I'm a retired Southern Baptist pastor of almost 40 years. My wife Cheryl & I moved to Norman, OK in March of 2025. I share a weekly overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, as well as texts of my sermons and other articles.
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Top Posts & Pages
- Teacher's Overview of Romans 2:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Coming Judgment," for 9/13/26.
- Romans 3:21-4:5, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: "Saving Faith," for 9/20/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Romans 1:13-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "True Power," for 9/06/26
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 18:21-35, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Forgiveness," for 3/29/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "What Do These Stones Mean?" (Joshua 4:19-24 sermon) First Baptist Church Angleton Grand Opening, May 16, 2021
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "Inviting Jesus Into Your Home" (Luke 10:38-42 sermon)
Categories
- "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12)
- "The Disciplines of Disciples" series
- "This Is My Story" sermon series
- Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA
- Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
- COVID-19 crisis assorted messages
- Current Events
- Devotions/Bible Studies
- Discipleship
- Discovering FBCA Membership class lessons
- Doctrine/Theology
- Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
- Explore the Bible Sunday School lessons
- Habakkuk "Find Us Faithful" series messages
- History
- Home & Family Life
- I Peter sermons
- India Mission Trip 2011
- Isaiah 53 sermon series Suffering Servant Glorious King
- John 3:16 sermon series
- Luke 10:38-42 Mary & Martha series
- Luke 2 Christmas series
- Matthew sermons
- Ministry
- missions
- Music
- Philippians sermons
- POTS (dysautonomia) articles
- Psalms studies and messages
- Revelation sermon series
- Reviews
- Sermon Illustrations
- Sermons
- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
- Travel
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- worship
Tag Archives: grace
Teacher’s Overview of Romans 2:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Coming Judgment,” for 9/13/26.
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, group discussion questions, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: “How many of you have heard of … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged apologize to Sodom, Apostle Paul, Bible, Book of Romans, Charles DIckens, Coming Judgment, doers of the law, Explore the Bible, FDR Churchill Mrs Ogden Reid hypocrisy, Genghis Khan, God, gospel, grace, guilt, hypocrisy, inexcusable, Jesus, John MacArthur, judge not, judging, judgment, kindness of God leads to repentance, Lifeway, none who does good, orge, Paul, perish, revelation, Revelation wrath of God, Robinson Crusoe, Robinson Crusoe Christian theme, Robinson Crusoe summary, Romans, Romans 2, Romans 2:1-13, Ruth Graham Sodom, salvation, salvation by grace, salvation by works, sin, The Last Lion Reid & Manchester, thumos, unrepentance, wrath, wrath of God
6 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Ruth 1:11-18, 2:5-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Faithfulness,” for 8/23/26
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications that you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "death will be the funeral of all our sorrows", "valley of tears", Baptist, Bible, Bible study, bitterness, Boaz, Book of Judges, Book of Ruth, Christianity, church loyalty, Explore the Bible, faith, faithfulness, gleaning, God, gospel, grace, Jesus, Judges, lesson help, lesson outline, lesson prep, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible, love story, loyalty, Mara bitter, Moab, Moab map, Moabitess, Naomi, Psalm 37:4, Ruth, Ruth & Boaz, Ruth 1:11-18, salvation by grace, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Shawn E. Thomas, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, Thomas Watson, video lesson
1 Comment
Teacher’s Overview of Joshua 6:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Winning Strategy,” for June 28, 2026.
Inclues a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this preview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ???DISCUSSION … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Winning Strategy", apologetics, application, archeology, ban, Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Biblical Archeology, Book of Joshua, Canaanites killing, Christianity, commandments, discussion question, Explore the Bible, faith, God, God is just, grace, Holy Spirit, Jericho, Jericho map, Jesus, Joshua, Joshua 6:12-25, justice, lesson outline, Lifeway, obedience, salvation, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, theodicy, under the ban, walls of Jericho
6 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Grace,” for 4/19, 2026
Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: (Let me … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bible context, C.S. Lewis Great Divorce, Christian service, context, Dave Ramsey better than I deserve, day laborers, discipleship, Ephesians 2, Explore the Bible, God, gospel, grace, grace giving, Jesus, judgment, Kingdom of Heaven, lesson outline, Lifeway, Mary and Martha, Matthew 20, Matthew 20:1-16, parable, Parable of the Landowner, rewards, rewards in heaven, salvation, Sarah Smith from Golders Green, service, Shawn E. Thomas, Shawn Thomas, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher
16 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 18:21-35, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “Forgiveness,” for 3/29/26
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: OPENING … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged 70 x 7, as we forgive, Baptist, Biblical talent, Bill Elliff, Book of Matthew, C.S. Lewis forgiveness, Craig Blomberg, denarius, Erika Kirk forgiveness, Explore the Bible, forgive the inexcusable, forgive us our debts, forgiveness, forgiving debts, forgiving others, George Wetmore Colles, God's Forgiveness, gospel, grace, Jerome Kerviel, lesson overview, Lifeway, Marie Beth Jones, Matthew, Matthew 18, Matthew 18:21-35, model prayer, poor in spirit, redemption, salvation, Simon Peter, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school illustrations, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, unforgiveness
3 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 9:10-19, 23-26, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson “Mercy Extended” for 1/25/26
For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 9, for January 25, 2026. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications that … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Mercy Extended", Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln pardons, Bible professional mourners, Book of Matthew, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, church, down and out, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fasting, gospel, grace, gracious, Jesus, Jesus and fasting, John Lloyd Stevens, legalism, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 9, mercy, mourning, New Testament fasting, outreach, Pharisees, reclining to eat, separate from sinners, shawnethomas, showing grace, sin, sinners, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, synagogue official, triclinium, wineskins
5 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Deuteronomy 28:1-6, 15-19, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Covenant Relationship,” for 11/16/25.
Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bible study, blessing, consequences, cornucupia, Covenant Blessings, curse, curse of the Law, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy 18:15, Deuteronomy 28:1-6, discussion questions, Explore the Bible, God, gospel, grace, heaven, Jesus, Jesus only way, Kendall's Noble, Law, Lifeway, Lindbergh's Character Factors, Messiah, Moses, Romans 3:23, salvation, Scott Berg Lindbergh, sin, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, works, works salvation
4 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Numbers 14:11-24, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “Rebellion & Judgment” for 9/28/25
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Numbers 14:11-24, “Rebellion & Judgment,” for Sunday, September 28, 2025. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, illustrations you … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged attributes of God, Bible, Bible study, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, chesed, consequences of sin, Exodus 34:6-7, Explore the Bible, George Washington, God, grace, intercession, intercessor, intercessory prayer, Israel, Jesus, Jesus intercessor, Jesus only way, John 14:6, John Adams, Lifeway, lovingkindness, Moses, Promised Land, punishment, qualities of God, salvation, Shawn Thomas, sin, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, Yahweh, YHWH
6 Comments