Tag Archives: heaven

Romans 7:4-6, 14-25 Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson overview: “Struggle,” for 10/11/26

Posted on 2026/10/03 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for teachers and group members, of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Romans 7, for October 11, 2026. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations to share, group discussion questions, and spiritual life … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Struggle", Apostle Paul, Baptist, battle with sin, Bible study, body of death, evidence of grace, Explore the Bible, F.F. Bruce, grace, heaven, hope, John MacArthur, Joni Earickson Tada, King Mezentius, Law, lesson help, lesson outline, Lifeway, Romans, Romans 7, Shawn E. Thomas, sin, sin nature, sin struggle, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, the Law, Thomas Watson | Leave a comment

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 25:31-46, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson “Active Faith” for May 17, 2026

Posted on 2026/05/09 by Shawn Thomas

We have a sample introduction to the lesson for you, as well as a suggested outline of this week’s text, with some teaching highlights, some illustrations you can share, some potential discussion questions you can ask your group — and … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "when I die I don't want to go to the Post Office", abolitionism, Andrew Jackson judgment, annihilationism, Bible, Bible study, Book of Matthew, C.S. Lewis mud pies, C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory, church, done it unto Me, end times, Eric Metaxas Amazing Grace, Eric Metaxas Wilberforce, eschatology, eternal fire, eternal life, eternal torment, eternity, Explore the Bible, fruit, glory of heaven, God, heaven, hell, II Corinthians 5:10, Jesus, Jesus glory, Jesus King, Jon Meacham American Lion, judgment, Kirk Cameron and hell, lesson outline, Lifeway, Martin Luther, Martin Luther Christmas sermon, Matthew, Matthew 25, rewards, righteous, Shawn E. Thomas, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, the sheep and the goats, The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good, Thomas Clarkson, wicked, William Wilberforce, you shall know them by their fruits | 5 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 19:16-30, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “Eternal Life” for 4/12/26

Posted on 2026/04/04 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested 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: INTRODUCTION/ILLUSTRATION: “In … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Baptist, Benjamin Franklin moral perfection, Bible, Bible study, Book of Matthew, C.S. Lewis The Great Divorce, Dwight Eisenhower and Billy Graham, eternal life, eternal salvation, Explore the Bible, forgiveness, George Barna survey, God, good works, gospel, gospel in a nutshell, heaven, how can I know that I am going to heaven, how can I know that I have eternal life, James 2:1, Jesus, John 17:3, Juan Ponce de Leon, keep the commandments, Law, lesson help, lesson outline, Lifeway, marshmallow test, Matthew, Matthew 19, Matthew 5:3, New heaven and new earth, New Jerusalem, partiality, partiality to rich, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, regeneration, rewards, rich, rich young ruler, salvation, salvation in a nutshell, Samuel Rutherford, Shawn E. Thomas, sin, Southern Baptist, spiritual pride, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, with God all things are possible, with men this is impossible, www.shawnethomas.com | 2 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Glory,” for 3/22/26

Posted on 2026/03/14 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: You could begin with … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Abraham Lincoln, awe, Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Book of Matthew, C.S. Lewis Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory, definition of glory, discipleship, discussion questiions, Doris Kearns Goodwin Team of Rivals, doxa, Elijah, eternity, Explore the Bible, glorified, glory, glory of God, Glory of Jesus, God, gospel, heaven, Holy Spirit, illustrations, Jesus, Jesus Himself alone, lesson preview, Lifeway, Lindy Boggs, Martin Luther terror, Matthew, Matthew 17, Matthew 17:1-13, Moses, Mount of Transfiguration, Mt. Hermon, Mt. Tabor, Peter, reverence, saints glory, Shawn E. Thomas, shekinah glory, Simon Peter, Southern Baptist, spiritual life, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, tabernacle, This is My Beloved Son, time, timing is everything | 3 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Judgment Coming,” for 2/22/26.

