shawnethomas

“The Christ of Christmas: His Deity” (John 1:1-3 sermon)

Posted on 2019/12/16 by Shawn Thomas

A couple of years ago the Nativity Scene in St. Albans, West Virginia got 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. Interestingly, the mayor (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!

Unfortunately, that is how it often is – people celebrate everything at Christmas except Jesus. They celebrate “family” – and it is great to get together with family at Christmas; we exchange gifts, and that is wonderful. We celebrate our blessings. There is even this “mystical” thing we call “the spirit of the season” that is celebrated. But oftentimes, Jesus Christ Himself is left out. So for the next couple weeks, I want us to focus on the One the season really celebrates: Jesus Christ, “The Christ of Christmas.” These messages will based in the book of John, chapter 1, and we will look at what that chapter teaches us about Who He is, and what He came to do for us. We begin this morning by looking at John 1:1-3 with its famous words:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”

Among other things, these verses tell us that “The Christ of Christmas” was and is God! Continue reading →

Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Acts 14:13-15, Bishop Dmitri Royster, change your life, Christ, Christ Christmas, Christmas, Colossians 2:9, Diety of Christ, forgiveness, fullness of God, God with us, Gospels, Hebrews 1, Herschel Hobbs, I AM, Immanuel, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus Christ God, Jesus claim to be God, Jesus Creator, John 10:30, John 1:1, John 1:1-3, John 20:28, John 8:56-59, keep Christ in Christmas, Matthew 1:23 God with us, Mormons, Philippians 2:9, pleroma, resurrection of Jesus, Revelation 19:10, salvation, St. Albans West Virginia nativity scene, The Christ of Christmas, the name which is above every name, virgin birth | Leave a comment

“The Call of Christmas” (Luke 2:8-11 devotion)

Posted on 2019/12/09 by Shawn Thomas

“Now there were in that same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”

Angels came to shepherds — that’s how our last song started, and that is just what the Bible tells us in Luke 2, verses 8-10 tell us that after Jesus was born. So it was to these shepherds that the message of Christ’s birth, first came, showing us:

I. The Call of Christmas is a call to the lowly. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Christmas, Christmas devotion, Christmas sermon, evangelism, faith, for You!, humility, Isaiah 53, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Luke 2:8-11, Messiah, Personal, put your name in a verse, repentance, Ruth Bell Graham, sacrifice, salvation, Savior, shepherds, Talmud | Leave a comment

“The Biggest Mistakes You Can Make This Christmas” (I Peter 4:12-19 sermon)

Posted on 2019/12/02 by Shawn Thomas

In England in 1938 no one wanted to face the reality that Germany was about to go to war. Many historians criticize British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who tried to “appease” the Germans, and failed to lead England to get re-armed to fight — but the truth is, the British people themselves were in no mood to fight. They had lost almost a million young men only 20 years before, in the first World War, and they did not want to think about another war. They just wanted to get away from it. They wanted to be entertained. So they flocked to the movies. And there were some great movies to see: the Wizard of Oz, Gone With The Wind, and Walt Disney’s Snow White all came out that year. They lost themselves in those movies, and in the new songs like “Roll Out The Barrel, we’ll have a barrel of fun,” that were all the rage in the late 1930’s. (Manchester, p. 308)

But their escapism into entertainment didn’t save them. If they didn’t want to think about war, Hitler did. Judgment Day was coming, in the form of Panzer tanks and Stuka dive bombers and Blitzkreig, Hitler’s “lightning war.” England had made a huge mistake. They were caught unprepared, and only survived World War II with the help of the United States. It ended up costing them their Kingdom – Britain was never again the same world power they once were. Their negligence came within a hair’s breadth of costing them their country, and it cost many of them their lives.

Why do I tell this story? Because many of us today are on the verge of a very similar thing. The Bible tells us that God’s judgment is coming — it’s time to be serious about living for Him. But all that many of us want to focus on is Thanksgiving Break, or Christmas, or the next vacation, or the next big game. Our country as a whole, and many of us personally, are doing just what England did in that fateful 1938: trying to “escape” into parties and games and entertainment, while God’s judgment is waiting right at the door.

