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)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 19:16-30, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Eternal Life" for 4/12/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Seek The Lord" (Isaiah 55:6-7 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
“Explore the Bible” Lesson Overview: II Kings 19:10-19, 32-34, “God Hears”
(A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of II Kings 19, for Sunday, August 21, 2022. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: Ask your … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 911 history, answered prayers, God is our 911, Hezekiah's prayer, how to pray, II Kings 19, II Kings 19 "God Hears" lesson help, II Kings 19 King Hezekiah, intercession, King Hezekiah, Lifeway Explore the Bible, Lifeway Explore the Bible II Kings 19, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson help, model prayer, prayer
9 Comments
“For All Of Us” (Isaiah 53:6 sermon)
I remember when I was a boy, growing up at the First Baptist Church of Harrah, Oklahoma, our pastor (Hoyt Aduddell) had just preached one of those messages that sticks with you for some reason. The reason this particular message … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged all have sinned, all we like sheep, atonement, BP oil spill, Exxon Valdez, I Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 53:6, It is well with my soul, Jesus cross, Messiah, my sin o the bliss, respond to the gospel, response, Romans 10:13, RSVP, Ruthanna Metzger RSVP, salvation, sheep, sin, substitute, substitutionary atonement, Suffering Servant
1 Comment
Lifeway “Explore the Bible” II Kings 17:7-20 teachers’ overview: “God Judges”
A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for Sunday, August 14, 2022, “God Judges.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: You could ask your … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons
Tagged Explore the Bible, Explore the Bible lesson August 14 2022, Explore the Bible lesson II Kings 17:7-20, God, God as Judge, God Judges, idolatry, lesson overview, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible, Lifeway Sunday school lesson help, President Andrew Jackson, Samaritans origin, Sunday school lesson help, teacher helps, worship
12 Comments
Teachers Overview of Explore the Bible II Kings 12:4-16, for Sun. Aug. 7, “God Honors”
(A brief overview for teachers and Sunday School leaders of the Lifeway “Explore the Bible” Sunday school lesson for Sunday, August 7, 2022 from II Kings 12:4-16. A video version of these notes is available at: INTRO: You could ask … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
2 Comments
“Warnings From The Wilderness” (I Cor. 10 sermon)
On the coastline of Japan, there is a little village called Aneyoshi. On a certain spot in the town, there is an ancient stone tablet, engraved with a somber warning: “Remember the calamity of the great tsunamis. Do not build … Continue reading
Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore The Bible” lesson: II Kings 7:1-15 “God Provides”
(A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for July 31, 2022. Video version of these notes is available at: INTRO: In 1776 George Washington and the Colonial army had the … Continue reading
Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: II Kings 5:1-14, “God Heals”
(This is a brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson for Sunday, July 27, 2022) I’m going to suggest a couple of different ways you could begin this week’s lesson: ONE … Continue reading
“The Gospel of Glory” (II Thessalonians 2:14 sermon)
One of my favorite pastors from history is Samuel Rutherford, a Puritan who pastored in Scotland in the 1600’s. He was persecuted by the government for his Biblical beliefs, and for a time was banished from his church. Rutherford is … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Ann R. Cousin The Sands of Time Are Sinking, Austin Phelps art gallery, C.S. Lewis run on God, David McCullough Wright Brothers, Ezekiel 10:18, fall short of the glory, false gospel, gain the glory, glory, glory glory dwelleth in Immanuel's land, glory of Christ, glory of God, God's glory, gospel, heaven glory, II Corinthians 4:4, II Thessalonians 1:9, II Thessalonians 2:14, Jesus only way, John 11:40 see the glory of God, John 14:6, John 17:24, John Piper definition of glory, Macchu Piccu, Paradise Lost Milton, Romans 3:23, Rutherford and Lady Kenmure, Rutherford's Letters, salvation, Samuel Rutherford, see My glory, Tim Keller prayer
2 Comments
Lifeway “Explore the Bible” Lesson Overview of I Kings 19:9-18, for Sun, July 17, 2022: “Hope”
(A brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible lesson of I Kings 19 for Sunday, July 17, 2022) Video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: One way to introduce … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons
Tagged Bible Reading, C.S. Lewis troughs, C.S. Lewis undulation, counseling, daily devotions, depression, Elijah, exercise, Explore the Bible I Kings 19:9-18, Explore the Bible Sunday school lesson, Gaither Church Triumphant, God has always had a people, I Kings 19:9-18 Bible Study, I Kings 19:9-18 Lifeway Explore the Bible, Lifeway Explore the Bible lessons, MasterLife discipleship, place to meet God, spiritual high and low
8 Comments
shawnethomas 