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)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 21:23-32, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Authority," for 4/26/26.
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "How To Seek The Lord" (Isaiah 55:6-7 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 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
“A Kingdom of Priests” (Exodus 19:6 sermon)
This week I read an article about a Boston (Catholic) University student named Robert LeBlanc, who went to college, like a lot of young people do, with dreams of one day getting married, having children and setting up a family. … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Home & Family Life, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged "neighborhood priest", Acts 4:12, are you a Christian, Bulgaria mission, Catholic priests, Christianity, define priest, duties of a priest, Ephesians 3:12, Exodus 19:6 sermon, guard your loved ones in prayer, holy priesthood, how to be saved, I Peter 2:5, I Peter 2:9, intercessory prayer, Jesus Christ, John 14:6, kingdom of priests, making a prayer list, Martin Luther, mediator, prayer, prayer list, priesthood of the believer, Psalm 5:3, Revelation 5:10, Roman Catholicism, salvation, you are a priest
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“A Divine Appointment” (Acts 8:26-40 sermon)
In 2014 Cheryl & I were living in Norman, Oklahoma while I was recuperating from illness that had caused me to resign my pastorate in Louisiana. One winter afternoon about 4:00 I suddenly had a strong urge to go out … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Sermons
Tagged Acts 8, Acts 8 Philip and Ethiopian, baptism, baptism and salvation, baptism profession of faith, baptism symbolic, daily Bible reading, divine appointment, Dwight Moody Big L, Ethiopian eunuch, Ethiopian Treasurer, evangelism, faith, gospel, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit prompting, India mission, instant obedience, Isaiah 53, Jesus, meaning of baptism, missions, morning devotions, morning worship time, Only Jesus saves, people need the Lord, priest "we baptize you", religion, repentance, response to the gospel, salvation, Walk Across The Room, witnessing, witnessing opportunity
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“Jesus Directs His Church” (Acts 1:1-8 sermon)
Steve Jobs was one of the most unique CEO’s in history. He had a lot of quirks, but he led Apple computers to become what is now THE largest company in the world, worth over 300 BILLION dollars. But among … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, missions, Sermons
Tagged "Acts 1:8 Christian", "Acts 1:8 missions church", Acts 1:1-8 sermon, Acts 1:8, Bible Reading, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, church, conviction of sin, ecclesiology, end times, eschatology, Holy Spirit, I Samuel 13 Saul, Isaiah 40:31, John 16:8, mission, missions, NASA rocket Chris Kraft, Psalm 130:5-6, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 37, sin, theological speculation, wait on the Lord, waiting
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“The Revelations of Psalm 19”
Olaudah Equiano grew up in Africa in the 1700’s and was sold into slavery. He eventually was able to buy his own freedom, became educated, and even published a book. But as a young man he was a servant to … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Anthony Flew, Augustine of Hippo testimony, Augustine tolle lege, Bible, Bible Reading, Christopher Hitchens creation fine tuning, conviction, creation, creation design, daily Bible reading, General Revelation, God's word, gospel, hearing from God, kind of sin, Nabeel Qureshi testimony, Olaudah Equiano reading, Psalm 19, Psalm 19 revelation, Psalm 19 sermon, Quran vs. Bible, redeemer, Richard E. Simmons Reflections on the Existence of God, Romans 1:20, salvation, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, sin, Special Revelation, take up and read, word of God
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“In The Place of God” (Genesis 30:2 sermon)
Our first year here in Angleton I was driving to Webster, and not long after I turned off of 35, to my right, I saw some Buddhist statues! Not really what I expected to see here in south Texas — … Continue reading
Posted in Home & Family Life, Sermons
Tagged Alexander Graham Bell only child, Am I in the place of God?, C.S. Lewis God invented us, children, Destiny of the Republic Candice Millard, family, first commandment, Genesis 30:2 sermon, gospel, government, guard yourselves from idols, home, I John 5:21, idolatry, James A. Garfield marriage, John Calvin human heart idol factory, marriage, money, no other gods, other gods, parenting, Ruth Graham marriage advice, salvation, Second Commandment, sports, The Clockwork Universe Edward Dolnick, wealth
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“When Yahweh Is Your God” (Genesis 28:10-22 sermon)
A few years ago a pastor I know from Oklahoma was in New York City riding in a cab. He saw a little statue on the driver’s dashboard, and he asked the man, who was from India, about it. The … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Sermons
Tagged Anthony Flew atheist, Anthony Flew testimony, Christian commitment, church buildings, commitment, commitment to Christ, commitment to worship, corporate worship, daily Bible reading, discipleship, E.W. Starling Woodrow Wilson, Genesis 28 sermon, giving, Hebrews 10:25, I AM, idolatry, idols, John Dean Warren G. Harding, LORD is Yahweh, personal worship, Prince Charles II of England, salvation, tithe, tithe and the Law, tithe as a mark of Lordship, tithe Genesis 28, tithing, worship, Yahweh
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Family Gingerbread Contest 2021
Help us determine the winner of our annual family gingerbread house contest. Vote for your favorite from the six below. You can use any criteria you wish: just the one you like best. THANK YOU for helping us continue our … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Uncategorized
1 Comment
shawnethomas 
“Reckoned As Righteous” (Genesis 15:6 sermon)
In the winter of 1738 Charles Wesley was serving as a missionary in America, but he wrote in his journal, he was seeking to convert the Indians, but who would convert HIM? He was earnestly seeking to be right with … Continue reading →