That’s why I’ve entitled this message: “The Biggest Mistakes You Can Make This Christmas.” Continue reading →

Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Augustine, Blitzkreig, busy, busy-ness, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, celebration, Christmas, Christmas giving, Clio Muse of History in U.S. House, difficulty that the righteous is saved, distractions, England 1938, entertainment, escapism, evangelism, Ezekiel 9, give, giving, Gone With the Wind movie, Handel's Messiah, Hitler, humility and salvation, I Peter 4, I Peter 4 sermon, II Corinthians 6:2, Jesus mother Mary, Jesus only way, John 14:6, judgment, judgment begins with the household of God, live in light of eternity, Lottie Moon offering, Malachi 3, Matthew 19:23-24, Neville Chamberlain appeasement, now is the time, reject God as Father find Him as Judge, Roll Out The Barrel song, salvation, salvation cost, stewardship, suffering, tithe, tithing, war, Winston Churchill | 2 Comments

“What To Do If The End Is Near” (I Peter 4:7-11 sermon)

Posted on 2019/11/25 by Shawn Thomas

Last Sunday morning I mentioned that there had been a survey in which the American people were asked what they would do if they knew the world would end in a week. Two of the top responses, sadly, were that they would either get drunk, or go to Las Vegas if they knew the world was going to end. We all know that’s NOT what our response as God’s people should be. But what SHOULD we do, if the earth – or just the days of our life – is near an end? Peter tells us in this passage what we should do. He says:

“The end of all things is near; therefore be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Continue reading →

Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Crossway Publishers survey, daily quiet time, devotional time, Elizabeth Leyton, end of world, Ephesians 1:13, evangelism, faithfulness, family in the ark, football, greatest of these is love, horizontal bar, I Corinthians 12:7, I Corinthians 13, I Peter 4:10, I Peter 4:7-11, I Peter 4:7-11 sermon, I Thessalonians 5:17, intercession, love, love covers a multitude of sins, love for others, love in church, love one another, MasterLife, morning prayer, pastors prayer, perseverance, pray without ceasing, prayer, prayer time, praying for family, praying for salvation, praying for the lost, Proverbs 10:12, relationship, relationship with God, relationships, relationships in church, salvation, service, spiritual gifts, spontaneous prayer, survey, time in prayer survey, time spent in prayer, use your gift, Winston Churchill, you've played your part | Leave a comment

“What Are You Living For?” (I Peter 4:1-6 sermon)

Posted on 2019/11/18 by Shawn Thomas

Sir Winston Churchill had an amazing career as an English politician, Prime Minister and world leader – he is consistently listed by historians as one of the top 2 or 3 most important people of the 20th century. But reading his biography, you get an idea of his motivation — WHY he did what he did. From the time he was a child, Winston Churchill wanted to be a “great person.” He wanted to be a famous politician. He wanted to be remembered. So he went off to war, and put himself in positions of great danger, specifically for the purpose of “getting medals,” which would enable him to win a political office when he got back, and which would thrust him into public life. Churchill did some great things in his life, but his motivation; what he was living for — by his own admission — was to achieve his own fame and lasting greatness.

In light of that, we should ask ourselves today: “What am I living for?” Verse 2 here says the one who is following Christ is no longer living for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. What about YOU? What are YOU really living for? Peter shows us here in these verses a real contrast in the way people live: some who live for the things of this world, and some who live for the will of God. And it’s not just a matter of whether you go to church or not. There are plenty of people who “go to church”for an hour on Sunday, but who spend most of their lives living for the lusts of men. But there are others who go to church who are there because they are really seeking to live for the will of God. Which one of these kinds of people are you? You might say, “Well, I am living for the will of God.” But ARE you really? Does your life demonstrate that to be true? Peter shows us here in chapter 4:1-6 some of the things that will characterize the person who is really living not for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. I hope that you will evaluate your own life this morning, and see if these verses show that you are really living for the will of God:

“Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.”

