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 24:36-51, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Alert" for May 10, 2026
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Honor" for 5/03/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "Inviting Jesus Into Your Home" (Luke 10:38-42 sermon)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 sermon)
- "The Gift That Is An Insult" (I Kings 9:10-14)
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
“De-Christmas-ing”
Today we are “De-Christmas-ing.” I got that word from a good friend of ours at church who put all their Christmas decorations away yesterday, and reported about it on Facebook. I decided that’s a pretty good term. I like Christmas … Continue reading
Heralds of the Advent: Isaiah 9
One of my favorite editorial cartoons ran a number of years ago during the last recession. Like many cartoons, it appeared in two parts. The first showed a man sitting in front of a Christmas tree that was packed underneath … Continue reading
“Martin Luther’s Christmas Sermon” (compiled)
Martin Luther was the man God used to spark the Protestant Reformation in the 1500’s. As a young man, Luther had done his best to justify himself by his works, but never found peace with God until the Lord … Continue reading
A very specific, personal decision …
Friday is our son Michael’s last day at school. Yeah, I know, it is the last day for a lot of kids – it’s Christmas break! But unlike a lot of other kids, when break is over, Michael is not … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged family decision, FBC Moss Bluff Academy, homeschooling, Michael Thomas
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The Work of the Kingdom: Matthew 9:35-38
Yesterday afternoon I went out to the Moss Bluff Christmas Parade to see any of our people who might be out there – and also to see if the Lord might lay on my heart any ideas for us to … Continue reading
Heralds of the Advent: Micah 5
When Mark Twain visited the Holy Land in the 1860’s, he did not find Bethlehem to be impressive. In fact, he wrote later of its “mouldy domes and turrets” and disparaged its “noisy mob” and “leprous beggars.” He said he … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged "O Little Town of Bethlehem", advent, anxiety, Bethlehem, fear, Lordship, Mark Twain, Micah 5:2-5, Phillips Brooks, sermon, Shepherd
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“The Real Thing: Love Triumphant”
I Corinthians 13:7-8 Archeologists in Italy have unearthed what some are calling the ultimate picture of love: an ancient farmer and his wife who were buried together, holding hands. The wife’s head is turned, as if looking upon her husband. … Continue reading
“A Christmas Carol”
“The movie was not as good as the book” is a cliché for a reason: they rarely ever are! I have enjoyed several versions of “A Christmas Carol” in movie form, but none of them can capture the vivid descriptions, … Continue reading
The Knowledge of the Holy, by A.W. Tozer
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” So A.W. Tozer opens his classic book, The Knowledge of the Holy. Tozer, who pastored in the middle of the 20th century, spoke prophetically … Continue reading
The “Thanksgiving Gift”
It is not that unusual for a tale to become twisted in its transmission, often to someone’s detriment – but the slightly misunderstood story of “the Thanksgiving Gift” may just end up being to the benefit of all!
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