Author Archives: Shawn Thomas

About Shawn Thomas

My blog, shawnethomas.com, features the text of my sermons, book reviews, family life experiences -- as well as a brief overview of the Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson for Southern Baptist Sunday School teachers.

“Our Imitation of Christ” (Philippians 2:5 sermon)

Posted on 2021/05/30 by Shawn Thomas

Birch Bayh was a Senator from Indiana back in the 1960’s. He and his wife Marvella ended up serving in Washington for some years, but they were admittedly “babes at sea” when they first arrived from Indiana. They were nervous … Continue reading →

“An Essential For The Church” (Philippians 2:1-4 sermon)

Posted on 2021/05/24 by Shawn Thomas

During the American War for Independence, General George Washington was irked by what some of the drummers in the army were doing. Each drummer would just drum in his own way, (and sometimes “out of the blue” just to show … Continue reading →

Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons | Tagged attitudes for unity, church, church essential, church unity, command, command to unity, encouragement in Christ, Euodia, George Washington to drummers, Herman Melville Moby Dick ship as one, Holy Spirit, Jesus High Priestly Prayer, John 17 unity, motivation, others ahead of yourself, P.T. Barnum mother, Philippians 2:1-4, Philippians sermon, salvation, same mind, selfishness, selflessness, Syntyche, unity | 2 Comments

“What Do These Stones Mean?” (Joshua 4:19-24 sermon) First Baptist Church Angleton Grand Opening, May 16, 2021

Posted on 2021/05/17 by Shawn Thomas

I can still remember walking through downtown San Antonio on my way to my first Southern Baptist Convention there, when all of the sudden, on my left, I saw this building, made of big, blondish white stones — and suddenly … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged church building dedication, church building program, church buildings, church grand opening, church mission, courage, First Baptist Church Angleton Texas, God purpose, God's will, Joshua 4:19-24 sermon, Judges 5:2, leader, leadership, mission, Pastor Rodney Bowman, pastor Shawn Thomas, people followed, people volunteer, perseverance, privilege and responsibility, Psalm 67:1-2, Remember The Alamo, Santa Fe Chop rock, The Alamo, Thomas Edison lightbulb, vision, We Will Remember, what do these stones mean? | 1 Comment

“My Children’s Conduct” (Philippians 1:27-30 sermon) Mothers Day 2021

Posted on 2021/05/10 by Shawn Thomas

In 1778, during the American Revolution, John Adams of Massachusetts was needed by his young country as an ambassador in Europe. His 10-year-old son Johnny (John Quincy Adams) would accompany his father on the trip. It was an amazing opportunity … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Philippians sermons, Sermons | Tagged A.W. Tozer, Abigail Adams letter, ambassador for Christ, behavior, Bible, biblical marriage, children, Christian life, church compromise, church mission, church purpose, church unity, evangelism, family unity, gender, God created male and female, Jesus only way, John 17 High Priestly Prayer, John Quincy Adams, marriage, mission, missions, Mothers Day, Nabeel Qureshi, parents, parents and children, Philippians 1:27 sermon, representative, Satan's schemes, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, sexuality, stand firm, striving together for the gospel, Sunday school organization, together, unity, witness | Leave a comment

“While You Are Waiting” (Philippians 1:22-26 sermon)

Posted on 2021/04/25 by Shawn Thomas

It matters what you believe. A few years ago there was man who was was in high school and decided that since he didn’t believe in God, there was no meaning or purpose to life. And since there was no … Continue reading →

Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons | Tagged Christian life, Dahmer life no meaning, discipleship, don't waste your life, Fruitful labor, George Washington death, John Piper seashells, others, Philippians 1:22-26, selfishness, selflessness, senior adults, service, what's in it for me, work, You're a good man Charlie Brown | Leave a comment

“When Living Is Christ, then Dying Is Gain” (Philippians 1:21 sermon)

Posted on 2021/04/19 by Shawn Thomas

Aaron Sorkin, the writer for “A Few Good Men,” “The West Wing,” and other tv shows and movies, was speaking at graduation at his alma mater, Syracuse University, in May 2012, and he said: “Two newborn babies are lying side-by-side … Continue reading →