Several things in this passage show us what we are REALLY living for: whether it is the desires of the flesh or the will of God: Continue reading →

Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged ark of salvation, Bible, Biblical values, Christian suffering, decisions, devotions, drink, dysautonomia, eat drink and be merry, feel like doing, feelings, food, gospel, heaven, holiness, homosexuality, I Corinthians 6:9-11, I John 2:16, I Peter 4:1-6 sermon, I Peter suffering, idolatry, Israel Babylonian Captivity, Jesus Christ, Jesus does not leave you as you are, John 5:14, John 8 woman, John 9 bling man, judgment, just as we are, lust, lusts of men, lusts of the world, morality, morning quiet time, motivation, POTS, Psalm 119:67, purification of suffering, purificaton, purpose, repent, repentance, salvation, Same sex marriage, sanctification, scripture, sin, sin and suffering, suffer, suffering, suffering purifies, time, will of God, Winston Churchill, wrong side of eternity, wrong side of history | 3 Comments

“The Ark Of Our Salvation” (I Peter 3:18-22 sermon)

Posted on 2019/11/11 by Shawn Thomas

In 1913 there was a great flood in Brazoria County. The three rivers: the Brazos, the Colorado, and the San Bernard, all virtually became one, and the entire countryside was flooded. The streets of Angleton were covered in 3 to 4 feet of water. After three similar type floods in a 6-year period, citizens decided that something needed to be done, and the levee was built that now surrounds our town.

That levee was one of the first things we were shown when we came to Angleton, and Cheryl & I quickly determined that we wanted to live INSIDE this levee! We heard that even in the massive flooding from Hurricane Harvey, and other torrential rains, that the City of Angleton has been “high and dry” due to the levee. Thus the levee has become something like an “ark of safety” for our town’s inhabitants, against the floods that come against our area.

Well, I am thankful for the levee we have around our town — but you know, there is nothing certain in this world. One day that levee may fail, and our town may flood. But thank God, we have an “ark of safety” that will NEVER fail us — the “ark” of salvation He has given us in Jesus Christ! God describes that “ark” in our verses for today in I Peter 3:18-22:

“For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you — not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience — through them resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.” Continue reading →

Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged 1913 flood Brazoria County, Angleton levee, ark, ark of salvation, Augustine, baptism, baptism saves you, baptism symbol, Billy Graham apologize to Sodom, blood, Brenton Tarrant good boy, children in the ark, children's salvation, commitment, dad responsibility, decision, depravity, depravity of man, disobedience, evangelism, evil, family, father, flood, Genesis 19:14, Genesis 4:10, Genesis 6:5, God's judgment, good at heart, grace, guilt, Hurricane Harvey, hurricane preparedness, I Peter 3 sermon, I Peter 3:18-22, I Peter 3:21, II Peter 3:9, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgment, lot, Martin Luther, mom responsibility, mother, now is the acceptable time, patience of God, persecution, Psalm 103:9, responsibility, resurrection of Jesus Christ, Roe v. Wade, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, salvation, salvation by grace, sin, sin nature, thoughts, today is the day of salvation, Where did Christ go in the spirit, witness | Leave a comment

“Christ’s Suffering/Our Salvation” (I Peter 3:18 sermon)

Posted on 2019/11/04 by Shawn Thomas

David McCullough is one of my favorite history writers (I loved his book on the Wright Brothers). One of HIS favorite authors was a man by the name of Conrad Richter, who won the Pulitzer Prize back in the 1950’s for a trilogy about pioneer life in Ohio. McCullough said he appreciated Richter because he wrote about the good that can come out of difficult things — “what Shakespeare called the ‘benefit of ill.’” McCullough wrote that “In his quiet manner, Richter would say that so much of what we experience in love, art, perseverance, wisdom — are born of difficulty.”

