Author Archives: Shawn Thomas

About Shawn Thomas

My blog, shawnethomas.com, features the text of my sermons, book reviews, family life experiences -- as well as a brief overview of the Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson for Southern Baptist Sunday School teachers.

Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 1:4-19, “Prepares”

Posted on 2023/05/27 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers & Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 1:4-19, for Sunday, June 4, 2023, with the title, “Prepares.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Thyatira: “The Church That Tolerated The Intolerable” (Revelation 2:18-29 sermon)

Posted on 2023/05/22 by Shawn Thomas

I read a very interesting article by a Christian parent last week, who said that they asked their 15-year-old daughter: “What is a name that kids in your school do NOT want to be called? (I thought that was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Revelation sermon series | Tagged abortion, acceptance vs. forgiveness, church, church polity, compromise, faithfulness, false teachers, forgiveness, God relationship, God's patience, God's judgment, homosexuality, homosexuality Leviticus shrimp, I Corinthians 5, I've known the Lord, immorality, intolerant, Islam, J.I. Packer, Jesus, Jesus Lord of the church, Jesus morning star, Jezebel, John Newton religious liberty, John Newton tolerance, judgment, knowing God, Lordship of Christ, Noah, Noah flood, Old Testament, patience, Psalm 16:11, repent, repentance, Revelation 2 sermon, Revelation 22:16, sexuality, Sodom and Gomorrah, Thyatira, tolerance, tolerating the intolerable | Leave a comment

Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 21:15-23 “Do You Love Me?”

Posted on 2023/05/20 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers & Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 21:15-23, “Do You Love Me?” for Sunday, May 28, 2023. (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged agape, confession, cost of following Jesus, deacon, Do You Love Me?, feed My sheep, I Love Thee hymn, Jesus, John 21 Explore the Bible lesson, John 21 Sunday school lesson, John 21 Sunday school teacher help, John vs. Peter, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 21, love, pastor, Peter, phileo, potter and clay, repentance, Romans 9:20, service, sin, Sunday School teacher, You follow Me | 4 Comments

“The Church That Dropped The Baton” (Revelation 2:12-17 sermon)

Posted on 2023/05/15 by Shawn Thomas

In 2008, the U.S. men’s 4×100 relay team was favored to win the Olympic gold medal. They had won the world championship the year before, and they were off to a good start in the first Olympic race. They finished … Continue reading →

Posted in Revelation sermon series | Tagged Agatha Christie, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Barstow basketball, baton, Bob Lockhart Revelation, Bristow basketball contest, Caesar is Lord, Christian faith passing baton, Christian race, Church at Pergamum, church doctrine, church growth, church humbug, circumstances, doctrine, drop the baton, faithful, God's will, I know, II Timothy 1:5, Inshallah, it matters what you believe, Jesus cares, Jesus is Lord, Jesus knows, libertine, manna, Mothers Day, Nicolaiitans, one voice, parenting, Pergamum, prosperity gospel, relay race, repent, Revelation 2:12-17, Sodom & Gomorrah, teaching, teaching of Balaam, two-edged sword, U.S. Olympic team drop baton | Leave a comment

Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 20:19-29, “Reach Out Your Hand”

Posted on 2023/05/13 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 20:19-29 for Sunday, May 21, 2023 with the title, “Reach Out Your Hand.” A video version of this overview is available … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "doubting Thomas" Sunday school lesson, apostle Thomas, as the Father sent Me, Babylon Bee Gospel with minimal effort, Babylon Bee satire, Caesar is Lord, deity of Jesus, Ephesians 2:14-15, Esther Edwards peace, Explore the Bible teacher help John 20:19-29, Great Commission, I Corinthians 12:3, Incarnation, incarnational mission, Jesus, Jesus is Lord, Jesus resurrection Sunday school lesson, John 1:1, John 20:19-29, John 20:19-29 Sunday school lesson, Jonathan Edwards George Marsden, kurios Lord, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 20:19-29, mission, missionary, My Lord and My God, peace, peace in your heart, Peace to you, peace with God, peace with others, personal commitment, Philippians 2:11, Philippians 4:7, receive the Holy Spirit, resurrection, Romans 5:1, so send I you, Sunday school lesson help John 20:19-29, Sunday school teacher help John 20:19-29, Texas Port Ministry | 8 Comments