Posted in Philippians sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Aaron Sorkin graduation speech what did you think, British missionaries Allen Gardner, C.S. Lewis God designed the human machine to run on Himself, Charles Lindbergh death, China plane crash, Christian life, glorify God, heaven, kerdos gain, life choices, missionary, personal application, personal choice, Philippians 1:21 sermon, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 17:15, Richard Williams diary testimony, salvation, Samuel Rutherford glory dwelleth, to die is gain, to live is Christ, very much better | 1 Comment

“Working Out Your Salvation” (Philippians 2:12-13 sermon)

Posted on 2021/04/12 by Shawn Thomas

SO, how do you follow up on Easter Sunday?! We had such a great day last Sunday, didn’t we? Celebrating our Risen Savior; seeing several people follow Him in baptism — It was a great Easter Sunday. But how do you … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Philippians sermons, Sermons | Tagged Bible Reading, challenge, church attendance, comfort, daily devotions, daily quiet time, dicipleship, Ephesians 2:8-9, Ephesians 6:5-6, eye service, fruit of salvation, George Washington slavery, God is at work, God is at work in you, God worthy, Hebrews 13, hypocrisy, Luke 6:46, Matthew 6:1, our God is a consuming fire, Philippians 2:12-13, responsibility, sacrifice, salvation, Secret Service president, service, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, take a bullet, take a bullet for God, Tom Brady super bowl trophy, Working Out Your Salvation, worship, worship attendance | 2 Comments

“But Now Christ IS Risen!” (I Corinthians sermon, Easter 2021)

Posted on 2021/04/05 by Shawn Thomas

Frank Morison was a gifted English lawyer who set out to write a book he planned on calling Disproving the Resurrection of Jesus. He was convinced that he would be able to do what his title proclaimed. However, when he … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged But now Christ IS risen, C.S. Lewis Christianity moderately important, Cary Grant, Christian service, daily quiet time, devotion time, Did Jesus rise from the dead?, Easter, Easter sermon, Easter sermon 2021, eternal life, evangelism, For now Christ IS risen, Frank Morison Who Moved The Stone, gospel, I Corinthians 15 resurrection, liberal theology, Luke 24 road to Emmaus, Lyndon Johnson biography Robert Caro, missions, Nabeel Qureshi, resurrection of Jesus, Revelation 3:20, Rudolph Bultmann, sacrifice, salvation, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, share gospel, The only thing we've got is the resurrection, Tom Brady super bowl trophy, Tom Brady toss Lombardi trophy | Leave a comment

“Rescued By His Sacrifice” (Galatians 1:3-5 sermon)

Posted on 2021/03/29 by Shawn Thomas

In one of the first major battles of the Revolutionary War, the British routed the young American army on Long Island, New York. They hoped to destroy the rest of the retreating Americans, but American Commander William Stirling made the … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "deliver us out of this present evil age", "I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross", 1776 David McCullough, Aslan, Aslan it may be harder than you think, atonement, Buddha, Buddha no one saves us but ourselves, C.S. Lewis Lion Witch Wardrobe, cat story, communion service message, cross of Christ, David McCullough George Washington, enemy of God, enmity with God, Ephesians 2:1-2, forgiveness, Galatians 1:3-5, grace, I Timothy 2:6, Jesus sacrifice, Lord's Supper message, Lord's Supper, Lord's Supper sermon, Matthew 20:28, peace, prince of the power of the air, propitiation, salvation, sin, slavery to Satan, the cross, the cross of Christ, William Stirling | Leave a comment

“A Body In Motion” (Ephesians 4:11-16 sermon)

Posted on 2021/03/22 by Shawn Thomas

Sir Isaac Newton, the English scientist, is famous, among other things, for the “laws of motion” he formulated in the 1600’s: among them being that a body at rest tends to remain at rest, and a body in motion tends … Continue reading →

Posted in Ministry, Sermons | Tagged balance of truth and love, Bill Russell Player coach, body in motion, body of Christ, Christlikeness, church, church activities, church discipline, church equipping ministry, church growth, Church ministry, deceivers in the church, each part, Ephesians 4:11-16, equip the saints, equipping, every joint, false prophets, First Baptist Church Angleton, Isaac Newton, it takes us all, maturity, ministry project, pastor, pastor as coach, pastor as equipper, pastor as example, pastor as player-coach, people of God, Rosaria Butterfield, speaking the truth in love, spiritual maturity, unity of the faith, whole body, working together, Your relationship with others must be as strong as your words | 1 Comment