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
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 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.
- "Where's Your Glory?" (Jeremiah 9:23-24 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
“Accept the Things I Cannot Change”
“How then will the scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?” (Matthew 26:54) The final words of Jesus’ sentence here were significant: “It must happen this way.” His arrest was going to happen. It had been … Continue reading
“Thy Will”: Not A “Bad” Prayer
“My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42) We all face difficult time in our lives, and when we come to them, we should bring our situation to our Heavenly Father … Continue reading
“That He Gave” (John 3:16 sermon)
One movie that Cheryl, Michael & I enjoy watching together is the 1960’s musical, “My Fair Lady”, in which Professor Henry Higgins takes Eliza Doolittle, a young flower girl from the streets of London and transforms her into a well-spoken … Continue reading
Posted in John 3:16 sermon series, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged appease, atonement, Bible, Bible one story, bronze serpent, child sacrifice, demonstrate love, evangelism, faith, forgiveness, Genesis 22, gift, He gave, heaven, human sacrifice, I Corinthians 13, I John 4:10, I Peter 2:24, Jacob & Esau, Jehovah Jireh, John 3:14-15, John 3:16, John 3:16 sermon, love, Michael O'Neill, My Fair Lady, Numbers 21, Old Testament, President Reagan assassination John Hinckley, propitiation, religion, Romans 3:20, Romans 5:8, sacrifice, sacrificial death, salvation, Secret Service, soteriology, substitutionary atonement, take the bullet, The West Wing, theology, works
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Not For One Hour?
“And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter: ‘So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?’” (Matthew 26:40) What a pathetic response to an amazing invitation! How blessed were Peter, … Continue reading
A Daily Gethsemane
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39) The words spoken by Jesus here are some of the most important ever uttered in human language.
An Eternal Destination
“These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46) This is the last verse of Matthew 25, and in it Jesus concludes His Parable of The Sheep and The Goats. Fittingly, this final verse … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged annihilationism, eternal destiny, eternity, heaven, Hebrews 10:27, hell, lost, Matthew 25:46, saved
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What Displeases Your Master
“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.’” (Matthew 25:26) There are two things which the master of the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged consecration, holiness, kingdom, laziness, Lordship, Matthew 25:26, morality, obedience, sanctification, sin, wickedness
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“The World” (John 3:16 sermon)
“Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world; red and yellow, black and white; they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” Many of us have known that song since childhood. Where did we … Continue reading
Posted in John 3:16 sermon series, Uncategorized
Tagged Calvinism, Chosen But Free, Colossians 3:10-11, D.A.Carson, evangelism, God's love, I John 2:2, I Timothy 2:4, II Peter 3:9, Jesus loves the little children, John 3:16, John 3:16 sermon, kosmos, Les Miserables, love, Norm Geissler, Paige Patterson, racism, Romans 5:8, the world, W.A. Criswell
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The Blessing We All Seek
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’” (Matthew 26:21) There are many applicable … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged fellowship, joy, joy of your Master, Matthew 26:21, obedience, Psalm 16:11, Zephaniah 3:17
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One Important Lesson About The End
“See to it that no one misleads you.” (Matthew 24:4) Jesus’ disciples had just asked Him in :3, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology, Uncategorized
Tagged discernment, doctrine, eschatology, false teachers, I John 4:1, Matthew 24:4
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