“The Church That Was Tested” (Revelation 2:8-11 sermon)

Posted on 2023/05/08 by Shawn Thomas

Some of you know that in 2012 I went through an illness that put me out of the ministry for two years. I lost my job, my income, we had to sell our home, and many of our possessions. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Revelation sermon series | Tagged abortion, be faithful, Bible, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Churches of Revelation 2-3, doctrine, don't give up, faithful, faithfulness, false religion, hate crimes, homosexuality, it was good for me that I was afflicted, Jesus only way, Jesus Satan brothers, Jonathan Edwards, Letter to Smyrna, Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain, Mormon Church, Nik Ripken, perseverance, POTS, poverty, Psalm 119, Reproductive Freedom Church, revelation, Revelation 2:8-11, Revelation sermon, Revelation Smyrna, RFC, Rich Man and Lazarus, ten days, testing, testing limits, tests, The African Queen, tribulation | 1 Comment

Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 19:17-30, “It Is Finished”

Posted on 2023/05/06 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of John 19:17-30, “It Is Finished,” for Sunday, May 14, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Bible prophecy, cast lots for clothes, crucifixion, crucifixion Josephus, David McCullough The Pioneers, Explore the Bible John 19:17-30, fulfilled scripture, honor your father and mother, I am thirsty, I Peter 2:24, It is finished, Jesus knowing, John 19:17-30 Lifeway, Koine Greek, legalism, Lifeway Explore the Bible, Mel Gibson Passion of the Christ, paid in full, Psalm 22, Sunday school lesson help John 19:17-30, teacher help John 19, tetelestai | 6 Comments

Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 18:28-40, “I Find No Fault”

Posted on 2023/04/30 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 18:28-40 for Sunday, May 7, 2023 with the title: “I Find No Fault.” A video version of this overview is available … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Barabbas, Barabbas substitute, Christian militarism, church, church goals, evangelism, Explore the Bible, Explore the Bible lesson John 18, Henry Neil Mallon George H.W. Bush, hypocrisy, I Peter 1:19, Jesus on trial, John 18 Sunday school help, Jon Meachan Destiny and Power, Lifeway, male without blemish, Pilate, Pilate what is truth, Robert Caro Lyndon Johnson biography, sacrifice, substitutionary atonement, Sunday school teacher help John 18, truth, what is truth | 11 Comments

“The Church That Left Their First Love” (Revelation 2:1-7 sermon)

Posted on 2023/04/24 by Shawn Thomas

Cheryl & I are so grateful for the kids God blessed us with; but sometimes they can be a little bit stubborn. (I wonder where they got that …). Our boys ran track in high school, and one time one … Continue reading →

Posted in Revelation sermon series | Tagged all your heart, Church at Ephesus sermon, Churches of Revelation, deeds, do, Ephesus first love, first love, God is love, going through the motions, He who has an ear, heart, I John 4:8, I used to, Jeremiah 2 love, Jesus, Jesus letter to Ephesus, letter to Ephesus, Lewis Allen, love, Luke 15, Luke 15 repentance, Lyanda Lynn Haupt, Matthew 23:23, Prodigal Son, Psalm 42, Rare Encounters With Extraordinary Birds, remember, remember repent do, repent, repentance, Revelation 2 sermon, Revelation 2:1-7, tee ball, The Most Important Thing, The Preacher's Catechism | Leave a comment

Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson John 18:1-11, “I Am He”

Posted on 2023/04/22 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 18:1-11 for Sunday, April 30, 2023, “I Am He.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Explore the Bible, favorite actors, gospel, Hernando Cortez, Islam and the sword, Jesus, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, Jesus I AM, John 18 lesson help, John 18 Sunday school lesson, John 18:1-11, Judas, Lifeway, Richard Bauckham, salvation, Simon Peter, slave Malchus, Sunday school teacher help | 4 Comments