That is so true. No one likes to suffer — and yet if we are wise, we will realize that much good can come out of suffering. And it is certainly true that the greatest good that ever came to us, came from the greatest suffering ever: the suffering of Jesus on the cross for us. His suffering brought about our salvation, which our text for this morning reminds us:

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” Continue reading →

Posted in Doctrine/Theology, I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged bring us to God, C.S. Lewis happiness, C.S. Lewis milk and water, C.S. Lewis pleasure, Christ suffered for sins, Christ suffered once, Conrad Richter, David McCullough, death of Christ, draw near to God, evangelism, forgiveness, God, God Father, grace, hapax, hapax legomena, heaven, Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 10:11-12, Hebrews 10:14, Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 9:25-26, hina, Hymn Free From the Law O Happy Condition, hymn It Is Well, hymn Jesus paid it all, Hymn Once For All, I Peter 3:18, I Peter sermon, It is finished, ministry, Moravians sold to slavery, My sin o the bliss of this glorious thought, once, Once for all O sinner receive it, one offering, one sacrifice, purpose, purpose clause, purpose of salvation, relationship with God, repentance, sacrifice, salvation, Sanan Gunan Thai SEAL, sin, suffer, suffering, Thai Navy SEAL died in rescue, Thai soccer team rescue, the benefit of ill, witness, works salvation | 2 Comments

“An Effective Witness” (I Peter 3:15 sermon)

Posted on 2019/10/21 by Shawn Thomas

A couple of weeks ago, a group from our church went to Houston see the play “The Hiding Place,” about how Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsy were taken by the Nazis into a concentration camp during World War II because they had sheltered Jews. Corrie’s book, which the play was based upon, tells how a friend named Harry was taken away during a raid on the Ten Boom’s watchmaking business by the Nazi-controlled police. She wrote: “Harry kissed his wife. Then he took my hand and shook it solemnly. Tears filled our eyes. For the first time, Harry spoke. ‘I shall use this place — wherever they’re taking us,’ he said. ‘It will be my witness stand for Jesus.’” (The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom, pp. 110-111)

That idea right there: of being a witness for Jesus in whatever you are going through, is a big part of the message of the Book of I Peter. God’s people were being persecuted, but Peter was teaching them that God’s purpose for them in this trial was that they might be a witness for Him. And that’s His purpose for us today, too. Wherever we are, every day, whatever our cirucmstances, God wants us to use what we are going through as “a witness stand for Jesus.”

Last Sunday we talked about how we don’t want to let fear control our lives, but that we should truly make Jesus our Lord – and not be intimidated if He tells us to witness to someone. Peter encouraged us to obey HIM, and not give in to fears that would keep us from speaking — or to give in to fears of ANY kind. This morning, Peter continues that topic of being a witness with verse 15, which talks about how we can really be “An Effective Witness” for the Lord:

“Always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”

This verse teaches us several things that must be present in our lives for us to be effective witnesses: Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "The Weight of Glory", 30-second elevator speech, always being ready, assurance, attitude, attitude and witnessing, Betsy Ten Boom, C.S. Lewis, Corrie Ten Boom, CPR, Effective Witness, Ephesians 2 without hope, evangelism, every person you meet, Gail White testimony, gentleness, God's provision, God's purpose, gospel, gospel outline, gospel presentation, hope, I Peter 3:15, I Peter 3:15 sermon, lifestyle, lifestyle evangelism, lifestyle witness, Man's Need, Man's Response, not out to win arguments out to win people, prepared to witness, ready, reverence, Roman Road of salvation, salvation, testimony, The Hiding Place, the hope within you, witness, witness stand for Jesus, witnessing | Leave a comment

“Whom Shall I Fear?” (I Peter 3:13-15 sermon)

Posted on 2019/10/14 by Shawn Thomas

In Marie Beth Jones’ Tales of the Brazos, she tells of Dr. William F. Bruner, who was one of the first doctors who lived in what would later become Angleton. One day Dr. Bruner was called to treat a young man who had suffered a gunshot wound in his hip. The young man told Dr. Bruner what happened: he said he’d seen a shadow on the way to his girlfriend’s house, and he just knew it was his rival for her affections. He’d known his rival might be there, so he had brought a gun for protection. But when he saw the shadow he started running for the woods and reached for his gun. But it was too late: a shot rang out, and he realized his rival’s bullet had struck him.

