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 Genesis 2:7-9, 15-25, “The First Couple”

Posted on 2023/12/02 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 2:7-9, 15-25 for Sunday, December 10, 2023, “The First Couple.” A video overview of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →

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Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: Genesis 1-2 “The First Week”

Posted on 2023/11/27 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 1:1-5, 26-2:3, “The First Week,” for Sunday, December 3, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: ??? Share the most beautiful/most favorite place … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged 7th Day Adventists, 7th Day Baptists, abortion, Andrew Parker Genesis, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, C.S. Lewis, creation, creationism, doctrine of man, Dr. John Lennox, Explore the Bible, gender, gender Bible, gender issues, Genesis 1, Genesis 1:1, Genesis 2, he made the stars, homosexuality, In the beginning GOd, Jesus, John 1:1-2, John Barletta, let there be light, Lifeway, Lord's Day, Milky Way galaxy, naturalism, nature, Richard Dawkins, Ronald Reagan, Sabbath, sabbath issues, Stephen Hawking, Trinity, universe, universe size, Weight of Glory | 3 Comments

“A Song In The Night” (Habakkuk 3 sermon)

Posted on 2023/11/27 by Shawn Thomas

In the early 1820’s, John Keats, the English poet, went outside one evening for the specific purpose of sitting under a tree and listening to the song of a nightingale, the bird renowned for singing its song at night. Several … Continue reading →

Posted in Habakkuk "Find Us Faithful" series messages | Tagged adversity, Anne of Green Gables, Charles Spurgeon, David Psalm 22, Ephesians 1 every spiritual blessing, glory God, God, God holy, God judge, God relationship, God song, Habakkuk, Habakkuk 3, Habakkuk song, heaven, Henry V, how to be saved, Jesus, Job, John Keats Nightingale, joy, Psalm 4, rejoicing, salvation, Samuel Rutherford, Song in the Night, spiritual blessings, Spurgeon song in the night, Thanksgiving | 2 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: Mark 16:1-14, “Alive”

Posted on 2023/11/18 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible lesson of Mark 16:1-14, “Alive,” scheduled for Sunday, November 26, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: ONE WAY to introduce this lesson would be to post … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Albert Henry Ross, alive, Anthony Flew There is a God, apologetics, Christ is risen, empty tomb, evangelism, Explore the Bible, Frank Morison, Galatians 2:20, I Corinthians 15, Jaroslav Pelikan, Jesus resurrection, Joe McKeever, Joseph of Arimathea, lesson overview, lesson plan, Lifeway, Mark 16, Mark 16:1-14, Mary Magdalene, ministry, N.T. Wright, Psalm 139, Psalm 139:17-18, R.W. Dale, R.W. Dale Christ is alive, resurrection, Road to Emmaus, Sabbath, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, Thomas Jefferson Bible, Who Moved The Stone, witness, women | 6 Comments

“The LORD in His Holy Temple” (Habakkuk 2:12-20 sermon)

Posted on 2023/11/13 by Shawn Thomas

Virtually everyone in our country knows George Washington, our first, and one of our greatest presidents of the United States. Washington had a very charismatic demeanor about him. Men who were fleeing in battle would suddenly turn around and face … Continue reading →

Posted in Habakkuk "Find Us Faithful" series messages, Sermons | Tagged A.W. Tozer Knowledge of the Holy, America slavery judgment, awe, be still and know, Bible Reading, business ethics, business practices, Chris Moore Texas Port Ministry, daily devotions, daily prayer, David McCullough John Adams, devotions, ethics, General George Marshall, George Washington Ron Chernow, God holy, God's judgment, Habakkuk, Habakkuk 2, Habakkuk sermon, He walks with me and talks with me, hush, I AM, idol worship, idolatry, idols, In The Garden, John the Baptist repent, judgment, levity in worship, love, loving people, Mark Twain, morning prayer, Revelation 1 Jesus, reverence in worship, sin, slavery, The Great I AM, The Innocents Abroad, The Lord is in His holy temple, Thomas Jefferson, using people, woe, Yahweh, YHWH | Leave a comment

Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Mark 15:24-39, “Sacrificed”

