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 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
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-25, "Love" for Sunday 11/02/25
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
Your Works Testify
“But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish — the very works that I do — testify about Me, that the Father has sent … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged assurance, John 5:36, Matthew 7:20-21, salvation, works
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Passing On What Was Delivered To Us (Lord’s Supper Message, I Corinthians 11:23-26)
Several years ago there was a couple who was driving on a remote stretch of highway in Florida, where there had been a number of crimes committed in recent days. Unfortunately the couple had car trouble and got stranded, and … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged communion, evangelism, forgiveness, giving, I Corinthians 11:23-26, Lord's Supper, ministry, teaching, tradition
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How Clear Can It Be?
“So that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.” (John 5:23) How is Jesus to be regarded by us? As a … Continue reading
An Overlooked Verse
“Afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him, ‘Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.’” (John 5:14) Jesus had previously healed this man, who had been sitting by … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged holiness, John 5:14, repentance, salvation, sin
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“The Worst Trade Ever” (Matthew 4:10 sermon)
With baseball season starting this week, I was reading an article on the worst trades in baseball history. There were a number of contenders, but I have to agree with the one they identified as the worst: On December 26, … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Babe Ruth trade, Boehmians, Deuteronomy 6:13, Dikkon Eberhart, discipleship, free love, God is your soul mate, immorality, John 17:24, John Calvin idol factory, love, Matthew 4:10 sermon, Psalm 147:1, Psalm 149, relationship, reward, Shawn Johnson, soul mate, suicide, temptation, The Time Mom Met Hitler Frost Came To Dinner and I Heard The Greatest Story Ever Told, worship
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Two Inseparable Elements of Genuine Worship
“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” (John 4:23) This is the same “hour is coming” Jesus … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged doctrine, emotions, in spirit and truth, John 4:23, spirit, truth, worship
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Worship Isn’t A Matter of Geography
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.” (John 4:21) Jesus’ statement to the woman at Jacob’s well in Samaria should not be lost … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 17:28, God, I Corinthians 6:19-20, John 4:21, omnipresence, spirit, worship
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A Foundational Lesson About God And Worship
“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) Here Jesus teaches the Samaritan woman, and every one of us who reads the inspired record of her conversation with Him, something about God … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged God, Holy Spirit, John 4:24, pneuma, spirit, spirit and truth, theology, worship
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The “Hard Part”
“He said to her, ‘Go, call your husband and come here.’” (John 4:16) Having gotten the attention of the woman at the well with His promise of eternal life, Jesus gets to the “hard part”: “Go, call your husband and … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged confrontation, discipleship, evangelism, John 4:16, repentance, sin, witnessing
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