomplishing his long-term strategy and His short-term tactics. Uses His messenger...
by Paul Apple | Feb 23, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE COMING OF THE KING OF THE JEWS PROMPTS EITHER ADORATION AND WORSHIP OR FEAR AND OPPOSITION INTRODUCTION: Leon Morris: Matthew may well have included this story to bring out the truth that Jesus is Lord of all peoples; since this is so, it was appropriate...
by Paul Apple | Feb 22, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE VIRGIN CONCEPTION IN FULFILLMENT OF OT PROPHECY AS CONFIRMED BY ANGELIC REVELATION WAS ESSENTIAL TO CHRIST’S ULTIMATE MISSION AS JESUS AND INCARNATE PRESENCE AS IMMANUEL INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: There are two major ideas here—the sovereign control of...
by Paul Apple | Feb 22, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE HISTORIC JESUS FULFILS ALL THE GENEALOGICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROMISED MESSIAH, THE SEED OF ABRAHAM, WHO WOULD SIT ON THE THRONE OF DAVID INTRODUCTION: D. A. Carson: Matthew’s chief aims in including the genealogy are hinted at in the first...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: CONSIDERATION OF COVENANT HISTORY SHOULD PROMPT RENEWAL OF COVENANT COMMITMENT INTRODUCTION: Trent Butler: Josh 24 completes the book by giving the theological definition of the people of God. “The preceding account of God’s saving acts and election of...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: STAY FAITHFUL IF YOU WANT TO ENJOY GOD’S PROMISED BLESSINGS INTRODUCTION: David Howard: The final two chapters of the book contain Joshua’s two farewell speeches to the entire nation, delivered at the end of his life. Both were given in the pastoral,...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: CORPORATE UNITY CAN EASILY BE THREATENED BY MISUNDERSTANDINGS DESPITE SIGNIFICANT MISSION SUCCESSES INTRODUCTION: David Howard: After all that had transpired and all that the nation had gone through together, the time had now come for the tribes to return to...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO HIS LAND PROMISE TO ISRAEL IS TO BE CELEBRATED (IN ITS IMMEDIATE CONTEXT ALTHOUGH NOT IN TERMS OF ESCHATOLOGICAL FULFILLMENT) INTRODUCTION: David Howard: A glorious spiritual summary concludes the entire section devoted to the land...
by Paul Apple | Jan 16, 2023 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD FULFILS HIS PROMISE OF SUPPORT FOR THE MINISTERING LEVITES WITH DESIGNATED CITIES FROM EACH OF THE TRIBES INTRODUCTION: Helene Dallaire: After the introductory summary comes a description of the land allotment to the Levites. The following tribes...