Tag Archives: discipleship

“Defective Discipleship” (Matthew 26:58 sermon)

Posted on 2020/01/26 by Shawn Thomas

Several times in recent weeks I have mentioned Martin Luther, the German Reformer of the 1500’s. After he brought the authority of the Bible, and salvation by grace through faith, back to the forefront of Christianity, he was not satisfied … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Archie Leach, baptism, baptism and discipleship, Cary Grant military, Christian finances, commitment, discipleship, distant discipleship, evangelism, following at a distance, forgiveness, grace, limited discipleship, Lordship, Luke 6:46, Luke 9:23, Martin Luther, Martin Luther discipleship, Matthew 10:37, Matthew 26:58, Matthew 26:58 sermon, Matthew 27:48-49, ministry, real discipleship, spectator discipleship, witnessing, worship, worship participation, worship service criticism | 1 Comment

“In His Steps: When We Suffer” (I Peter 2:19-23 sermon)

Posted on 2019/09/03 by Shawn Thomas

Cheryl & I love to read and watch the old Agatha Christie detective stories, so last year we each read her autodbiography. In it Mrs. Christie tells of a teacher at her girls school growing up. She said she couldn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Agatha Christie biography, an eye for an eye, become like Christ, Christian life suffering, Christians and persecution, Christians and suffering, Christlikeness, commit to God, despair, discipleship, do not be overcome by evil, do not take your own revenge, entrust to God, faith, following Christ, foolish suffering, fret not, godly suffering, holiness, holy, I Peter 2:19-23, I Peter 2:20, I Peter sermon, I will repay says the Lord, in His steps, In His steps suffering, J.R.R. Tolkien, Joe McKeever, Lord of the Rings, love your enemies, Matthew 26:50, Matthew 5 sermon on the mount, meekness Psalm, never take your own revenge, payback, persecuted for Jesus, persecution, Proverbs 20:22, Psalm 37, revenge, ring of power, Romans 12:17, Romans 12:19, salvation, suffer, suffering, suffering for Jesus, trust, trust God, trust in the Lord and do good, turn the other cheek, why did God do this?, you can't fight the enemy with his own ring without turning into an enemy | Leave a comment

“In His Steps” (I Peter 2:21 sermon)

Posted on 2019/08/26 by Shawn Thomas

There were many different college football teams represented here today: we had Longhorn fans, and Aggie fans; Houston and Baylor — even a few Sooner fans — and many others. There are a lot of college football teams to follow … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Abraham Lincoln suffering, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, chastening fell upon Him, children, Christ suffered, Christian motivation, church, college football, discipleship, enemies, example, follow, follow Me, following Jesus, go to church, hardship, humbling, hupogrammo, I Peter 2:21, I Peter 2:21 sermon, imitation, in His steps, Isaiah 53, Jesus example, Jesus suffering, life, marriage beliefs, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Matthew 4 follow Me, ministry, motivation, no condemnation, pattern, persecution, personal response, respond, Romans 8:1, RSVP, sacrifice, salvation gift, submit to authority, suffering, trace, wrath of God | 2 Comments

“You’re Not From Around Here” (I Peter 2:11-12 sermon)

Posted on 2019/08/12 by Shawn Thomas

Our daughter Libby grew up in Oklahoma and Louisiana, but since she has been married and in the ministry, she has lived in some different parts of the country, where they talk differently, and do things differently. She and Josh … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "Show me now", abstain, abstinence, body temple, care, children's choir, Christian "hate speech", Christian behavior, Christian life, Christian living, discipleship, Eliza Doolittle, enemies, evangelism, family, grace, holier than thou, holiness, homosexuality, hypocrites, I Corinthians 6:12, I Corinthians 6:19-20, I John 2:3-4, I Peter 2:11-12, I Peter sermon, imitation, joy, legalism, libertine, libertines, libertinism, lifestyle evangelism, lifestyle witness, living in a fishbowl, love, lust, marriage, My Fair Lady, persecution of Christians, repent, repentance, responsibility, salvation, sanctification, Show me!, witness, worldly lusts, You're not from around here | Leave a comment

“Jesus Christ: Cornerstone or Stumbling-Stone?” (I Peter 2:4-8 sermon)

Posted on 2019/07/29 by Shawn Thomas

When Cheryl & I were on vacation a couple of weeks ago, the church we attended had a report from a mission trip. One of their goals on the trip was to put new tile down in a room of … Continue reading →

Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Acts 17, baby dedication, baby dedication message, biblical marriage, C.S. Lewis Lord Liar Lunatic, children, cornerstone, definition of cornerstone, discipleship, Ephesians 2:19-21, evangelism, faith, heaven, I Peter 2:4-8 sermon, I Peter sermon, Jesus, Jesus and marriage, Jesus Christ, Jesus cornerstone, Jesus stumbling stone, marriage, Mars Hill sermon, Matthew 21:42, Psalm 118:22, rejected, Romans 9:31-33, salvation, stumbling block, stumbling stone | Leave a comment