Posted on 2026/02/14 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 13 for February 22, 2026, “Judgment Coming. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged angels, annihilationism, Baptist, Baptist Faith & Message, Bible, Billy Graham, C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory, devil, discussion questions, do not judge, eschatology, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fruit, gardening, glory, God, gospel, Gospel of Matthew, heaven, heaven and hell, hell, Jesus, Jesus and hell, Jonathan Edwards, judging, judgment, Judgment Coming, kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Kirk Cameron, know them by their fruit, last things, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 13, meaning of judge not, mixed multitude, Nathan Finn, Satan, scriptures on hell, shawnethomas, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, the wheat and the tares, weeding, weeds, wheat and weeds, witness | 8 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 8 & 9, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Every Life Valued” for 1/18/26

Posted on 2026/01/10 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Matthew 8:1-4, 14-17, and 9:1-8, Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for January 18, 2026. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, illustrations you can share, … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Every Life Valued", A Christmas Carol, Bernard Ollivier Walking to Samarkand, Bible, Bible study, C.S. Lewis Weight of Glory, caring, caring for people, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, demons, Dickens, empty stomach, every person matters, Explore the Bible, forgiveness, God, gospel, healing, heaven, It Is Well, Jesus, Jesus authority, King Jesus, leper, leper colony, leprosy, Lifeway, love, mankind was my business, Matthew, Matthew 8, Matthew 8 & 9, Matthew 9, ministering to the sick, ministry, my sin o the bliss, outcasts, paralytic, paralyzed man, Peter mother in law, Psalm 32:1, salvation, Salvation Army, sick, sickness, sin, spiritual healing, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, William Booth, your sins are forgiven | 6 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Deuteronomy 28:1-6, 15-19, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Covenant Relationship,” for 11/16/25.

Posted on 2025/11/08 by Shawn Thomas

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 Psalm 132:1-14, 17-18, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “God’s Promise” for 6/29/25

Posted on 2025/06/21 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Psalm 132, for Sunday June 29, 2025, with the title, “God’s Promises.” A video version of this overview is available at: INTRODUCTION: ??? … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged A holy life is a Christian's best act of worship, Abraham Lincoln promise, ark of the covenant, David, Explore the Bible, God, God's glory, God's promise, gospel, He will dwell among them, heaven, Jesus, John 14:6, joy, Lifeway, Nicholas Nicholy, priests, promise, promises, Psalm 132, Psalms, Psalms of Ascent, Revelation 21, Shawn E. Thomas, singing, What kind of advertisement am I?, worship, you are my home | 4 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of I Peter 4:12-19, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “Be Prepared” for April 27, 2025.

Posted on 2025/04/19 by Shawn Thomas

An overview to help Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders prepare for this week’s lesson. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: A few years ago, Nik Ripken (pen name of a former Southern … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Be Prepared, accountability, Agatha Christie, application, Beatitudes, Bible, Bible study, blessed are the persecuted, Chaplain Bob Rogers, Christianity, Christie autobiography, Clio in U.S. House, discipleship, discussion questions, Explore the Bible, God, heaven, I Peter, I Peter 4:12-19, illustrations, inevitability of suffering, Jesus, Joe McKeever, John 15:20, John 16:33, judgment, Lifeway, Luke 9:33, Matthew 249, meekness, Nik Ripken, persecution, Peter, Psalm 37, Randy Alcorn, Richard Curtis Mississippi Baptist, suffering, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outline, sunrise, The Insanity of God, trust in the Lord and do good, types of suffering, why did God do this? | 6 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of I Peter 1:3-12, “Our Inheritance” for 3/02/25

Posted on 2025/02/22 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible lesson” for March 2, 2025, “Our Inheritance,” with the text of I Peter 13-12. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Our Inheritance", Bible, Bible study, born again, Charles Dickens Great Expectations, Christianity, Daniel, eternal security, Explore the Bible, faith, George Washington, George Washington inheritance, glory, God, gospel, heaven, heaven reward, How Firm A Foundation, I know whom I have believed, I Peter, I Peter 1, imperishable, inheritance, it's not all about you, Jesus, John 3:3, John 3:7, kept in heaven, lesson help, lesson outline, Lifeway, Old Testament prophecies of Jesus, Peter, Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia, power of God, prophets, reward, Romans 8:18, Ron Chernow, salvation, saving faith, selflessness, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, term Great Expectations, the soul that on Jesus, we're not home yet, you must be born again | 13 Comments