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.
-
Top Posts & Pages
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 21:23-32, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Authority," for 4/26/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 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
Christian Freedom Is No Excuse To Sin
“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13) This is a good word, because from time to time you hear “Christian” … Continue reading
“Blessed Assurance”? (Matthew 7:21-23 sermon)
Do you think that you are going to heaven? If you do, you’re in good company. An ABC news poll indicated that 89% of Americans believed in heaven, and 85% of them think that THEY are going there. And it … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons
Tagged assurance, assurance of salvation, Blessed Assurance, charismatic gifts, consecration, Corrie Ten Boom, eternal life, false hope, fruit of salvation, grace, heaven, Hinduism, holiness, Islam, Lordship, Muslim dervishes, obedience, profession of faith, salvation, works salvation
2 Comments
“Fallen From Grace”?
“You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4) For many years Galatians 5:4 has been quoted as a “proof text” by those who believe that a … Continue reading
When It’s Time To “Change Your Tone”
“But I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.” (Galatians 4:20) Everyone in a position of authority or leadership has experienced times when they had to “change their … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged admonition, change your tone, Galatians 4:20, leadership, parenting, rebuke, tone, warning
2 Comments
A Picture of Discipleship
“My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you.” (Galatians 4:19) Here in his impassioned message to the church he had planted at Galatia, Paul shows us some important things about the nature of … Continue reading
Serving God In Your Bodily Illness
“But you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time …”. (Galatians 4:13) So the Apostle Paul had a “bodily illness” which was hindering him as he sought to … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies
Tagged Galatians 4:13, II Corinthians 12:9, illness, service, sickness
Leave a comment
How Is It That You Turn Back Again?
“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
A Test of Salvation
“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:6) Are you really a Christian? How can you know? The Bible gives us a number of “tests” of salvation. … Continue reading
shawnethomas 