by Paul Apple | Mar 15, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OUR APPROACH TO THE REALITY OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST CANNOT BE ONE OF CASUAL WORSHIPDealing with the ending appended to many texts of the Gospel of Mark that I believe was not in the original text – vv. 9-20.- Deal with it up front since this will...
by Paul Apple | Mar 15, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: EVERY DETAIL OF THE BURIAL OF JESUS CHRIST DEMONSTRATES THE SOVEREIGN OUTWORKING OF THE PROVIDENTIAL PLAN OF GODINTRODUCTION:Everybody knows the attention given to the first born … and of course the baby of the family remains significant forever … it is the...
by Paul Apple | Mar 15, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE VOLUNTARY SUBMISSION OF JESUS TO THE HUMILIATION AND AGONY OF THE UNJUST CRUCIFIXION IN FULFILLMENT OF OT PROPHECY TESTIFIES TO HIS DEITY AND MISSION OF REDEMPTION(:22-32) INTRODUCTION—PART 1:We have arrived at the climactic point in Mark’s gospel where...
by Paul Apple | Mar 15, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS SUFFERED UNJUST TREATMENT BY THE ROMAN AUTHORITIES WHILE BEING REJECTED BY THE CROWD IN FAVOR OF BARABBASINTRODUCTION – PART 1:Last night Karen and I enjoyed a Christmas performance by the United States Army Field Band at the ornate Hippodrome Theater...
by Paul Apple | Mar 15, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS SUFFERED UNJUST TREATMENT BY BOTH HIS HARSHEST ENEMIES AND HIS CLOSEST DISCIPLES WHILE MAINTAINING HIS COMPOSURE AND COMPASSIONINTRODUCTION:How do you respond when you are wrongly accused? We all have the identical natural response. We become extremely...
by Paul Apple | Mar 15, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ONLY THE SUFFERING SERVANT EMBRACES GOD’S PLAN FOR REDEMPTIONINTRODUCTION:Our story this morning is a very simple narrative. It is a story that we can easily jump over without stopping to grasp its significance. It is a story where preachers at a loss for...
by Paul Apple | Mar 15, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE PASSOVER LAMB PREPARES FOR HIS MISSION OF REDEMPTION BY GRAPPLING IN PRAYER WITH HIS HEAVENLY FATHER AMIDST OVERWHELMING ANGUISH AND SLEEPING DISCIPLESINTRODUCTION:Our passage for this morning gives us profound insight into the humanity of the God-Man,...
by Paul Apple | Mar 15, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WE CANNOT GUARANTEE UNBROKEN LOYALTY TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRISTINTRODUCTION:In the intensity of warfare there is nothing more disturbing and discouraging than to have a comrade in arms turn tail and become a deserter in the face of the imminent danger. Warfare...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST AND THE CENTRALITY OF THE CROSS ARE ANTICIPATED IN THE CELEBRATION OF PASSOVER BUT REALIZED IN THE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER –TRANSITION HERE FROM THE OLD COVENANT TO THE NEW COVENANTINTRODUCTION:In this key passage as we...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: HOW EXTRAVAGANT IS YOUR DEVOTION TO JESUS CHRIST?INTRODUCTION:Remember the most important commandment – love the Lord your God with your whole being; What does that look like in real life? In Mark 14, as Jesus is just a couple of days away from His death on...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ISRAEL (WHO WAS ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH FOR CHRIST’S FIRST COMING) HAD BETTER BE ON THE ALERT FOR CHRIST’S SECOND COMING 7 REASONS TO BE ON ALERT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE END TIMES INTRODUCTION: Everybody understands the principle of accountability. We grow up...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: ISRAEL (WHO WAS ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH FOR CHRIST’S FIRST COMING) HAD BETTER BE ON THE ALERT FOR CHRIST’S SECOND COMING INTRODUCTION: Chapter 13 needs to be treated in its entirety despite its length of 37 verses. Therefore, it will take several weeks for us...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FALSE TEACHERS MUST BE EXPOSED AS RELIGIOUS FRAUDSINTRODUCTION:In today’s Christian culture there seems to be a reluctance to speak against specific false teachers and to expose and condemn them as religious frauds. It is part of our acquiescence to the...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: KNOWLEDGE PLUS SINCERITY ISN’T ENOUGH TO GET YOU INTO THE KINGDOM OF GODINTRODUCTION:I am sure you have heard the expression: “Close never counts except in horseshoes.” We have all played the game of horseshoes at one time or another. We understand that the...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: HYPOCRITICAL ATTACKS CAN NEVER UNDERMINE THE WISDOM AND AUTHORITY OF GODINTRODUCTION – PART 1:Christianity today faces all types of attacks from antagonistic hypocrites who seek to mock biblical principles.- attacks on miracles by the scientific community-...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: REJECTION OF CHRIST MEANS LOSS OF KINGDOM INHERITANCE AND THE UNLEASHING OF THE WRATH OF GOD (FOR THE WICKED RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF ISRAEL)INTRODUCTION:Think of the simple command in the NT addressed to all children: their fundamental responsibility is to...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WHAT GOOD IS RELIGION WITHOUT FRUIT OR WORSHIP WITHOUT REALITY?JESUS CONDEMNS THE HYPOCRISY OF AN UNFRUITFUL NATION WITH ITS EMPTY RELIGIOUS SYSTEM (CENTERED AROUND THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM) AND OF ITS EXPLOITATIVE RELIGIOUS LEADERS (THE SANHEDRIN)TWO OBJECT...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: EXCITEMENT OVER JESUS THAT STOPS SHORT OF WORSHIPING HIMAS KING OVER ALL QUICKLY FADES AWAYINTRODUCTION:Following the confession of Peter in chap. 8 that Jesus is truly the Messiah, we have seen a growing sense of anticipation and drama in the Gospel of...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: BLIND BEGGARS CAN ACCESS THE SAVING POWER OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN THE MERCY OF JESUSINTRODUCTION:This story provides a stark contrast to how the rich young ruler approached Jesus in the previous encounter.- Man of privilege and distinction vs. the most...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2020 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: SUFFERING AND SACRIFICIAL SERVICE IS THE PATH TO GREATNESS IN THE KINGDOM – NOT SELF-SEEKING AND SELF-PROMOTIONINTRODUCTION:Illustration: Brian Billick book — Competitive Leadership: Twelve Principles for Success- Be Values Oriented- Be Prepared- Be...
