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 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 19:16-30, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Eternal Life" for 4/12/26
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "I AM the Living One" (Revelation 1:17-18 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 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: Jeremiah 18:1-12, “Shapes”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 18:1-12, with the title, “Shapes,” for Sunday, July 2, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bible study, Calvinism, clay, Explore the Bible, Explore the Bible lesson help, faith, gender, gender confusion, gender identity, gospel, Have Thine Own Way, Jeremiah, Jeremiah 18, Jeremiah 18:1-12, kiln, Lifeway, obedience, potter, predestination, repent, repentance, Romans 8:28-29, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school lesson help Jeremiah 18, teacher lesson help
12 Comments
“The Church That Made God Sick” (Revelation 3:14-22 sermon)
Someone once did a survey of his church group, and he asked them: On a scale of 1-10, “1” meaning that you are very cold-hearted towards God, and “10” meaning that you are really “on fire” for Him — what … Continue reading
Posted in Revelation sermon series
Tagged admit need, Bach JJ, Church at Laodicea, deeds, hot or cold, I Need Thee Every Hour, I stand at the door and knock, Jesus invitation, Jimmy Carter Revelation 3:20, Johann Sebastian Bach Jesu Juva, LBJ, lukewarm, lukewarm deeds, lukewarmness, Lyndon Johnson, Lyndon Johnson need help, Matthew 5:3, ministry, need, poor in spirit, revelation, Revelation 3, Revelation 3:14-22, Revelation 3:20, Revelation sermon, Revelation sermon series, Robert Caro Lyndon Johnson, salvation, service, The Church That Made God Sick, William Holman Hunt Jesus painting, works, wretched meaning
1 Comment
Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 12:1-13, “Exclusive”
A brief overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 12:1-13 for Sunday, June 25, 2023, with the title, “Exclusive.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO ??? Can you share a time … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged ask God why, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Boss Tweed, gay wedding cake, God, hang on, Hosea 11, How can I give you up, Jeremiah, Jeremiah 12:1-13, Jeremiah 12:1-13 Bible Study, Jeremiah 12:1-13 Sunday school lesson, Jesus why have You forsaken Me, judgment, Lifeway Explore the Bible, love, Matthew 15:8, Prodigal Son, Psalm 43:2 why, Psalm 73, run with footmen, stick to it, Sunday school teacher help, Sweet Cakes By Melissa, theodicy, wicked prosper
17 Comments
“The Church With An Open Door” (Revelation 3:7-13 sermon)
When Cheryl & I first began dating, she had been on “Cloud 9” for weeks. She had told everyone at her job at Jack’s Service Company in Oklahoma City about this great guy she was now with. They all said they … Continue reading
Posted in Revelation sermon series, Sermons
Tagged Acts 16 Macedonia, atheism, Caesar is Lord, church at Philadelphia, church open door, Church With An Open Door, closed doors open doors, evangelism, faithful, faithfulness, gospel, Jeremiah 1, Jesus, Jesus is Lord, Jesus to the churches, Lord of the open door, ministry, mission, Open Door, opportunity, peer pressure, people of the open door, persecution, philadelphia, pressure, rainbow, Revelation 3:7-13, Revelation 3:7-13 sermon
1 Comment
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: Jeremiah 7:1-15, “Personal”
A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 7:1-15, for Sunday, June 18, 2023, with the title, “Personal.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged amend your deeds, America judgment, Ananias and Sapphira, baseball superstitions, change your ways, David McCullough, deeds, Explore the Bible, false trust, gospel, Jeremiah 7 Sunday school lesson, Jeremiah 7:1-15, Jeremiah Temple Sermon, judgment, King David, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson Jeremiah 7:1-15, Paris, Planet of the Apes, repent, repentance, Samson, Shiloh, Sunday school teacher help Jeremiah 7:1-15, Ten Commandments, The Greater Journey, The Temple of the Lord, Yahweh, YHWH
12 Comments
“The Church That Looked Better Than It Really Was” (Revelation 3:1-6 sermon)
In 2010, Cheryl & our youngest son Michael & I visited England, and one the top things on my list to see was the Metropolitan Tabernacle Church in London: once the “megachurch” of the 1800s, where Charles Spurgeon, perhaps the … Continue reading
Posted in Revelation sermon series
Tagged appearance, church, Church at Sardis, clean room, deeds, faithful, FBC Angleton, finish, First Baptist Church Angleton, Florence Nightengale, God omniscience, happiness, happy in heaven, heaven, Henry Stanley, Henry Stanley happy Denzil, hypocrites, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the reward, Jesus knows, Jesus reward, Jim Gasso, Letters to the churches in Revelation, Matthew 23:27, Metropolitan Tabernacle London, Ministry Safe training, not found deeds completed, outward appearance, parenting, Psalm 16:11, quit before finish, reputation, reputation greater than reality, revelation, Revelation 3:1-6, reward, Sardis, Spurgeon's Tabernacle, works
1 Comment
Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: Jeremiah 2:1-13 “Judges”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” series lesson of Jeremiah 2:1-13 for Sunday, June 11, 2023, with the title “Judges.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Babe Ruth trade, cistern, Explore the Bible, Jeremiah 2 "Judges", Jeremiah 2:1-13, John Calvin idol factory, left first love, Lifeway Explore the Bible, lost your first love, love, marriage, Revelation 2:4, Sunday school lesson Jeremiah 2, Sunday school teacher help Jeremiah 2, trade
7 Comments
Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 1:4-19, “Prepares”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers & Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Jeremiah 1:4-19, for Sunday, June 4, 2023, with the title, “Prepares.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
11 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 21:15-23 “Do You Love Me?”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers & Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 21:15-23, “Do You Love Me?” for Sunday, May 28, 2023. (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged agape, confession, cost of following Jesus, deacon, Do You Love Me?, feed My sheep, I Love Thee hymn, Jesus, John 21 Explore the Bible lesson, John 21 Sunday school lesson, John 21 Sunday school teacher help, John vs. Peter, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 21, love, pastor, Peter, phileo, potter and clay, repentance, Romans 9:20, service, sin, Sunday School teacher, You follow Me
4 Comments
shawnethomas 