“The Firm Foundation” (I Peter 1:23-25 sermon)

Posted on 2019/07/01 by Shawn Thomas

Years ago, John Wesley wrote: “I want to know one thing: the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end he came from heaven. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Doctrine/Theology, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged all flesh is like grass, assurance, Bible, born again, church, confidence, discipleship, duct tape, eternal life, fad, firm foundation, foundation, gimmick, gospel, Hebrews 4:12, How Firm A Foundation, Hussein Bolt, I Corinthians 2:1, I Peter, I Peter 1:23-25 sermon, I Peter sermon, II Timothy 3:16, Isaiah 40:6-8, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 55:10-11, James 4:14, John 3:16, John Wesley quote, Matthew 24:35, Matthew 5:17, ministry, Muslim conversion, not perish, once saved always saved, Ozymandias Shelley, perish, perseverance of the saints, Psalm 103, Psalm 90, Rameses II, Romans 10:17, salvation, salvation testimony, scripture, the word of the Lord, Wilbur Wright, word of God | Leave a comment

“The Growing Christian Life” (I Peter 1:22 sermon)

Posted on 2019/06/24 by Shawn Thomas

I have noticed that a lot of time and effort is spent around here by people trying to make things grow. They are trying to grow grass in their yard; or tomatoes or flowers in their garden, or fruit trees … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged adoption, adoption challenges, adoption gospel, agape love, anger, Aristides behold how they love one another, baby growth, behold how they love one another, born again, conversion, decisions, discipleship, evangelism, fellowship, gospel, gospel and truth, grow in love, growing Christian life, growth, Hadrian Aristides, how to grow, I John 4:8, I Peter, I Peter 1:22, I Peter 1:22 sermon, I Timothy 1:5, John 13:34-35, love, love the goal, mature Christian, mind will emotions, obedience to the truth, obey, obey the gospel, outreach, philadelphia love, purify, reprogramming, salvation, sanctification, soul, spiritual growth, truth, witness of love | Leave a comment

“Reaching, Teaching, Caring” (Matthew 4:23 sermon)

Posted on 2019/03/03 by Shawn Thomas

I came home from work last Monday night and Cheryl was sitting on the couch wrapped up in a blanket, and she said, “You remember that thing you said in the sermon yesterday about how ‘If you worshiped God first … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "reaching, Abraham Lincoln, Acts 2:42-47, care, caring, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, church, church calendar, Church Council, church leaders, discipleship, evangelism, gospel, I Peter 2:21, in His steps, Jesus cares, love, Luke 9:56, Mark 1:15, Mark 6:34, Matthew 14:14, Matthew 4:23, Matthew 4:23 sermon, Matthew 8:14-16, Matthew 9:35, megachurches, mercy, ministry, ministry priorities, ministry team, mission, priorities, purpose, R.H. Dana, Reaching Teaching Caring, repentance, repentance and faith, salvation, see feel compassion do, service, spiritual growth, Sunday School, teaching, Two Years Before The Mast, What Would Jesus Do?, worship, WWJD | 1 Comment

“I Wait For The LORD”

Posted on 2019/01/28 by Shawn Thomas

“I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope …” (Psalm 130:5) (1/28/19) I just told Cheryl this morning, “The biggest thing we have on our list right now, we can’t do anything … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Ministry, Sermon Illustrations, Uncategorized | Tagged character, discipleship, perspective, Psalm 130, Psalm 130:5, trust, wait on the Lord | 4 Comments

“Standing By The Cross” (John 19:25 message)

Posted on 2018/12/03 by Shawn Thomas

One of my favorite stories of the Civil War is of a Union officer whose unit was coming under particularly heavy fire from the Confederate cannon. Someone rode up to him and said they thought they knew why they were … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "nothing in my hand I bring, "simply to Thy cross I cling", A Christmas Story, Acts 8, Charles Spurgeon, Christmas program, Civil War, cling to the old rugged cross, cross, cross of Christ, discipleship, evangelism, faith, Galatians 6:14, good works, gospel, I Corinthians 15, I Corinthians 1:17-18, I Corinthians 2:1-2, I Peter 2:21, John 19:25, let it wave high it is our glory, Lottie Moon offering, ministry, Old Glory, one way, Philip, preaching, Rock of Ages, salvation, saving faith, SBC International Mission Board, Sentinel Island missionary, sin, stand by the cross, standing by the cross, Sunday School, the cross, the gospel, the message of the cross, The Old Rugged Cross, trust, why should I let you into My heaven?, witnessing, women, women's rights, works, works and salvation, worship, worship services | Leave a comment