“I John’s Tests of Your Salvation”

Posted on 2022/12/12 by Shawn Thomas

Last week Cheryl & I went to the anniversary celebration at Challenger Aviation, Mike Challenger’s aviation business at Hobby Airport. Mike’s wife Mikelle’s dad is on staff at Sagemont Baptist in Houston, and we really enjoyed visiting with him and Mikelle’s mom while we were there. In the course of the conversation, Mikelle’s mom Lori ktold us how Mikelle had made a profession of faith in Christ and was baptized when she was very young — but a few years later she came to her with questions about whether she had really been saved. Lori wisely told her: “I don’t want you to live your whole life with doubts about your salvation,” and so she helped Mikelle make sure that day that she really was saved. I talked to Mikelle about it later and she said, I am not ashamed of that testimony! In fact, she said, “I’m so glad I ‘nailed it down’ before the pressures of high school and then college in California and then marriage and mothering 2 sons, one of which has special needs. Over the past 30 years I can’t imagine having doubts about my relationship with Jesus especially in the darkest of times.”

I really appreciate Mikelle’s testimony, because her experience is very common. Many, many people in our churches ask, “How can I know for sure if I’m really saved?” That’s NOT a trivial question. There is nothing more important than knowing for sure that you have eternal life in heaven. So how can you know? 

Sometimes people say something like, “Well, if you ‘made a decision’ at some point in your life, then you can know that you’re saved. But Jesus said in Matthew 7:21, “NOT everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” So you can’t know you’re saved just because you supposedly “made a decision” some time in your past and said that Jesus was your Lord.

So how CAN you know? Thankfully, we don’t have to guess. God’s word gives us the answer. And one of the best places in the Bible where we can test ourselves and get assurance for our salvation is in the Book of I John which we read last week in our Daily Bible Reading. In fact, I John 5:13 gives us the purpose of that book. It says: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.”  John says the whole purpose of this book is to give Christians the assurance of their salvation. And it does that by giving us a series of tests, which we find throughout this book, about things that will be present in the life of a person who is genuinely saved.  So when you read through this book, you will either be COMFORTED, because you see these things are present in your life, or you will be CONVICTED, because you don’t see these things in your life. Are you really saved, or are you not? Let’s look at the tests of the genuine Christian that God gives us here in I John.

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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of John 2:11-23.

Posted on 2022/12/11 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 2:11-23, for Sunday, December 18, 2022, with the title: “I Will Raise.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRO: One way you could open this week’s lesson would be to show a picture of this billboard that has appeared across the country with the big headline:   “Jesus was a vegetarian.”  I’ve seen those on the highway – you might ask your group if any of them they have. 

Then talk about how a lot of people probably see that and think, “Ok. Jesus was a vegetarian.” But was He? 

The PETA website says: “Many biblical scholars believe that Jesus was a vegetarian. Jesus’ message is one of love and compassion, and there is nothing loving or compassionate about factory farms and slaughterhouses …” etc.

But the solid, Biblical answer to that question is NO! Jesus was NOT a vegetarian.

— Luke 24:42-43 specifically says that after Jesus’ resurrection, “They gave Him a piece of broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them.” That’s pretty clear. If you believe the Bible, there is no doubt the answer to the question is NO: Jesus was NOT a vegetarian.

(You could also point out that He celebrated the Passover with His disciples; LAMB was one of the primary elements at those Passover meals!)

So the clear witness of scripture is that Jesus was NOT a vegetarian. 

Then you might encourage your group: this morning we are going to look at another passage that shatters many people’s “preconceived ideas” about who Jesus is. But we need to make sure that what we believe about Jesus comes from His WORD, not from just pop culture or our own preconceived notions.  

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Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 1:40-51, “Come and See.”

Posted on 2022/12/04 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 1:40-51, for Sunday, December 11, 2022 with the title, “Come and See.”

(A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRO:  ??? I might start this lesson by asking if any class members would share how they first came to follow Jesus?

(For example: I personally first responded to follow Christ at a VBS my Aunt Betty was leading in Pittsburgh, PA. She explained the gospel, and I stepped out the aisle of that little church to follow Jesus.)

