I'm a retired Southern Baptist pastor of almost 40 years. My wife Cheryl & I moved to Norman, OK in March of 2025. I share a weekly overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, as well as texts of my sermons and other articles.
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Top Posts & Pages
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 21:23-32, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Authority," for 4/26/26.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Honor" for 5/03/26
- Teacher's Overview of Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-25, "Love" for Sunday 11/02/25
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Inviting Jesus Into Your Home" (Luke 10:38-42 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
Categories
- "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12)
- "The Disciplines of Disciples" series
- "This Is My Story" sermon series
- Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA
- Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
- COVID-19 crisis assorted messages
- Current Events
- Devotions/Bible Studies
- Discipleship
- Discovering FBCA Membership class lessons
- Doctrine/Theology
- Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
- Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons
- Habakkuk "Find Us Faithful" series messages
- History
- Home & Family Life
- I Peter sermons
- India Mission Trip 2011
- Isaiah 53 sermon series Suffering Servant Glorious King
- John 3:16 sermon series
- Luke 10:38-42 Mary & Martha series
- Luke 2 Christmas series
- Matthew sermons
- Ministry
- missions
- Music
- Philippians sermons
- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
- Psalms studies and messages
- Revelation sermon series
- Reviews
- Sermon Illustrations
- Sermons
- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
- Travel
- Uncategorized
- worship
Author Archives: Shawn Thomas
Family Gingerbread House Contest 2015
It’s that time of year again! Yes, Christmas, of course, but along with that comes our annual family gingerbread house contest. If you’d like to participate, then peruse the pictures of the entries below, and you can vote via the … Continue reading
He Did Not Open His Mouth
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth … So He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7) The fact that Jesus did not open His mouth during His sufferings is a rarity among men, and … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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“The Christ of Christmas: His Gifts” (John 1:1-14)
Whenever we think of Jesus, and gifts, and Christmas time, most of us probably think of the gifts that the Magi brought Jesus in Matthew 2: “gold, frankincense and myrrh.” In imitation of that, as many of you know, we … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Christ, eternal family, eternal life, family, family of God, gifts, grace, John 1:1-14 sermon, Law, salvation, truth
1 Comment
Don’t “Fit In”!
“Depart, depart, go out from there, touch nothing unclean; go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.” (Isaiah 52:11) Speaking of the return of the His people from captivity in Babylon, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged aliens, compromise, culture, I Peter 1:1, Isaiah 52:11, separation, strangers
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“Bad Company Corrupts Good Morals”
Evidently, someone had been teaching people in the church at Corinth that there was no resurrection from the dead, and most of I Corinthians 15 is a rebuttal of that false teaching. Interestingly, right in the middle of the chapter, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged company, fellowship, I Corinthians 15:33
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It Makes All The Difference
Would you still be a Christian even if there were no heaven, no eternity, no resurrection? I have heard some people make that claim, but I myself cannot adhere to it. Such people have said, “The Christian life is the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Christianity, eternity, faith, heaven, I Corinthians 15:32, resurrection
1 Comment
“The Christ of Christmas: His Humanity” (John 1:14 sermon)
A couple of years ago, the President of Ursiline College made headlines when she decided to move into the women’s dorm. So many college professors and administrators are accused of living in their “ivory towers” of academia, removed from what … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged carne, doctrine of Christ, in-flesh-ment, Jesus, Jesus humanity, John 1:14, Luke 2:52, theology
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Not In This World
“If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” (I Corinthians 15:19) How important is Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? In this part of I Corinthians 15, Paul listed a … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged eternity, I Corinthians 15:19, prosperity gospel, rewards, suffering, Your Best Life Now
2 Comments
A Terrifying Prospect
I was reviewing James Chapters 1 & 2 on the way to the office yesterday when all of the sudden, one of the verses sent shudders down my spine:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged God, James 2:13, judgment, justice, Lamentations 3:22, mercy, scripture memory review
2 Comments
Church: Not Spiritual “Show & Tell”
“What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” (I Corinthians 14:26) After detailing several ways … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged church, edification, ego, I Corinthians 14:26, pride, service, worship
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