shawnethomas

He Knew

Posted on 2017/07/12 by Shawn Thomas

“For He knew the one who was betraying Him …” (John 13:11)

“He KNEW.” Judas’ betrayal didn’t catch Jesus off guard. “HE KNEW” — all about it. So why did He allow it? Why didn’t He do something about it? Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized | Tagged circumstances, faith, God knows, John 13:11 | 1 Comment

If I Do Not Wash You

Posted on 2017/07/11 by Shawn Thomas

“Peter said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’” (John 13:8)

There can be no fellowship with the Lord for human beings, unless we have been washed. We are sinful: we have each inherited a sin nature, and we have each personally chosen to sin. Our sin separates us from fellowship with a holy God. This is why Jesus told Peter that if He does not wash us, then we can have no part with Him.

But thankfully, that is exactly why Jesus came: Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized | Tagged blood of Jesus, cleansing, cross of Christ, faith, fellowship with God, forgiveness, holiness, Holy God, I John 1:9, John 13:8, salvation, sin, sin nature, washing | 1 Comment

“The Disciple’s Indispensable Book” (Matthew 5:17-19 sermon)

Posted on 2017/07/10 by Shawn Thomas

John Bunyan’s classic story, Pilgrim’s Progress, is generally regarded as the 2nd-most widely read book of all time outside the Bible. In it he tells the allegorical story of “Pilgrim”, who leaves “The City of Destruction” where he lives, on a journey to the Celestial City. Along the way he enters through the narrow gate, his burden falls off at the empty tomb, and he is given a book to guide him on his journey. Unfortunately, at a resting place, Pilgrim accidentally leaves the little book behind, and when he discovers that he doesn’t have it, he rushes back to his former resting place to get it. He cannot go on in this journey, without the Book that is so indispensable to Him in his pilgrimage. Of course, that “book” in Bunyan’s story represents the Bible, and it IS indeed the “indispensable book” for a person who is on their way to heaven.

In the first part of The Sermon On The Mount, Jesus is speaking to His disciples. He describes in the Beatitudes what the character of His disciples is to look like, and then as we saw last week, He tells us what the role of His disciples is to be in the world: to be salt & light to those around us. Now here in :17-19 He reminds us of the indispensable book He gave His disciples for our journey to heaven: the word of God, the Bible. Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Alvin Reid, Baptist Faith & Message, Beatitudes, Bible, Big Picture of the Bible, book, commitment, creation, discipleship, Ezra, Ezra 7:10, Fall, heaven, Hebrew, homosexuality, homosexuality and Bible, homosexuality and Leviticus, II Timothy 3:15, inerrancy, infallible, Israel, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Bunyan, keriah, Law, letter, LGBT, Matthew 5:17-19, McDonalds, moral law, Old Testament, Old Testament and homosexuality, Pilgrim's Progress, preaching, redemption, restoration, sacrificial law, scripture, Sermon on the Mount, Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out, stroke, teaching, word of God, yod | Leave a comment

“You Will Understand Hereafter”

Posted on 2017/07/10 by Shawn Thomas

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.'” (John 13:7)

Of how many things that happen to us are these words true: “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter”? Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized | Tagged discipleship, faith, John 13:7, trials, trust, understanding, wisdom | 1 Comment

The Confidence That Serves

Posted on 2017/07/06 by Shawn Thomas

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.” (John 13:3-4)

John 13:3 describes the confidence that Jesus had in His relationship with His Heavenly Father. As we saw in the devotion on :3 here, Jesus KNEW: 1) Where He came from; 2) What God had given Him, and 3) Where He was going. As a result we see here in :4 the strength this confidence gave Him: Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized | Tagged assurance, confidence, discipleship, faith, humility, John 13:3-4, service | Leave a comment

“Knowing”: The Firm Foundation

Posted on 2017/07/05 by Shawn Thomas

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God …” (John 13:3)

The word “knowing” here is a crucial one: “Jesus, KNOWING …”. The scripture indicates here that what Jesus “knew” was the foundation of His life, strengthened Him in His time of trouble, and enabled Him to serve others. What was it that it says He “knew”, that gave Him such confidence and power? Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized | Tagged assurance, confidence, faith, foundation, heaven, I John 5:13, Jesus, John 13:3, knowing, relationship with God, service | 1 Comment

“Don’t You Touch Them ‘Ere Things”

Posted on 2017/07/04 by Shawn Thomas

As one of the first conflicts of the Revolutionary War made its way back from Lexington and Concord, through the little town of Menotony, British troops were vandalizing the home of an American deacon in his absence. The British ordered the man’s wife and baby from the house, and proceeded to ransack it, unaware that five more children were still under the bed. One boy, age nine, peeked out for a better look and was ordered by a soldier to come out.

The boy obeyed, and followed the redcoats through the house as they ransacked it. Finally, the soldiers came to his father’s communion plates. According to the minister who wrote the account, “When they proceeded to take possession of the sacred utensils, he could restrain himself no longer, and in horror and indignation cried out, ‘Don’t you touch them ‘ere things! Daddy’ll lick you if you do!’” (Best Little Stories of the American Revolution, C. Brian Kelly, p. 65.) Continue reading →

Posted in Current Events, History, Sermon Illustrations, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“Uncle Sam Needs YOU: To Be Salt & Light” (Matthew 5:13-16 sermon)

Posted on 2017/07/03 by Shawn Thomas

We’ve all seen the famous recruiting sign, “Uncle Sam needs YOU!” The truth is, Uncle Sam DOES need you: our country is in desperate need of you today. NOT necessarily to sign up for the military — though we do always need good men to do that, and we should all be thankful for those who have. But even though not all of us can serve in the military, all of us CAN be what our country needs the most right now: and that is to be the salt & the light that Jesus said we need to be to impact our country.

Jesus said here: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Here Jesus tells us that what our country, and our world, needs most from us, is to be “salt” and “light.” What does that mean? Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Acts 16, Christians in restaurants, compromise, disciples, discipleship, Dr. Chuck Quarles, evangelism, glorify God, hide light, I Corinthians 10:31, It Was Fun Working In The White House, legacy, light, light under a bushel, Lillian Parks Leighton, Matthew 5:13-16, ministry, out of the closet, Paul & Silas, purpose, Ronald Reagan city on a hill, salt, salt and light, salt lost savor, Sermon on the Mount, tipping, tips, uniform, witness | 4 Comments

Going to The Father

Posted on 2017/07/03 by Shawn Thomas

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” (John 13:1)

The “hour” that Jesus was facing here was not only a strategic and vital one for our salvation, but it also involved great pain and suffering for Him. And yet at the end of that hour, there would be a great joy. This verse says “that He would depart out of this world to the Father.”

Those words, “Out of this world to the Father” are a key. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized | Tagged comfort, Death, death of loved one, eternal life, facing death, father, heaven, Heavenly Father, John 13:1 | Leave a comment

Some Said It Thundered

Posted on 2017/06/29 by Shawn Thomas

In John 12 Jesus had just prayed before the multitude, “Father, glorify Thy name.” “Then a voice came out of heaven: ‘I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.’” (:28) What is interesting is the response of the multitude. Some obviously heard what God had said. “Others were saying, ‘an angel has spoken to Him.’” But others were saying “it had thundered.” (:29) It is notable that all the people were present for the same event, and actually heard the same thing; but some attributed it to God, others said that it was just thunder.

We see here that we human beings are not nearly as “objective” as we would like to think we are. Our response to God’s work reveals our hearts. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized | Tagged belief, Blaise Pascal, choice, cynics, doubt, faith, John 12:28-29, Pascal light shadows, skepticism | 1 Comment