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.
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Church That Left Their First Love" (Revelation 2:1-7 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
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
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“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
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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
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“Commissioned By His Glory” (Isaiah 6 sermon)
I’ve made it a personal tradition each Independence Day the past several years to read David McCullough’s classic, 1776, which chronicles that famous year in America’s history. One of the opening paragraphs describes George III, the King of England, proceeding … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged call to mission, Commission, conviction, conviction of sin, daily Bible reading, David McCullough 1776, evangelism church, forgiveness, General James Hamilton death Marie Beth Jones, glory, glory of God, holy holy holy, Isaiah 6 sermon, King Uzziah Isaiah, Luke Peter sinful man, Mark Twain Hawaii sunset, ministry perseverance, mission, outreach church, personal worship, Pregnancy Help Center, Revelation 4:8, sacrifice of Jesus, seraphim, service, shudder before the beautiful, sin, worship
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Lifeway Explore the Bible Teachers’ Overview: I Kings 18:25-39, for Sun., July 10, 2022, “Proven”
(A brief overview for teachers and Bible Study leaders of the Lifeway Sunday school lesson for July 10, 2022) INTRODUCTION: One way you could begin this lesson would be to ask your group: ??? “Have you/anyone in your class … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons
Tagged I Kings 18:25-39, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview, Lifeway lesson overview, Shawn Thomas lesson overview I Kings 18:25-39, Sunday school lesson I Kings 18:25-39, Sunday school lesson video help I Kings 18:25-39, Sunday school teacher help, teachers' overview of I Kings 18:25-39
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Explore the Bible lesson overview: I Kings 15:9-22, “Return” for Sun., July 3, 2022
(This is a brief overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leader of the Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for this text. A video version of this overview is available at: ONE way you could open this lesson would … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews, Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons
Tagged Explore the Bible I Kings 15:9-22, Explore the Bible July 3 2022, family, I Kings 15:9-22, King Asa of Judah, Lifeway Explore the Bible I Kings 15:9-22, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, pragmatism, return to God, revival, Roe v Wade overturn, Sunday school lesson help, Sunday school lesson overview I Kings 15:9-22
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