by Paul Apple | Apr 4, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GREATER OPPORTUNITY AND REVELATION BRING MORE SEVERE JUDGMENT FOR FAILURE TO REPENT INTRODUCTION: Daniel Doriani: Jesus warns three cities—Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum—that their resistance to his ministry is culpable. Each has the same pattern: Jesus...
by Paul Apple | Apr 3, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS MUST PRECEDE ENJOYMENT OF KINGDOM EXALTATION – NO BYPASSING THE CROSS INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: Matthew 11:2 indicates a turning point in Matthew. There has been sporadic opposition (mainly 9:3–4, 11, 14, 34), but...
by Paul Apple | Apr 3, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DISCIPLESHIP INVOLVES CONFESSION, CONFLICT, COST BUT ALSO REWARD INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: Jesus finalizes his Mission Discourse by demanding fearless confession in the midst of conflict. As such it acts as a concluding summary of the themes in the rest...
by Paul Apple | Apr 1, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PERSECUTION SHOULD BE EXPECTED BUT NOT FEARED INTRODUCTION: Charles Swindoll: How easy it would have been for the disciples to just opt out at this point. Persecution? Suffering? Rejection? Scourging? Death? No way! Knowing the human tendency toward...
by Paul Apple | Mar 31, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: IN THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL EXPECT PERSECUTION THAT WILL INTENSIFY IN THE END TIMES (FROM WOLVES OF FALSE RELIGION, GOVERNMENT, FAMILY AND SOCIETY) – SO AS SHEEP BE SNAKES AND DOVES INTRODUCTION: Stanley Saunders: Jesus has earlier described the people...
by Paul Apple | Mar 30, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FAITHFULNESS TO THE PATTERN OF CHRIST, DEPENDENCE ON GOD AND PROPER RESPONSE TO REJECTION OR RECEPTION MUST CHARACTERIZE EVANGELICAL MISSIONS INTRODUCTION: Richard Gardner: The instruction of the disciples that begins in 10:5 and continues through 10:42...
by Paul Apple | Mar 28, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE MISSION OF JESUS REPRODUCES ITSELF BY THE VISION CASTING, AND THE CALLING AND COMMISSIONING OF GOSPEL WORKERS INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: Matthew’s editorial brilliance continues in this section. The opening verse (9:35) parallels 4:23 and frames chs....
by Paul Apple | Mar 27, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: WHILE JESUS DEMONSTRATES COMPASSION IN HEALING AND VALUES EVEN WEAK FAITH, THE RESPONSE TO HIM BEGINS TO REFLECT POLARIZATION INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: This final set of three miracles continues the emphases in the others on Jesus’ authority and...
by Paul Apple | Mar 25, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS BRINGS THE INWARD RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE MESSIANIC AGE THAT CANNOT MESH WITH FORMER EXTERNAL SYSTEMS OF RELIGIOUS RITUAL INTRODUCTION: Richard Gardner: The point that both metaphors make is that the new thing God is doing through Jesus cannot simply be...
by Paul Apple | Mar 25, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE MISSION OF MAKING DISCIPLES REQUIRES CONSORTING WITH SINNERS WITH HEART OF COMPASSION INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: The first discipleship segment centered on the radical demands of Jesus (8:18–22). This one centers on the reality and meaning of that new...
by Paul Apple | Mar 23, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE MANIFESTATION OF THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS STIRS UP REACTIONS OF BOTH AWE AND REJECTION INTRODUCTION: Leon Morris: For the second time in this section of his Gospel Matthew brings three miracles before his readers. He is emphasizing the authority and the...
by Paul Apple | Mar 22, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DISCIPLESHIP DEMANDS RADICAL COMMITMENT INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: Shallow Christians are not accepted by Jesus as disciples until they have counted the cost and deepened their commitment. Both of these men are more sincere than many who attend church...
by Paul Apple | Mar 21, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DESPERATE SITUATIONS SHOULD PROMPT EVEN THE OUTCASTS OF SOCIETY TO REACH OUT TO JESUS FOR THE POWER OF HIS HEALING TOUCH INTRODUCTION: Richard Gardner: The most adequate proposal on Matthew’s design in this section [8:1 – 9:34] is that he has organized the...
by Paul Apple | Mar 20, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: COMMIT TO OBEYING THE TEACHING OF JESUS INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: Jesus has now finished giving his new kingdom principles, and he draws his Sermon to a close by removing any possibility of neutrality and demanding a response. The Sermon on the Mount has...
by Paul Apple | Mar 19, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: KINGDOM ETHICS SUMMED UP IN THE GOLDEN RULE CONSISTENT WITH THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS = LOVING OTHERS INTRODUCTION: William Barclay: This is probably the most universally famous thing that Jesus ever said. With this commandment, the Sermon on the Mount...
by Paul Apple | Mar 18, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOOD THINGS COME TO US FROM OUR GOOD HEAVENLY FATHER IN RESPONSE TO PERSISTENT PRAYER INTRODUCTION: Why is our generation so weak in the area of prayer? This seems to be especially true among Christian men. Where are the prayer warriors of past ages? We...
by Paul Apple | Mar 16, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DON’T BE OVERLY CRITICAL OF OTHERS BUT DON’T BE NAÏVE REGARDING VICIOUS OPPONENTS OF GOD’S TRUTH INTRODUCTION: Charles Swindoll: Jesus’ rapid-fire delivery of powerful principles in Matthew 7:1-12 builds up to a profound climax in what we know today as the...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: SEEK GOD’S PRIORITIES AND TRUST HIS PROVISION RATHER THAN WORRYING INTRODUCTION: E. Michael Green: The worldliness that we are called to avoid can take a religious or a secular form. And so we differ from those who are not Christians both in our devotional...
by Paul Apple | Mar 14, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: UNDIVIDED ALLEGIANCE AS CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM MUST BE REFLECTED IN OUR VALUE SYSTEM, VISION AND VOLITION (LOYALTIES) INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: The final of the three central sections of the Sermon on the Mount concerns the community citizen’s social...
by Paul Apple | Mar 12, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PRACTICING RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR PUBLIC ACCLAIM FORFEITS HEAVENLY REWARD – TRUE VS HYPOCRITICAL PIETY — EXAMPLE OF FASTING INTRODUCTION: Donald Hagner: In the first century, fasting apparently provided an exceptional opportunity for impressing others with...
