Tag Archives: doctrine

Teacher’s Overview of II Peter 2:1-3, 17-19 & Jude 17-23, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson “Be Alert” for 5/18/25

Posted on 2025/05/10 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders who are preparing to teach Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson on II Peter 2:1-3, 17-19 & Jude 17-23, with the title “Be Alert,” scheduled for Sunday, May 18, 2025. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Be Alert, Bible study, counterfeits, cults, Dante Inferno, darkness, David Koresh, doctrine, Explore the Bible, false prophets, false teachers, George Whitefield, gospel, greed, heresies, Hugh Bryan, II Peter, II Peter 2:1-3, immorality, Joel Osteen, Jude, judgment, Kenneth Copeland, Lifeway, pride, prosperity gospel, Rasputin, Sunday School, teaching, Thomas S. Kidd, Tim Challies, vanity, Your Best Life Now | 4 Comments

“The Church That Dropped The Baton” (Revelation 2:12-17 sermon)

Posted on 2023/05/15 by Shawn Thomas

In 2008, the U.S. men’s 4×100 relay team was favored to win the Olympic gold medal. They had won the world championship the year before, and they were off to a good start in the first Olympic race. They finished … Continue reading →

Posted in Revelation sermon series | Tagged Agatha Christie, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Barstow basketball, baton, Bob Lockhart Revelation, Bristow basketball contest, Caesar is Lord, Christian faith passing baton, Christian race, Church at Pergamum, church doctrine, church growth, church humbug, circumstances, doctrine, drop the baton, faithful, God's will, I know, II Timothy 1:5, Inshallah, it matters what you believe, Jesus cares, Jesus is Lord, Jesus knows, libertine, manna, Mothers Day, Nicolaiitans, one voice, parenting, Pergamum, prosperity gospel, relay race, repent, Revelation 2:12-17, Sodom & Gomorrah, teaching, teaching of Balaam, two-edged sword, U.S. Olympic team drop baton | Leave a comment

“The Church That Was Tested” (Revelation 2:8-11 sermon)

Posted on 2023/05/08 by Shawn Thomas

Some of you know that in 2012 I went through an illness that put me out of the ministry for two years. I lost my job, my income, we had to sell our home, and many of our possessions. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Revelation sermon series | Tagged abortion, be faithful, Bible, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Churches of Revelation 2-3, doctrine, don't give up, faithful, faithfulness, false religion, hate crimes, homosexuality, it was good for me that I was afflicted, Jesus only way, Jesus Satan brothers, Jonathan Edwards, Letter to Smyrna, Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain, Mormon Church, Nik Ripken, perseverance, POTS, poverty, Psalm 119, Reproductive Freedom Church, revelation, Revelation 2:8-11, Revelation sermon, Revelation Smyrna, RFC, Rich Man and Lazarus, ten days, testing, testing limits, tests, The African Queen, tribulation | 2 Comments

“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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermons | Tagged agape love, assurance of salvation, can I know I am saved, Challenger Aviation, Christian, Christian doctrine, Christian love, Christianity and homosexuality, commandments obedience, conviction, conviction of sin Holy Spirit, David McCullough Wright Brothers, doctrine, forgiveness, fruit of the Spirit, fully God fully man, Hadrian Aristides love one another, holiness, Holy Spirit, how to be saved, how to know I am saved, I John 4:6, I John 4:7-8, I John 5:13, I John assurance of salvation, I John sermon, I John test of salvation, Jesus Deity, Jesus humanity, John 16:8, keep His commandments, Ken Keithley quote indifference, lay down life love, love, love in marriage, love one another, marks of salvation, marriage, obedience, Oberkfell decision, righteousness, Romans 8:15-16, sacrificial love, salvation, sanctification, signs of salvation, sin, test of Holy Spirit | 1 Comment

“The Ruts of Righteousness” (Psalm 23:5 sermon)

Posted on 2021/12/27 by Shawn Thomas

I am currently reading a biography of Steve Jobs, the founder of the Apple computer company, and it is a very interesting life story. Jobs was not a Christian, as some of you may know, but there are really powerful … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Home & Family Life, Sermons | Tagged 2022 Christian commitments, 2022 resolutions, Baptist Faith & Message, Benny Hinn Trinity, Bible Reading, bodily discipline, church attendance, daily prayer and Bible study, date night, date your spouse, doctrine, exercise, exercise I Timothy 4, family time, getting back into a rut, giving, good ruts, Hebrews 10:25, II Timothy doctrine, In The Word 2022, marriage, New Year Bible reading, Psalm 23 sermon, Psalm 23:5 sermon, quality time, repentance, the paths of righteousness, the ruts of righteousness, tithing, wagon tracks of righteousness | Leave a comment

“The Christ of Christmas: His Humanity” (John 1:14 sermon)

Posted on 2019/12/23 by Shawn Thomas

Several years ago, the President of Ursuline College made headlines when she decided to move into the women’s dorm at the college. So many college professors and administrators are accused of living in their academic “ivory towers,” far removed from … Continue reading →

Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Docetism, Docetists, doctrine, doctrine of the Incarnation, Doctrine of the Trinity, Emmanuel God with us, empathy, flesh, flesh and blood, follow in His steps, Hebrews 10:4, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 2:18, Hebrews 4:15, I John 4:2-3, Imitating the Incarnation, Incarnation, incarnational ministry, incarnational missions, Isaiah 59:16, ivory tower, Jesus 100% man 100% God, Jesus Christ, Jesus death, Jesus humanity, Jesus man, Jesus manhood, Jesus poverty, Jesus propitiation, Jesus real man, John 19:28, John 19:34-35, John 1:14, John 4:6, Luke 24:39, Luke 2:21, Luke 2:24, Luke 2:52, Luke 2:7, Matthew 27:28-30, missionaries, missions, Missions Conference, Paul Harvey The Man and the Birds, prison ministry, salvation, sufferings of Christ, sympathy, Ursuline college president dorm, woman drowning Boston Harbor | Leave a comment

“The Substitutionary Atonement” (I Peter 2:24 sermon)

Posted on 2019/09/09 by Shawn Thomas

In 2018, an ISIS terrorist took a young woman hostage in southern France, threatening to kill her. In a bold move, a police officer, Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, offered to take the place of the young woman. The terrorist let … Continue reading →

Posted in Doctrine/Theology, I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged ask Jesus into your heart, atonement, Becky Thatcher, capital punishment, change, Christ crucified, Christianity, cross, cross of Christ, die to sin, doctrine, Elizabeth Nel, evangelism, Exodus 13 lamb, forgiveness, good works, I Peter 2:24, I Peter 2:24 sermon, Isaiah 53, ISIS, It is finished, It Is Well, Leviticus 14, life change, Lt. Col. Arnaud Beltrame, Mark Twain, Old Testament, on the cross, paid in full, repentance, sacrifice, salvation, sanctification, sin, substitute, substitutionary atonement, tetelestai, the cross, the word of the cross, theology, Tom Sawyer, transformation, Winston Churchill, witness, witnessing, works | 2 Comments

“Pilgrim’s Progress” (I Peter 1:1-2 sermon)

Posted on 2019/04/08 by Shawn Thomas

The Bible is the #1 best-selling, most-read book of all time. But right behind it, is The Pilgrim’s Progress, widely considered the second most-read book in history. It was written by Puritan John Bunyan, in the form of an allegory: … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Doctrine/Theology, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged aliens, ambassador, baptism of Jesus, Bible, Chris Boniol, David McCullough Mornings on Horseback, doctrine, evangelism, gardener, George W. Bush Muslims, God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, Great Commission, Gregory of Nazianzus, Hebrews 11:13, I Peter 1:1-2, I Peter 2:11, I Peter sermon, II Corinthians 5:20, Islam and the Trinity, John Bunyan, modalism, not of this world, pilgrim, Pilgrim's Progress, pilgrims, place kicker, planted, Puritans, purpose, scripture, sown, The Pilgrim's Progress, Theodore Roosevelt Sr., this world is not your home, Trinity, Triune God, vocation, when I say God I mean Father Son and Holy Spirit, witness | 3 Comments

“A Pastor’s Farewell” (Acts 20 sermon)

Posted on 2019/01/28 by Shawn Thomas

Cheryl & I want to thank you for the last 4 years we have been allowed to serve at Pleasant Ridge. It is very difficult to say farewell to people with whom we’ve ministered and loved and been loved — … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Ministry, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged A Pastor's Farewell, Acts 20, Acts 20:21, Amy Grant Faith Walking People, asking Jesus into your heart, assurance, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, church, church family, church membership class, confidence, daily Bible reading, devotional time, devotions, doctrine, faith, false teachers, farewell, father, feelings, goodbye, gospel, II TImothy 1:12, intercessory prayer, legalism, ministry, Nominating Committee, Now I commend you to God, pastor, pastor elder overseer, pastor search committee, people, prayer, praying for children, praying for loved ones, quiet time, repentance, repentance and faith, salvation, service, sin, soul, trust, works salvation | 4 Comments

“Comforting or Convicting? 4 Tests of Genuine Salvation” (I John sermon)

Posted on 2018/12/17 by Shawn Thomas

One of the most common questions people in our churches have is, “How can I know for sure if I’m really saved?” That’s NOT a silly question. If there really is life after death — and the Bible tells us … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Aristides, assurance, baptism, cardboard testimonies, comfort, conviction, conviction of sin, David McCullough The Wright Brothers, doctrine, don't fight flip, examine yourself, fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23, Hadrian, holiness, Holy Spirit, I John 2:1-3, I John 5:13, I John sermon, Incarnation, Incarnation of Christ, John 13:34-35, John 16:8, love, marriage, marriage counseling, obedience, Oberkfell decision, Orthodoxy, Romans 8:15-16, Romans 8:9, salvation, sanctification, service, Spirit of God, test, they love one another | 4 Comments