Tag Archives: Bethlehem

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 2:1-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Worship the King,” for 12/21/25

Posted on 2025/12/13 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for for teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible series. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Worship the King", Augustine of Hippo, Bethlehem, Bible study, Christmas, Christmas lesson, Christmas message, Christmas Sunday School, Explore the Bible, genuine worship, giving, giving as worship, Herod the Great, Herod's pig than his son, hidden agendas in church, humility, humility in worship, hypocrisy, hypocrites, hypocritical worship, joy, Lifeway, Macrobius, magi, Matthew 2, Matthew 2:1-12, Micah 5:2, missing heaven by 18", motives, obedience, obedience and worship, politics and church, prophecy of Christ, proskuneo, selling in church, shawnethomas, signs of genuine worship, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, the star of Bethlehem, visit of the magi, wise men, worship | 3 Comments

“Trusting Providence In A Fallen World” (“Trust & Obey”) Matthew 2:13-23 sermon

Posted on 2024/12/29 by Shawn Thomas

(Preached at First Baptist Church, Angleton, TX, December 29, 2024.) I hope that you are among those who had a Merry Christmas — but honestly I know that not everyone did. Our lives are often very difficult, and maybe you’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged A.W. Tozer, Bethlehem, Bible, Christianity, Christmas, creation, depravity, Egypt, faith, God, God's provision, God's providence, Holy family, importance of obedience, Jesus, Joseph, Joseph's obedience, King Herod, man's nature, massacre of innocents Bethlehem, Matthew, Matthew 2, miracle vs providence, nature, obedience, post-Christmas sermon, prophecy, providence, provision, Romans 8:19-22, Romans 8:22, sermon, sovereignty, sovereignty of God, The Knowledge of the Holy, tragedy, Trust & Obey | Leave a comment

“A ‘Real Life’ Christmas” (Luke 2:1-11 sermon)

Posted on 2023/12/11 by Shawn Thomas

My sister serves as a missionary in southeast Asia. We both grew up at the First Baptist Church of Harrah, Oklahoma — a church much like FBC Angleton in a lot of ways. When we were young, our church was … Continue reading →

Posted in Luke 2 Christmas series | Tagged A Christmas Carol, Andrew Parker Genesis Enigma, apologetics, assurance, Bethlehem, busyness, C.S. Lewis normal life, Caesar Augustus, chaos, Charles Darnay, Charles DIckens, Christianity, Christianity historicity, Christianity real life, Christmas chaos, Christmas family celebration, Christmas nativity scene, Christmas sermon, church Christmas program, church nativity, creation, cunningly devised fables, dying testimony, Ebenezer Scrooge, eternal life, Frank Morison Who Moved The Stone, Genesis 1, gospel, Jesus history, John Newton, Judea, kids nativity, Letters of John Newton, Luke 2, Luke 2 Christmas sermon, Luke 2 Christmas story, Mary and Joseph, myth, Paul the Traveler, Quirinius, salvation, Savior, science and Christianity, screwtape letters, service, Sidney Carton, Tale of Two Cities, William Mitchel Ramsey | 2 Comments

“Herald of His Advent” (Micah 5:2 sermon)

Posted on 2021/12/20 by Shawn Thomas

When Mark Twain visited the Holy Land in the 1860’s, he did not find Bethlehem to be very impressive. In fact, he wrote later of its “mouldy domes and turrets” and disparaged its “noisy mob” and “leprous beggars.” He said … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged Bethlehem, Bethlehem birthplace of Christ, Christmas sermon, daily Bible reading, God keeps promises, Hebrews 2:17, Jesus Deity, Jesus humanity, Jesus I AM, Jesus peace, Jesus ruler, Jesus shepherd, Jesus sovereignty, Mark Twain Bethlehem visit, Micah 5:2-5 sermon, Phillips Brooks O Little Town of Bethlehem, prophecy of Jesus birth, return of Christ, Triune God | Leave a comment

“The Prophets and Your Salvation” (I Peter 1:10-12 sermon)

Posted on 2019/05/19 by Shawn Thomas

Back when I was a young preacher at my first church in Oklahoma City, I got a little book in the mail one day, from Edgar Whisenant: “88 Reasons Why The Rapture Will Be In 1988.” Whisenant was a NASA … Continue reading →

Posted in I Peter sermons, Music, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized, worship | Tagged "me" generation, Acts 2:39, Bethlehem, blood moons, building, church, contemporary music, contemporary service, Daniel, Edgar Whisenant 88 Reasons Why, end times, eschatology, family, generations, God's plan, hymns, I Peter 1:10-12, I Peter message, imitate, invitation, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 7:14, It's not about you, Jesus, knowing vs. doing, love, marriage, Martin Luther, Message, Messiah, Micah 5:2, Old Testament prophecies, Old Testament prophets, personal application, prophecies, prophets, Psalm 16, Psalm 22:1, rapture, respond, response, sacrifice, salvation, saving faith, second coming, self-centered, self-centeredness, selfishness, selflessness, Suffering Servant, traditional service, witness, witness of the prophets, worship, Zechariah 9:9 | Leave a comment

Heralds of the Advent: Micah 5

Posted on 2011/12/11 by Shawn Thomas

When Mark Twain visited the Holy Land in the 1860’s, he did not find Bethlehem to be impressive. In fact, he wrote later of its “mouldy domes and turrets” and disparaged its “noisy mob” and “leprous beggars.” He said he … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged "O Little Town of Bethlehem", advent, anxiety, Bethlehem, fear, Lordship, Mark Twain, Micah 5:2-5, Phillips Brooks, sermon, Shepherd | Leave a comment