So you and your class can share a few testimonies like that …

AND/OR you could start the class by sharing an interesting story of someone who came to Christ in a unique way, or by asking your class if they knew of someone who had a testimony like that.

One testimony you could use would be that of Dr. Francis Collins considered to be one of the most effective and ground-breaking scientists in the world, who chaired the Human Genome Project. He began his journey as an atheist, but while he was working in a hospital, he was attending a woman who had exhausted her options for treatment and was going to die soon. This woman had a strong faith, and she said, ‘You know, I’m ready to go. Don’t worry about me.’ And then she said, ‘Dr. Collins, you’ve been so kind to listen to me and care for me and listen to me share with you about my faith. Tell me about your faith. Tell me what you believe.’ Collins later wrote: ’Nobody had ever asked me that question before, not like that, not in such a simple, sincere way. I realized I didn’t know the answer. I felt uneasy. I could feel my face flushing. I wanted to get out of there. The ice was cracking under my feet. All of a sudden, by this simple question, everything was a muddle.’

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Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 1:1-14, “In The Beginning.”

Posted on 2022/11/26 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders, of Lifeway’s Explore The Bible lesson of  John 1:1-14, “In the Beginning,” for Sun, Dec. 4, 2022. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRO: A couple of years ago the Nativity Scene in St. Albans, West Virginia received national attention.  The scene was notable, because it included a stable, some sheep, camels & a donkey, and even some “visitors” – wise men – and that was it!  There was nothing IN the stable – no Mary, no Joseph — and no baby Jesus! Interestingly, the two town officials that were contacted had differing stories about why there was no one in the stable.  The parks superintendent said that the Holy Family was left out because of “separation of church & state” concerns. The mayor, on the other hand, (the politician!) said it was just a “technical difficulty” – you know, too hard to get all those characters to fit inside the stable! Either way, it was definitely ironic that the One the nativity scene is supposed to celebrate was left out! 

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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible”: Micah 7:1-10, 18-20, “Hope Found”

Posted on 2022/11/20 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Micah 7:1-10 and :18-20, for Sunday, November 27, 2022, with the title: “Hope Found.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRO: Ask class members: “Do you have a favorite song about the grace of God? And why would it be your favorite?”

(Some may say “Amazing Grace,” or “Grace That is Greater Than Our Sin,” or the contemporary song: “Your Grace is Enough” etc. and talk about WHY those are favorites about His grace …)

Then you can say: today’s lesson deals with how God gives us hope that He will rescue us from our the distress of our sin by His unfathomable grace. 

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“He Will Hold Me Fast: 5 Reasons Why A Genuine Christian’s Salvation Is Eternally Secure” (John 10:27-29 sermon)

Posted on 2022/11/14 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 hold us fast” and He will not let us go. 

I remember a man in our church in North Carolina told me one time, that he was SO glad that when he lay down his head at night, he didn’t have to worry whether he was still saved, and right with God. One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the gift of knowing for sure that we are saved. The verses we read here in John 10 this morning are among the strongest in the New Testament regarding the eternal security of the genuine believer in Christ. Jesus said:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

These verses contain at least FIVE strong statements from Jesus regarding the eternal security of His sheep:

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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: Micah 4:6-8, 5:1-9

Posted on 2022/11/13 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Micah 4 &5 for Sunday, November 20, 2022, with the title: “Humble Beginnings.” (A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRO:  Ask your group to share a dark, difficult time in their life that God brought them out of.

(EX: We had our first child just after I graduated from seminary, and we hadn’t been called to a church yet, and I only had a part-time job. It was an extremely difficult time. For years we called that our “Dark Year” — since then we’ve had some others! — but God eventually called us to our first church, and brought us out of that “Dark Year.”

You and your class members can share similar stories of difficult times for you/your family, but how God brought you out to better times.

OR you could use a historical illustration: In the early days of the American Revolution, things looked very bleak. The young  American Army had been routed at Brooklyn Heights in the Battle for New York, and the British took the City. The rag tag American army basically had retreat after retreat from the British, and it was winter, and they had almost no covering, supplies, or ammunition. Many believed the young revolution was now hopeless. But God would use a very special man, George Washington, to pull off a surprise attack on the British at Trenton, and the tide of the Revolution had turned. God would use this very special man to bring brighter days in the future for this land.

