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.

Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 38:1-8, 18-22, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson “God’s Conviction,” for 7/27/25

Posted on 2025/07/19 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 38:1-8, 18-22, “God’s Conviction,” scheduled for Sunday, July 27, 2025. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: (If … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Candice Millard, Chester Arthur, Chuck Colson, confession, David, Destiny of the Republic, discussion question, Explore the Bible, God, God's Conviction, gospel, Heavenly Father, Hebrew, Jesus, Julia Sands, Lifeway, Lord, Nathan Hale, parenthood, Penitential Psalm, Psalm 38:1-8 18-22, Psalm 3:8, repent, repentance, repentance and faith, salvation, sin, Yahweh, YHWH | 4 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 105, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “God’s Faithfulness” for July 20, 2025.

Posted on 2025/07/12 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 105:1-11, 42-45 for Sunday, July 20, 2025, with the title, “God’s Faithfulness.” A video overview of this overview is available on YouTube … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged A Tramp Abroad, antinomianism, Charles Wesley, Christian liberty, Explore the Bible, faith, faithfulness, God, God remembered, God's Faithfulness, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Heidelberg Castle, Jesus, liberty to obey, Lifeway, Lord, Mark Twain, praise, praise the Lord, prayer, promise, Psalm 105, Psalm 105:1-11, seed of Abraham, Shawn E. Thomas, sing, singing, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson help, Sunday School lesson outline, Sunday school overview, trust, ways to praise God, We're Marching to Zion, Yahweh, YHWH | 5 Comments

“Deepening Your Spiritual Life Through the Psalms”

Posted on 2025/07/07 by Shawn Thomas

(Shared at Trinity Baptist Church, Norman, Sunday night, July 6, 2025) Many of you know that while I was serving at the First Baptist Church of Angleton, Texas, last August, my wife Cheryl experienced a devastating stroke which left her … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Home & Family Life, Psalms studies and messages, Sermons | Tagged Bible, C.S. Lewis, cathedral of Milan, Christian meditatiion, discipleship, Donald Whitney, God, God designed the human machine to run on Himself, God's glory, God's word, how to praise, how to pray, Jesus, Mark Twain, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, meditation and Psalms, Mere Christianity, model prayer, praise Psalms, prayer, Psalms, Psalms and God, Psalms and prayer, Psalms and singing, Psalms overview, scripture memory, Shawn Thomas, spiritual growth, Tim Keller on Psalms, types of Psalms | 2 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 18:16-29, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “God’s Deliverance” for 7/13/25.

Posted on 2025/07/05 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 18;16-29, “God’s Deliverance,” scheduled for Sunday, July 13, 2025. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO ???DISCUSSION … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "God's Deliverance", blameless, China plane crash 1990, deliverance, Explore the Bible, false accusation, God, gospel, help, Huguenots, innocence, Jesus, John Calvin, John Ker, Karen King, King David, King Saul, Lifeway, praise, prayer, Psalm 18, Psalm 18:16-29, Psalms in History and Biography, salvation, Saul, sin, Sunday school lesson, thanks, Thanksgiving, Yahweh, YHWH | 10 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 110:1-7, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: “God’s Messiah,” for 7/06/25

Posted on 2025/06/28 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 110:1-7, “God’s Messiah,” for Sunday, July 6, 2025. A video version of this lesson is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: One way … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "God's Messiah, beauty of holiness, Bible, Explore the Bible, footstool for your feet, God, Hebrews 7, Jesus, John Milton Paradise Lost, Lifeway, Matthew Henry, Melchizedek, Messiah, Mystery of the Messiah, order of Melchizedek, prophet priest and king, Psalm 110, Psalm 110:1-7, Psalms, Shawn E. Thomas, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school lesson overview, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, The Lord said to My Lord, Yahweh, YHWH | 4 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 132:1-14, 17-18, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “God’s Promise” for 6/29/25

Posted on 2025/06/21 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 132, for Sunday June 29, 2025, with the title, “God’s Promises.” A video version of this overview is available at: INTRODUCTION: ??? … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged A holy life is a Christian's best act of worship, Abraham Lincoln promise, ark of the covenant, David, Explore the Bible, God, God's glory, God's promise, gospel, He will dwell among them, heaven, Jesus, John 14:6, joy, Lifeway, Nicholas Nicholy, priests, promise, promises, Psalm 132, Psalms, Psalms of Ascent, Revelation 21, Shawn E. Thomas, singing, What kind of advertisement am I?, worship, you are my home | 4 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 96:1-13, “God’s Reign,” Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson for June 22, 2025

Posted on 2025/06/14 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 96:1-13, for Sunday, June 22, 2025, with the title ‘God’s Reign.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged beauty of holiness, Cheryl Thomas, Constantine, evangelism, Explore the Bible, Gentiles, glory of God, God, God change, God never changed, God's Reign, holiness, How Great Thou Art, idolatry, idols, International Mission Board, Jimmy Carter, judgment, Lifeway, Lord, missions, nations, peoples, praise the Lord, Psalm 96, Psalm 96:1-13, Psalms, reasons to praise the Lord, return of the Lord, SBC IMB, Shawn E. Thomas, sing, sing sing sing, sing to the Lord a new song, strength and beauty, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outline, Unreached People Groups, UPGs, why sing a new song, witness, Yahweh, YHWH | 11 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 19:1-11, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “God’s Glory,” for June 15, 2025

Posted on 2025/06/07 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 19:1-11, for Sunday, June 15, 2025, with the title “God’s Glory.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Anthony Flew, Bible, Bill Tolar, Bill Tolar testimony, creation, design, DNA evidence of God, Edward Dolnick The Clockwork Universe, Explore the Bible, galaxy, General Revelation, glory of God, God is a mathematician, intelligent design, John Adams, Lifeway, Milky Way galaxy, natural revelation, nature, Psalm 19, Psalm 19:1-11, Psalms, Romans 1, Special Revelation, Theodore Rex, Theodore Roosevelt Grand Canyon, universe, word of God, Yahweh, Yuri Gagarin | 6 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 119:1-16, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “God’s Truth, for June 8, 2025

Posted on 2025/05/31 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 119:1-8, “God’s Truth,” schedule for Sunday, June 8, 2025. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION — … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Bible, Bible meditation, Explore the Bible, God's Truth, God's word, Law of the Lord, lesson overview, Lifeway, Psalm 119, Psalm 119:1-16, scripture, scripture memory, Shawn E. Thomas, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help | 5 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Psalm 1:1-6, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “God’s Wisdom,” for June 1, 2025.

Posted on 2025/05/24 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 1:1-6, “God’s Wisdom,” for Sunday, June 1, 2025. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ??? Does … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged abundant life, Alister McGrath C.S. Lewis, ashere, Augustine, Augustine and Psalms, Augustine Confessions, Bible, Biblical meditation, Blessed, Blessed life, C.S. Lewis, Confessions, David McCullough, eternal life, Excellence is a habit, Explore the Bible, God, God knows, God's wisdom, God's word, gospel, Hebrew, J. Frank Dobie, J.I. Packer Knowing God, Jesus, John 10:10, John Adams, John the Baptist, judgment, know God, knowing God, Lifeway, meditate on scripture, meditation, Psalm 1, Psalm 1:1-6, Psalm tunes, Psalms, Psalms as songs, Psalms testimony, Reflections on the Psalms, salvation, scripture memory, sin, Sir Walter Scott, Tales of Old Time Texas, Tim Keller Psalms, water, We are what we repeatedly do, wheat and chaff, wicked vs righteous, Will Durant, winnowing, wisdom | 7 Comments