Author Archives: Shawn Thomas

About Shawn Thomas

My blog, shawnethomas.com, features the text of my sermons, book reviews, family life experiences -- as well as a brief overview of the Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson for Southern Baptist Sunday School teachers.

Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Exodus 2:23-25, 3:7-15, “Seen & Heard” for 12/01/24

Posted on 2024/11/23 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Exodus 2 & for December 1, 2024 with the title, “Seen & Heard.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Colossians 1:13, Egypt, Exodus, Explore the Bible, God, God cares, God's promise, gospel, Hagar, I AM, Israel, Jehovah, Jesus, lesson help, Lifeway, love, mission, Moses, name of God, Psalm 139, salvation, Shawn E. Thomas, shawnethomas.com, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher outline, tetragrammaton, Thom Rainer, Unexpected Journey, Yahweh | 7 Comments

“How God’s People Get Things Done” (James 4:1-5 sermon)

Posted on 2024/11/18 by Shawn Thomas

During the first years of Lyndon Johnson, before he became entangled in the Vietnam controversy, he was one of the most powerful presidents in U.S. History. Robert Caro outlines in his masterful 5 volume biography just how LBJ (as he … Continue reading →

Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons | Tagged Bible, Book of James, Book of James sermons, Christianity, church, faith, James, Jesus, ministry, prayer | Leave a comment

Teacher’s Overview of Acts 27:31-44 “Trust” Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for 11/24/24

Posted on 2024/11/16 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 27:31-44, for Sunday, November 24, 2024, with the title, “Trust.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Acts, Acts 27:31-44, Apostle Paul, Bible study, Book of Acts, C.S. Lewis, caring for others, Cheryl Thomas stroke, crisis, eternal soul, Euraquilo, evangelism, example, Explore the Bible, food, lead by example, Lifeway, Luke, Mediterranean Sea, mere mortal, ministry, missions, nap, people, practical, rest, Richard Foster, Rome, soul, spiritual thing take a nap, storm, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, trials, trust, U.S. Grant, U.S. Grant memoirs, Ulysses S. Grant, Weight of Glory | 7 Comments

“The Fruits of Righteousness” (James 3:13-18 sermon)

Posted on 2024/11/11 by Shawn Thomas

I am not much of a “tree expert” at all. I know some people can just look at a tree and say, “Oh that’s a such-and-such tree …” but I have never been able to do that. I could probably … Continue reading →

Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Discipleship | Tagged assurance of salvation, attitudes, bad fruit, Bible, blessed are the peacemakers, Christianity, Eusebius Church History, examine yourself, faith, fruit, God, good fruit, Holy Spirit, hypocrisy, hypocrite, II Corinthians 13:5, Irenaeus, James 3, James 3 sermon, James 3:13-18, jealousy, Jesus, Leo Tolstoy, Matthew 7:16, mercy, natural earthly demonic, peace, peaceable, peacemaker, Philippians 2, salvation, selfishness, test yourself, the world the flesh and the devil, trees, War and Peace, works, you will know them by their fruits | Leave a comment

Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Acts 26:19-29, “Respond” for 11/17/24

Posted on 2024/11/09 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 26:19-19, with the title, “Respond,” for Sunday, November 17, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Acts, Acts 26, Acts 26:19-29, Apostle Paul, appeal to Caesar, Bible study, Billy Graham, Book of Acts, C.S. Lewis, cheap grace, closing the deal, closing the sale, Dietrich Bonhoeffeer, Dr. Alan Bandy, evangelism, Evangelism Explosion questions, example of repentance, Explore the Bible, eyewitnessed, gospel, gospel basics, Harry Poe, II Corinthians 6:2, Illustrated Guide to the Apostle Paul, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, King Agrippa, lesson outline, Lifeway, metanoeo, Old Testament, Old Testament prophecies of Jesus, pastor to presidents, procrastination, prophecy, repent, repentance, Richard Bauckham, salvation, share the gospel, sharing the gospel, speaking truth to power, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday school lesson, testimonies, this has not been done in a corner, Thom Rainer Unexpected Journey, witness, witnesses, witnessing outline | 6 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Acts 22:6-21, “Witness,” Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson for Nov. 10, 2024

