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)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "Inviting Jesus Into Your Home" (Luke 10:38-42 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
For The Common Good
“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (I Corinthians 12:7) The Bible teaches us here that every believer in Jesus Christ has been given a gift by the Holy Spirit: “But to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged church, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 12:7, pneumatica, service
1 Comment
The River of God’s Delights
“They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. (Psalm 36:8) Speaking of those who have been touched by the grace of God (:7), the present verse … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Christian hedonism, delight, edenica, Hebrew word, pleasure, Psalm 36:8, salvation, worship
1 Comment
The Divine Delight
“Behold, My Servant, Whom I uphold; My Chosen One in Whom My soul delights.” (Isaiah 42:1) It is significant that God calls His Servant here “My chosen one IN WHOM MY SOUL DELIGHTS.” The “Servant” which is mentioned several times … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology
Tagged Christ, delight, eternal fellowship, father, fellowship, Holy Spirit, Isaiah 42:1, Isaiah 53, Jesus, joy, Messiah, pleasure, servant, Son, Suffering Servant, Trinity
1 Comment
“This Is My Story: The Apostle Paul” (Philippians 3:3-9 sermon)
For the last 50 years of the 20th century, Anthony Flew, professor of philosophy at Reading University in England, had been one of the world’s most influential atheists. But in December of 2004, Flew made news by announcing that “it … Continue reading
Posted in "This Is My Story" sermon series, Sermons
Tagged Acts 22:1-16, Anthony Flew, Apostle Paul, baptism, communion, confirmation, heritage, imputed righteousness, justification, Philippians 3:3-9, righteousness, rites, rituals, salvation, salvation by works, testimony, wedding clothes, wedding feast parable, works
2 Comments
The Triune Example For Unity Amidst Diversity In The Church
In I Corinthians 12:4-6 Paul definitely spoke in purposeful Trinitarian terms in order to make his point about God’s desire for unity amidst a diversity of gifts in His church: — :4 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology, Ministry
Tagged church, diversity, gifts, I Corinthians 12:4-6, roles, Trinity, Triune God, unity
2 Comments
“With The Last”
“I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. I am He.” (Isaiah 41:4) God tells us two important things about Himself in this verse: — God was first. He was already in existence when nothing else was. He … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology
Tagged eternal life, eternity, eternity past, Isaiah 41:4, John 3:16, Psalm 90, salvation, theology
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The Immeasurable Goodness of our God
Psalm 36:5-6 describes four qualities of God in the following manner: — :5a “Your lovingkindness, O Lord, reaches to the heavens” — :5b “Your faithfulness to the skies” — :6a “Your righteousness is like the mountains of God” — :6b “Your … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged chesed, faithfulness, God, grace, judgment, lovingkindness, Martin Luther, Psalm 36:5-6, righteousness, theology
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“My Body, My Choice”?
“And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you …’.” (I Corinthians 11:24) These words the Lord Jesus spoke have become so familiar to many of us that it can … Continue reading
“This Is My Story: The Prodigal Son” (Luke 15:11-32 sermon)
A few years back, in a state prison in Hominy, Oklahoma, they had an area in the kitchen they called the “pig slop” pit, into which they would throw all kinds of animal renderings and other food wastes, which they … Continue reading
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