by Paul Apple | Mar 30, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THIS LIFE HAS MEANING WHEN WE RISE ABOVE THE FUTILITY OF MAN’S WISDOM TO EMBRACE GOD’S WISDOM = FEAR GOD AND OBEY HIM BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE BECAUSE WE ALL WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE INTRODUCTION: Our culture: Getting older; living longer, more healthcare and...
by Paul Apple | Mar 29, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: BY OPPORTUNISTIC FAITH AND JOYFUL CONTENTMENT WE CAN LIVE BOTH A PRODUCTIVE AND ENJOYABLE LIFE INTRODUCTION: We need balance in our lives. Some people concentrate so much on being productive and achieving something … they seem to have no enjoyment of life. ...
by Paul Apple | Mar 29, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: FOLLY ON THE PART OF RULERS PUTS A NATION IN JEOPARDY AND REQUIRES A RESPONSE OF WISDOM – YET WISDOM IS PRECARIOUS AT BEST INTRODUCTION: Most people would find no structure in these proverbs – similar to chap. 7 – Those that try to group the verses in some...
by Paul Apple | Mar 28, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WISDOM CANNOT INSULATE ONE FROM LIFE’S UNCERTAINTIES OR GUARANTEE RECOGNITION AND REWARD INTRODUCTION: Tremper Longman: Summary of Chap. 9 In ch. 9, Qohelet gives advice in the context of statements of deep skepticism. Indeed, this chapter might be judged...
by Paul Apple | Mar 27, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WHEN YOU CAN’T MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DESTINY, AT LEAST ENJOY THE PRESENT INTRODUCTION: Despite the repetition of common themes in this Book of Ecclesiastes, I find one aspect to be especially puzzling – to what extent does the view of Solomon ever rise above...
by Paul Apple | Mar 26, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WISDOM CANNOT FIGURE OUT LIFE’S PERPLEXITIES INTRODUCTION: Douglas Miller: In sum, the larger unit (8:1-17) begins in 8:1 with the double rhetorical question: Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation/explanation? It closes with statements that...
by Paul Apple | Mar 25, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WISDOM TREADS CAREFULLY IN INTERACTING WITH SOVEREIGN POWER BECAUSE OF THE PRIORITY OF SUBMISSION AND THE REALITY OF LIMITATIONS INTRODUCTION: John Gill: The preacher begins this chapter with the praise of wisdom, from its excellency and...
by Paul Apple | Mar 24, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: UNDERSTANDING THE PERVASIVENESS OF FUTILITY AND THE REALITY OF PERSONAL PERVERSITY, PURSUE THE PATH OF WISDOM AND THE FEAR OF GOD INTRODUCTION: Albert Mohler: Wise living in this world must take human evil into account with utter realism. Stupidity and...
by Paul Apple | Mar 24, 2024 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WE ARE ALL HEADED FOR DEATH SO BE PREPARED TO FACE GOD INTRODUCTION: This is going to be a short Scripture reflection but hopefully memorable – I just want to focus on one verse from the Ecclesiastes 7:2 — “It is better to go to a house of...
by Paul Apple | Mar 22, 2024 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: SINCE GOD IS SOVEREIGN, THE WISE MUST BENEFIT FROM SORROW AND SUBMIT RATHER THAN EXPRESS PRIDEFUL IMPATIENCE AND FRUSTRATION INTRODUCTION: Walter Kaiser: Present grief and pain may prove to be more beneficial in their effect on us than all the festivity,...
by Paul Apple | Mar 20, 2024 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: EVEN THOSE WHO APPEAR TO HAVE GRABBED HOLD OF THE GOOD LIFE STRUGGLE WITH NO ENJOYMENT, NO SATISFACTION AND NO ANSWERS TO LIFE’S ULTIMATE QUESTIONS INTRODUCTION: Daniel Akin: Chapter 6 begins, echoing the curse with the language of “sickening tragedy,” by...
by Paul Apple | Mar 19, 2024 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: APART FROM CONTENTMENT IN ENJOYING GOD’S GIFTS, THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH CAN CREATE HUGE PROBLEMS INTRODUCTION Iain Provan: Ecclesiastes 5:8–9 picks up the thoughts of 4:1–3, making it clear to the reader that oppression is not merely a matter of individuals...
by Paul Apple | Mar 18, 2024 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WISE WORSHIP CALLS FOR OBEDIENT LISTENING, CONTROLLED SPEECH, FAITHFUL COMMITMENT AND REVERENTIAL AWE INTRODUCTION Douglas Sean O’Donnell: As we approach God in worship, Pastor Solomon wants to establish a safe distance between us and the transcendent God....
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE 5 ROTTEN STEPS ON THE WORLD’S LADDER OF SUCCESS INTRODUCTION: The American Dream – study hard – go to graduate school – kill yourself in med school or business school or law school; scratch and claw to get to the head of the class so that you can get the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE INSCRUTABLE NATURE OF ETERNITY WILL FRUSTRATE MAN’S EFFORTS TO FIGURE THINGS OUT – JUST SUBMIT AND TAKE THINGS AS THEY COME INTRODUCTION: David Thompson: GOD SOVEREIGNLY CONTROLS EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE TIME OF ONE’S LIFE, BOTH THE POSITIVE AND...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: A LIFE OF PURSUING WISDOM OR ACCOMPLISHMENT ONLY ACCUMULATES A LEGACY OF FUTILITY INTRODUCTION: You spend your life pursuing the highest levels of education; getting degree after degree – seeking the respect of your academic peers – What does that get you?...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: INVESTIGATION UNDER THE SUN REVEALS THE FUTILITY OF PLEASURE, POSSESSIONS AND PRIDE CONTEXT: Transition from seeking meaning in Work or Intellectualism and Education. He has already acknowledged that education is a grind = much grief (rushed through this...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2020 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE EXPERIENCE AND PERSPECTIVE OF SOLOMON TESTIFY TO THE EMPTINESS OF LIFE AND THE LACK OF ANY SATISFYING ANSWERS TO THE HUMAN CYCLE OF FUTILITY The world claims to be searching for answers. What is the meaning of life? How can I find fulfillment and...
