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
- Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Struggle," for 10/11/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Romans 6:1-14, Overview of Lifeway's Explore the Bible lesson, "Freedom," for October 4, 2026.
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Man Born Blind" (John 9 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Romans 5:1-11, 18-21, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Restored Relationship, for 9/27/26.
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
Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 1:1-14, “In The Beginning.”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders, of Lifeway’s Explore The Bible lesson of John 1:1-14, “In the Beginning,” for Sun, Dec. 4, 2022. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Christ of Christmas, Christology, Incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Deity, Jesus humanity, John 1:1-14 Sunday school lesson helpl, Lifeway Explore the Bible, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 1:1-14, Paul Harvey The Man and the Birds, person and work of Christ, Shawn Thomas, shawnethomas.com, teacher helps John 1:1-14
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible”: Micah 7:1-10, 18-20, “Hope Found”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Micah 7:1-10 and :18-20, for Sunday, November 27, 2022, with the title: “Hope Found.” (A video version of this overview is available … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Amazing Grace, chesed, Christian hope, Explore the Bible Micah 7, Explore the Bible Sunday school lesson help, faith, family persecution of Christians, God's grace, grace that is greater, His Grace is enough song, hope, Julius Caesar mercy, Lifeway Explore the Bible Micah 7 lesson help, lovingkindness, lovingkindness meaning, Mariana Trench, Matthew 10:35-36, Micah 7 Sunday school lesson help, Micah 7 teacher help, Micah 7:1-10, persecution, Psalm 5:3, switch hitter
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“He Will Hold Me Fast: 5 Reasons Why A Genuine Christian’s Salvation Is Eternally Secure” (John 10:27-29 sermon)
We have SO many blessings to count this Thanksgiving season, don’t we? But surely one of THE greatest blessings we have to give thanks for as God’s people, is the SECURITY of our salvation in Jesus Christ — that “HE … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Sermons
Tagged Abraham Lincoln, Charles Spurgeon Isaiah 55:1, discouragement, Ephesians 1 earnest money, Ephesians 1 sealed in Him, Ephesians 1:13, eternal life gift, eternal life meaning, eternal security sermon, God faithfulness, Greek ou me, He will hold me fast song, I Timothy 1:12, II Timothy 2:13, John 10 eternal security, John 10:27-29 sermon, never perish, once saved always saved, perish, perseverance of the saints, Psalm 63:8, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:35-39, salvation
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: Micah 4:6-8, 5:1-9
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Micah 4 &5 for Sunday, November 20, 2022, with the title: “Humble Beginnings.” (A video version of this overview is available on … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bethlehem Ephrathah, Bible prophecy, dark days, George Washington American Revoluiton, how to be saved, Jesus Bethlehem, Jesus birth, Jesus person and work, John 8 I AM, lesson helps Explore the Bible Micah 4, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson help Micah 4 and 5, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson Micah 4 and 5, Messiah, Micah 5:2, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, prophecies of Christ, prophecy of Christ birth, salvation, Sunday school teacher help, teacher help Lifeway Explore the Bible Micah 4
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“Sitting Before The Lord” (I Chronicles 17:16-20 sermon)
In the late 1800s, Alexander Graham Bell was a master inventor, producing, among other things, the first telephone. But Bell’s wife Mable was concerned. Once she wrote to her mother that the endless hours he devoted to the telephone frightened … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged A.W. Tozer give time to Him, A.W. Tozer no shortcut, Alexander Graham Bell, Brooklyn Bridge David McCullough, busy-ness, Candace Millard Destiny of the Republic, Christian hedonism, daily Bible reading, daily devotions, daily prayer time, daily time with God, David prayer, devotional time, enjoy God, enter His gates with thanksgiving, how to be saved, humility, I Chronicles 17 sermon, King David, prayer, prayer time, Psalm 100:4, salvation, Shepherd, sit before God, slow down, taking for granted, Thanksgiving, time, worship
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“The Greatest Verse in the Bible?” (John 3:16 sermon)
People often enjoy discussing who or what “the greatest” is in different areas of life. A new acronym has arisen in light of that: “GOAT,” which stands for “Greatest of All Time.” The first time I saw that, it was … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged airplane trust, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, eternal life, eternal life definition, eternal life meaning, everlasting life, faith, for God so loved, Galatians 2:20, GOAT, greatest travel destination, greatest verse in the Bible, heaven, how to be saved, how to go to heaven, invitation, John 17:3, John 3:16, John 3:16 sermon, Jonathan Edwards, love, sacrifice Jesus, saving faith, this is eternal life, Tom Brady GOAT, trust in Jesus, Whoever will call, whosoever surely meaneth me, whosoever will may come, Winston Churchill son Randolph
4 Comments
Lifeway Explore the Bible: Hosea 14:1-9 “The Restoration Promised”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for Sunday, November 6, 2022, “The Restoration Promised, from Hosea 14:1-9. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bible study, Billy Graham Peace With God, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, cedar of Lebanon, Explore the Bible, Explore the Bible teacher helps Hosea 14:1-9, false gods, false hope, false trust, Hosea 14 lesson outline, Hosea 14:1-9, how to be saved, India gods, iniquity definition, iniquity meaning, Israel, Jesus, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson Hosea 14:1-9, lily, olive tree, prayer of faith, prayer of salvation, repent, repentance and faith, repentance meaning, salvation, Samaria, sinners prayer, Sunday school teacher help, The Restoration Promised Sunday school lesson, witness, witnessing
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Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: Hosea 10:5-15 “The Sin Harvested”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for Sunday, October 30, 2022. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: ??? You might ask your class … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Alexander the Great Theban revolt, Beth aven, Bethel, E.W. Starling George Anderson, Explore the Bible Hosea 10:5-15, Explore the Bible lesson help, Galatians 6 reap what you sow, gospel, how to be saved, Israel idolatry, judgment, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview, Rod Masteller, salvation, sin, sow and reap, Sunday school lesson help, Sunday school lesson outline Hosea 10:5-15, Sunday school teacher help Hosea 10:5-15, wisteria
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