by Paul Apple | Mar 11, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: OUR PRAYERS SHOULD NOT TRY TO MANIPULATE GOD BUT SHOULD EXPRESS OUR COMPLETE DEPENDENCE IN WORSHIP AND PETITION FOR NEEDS AFTER THE PATTERN INSTRUCTED BY JESUS INTRODUCTION: R. T. France: The “digression” on prayer which breaks into the tripartite unit of...
by Paul Apple | Mar 10, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PRACTICING RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR PUBLIC ACCLAIM FORFEITS HEAVENLY REWARD – TRUE VS HYPOCRITICAL PIETY — EXAMPLE OF PRAYING INTRODUCTION: Donald Hagner: The same point is being made about praying as was made about almsgiving. Prayer (even if offered in the...
by Paul Apple | Mar 9, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: PRACTICING RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR PUBLIC ACCLAIM FORFEITS HEAVENLY REWARD – TRUE VS HYPOCRITICAL PIETY — EXAMPLE OF GIVING ALMS INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: In one sense, this section, like the previous one, exemplifies the authoritative teaching of Jesus...
by Paul Apple | Mar 8, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE TRANSCENDENT TEACHING OF JESUS REGARDING THE GREATER RIGHTEOUSNESS OF KINGDOM CITIZENS CLIMAXES WITH THIS COMMAND TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES WITHOUT PARTIALITY INTRODUCTION: E. Michael Green: The last example Jesus chooses of the ‘greater righteousness’ of...
by Paul Apple | Mar 7, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: KINGDOM ETHICS REQUIRE GIVING UP OUR RIGHTS WHEN WE ARE WRONGED INSTEAD OF RETALIATING INTRODUCTION: Charles Swindoll: The wheels of justice turned on the principle of payback. However, God gave these guidelines to govern civil and criminal justice. They...
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...
