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.
-
Top Posts & Pages
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 12:1-14, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Rejecting Legalism," for 2/15/26.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Judgment Coming," for 2/22/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Church That Made God Sick" (Revelation 3:14-22 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
- Uncategorized
- worship
Tag Archives: humility
“Humility In The Church” (I Peter 5:1-7 sermon)
On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 theological statements to the door of the Wittenburg church, and kicked off the Protestant Reformation. He called the church of God back to the authority of the word of God, and … Continue reading
Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 20:17, Acts 20:28, bishop, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, Church ministry, elders, episkopos, forgiveness, George Friderick Handel, grace, humble, humble salvation, humble yourself, humble yourselves, humility, humility in the church, humility not thinking less of yourself, humility salvation, humility thinking of yourself less, I Peter 5:1-7 sermon, Lutheran name, Martin Luther, ministry, opinion, overseer, pastor, pastor example, pastor not lording, pastor pedestal, pastor pride, pastors, preference, pride, salvation, Shepherd, shepherds, Sunday School, Sunday School ministry, Sunday School teacher
2 Comments
“The Call of Christmas” (Luke 2:8-11 devotion)
“Now there were in that same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Christmas, Christmas devotion, Christmas sermon, evangelism, faith, for You!, humility, Isaiah 53, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Luke 2:8-11, Messiah, Personal, put your name in a verse, repentance, Ruth Bell Graham, sacrifice, salvation, Savior, shepherds, Talmud
Leave a comment
“God’s Rules For Christian Conduct” (I Peter 3:8-12 sermon)
When George Washington was a little boy, he copied out a document with the title: “110 Rules of Civility,” which was a common school assignment in his day. Because we have Washington’s copy in his own hand, it has become … Continue reading
Posted in Discipleship, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged "Going Deeper With God", answered prayer, attitudes, blessing, brotherly love, C.S. Lewis, Christian home life, church, church family, church family life, church relationships, confession, daily quiet time, deeds, demons, devil, domestic life, George Washington's Rules of Civility, gospel, Greg Frizzell, harmony, hindered prayer, holiness, holy life, home, horizontal relationships, humility, I Peter 3:8-12, I Peter sermon, II Corinthians 2:11, imperative, imperative of holiness, kind-hearted, love, marriage, MasterLife, philadelphia, plan of salvation, prayer, Psalm 34, relationships, relationships church, repentance, revenge, Rules For Christian Conduct, salvation, sanctification, Satan, Satan's schemes, schemes of the enemy, Screwtape, screwtape letters, sin, sumpathos, sympathetic, temptation, thoughts, words, Wormwood
Leave a comment
Do You Really Want To Know God’s Way?
In Psalm 25:4-5 David prays, “Make me to know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me …”. Many Christians might identify with these words. Upon reading them they might say, “Amen! … Continue reading
The Silence of Jesus
“But He did not answer her a word.” (Matthew 15:23a) Most of us can relate to this episode of the silence of Jesus. Like the Canaanite woman here in Matthew 15 we have experienced times when something is bothering us … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged faith, humility, Matthew 15:21-28, persistence, prayer, silence of Jesus
Leave a comment
“The Greatest Mission Trip” (Philippians 2:5-13 sermon)
After our morning service today, we have the opportunity to stay for soup and sandwiches, sponsored by our student ministry, to support the Hamburg, Germany mission trip that they will be going on this summer. I’m excited that a dozen … Continue reading
Posted in Ministry, Sermons
Tagged Bill Borden, Borden of Yale, Burke United Christian Ministries, Christology, church on mission, deity of Jesus, Dr. Jim Smith, Elf at the CoMMA, Everyone wants a revolution no one wants to do the dishes, glory, God the Son, greatest mission trip, humility, Incarnation, India missions, Isaiah 6, Jesus, John 17:5, Lesslie Newbigin, lifeguard, little things, local mission, Lottie Moon offering, Luke 19:10, Matthew 20:28, mission trip, missionaries, missions, Philippians 2:5-13, ransom, sacrifice, salvation, service, Son of God, The Greatest Mission Trip, Thou didst leave Thy throne song, Tish Warren The Liturgy of the Ordinary, Trinity
1 Comment
“That Disciple Whom Jesus Loved”
“Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’” (John 21:7) Although there is some debate about just who “the disciple whom Jesus loved” might be, verse 2 of this chapter tells us that on this … Continue reading
“Don’t Be A Hypocrite!” (Matthew 6:1+ sermon)
“Beware!” If you are out driving, and you come across a sign in the road that says “Beware!”, you are going to pay attention, and proceed very carefully, aren’t you? And you should. You know there is something dangerous ahead, … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged actor, alms, applause of heaven, church, Facebook, fasting, giving, heart, humility, hypocrisy, hypocrite, hypocrites, Jesus, John 11 Jesus prayer, let your light shine, Luke 20:20, Matthew 23, Matthew 5:16, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:1-18, model prayer, motivation, NBA home court, Pharisees, poor in spirit, praise, prayer, pride, private prayer, public ministry, pure in heart, recognition, righteousness, scribes, singing, tip of the iceberg, worship
Leave a comment
Serving Each Other “In His Steps”
“If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14) Jesus is infinitely above us in rank. Therefore, if He condescends to do something for us lowly human beings, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized
Tagged discipleship, example, humility, in His steps, John 13:14, service
Leave a comment
shawnethomas 