Posted on 2024/11/02 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 22:6-21, with the title of “Witness” for Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Acts, Acts 22:6-21, Alan Bandy Apostle Paul, Alan Bandy book, Ananias, Antonia Fortress, Apostle Paul, Bible, Bible study, C.S. Lewis, Cheryl Thomas stroke testimony, Colossians 4, commitment, Don Sunshine, evangelism, Explore the Bible, forgiveness, God, gospel, gospel outline, How I met Christ, how to share a testimony, Illustrated Guide to the Apostle Paul Alan Bandy, Jesus, just as if I'd never sinned, Lifeway, Lord and Savior, Lord Liar Lunatic, Lordship, Mere Christianity, nothing happened here, obedience, Paul, Psalm 5:3, sharing a personal testimony, sharing the gospel, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, taking the opportunity, testimony, total commitment, total obedience, wash away sins, witness, witnessing | 3 Comments

“For You Are With Me” (Psalm 23:4)

Posted on 2024/10/28 by Shawn Thomas

(Testimony shared 10/27/24; the Sunday Cheryl & I first returned to church after her stroke) August 31, 2024 is a day that Cheryl & I will never forget. It’s the day when after a week of Cheryl having unusual physical … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Home & Family Life, Sermons | Tagged Bible, care, Cheryl Thomas, Christianity, church, circumstances, dysautonomia, Encompass Pearland, faith, First Baptist Church Angleton, forgiveness, God, God's purpose, God's will, God's word, James 4, Jesus, life, ministry, pastor, prayer, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:29, salvation, scripture memory, Servando Gonzales, servant of God, Shawn Thomas, sin, stress, stroke | 3 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 20:18-32, “Commit” for 11/03/24

Posted on 2024/10/26 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Acts 20:18-32, with the title “Commit,” for Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Commit", Acts 20, Acts 20:18-32, Alan Bandy, Apostle Paul, Bandy Illustrated Guide Paul, Baptist Faith and Message, Bible, blessing, church, church dangers, church leadership, church polity, commitment, elder, Ephesian elders, Ephesus, Explore the Bible, faith, finish, George Washington farewell, God, God faithful, God's word, gospel, Herschel Hobbs, II Timothy 2:13, Illustrated Guide to the Apostle Paul, Jesus, Jesus and repentance, Jimmy Carter, John and repentance, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, mission trip, New York Giants, Openness Unhindered, overseer, pastor, pastor duty, pastor elder overseer, Paul's third missionary journey, Psalm 9:2, repent, repentance, repentance and faith, repentance in the New Testament, Rosaria Butterfield, salvation, saving faith, Steve Jobs, Steve Jobs and religion, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, Super Bowl XLVI, Tom Coughlin Finish | 7 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: Acts 19:11-20, “Motives” for 10/27/24

Posted on 2024/10/19 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 19:11-20, with the title “Motives,” for Sunday, October 27, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Acts, Acts 19, Acts 19:11-20, addictions, Apostle Paul, Asia, awe, book burning, Book of Acts, confession, convictions, demons, Ephesus, Explore the Bible, fruit, God's genuine work, healing, Hinduism, I John 4:4, James 2:19, knowing Jesus, large city, lesson help, lesson outline, Leviticus 19:31, Lifeway, motives, NSRK Ravi, occult, Paul's third missionary journey, repentance, reverence for God, sons of Sceva, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, Temple of Artemis, Thom Rainer The Unexpected Journey, witchcraft | 1 Comment

“Stories From The Stroke: The Lighter Side”

Posted on 2024/10/17 by Shawn Thomas

On Saturday, August 31, my wife Cheryl suffered a massive stroke that crippled her left side, leaving her at least temporarily unable to use her left arm or leg. This was totally unexpected, and was devastating to us. As with … Continue reading →

Posted in Home & Family Life | Tagged Bible, bruise, Cheryl Thomas, church, doctor, Encompass Pearland, faith and family, First Baptist Angleton, for better or worse, God, humor, marriage, pastor's wife, rehab, romance, Servando Gonzalez, Shawn Thomas, short-stories, stroke, stroke recovery, therapist, trials | 8 Comments