Dr. Bruner examined the wound, asked about the distance of the shooter. He looked at the pants the man was wearing, and noted the damage to them. Then he looked over the pistol the young man had been carrying for protection. Dr. Bruner’s conclusion: the shadow that the patient had been running from was his OWN shadow, and he had been so panic-stricken that he had managed to shoot himself! (p. 122)

Fear can be very destructive, can’t it? It can cause us to do a lot of foolish and harmful things. Unfortunately, even many of God’s people just live surrounded with fear. And God tells us here in I Peter 3 that if Jesus is our Lord, it should not be this way:

“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?

But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. ‘And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled,’ but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts …”. Continue reading →

Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Angleton, Angleton Texas, Apostle John, Christ, Christ Lord, Dr. William F. Bruner, evangelism, fear, fear controls you, fear of death, fear of men, fear of the Lord, Herod fear, homosexuality, I Peter 3:13-15 sermon, I Peter 3:14, II Corinthians 5:11, intimidation, Isaiah 8, Jesus, Jesus is Lord, LGBT agenda, Lordship, Lordship of Christ, Marie Beth Jones, Matthew 10:28, Matthew 14, meaning of lordship, Milton Paradise Lost, mission, missions, peer pressure, persecution, Psalm 27:1, Revelation 1, Romans 3:18, Tales of the Brazos, television, tv news and fear, what people think, whom shall I fear?, witness | Leave a comment

“God’s Rules For Christian Conduct” (I Peter 3:8-12 sermon)

Posted on 2019/10/07 by Shawn Thomas

When George Washington was a little boy, he copied out a document with the title: “110 Rules of Civility,” which was a common school assignment in his day. Because we have Washington’s copy in his own hand, it has become well-known — AND he did seem to try to live by it as well. It has some very practical guidelines for civil behavior, among them:

— Rule #1: Every action done in company, ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present.

— Rule #4: In the presence of others, sing not to yourself with a humming noise, nor drum with your fingers or feet.

— Rule #38: In visiting the sick, do not presently play the physician if you be not knowing therein.

— Rule #9: Spit not in the fire … nor set your feet upon the fire — especially if there be meat before it (!)

These are just some good, practical, things that will help you be considerate of others, and get along with other people in society – we would probably benefit from observing some of these rules today!

And that’s similar to what we find here in our passage today in I Peter 3:8-12. With these words, Peter concludes this whole section we’ve been studying on Christian living. In it he has talked about how we should be a good witness by the way we live towards the government, at work, in our home with our own family, etc., and now he ends this section with a general admonition for ALL of us as God’s people, on the way we should ALL live as a witness to ALL people, all of the time; especially in the church, but also outside as well:

“To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind-hearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

For, ‘The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. He must turn away from evil and do good. He must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’” Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "Going Deeper With God", answered prayer, attitudes, blessing, brotherly love, C.S. Lewis, Christian home life, church, church family, church family life, church relationships, confession, daily quiet time, deeds, demons, devil, domestic life, George Washington's Rules of Civility, gospel, Greg Frizzell, harmony, hindered prayer, holiness, holy life, home, horizontal relationships, humility, I Peter 3:8-12, I Peter sermon, II Corinthians 2:11, imperative, imperative of holiness, kind-hearted, love, marriage, MasterLife, philadelphia, plan of salvation, prayer, Psalm 34, relationships, relationships church, repentance, revenge, Rules For Christian Conduct, salvation, sanctification, Satan, Satan's schemes, schemes of the enemy, Screwtape, screwtape letters, sin, sumpathos, sympathetic, temptation, thoughts, words, Wormwood | Leave a comment