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
- Romans 8:14-27 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview, "Indwelt," for October 18, 2026
- Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Struggle," for 10/11/26
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Romans 6:1-14, Overview of Lifeway's Explore the Bible lesson, "Freedom," for October 4, 2026.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Honor" for 5/03/26
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The World, The Flesh, and the Devil" (James 3:15 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
The Test of the Word
“He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.” (John 8:47) Here Jesus gives us one of the BEST tests of whether a person is … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, genuine conversion, God's word, John 8:47, salvation, scripture, test of salvation
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The War Against Marriage
In 2014 the Radical Islamic group ISIS made headlines when they captured the historic tomb of the Prophet Jonah in Mosul, Iraq, lined the bottom of it with dynamite, and blew it up, totally destroying the tomb. This was just … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Casablanca, Ephesians 5:31-32, family, ISIS, marriage, Matthew 19, war against marriage
3 Comments
“Following Jesus” (Matthew 4:18-22 sermon)
Our passage for today describes how Jesus saw Peter & Andrew, and James & John, with their boats and nets and relatives, that He said to them, “Follow Me.” And they got up, left everything, and followed Him. What would … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged discipleship, evangelism, follow Me, following Jesus, Jesus, Matthew 4:18-22, salvation
21 Comments
The War Against Gender
Last week Emma Watson won an award for best actor for her role in the new musical “Beauty and the Beast”. It was not “Best Actress”; just “best actor”, because these were the first “non-gender specific” awards given — it’s … Continue reading
Using People
“The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.’” (John 8:3-4) One … Continue reading
The Witness of His Words
“The officers answered, ‘Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.’” (John 7:46) These officers (basically the Temple police) were no trained theologians, yet they could recognize what is plain to everyone. No one — ever — has … Continue reading
Jesus’ Word & Salvation
“As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.” (John 8:30) The Bible tells us that when Jesus spoke the words He did in John 8, that “many came to believe in Him.” Sure, there was controversy, as … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, Ephesians 6:17, evangelism, God's word, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John 8:30, ministry, preaching, Romans 10:17, salvation, scripture, teaching, word, word of God
1 Comment
“The Scriptures: Life & Light” (Matthew 4:12-17 sermon)
My wife Cheryl & I will have been married for 35 years on May 28th. (She has already informed me that we are not going to be here that Sunday — so I am informing you! 🙂 As you can … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, Bible literacy, Bible Reading, conversion, daily Bible reading, Dikkon Eberhart, discipleship, eternal life, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Matthew 4:12-17 sermon, Netflix, obedience, salvation, scripture, scripture application, scripture memory, The Time Mom Met Hitler book, word of God
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Don’t Miss The Holiness In His Grace
“And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.’” (John 8:11) Jesus’ response to the woman caught in adultery was an amazing display of His mercy and grace, and the story has touched … Continue reading
What Are You Teaching?
“So Jesus answered them and said, ‘My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.’” (John 7:16) Jesus did not “take credit”, in a sense, for His teaching; He said it wasn’t “His” but rather that of His Father … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, Biblical preaching, creativity, exegesis, exposition, innovation, John 7:16, preaching, teaching, teaching styles
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