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.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Honor" for 5/03/26
- Teacher's Overview of Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-25, "Love" for Sunday 11/02/25
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Grace," for 4/19, 2026
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 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
To Whom Are We Really Pointing?
“I am not fit to remove His sandals.” (Matthew 3:11) John the Baptist had a good perspective on himself and the focus of his ministry. This mission that he was proclaiming was NOT about HIM. It was about Jesus. In … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Uncategorized
Tagged dress, humility, Matthew 3:11, ministry, motivation, preaching, pride, teaching
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What You Really Need
The story of Jesus’ temptation by Satan in the wilderness is familiar to most of God’s people, but what He actually quoted to the enemy in His time of tempting is very instructive to us. Jesus quoted from Dueteronomy 8:2-3, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged Deuteronomy 8:2-3, God, Matthew 4:1-7, Matthew 4:4, need, perceived needs, purpose of trials, temptation
1 Comment
“My Redeemer Lives” (Easter sermon, Job 19)
Last Sunday we shared the story of Oscar Schindler, the German businessman who literally “redeemed” over 1200 Jewish prisoners from death in German concentration camps by bribing guards and bringing the prisoners in to work in his business. The picture … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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Are You Ready For The King?
Matthew 3:3 tells us that years before John the Baptist appeared, Isaiah prophesied that his basic message would be: “Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.” The picture the Old Testament prophet was conveying is that … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged consecration, Matthew 3:3, preparation, revival
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Fears, Circumstances & Providence
After the wicked King Herod died in Matthew 2, an angel told Joseph that he could take Jesus and Mary back to Israel. But it wasn’t that easy. There would be some “complications”: verse 22 tells us that Herod’s son … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Home & Family Life, Uncategorized
Tagged circumstances, faith, God's will, Matthew 2, Matthew 2:23, providence, purpose, trust
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“My Redeemer” (Job 19 sermon)
(Palm Sunday/Lord’s Supper service 3-20-16) If you want to make my wife Cheryl groan, just mention the Book of Job. I think she feels like we lived through that book for about two years as a family, and indeed Job … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged I John 2:2, Job, Job 19:25, Lord's Supper, mediator, My Redeemer Lives, Oscar Schindler, Palm Sunday, redeemer, redemption, salvation, sin, umpire
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From Joy To Crisis: The Principle of Undulating Circumstances
It is difficult to imagine how amazing it must have been for Mary & Joseph to experience the visit of the magi — and to receive from them the opulent gifts that they brought. What an emotional “high” they must … Continue reading
Dissembling Politicians — And Others …
“And (Herod) sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.’” (Matthew 2:8) Do we need to be … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged dissembling, elections, hypocrisy, Matthew 2:8, politicians
2 Comments
“A Ruler, Who Will Shepherd”
When King Herod asked the chief priests and scribes where the Christ was to be born, they quoted Micah 5:2 to him: “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged authority, I Peter 5:1-3, leader, leadership, Matthew 2:6, parenting, pastoring, Psalm 2, ruler, shepherding
1 Comment
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