Category Archives: Doctrine/Theology

“Great Expectations” (I Peter 1:4-5 sermon)

Posted on 2019/04/29 by Shawn Thomas

One of Charles Dickens’ greatest novels bears the title: Great Expectations. “Great Expectations” didn’t just mean that great things were expected of the young man Pip, whom the story was about. To have “expectations” in old England meant that you … Continue reading →

Posted in Doctrine/Theology, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Acts 20:32, Ephesians 1:14, eternal reward, eternal security, false teachers, father, FDIC, giving, glory, government debt, Great Expectations Charles Dickens, health and wealth gospel, heaven, Hebrews 9:15, I Peter, I Peter 1:4-5 sermon, II TImothy 1:12, imperishable, inheritance, John 10:28-29, kingdom of God, kingdom work, materialism, once saved always saved, prosperity preachers, reward, rewards, Romans 8:38, salvation, security, service, Social Security crisis, stephanos, theology, time, tithing, U.S. Government, victor's crown, wasting time, Your Best Life Now | Leave a comment

“Pilgrim’s Progress” (I Peter 1:1-2 sermon)

Posted on 2019/04/08 by Shawn Thomas

The Bible is the #1 best-selling, most-read book of all time. But right behind it, is The Pilgrim’s Progress, widely considered the second most-read book in history. It was written by Puritan John Bunyan, in the form of an allegory: … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged aliens, ambassador, baptism of Jesus, Bible, Chris Boniol, David McCullough Mornings on Horseback, doctrine, evangelism, gardener, George W. Bush Muslims, God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, Great Commission, Gregory of Nazianzus, Hebrews 11:13, I Peter 1:1-2, I Peter 2:11, I Peter sermon, II Corinthians 5:20, Islam and the Trinity, John Bunyan, modalism, not of this world, pilgrim, Pilgrim's Progress, pilgrims, place kicker, planted, Puritans, purpose, scripture, sown, The Pilgrim's Progress, Theodore Roosevelt Sr., this world is not your home, Trinity, Triune God, vocation, when I say God I mean Father Son and Holy Spirit, witness | 3 Comments

“He Will Hold Me Fast” (John 10:27-29 sermon)

Posted on 2018/11/19 by Shawn Thomas

We have SO many blessings to count this Thanksgiving season, don’t we? But surely one of THE greatest blessings we have to give thanks for as God’s people, is the SECURITY of our salvation in Jesus Christ — that “HE will … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Abraham Lincoln, Amazing Grace, backsliding, C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, devil, discouragement, double negative, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 2:8-9, eternal life, eternal security, He Will Hold Me Fast, Hebrews 13:6, II TImothy 1:12, II Timothy 2:13, John 10:27-29 sermon, Kristyn Getty, Lectures to My Students, Matthew 24:25, Matthew 5:20, My Father, My Father's hand, never perish, once saved always saved, ou me, perseverance of the saints, pluck out of My hand, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:35, salvation gift, salvation works, Satan, Sears Kenmore warranty, security, sheep, sin and security, snatch out of My hand, Spurgeon down to God's price, temporary life, The Ballpark in Arlington, when we've been there ten thousand years | 4 Comments

Paul’s “Theology 101”

Posted on 2018/03/20 by Shawn Thomas

The Apostle Paul preached at Mars Hill has been criticized by some for not being directly based upon the Old Testament scriptures. But upon further inspection it is an amazing compendium of knowledge about the One True God. Notice what … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology | Tagged "Sovereignty of God", Acts 17:23-31, Apostle Paul, doctrine of God, God, God judge, God mercy, God the Father, holiness of God, immanence, omnipotence of God, Omnipotent, Providence of God, sufficiency of God, teaching, theology, theology 101, theology of God, transcendence | Leave a comment

The God They Didn’t Warn You About!

Posted on 2018/02/19 by Shawn Thomas

“O LORD, rebuke me not in Your wrath, and chasten me not in Your burning anger. For Your arrows have sunk deep into me, and Your hand has pressed down upon me.” (Psalm 38:1-2) “Rebuke … wrath … burning anger … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology, Uncategorized | Tagged anger, Bible Reading, Bible studies, chastening, devotionals, judgment, Psalm 38:1-2, punishment, sin, theology, wrath | Leave a comment

“Reckoned Righteous” (Genesis 15:6 sermon)

Posted on 2018/01/22 by Shawn Thomas

One of the great blessings of reading through the Bible together this year is that in the course of the year we will come across all of the greatest verses in the Bible at one point or another. Our verse … Continue reading →

Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons | Tagged Abraham, Abram, Acts 10 Peter and Cornelius, Al Mohler, Augustine Confessions, Augustine of Hippo, commitment, cross of Christ, deserve, faith, forgiveness, Genesis 12, Genesis 15:6, Genesis 15:6 sermon, Genesis 17, Genesis 20, heaven, holier than thou, Holy Spirit, II Corinthians 5:21, imputed righteousness, Isaiah 53:4, Job 19:15, justification, Martin Luther King, MasterLife, paralzyed man Matthew 9, R.C. Sproul Jr. content of His character, reckoned, righteous, righteousness, Romans 3:10-12, Romans 4 and Genesis 15:6, salvation, sin, Spurgeon, thief on the cross, tzedek | 1 Comment

Closer to Sodom or Heaven?

Posted on 2018/01/17 by Shawn Thomas

“Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty, walk before Me, and be blameless.’” (Genesis 17:1) Notice something important in God’s charge to Abram.

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology | Tagged Genesis 17:1, holiness, Matthew 5:48, Romans 12:1, sanctification, Sodom | Leave a comment

Living In A Tent

Posted on 2018/01/16 by Shawn Thomas

“Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.” (Genesis 18:1) So Abraham literally lived in a “tent.” When angel asked him in :9, … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology | Tagged Abraham, commitment, discipleship, doctrine, faith, false teaching, Genesis 18, glory, hardship, heaven, Hebrews 11:, persecution, perseverance, prosperity gospel, reward, sacrifice, tents, theology, Your Best Life Now | Leave a comment

“What Is Man?”

Posted on 2018/01/15 by Shawn Thomas

“Men go to gape at mountain peaks, at the boundless tides of the sea, the broad sweep of rivers, the encircling ocean and the motions of the stars: and yet they leave themselves unnoticed; they do not marvel at themselves.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Sermons | Tagged accountability, anthropology, Bible, brevity of life, C.S. Lewis, Calvinism, choice, choices, commitment, creation, decision, depravity of man, doctrine of man, free will, freedom to choose, Genesis 1:26, Genesis 3, Hebrews 9:27, Herman Melville Moby Dick, humankind, II Corinthians 5:10, II Corinthians 6:2, image of God, Imago Dei, Isaiah 40:6-7, Job 14, Job 14:4, judgment, judgment seat of Christ, life, man, mankind, Moby Dick blacksmith anvil, original sin, Proverbs 20:9, Psalm 103:15, Psalm 90:5, salvation, seed of woman, sin, sin nature, temptation, theology of man, time | Leave a comment

The Fount of Every Blessing

Posted on 2017/11/23 by Shawn Thomas

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) Ephesians 1:3-14 is notable for its list of blessings which God has given … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology | Tagged blessing, Christ, Christology, Ephesians 1:3, spiritual blessing, Thanksgiving | Leave a comment