Posted on 2023/11/11 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Mark 15:24-38 for Sunday, November 19, 2023, “Sacrificed.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: One … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged A.D. 70, Alexamenos worships God, At The Cross, Bible prophecy, casting lots, centurion, characters at the cross, Christ crucified, cross of Christ, donkey cross, Ephesians 3:12, Explore the Bible, Explore the Bible Mark 15, fulfilled scripture, gospel, Hebrews 10:19-22, hymn At The Cross, I Corinthians 1:18, Isaiah 53, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Old Testament prophecy, John Lloyd Stephens Incidents of Travel, Lifeway, Mark 15 Sunday school lesson, Mark 15 teacher help, Mark 15:24-39, Mark 4, Muslims and the cross, Nabeel Qureshi, Old Testament prophecies, Parable of the Sower, Rob Plummer, salvation, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, Shawn Thomas, Something awry in the Temple, Sunday School teachers, tabernacle, Temple, the cross, truly this man was the son of God, veil of the Temple, why have you forsaken Me | 3 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson of Mark 14:32-42, “Willing”

Posted on 2023/11/04 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Mark 14:32-42 for Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: ??? Ask your … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Abba Father, Alexander Whyte, an ounce of prevention, battle, Christ, disciples, Explore the Bible, forgiveness, Garden of Gethsemane, God's will, help my unbelief, I Peter 2:24, Jesus, John Jellico, lead us not into temmptation, Lifeway, Mark 14:32-42, Mark 7:25, Mark Sunday school lesson, model prayer, Mount of Olives, olive oil, olive press, prayer, Romans 3:19, salvation, sin, spiritual warfare, Sun Tzu, the cross, three strikes and you're out, Thy will be done, trials, William Manchester Last Lion, Winston Churchill | 3 Comments

“Ungodly Appetites” (Habakkuk 2:5+ sermon)

Posted on 2023/10/30 by Shawn Thomas

In Leonia, New Jersey, a few years ago, a man was arrested for stealing a truck of Snapple beverages. After they investigated, it turned out that he had previously worked for Snapple, and had been fired from his job for … Continue reading →

Posted in Habakkuk "Find Us Faithful" series messages, Sermons | Tagged addictions, America judgment, appetite, Caylie Anthony, Colossians 2:21, debt, drinking, drugs, drunkenness, finances, giving, gospel, greed, Habakkuk, Habakkuk sermon, Jesus, judgment, legalism, materialism, money, more, more more more, pornography, retail therapy, salvation, satisfaction, shoppers high, Snapple, tithe, tithing, ungodly appetites, woe | 1 Comment

Teacher’s Overview of Mark 13:24-37 “Returning” Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for 11/05/23.

Posted on 2023/10/28 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s lesson of Mark 13, for Sunday, November 5, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: This is an exciting lesson on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged 88 reasons rapture, abomination of desolation, antichrist, Baptist Faith & Message, Bible study outline, end time, end times, eschatology, Explore the Bible, General MacArthur, Hitler, I shall return, Israel, Jesus, lesson help, Lifeway, Mark 13:24-37, Mark Sunday school lesson, Napoleon, Nation of Israel, rapture, return, return of Christ, second coming, Sunday School teacher, Sunday school teacher help, Temple, The Great Disappointment, this generation, tribulation, waiting, William Miller | 8 Comments

“The Righteous Will Live By His Faith” (Habakkuk 2:4 sermon)

Posted on 2023/10/23 by Shawn Thomas

In the early 1500’s, a young man named Martin Luther felt a great burden of his sin before a holy God; he knew he was not right with Him. So he went to some of his church leaders for counsel, … Continue reading →

Posted in Habakkuk "Find Us Faithful" series messages, Sermons | Tagged Charles Dickens Great Expectations, David Psalm 22, do you believe this?, faith, faith and trials, Habakkuk 2:4, Hebrews 10:38, how to be saved, Jesus lifted up, Job, John 11:25, John 3 Nicodemus, John 3:16, Martin Luther, Mormon baptism for dead, Moses serpent, personal faith, Protestant Reformation, righteous, righteous will live by faith, Romans 1:17, salvation, salvation by faith, scala sancta, serpent in the wilderness, serpent on a pole, Sola Fide, The Reformation, vicarious, Yes Lord I believe | 2 Comments