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.
-
Top Posts & Pages
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 1:1-11, 16-18, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson: "Strong & Courageous" for 6/07/26
- Teacher's Overview of Numbers 14:11-24, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Rebellion & Judgment" for 9/28/25
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Joshua 2:4-21, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Amazing Grace," for June 14, 2026.
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 27:27-31, 45-54, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Our Savior," for 5/31/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Disciple's Character: Purity of Heart" (Matthew 5:8 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 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
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: Mark 1:35-45, “Proclaimed”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Mark 1:35-45, “Proclaimed,” for Sunday, September 10, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: When British … Continue reading
“Christ’s Model of Obedience” (John 14:31 sermon)
One of the most glorious moments in the American Revolution was George Washington’s daring raid on Trenton, N.J., in December of 1776, when he led his men across the swollen Delaware River in freezing weather to launch a surprise attack … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged action of obedience, Battle of Trenton, Bible application, Bible Reading, Bible study, blessed if you do them, children and obedience, Christ, David McCullough 1776, doing, George MacDonald, George MacDonald obedience, George Washington, gospel, Here I stand, II Corinthians 5:21, II Samuel 6 ark, Jesus, Jesus example of obedience, Jesus obedience, John 13:17, John 14:31, Martin Luther Reformation, obedience, obedience quote, obedient, obey, parents and obedience, partial obedience is disobedience, pastors and obedience, personal obedience, salvation, sola scriptura, Sunday School teachers, Washington crossing Delaware
Leave a comment
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: Mark 1:1-13, “Introduced”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Mark 1:1-13, for Sunday, September 3, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: Read some famous … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Book of Mark, books, church, Explore the Bible, first line of books, Gregory Nazianzen, Harold Lindsell, Harry Potter, humility, II TImothy 2:21, Jesus, Jesus prophecy, John the Baptist, Joshua 3:5, Lifeway, Mark 1:1-13, Mark Bible study, Messiah, modalism, Nabeel Qureshi, obedience, Old Testament prophecy of Jesus, preparation for ministry, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, Shawn Thomas, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school lesson help, Sunday school teacher help, Trinity
18 Comments
“Coming To Worship Jesus” (Luke 21:38 sermon)
Charles Spurgeon once told a story about how Caesar Augustus was invited to a feast in his honor; but the attendance was so poor, and the feast was so mediocre, that he arose in the midst of it and lamented: … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged beauty of holiness, C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon Caesar Augustus, church, church attendance, clergymen, consider Him, day of preparation, discipleship, family, Hebrews 10:25, holiness, humility, II Samuel 24:24, Isaiah 66:2, Jesus, Jesus glory, Jesus return, John 19:42, Luke 21:28, pastors, Philippians 2, preparation, preparation for worship, pride, Psalm 96:9, Sabbath, sacrifice, sacrifice that cost me nothing, salvation, sleep, Sunday, Sunday morning worship is a Saturday night decision, Sunday sabbath, Sunday worship, worship, worship Jesus, worship sacrifice
Leave a comment
Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” Lamentations 3:19-33 “Good”
A brief overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Lamentations 3:19-33 for Sunday, August 27, 2023, with the title, “Good.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: A few months into the American Revolution in … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Augustine of Hippo, chesed, child of such tears, compassion, David McCullough, depression, Explore the Bible, faithfulness, God, God judge, God's love, grace, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, hope, II Corinthians 10:5, II Timothy 2:13, inheritance, Jehovah, Jeremiah, Jerusalem, Lamentations 3:19-33, Lifeway, Lord, love, lovingkindness, Martin Luther, Monica Augustine, portion, priests, Psalm 103, Psalm 16, Psalm 2:2, Psalm 42, seek God, seeking God, Shawn Thomas, SS teacher help, St. Augustine, Sunday school lesson, taking thoughts captive, The Lord is my portion, tob, trials, Yahweh
16 Comments
“Will Your Work Perish, or Last?” (John 6:27 sermon)
Every so often the U.S. economy will have a recession, or a depression — or even what they call a “Crash,” like what happened in 1929. One of the worst in our history was in 1873, when banks and businesses … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged 168 hours a week, 5 loves and 2 fish, baptism, Billy Graham, bread, call to ministry, Christian vocation, crash, depression, don't waste your life, Dwight Eisenhower, economic crisis, economy, endure, eternal, eternal investment, eternal life, eternal security, feeding the 5000, fellowship hall, fish, giving, I Corinthians 3:12-15, invest time, Jesus foundation, Jim Eliot, John 6:27, John Piper, ministry, missions, money, perish, priorities, recession, salvation, saved, saved yet so as through fire, service, sinners prayer, soul, stewardship, temporary, that man is no fool, This Is My Story, time, tithe, vocation, work, works
2 Comments
Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: Jeremiah 50:11-20, 33-34, “Just”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible lesson of Jeremiah 50, for Sunday, August 20, 2023, with the title, “Just.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
“Honest to God” (Psalm 10:1 sermon)
Back when Harry Truman was President of the United States just after World War II, Dean Acheson was the Secretary of State. Someone later asked Acheson what kind of relationship he had with the President, and he said, among other … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged angry with God, David McCullough Truman, Dean Acheson, fair weather friend, God is sufficient, Harry Truman, honest to God, hypocrisy, Jonah anger with God, prayer, Psalm 10 sermon, Psalm 22:1, Psalm complaint, questions of Job, salvation, talk to God about anything, Tom Elliff prayer
1 Comment
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: Jeremiah 42:7-22, “Trustworthy”
A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 42:71-22 for Sunday, August 13, 2023, with the title, “Trustworthy.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged arrogance, direction, Explore the Bible, Ferdinand Magellan death, God's will, Jeremiah 42, Jeremiah 42 Sunday school lesson, Jeremiah 42:7-22, John 4 whatever He says to you do it, Lifeway, obedience, prayer, pride, Proverbs 14:12, rich young ruler, seeking God, Sunday school lesson help Jeremiah 42, Sunday school teacher help, time to seek God, tithe, tithing
7 Comments
shawnethomas 