Whichever way you choose to open your lesson, then I would say something like: Today we are going to look at a very bleak time in the history of Israel; but God promised to send them One who would bring brighter days ahead — not only for THEM, but also for us, and for all who would humble themselves and believe on Him. 

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“Sitting Before The Lord” (I Chronicles 17:16-20 sermon)

Posted on 2022/11/07 by Shawn Thomas

In the late 1800s, Alexander Graham Bell was a master inventor, producing, among other things, the first telephone. But Bell’s wife Mable was concerned. Once she wrote to her mother that the endless hours he devoted to the telephone frightened her. She said: “He has his machine running beautifully — but it will kill him if he is not careful.’” (Candice Millard, Destiny of the Republic, p. 71)

Many of us face similar temptations today — and busy-ness IS a temptation that needs to be resisted. If we are too busy to get adequate rest; if we are too busy to get regular exercise, it will literally kill us — as it has many people throughout history. But we need to realize that the same thing is true on the spiritual level as well. If we are too busy to spend time with the Lord, it will kill us SPIRITUALLY, too. We need to slow down, and take time to sit before the Lord.

In I Chronicles 17, King David wanted to build God a “house,” a temple for worship. But through Nathan the prophet God told David that He never asked him to build Him a house; but He said, “The LORD will build a house for YOU”! And He prophesied that one of David’s offspring would set up a kingdom that would last forever (speaking of the Messiah that would be his descendant, which was fulfilled when Jesus was born in the City of David). This was an amazing promise, and David was humbled by it.

But David’s response to that is what I want us to focus on this morning. Verse 16 says “Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord …” and he began to pray. David’s response here, and the prayer that he prayed, has a lot to teach us:  

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Teacher’s overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: Micah 3:1-12, “Leaders Needed”

Posted on 2022/11/06 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Micah 3:1-2, for Sunday, November 13, 2022, with the title, “Leaders Needed.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at:

INTRO:  ONE way you could introduce this lesson would be to ask your class members if they had a favorite president or governor or other political leader – either from modern days, or from history — and why?

(One of mine is James A. Garfield, president of the U.S. in 1881 (he was assassinated in his first year) but he was a real Christian. He once said, “I had rather be beaten in Right than succeed in Wrong.” (Candice Millard, Destiny of the Republic, p. 98) And there are many others I could name.)

You and your class members can discuss current and former leaders you admire, and why. 

THEN you could say: This morning our lesson is entitled, “Leaders Needed,” and our passage from the Book of Micah speaks about good and bad qualities of leaders, and how they are accountable to God for what they do.

OR for an alternate introduction, you could take a few minutes and discuss the results of the elections that were held on Tuesday, Nov. 8 all across the country. People may be talking about them anyway, so this may be a good way to plug into that. Then make the transition: “As a matter of fact, today’s lesson deals with “Leaders” — a very appropriate topic for this week!

However you decide to open the lesson, I’d then do a brief overview of the Book of Micah, and the CONTEXT for the lesson this week:

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“The Greatest Verse in the Bible?” (John 3:16 sermon)

Posted on 2022/10/31 by Shawn Thomas

People often enjoy discussing who or what “the greatest” is in different areas of life. A new acronym has arisen in light of that: “GOAT,” which stands for “Greatest of All Time.” The first time I saw that, it was attributed to Tom Brady, who has continued to play into his mid-40s, and has won more Super Bowls than any other quarterback in history, so he has been labeled “The GOAT”: “The greatest of all time.” And others have been called “the greatest” of this or that, in many different fields. 

But what about the Bible? We are reading through the Bible together this year. What might be the greatest verse in the Bible? What would you say that it is? Poll after poll, survey after survey, consistently say that ONE verse is considered to be the “the greatest verse of scripture” in the Bible: John 3:16. Is it really the greatest verse? Well, greatness, like beauty, may be in the eye of the beholder, but I think you can certainly make a case that it could be the greatest verse. Why? Let’s look at it.  John 3:16 may possibly the greatest verse in all the Bible because it shows us:

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