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)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Honor" for 5/03/26
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 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.
- "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
Reasons For Giving Thanks (Psalm 136 sermon)
When our son Michael was a little boy, he was VERY plain-spoken; he would just say whatever was on his mind. Thankfully he has grown out of that (somewhat!) as he has matured, but when he was little he just … Continue reading
The Christian’s Inheritance
“To obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” (I Peter 1:4) When I was a boy, someone gave me a silver dollar, which I treasured. Not trusting myself with … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged afterlife, faith, heaven, I Peter 1:4, inheritance, Matthew 6, rewards
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We Are Aliens
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who are chosen” (I Peter 1:1) Peter wrote to the Christians who were scattered throughout what is now the nation … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged aliens, citizenship, eternal life, heaven, I Peter 1:1
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“You Are With Me”
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) Those words, “YOU are with me” are everything … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged comfort, Exodus 33:15, Matthew 28:20, presence, Psalm 23:4, You are with me
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“Eternal Life” (John 3:16 sermon)
Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of the Chinese Qin Dynasty — and he wanted to be the last. He wanted to live forever. In Imperial China at that time, they believed in certain “elixirs of life” which might … Continue reading
“When I say ‘God’ …”
Jesus’ final command to His disciples in the Book of Matthew is well-known to many: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching … Continue reading
Do You Take The Money?
“And they took the money, and did as they had been instructed …” (Matthew 28:15 NASB) What an interesting sentence: “and they took the money.” The guards in this story knew the truth; they had been at the tomb and … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged avarice, compromise, greed, materialism, Matthew 28:15, money, temporal values, temptation, truth or treasure
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“Shall Not Perish” (John 3:16 sermon)
Several years ago, some students at Southwestern Baptist Seminary were talking before the start of class, one of them started telling a joke that involved a story about hell. Just then, the professor walked in, and he said, “Men, I … Continue reading
Posted in John 3:16 sermon series, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged annihilationism, blackness, Dante Aligheri, Dante's Inferno, darkness, eternal punishment, fire and brimstone, Hades, Hebrews 10:31, hell, II Thessalonians 1:9, J.P. Boyce, John 3:16, John 3:16 sermon, John Chrysostom, Jude 13, lake of fire, Luke 16:19-31, Mark 9:47-48, Matthew 25, our God is a consuming fire, perish, perishing, Psalm 11:6, Revelation 20:10, Richard Baxter, salvation, second death, separation from God, The Rich Man and Lazarus, Titanic
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Don’t Harden Your Heart
“Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.” (Matthew 28:11 NASB) You have to ask yourself: just how depraved were these chief priests? … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged bitterness, disobedience, harden heart, heart, humility, Matthew 28:11, obedience, Pharaoh, pride, repentance, sin
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The Proper Response To Jesus
“And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.” (Matthew 28:9 NASB) What would it be like to encounter the resurrected Jesus? If you are a Christian, it … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged humility, Matthew 28:9, Matthew 4:11, worship
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