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 Matthew 2:1-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Worship the King," for 12/21/25
- “Immanuel: God With Us” (Matthew 1:23 sermon)
- "The Example of Joseph" (Matthew 1:18-25 sermon)
- "He Will Save His People From Their Sins" (Matthew 1:21 Sermon)
- "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" (John 3:16 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "A 'Real Life' Christmas" (Luke 2:1-11 sermon)
- "Your Response to Christmas" (Matthew 2:1-12 Sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson "Invitation," for 12/14/25
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 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
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- Sermons
- The Model Prayer Series
- The Model Prayer series (FBCA 2020)
- This Week In Paradise (pastors family blog)
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- worship
Tag Archives: Incarnation
“Immanuel: God is With Us” (Matthew 1:23 sermon)
In David McCullough’s Pulitzer Prize winning biography of Harry Truman, he writes about “This first Truman to reach Jackson County … Anderson Shipp Truman … was slight, gentle, soft-spoken, thirty years old, and without prospects. Nevertheless, Mary Jane Holmes, who … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Bible, Christianity, David McCullough, depravity of man, Emmanuel, Ephesians 1:13, faith, for You are with me, Genesis 6, Genesis 6:5, God, God is with us, gospel, Harry S Truman, heaven, Hebrews 1:3, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 6:19, II Corinthians 13:5, Immanuel, Incarnation, Isaiah 7, Isaiah 7:14, Jesus, Jesus Deity, Jesus is GOd, judgment, love, Martin Luther, Mary, Matthew 1, Matthew 1:23, peace, Psalm 23, salvation, test yourself, The Best Christmas pageant Ever, the Lord is with you, Truman, where meek hearts will receive Him still
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Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 20:19-29, “Reach Out Your Hand”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 20:19-29 for Sunday, May 21, 2023 with the title, “Reach Out Your Hand.” A video version of this overview is available … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "doubting Thomas" Sunday school lesson, apostle Thomas, as the Father sent Me, Babylon Bee Gospel with minimal effort, Babylon Bee satire, Caesar is Lord, deity of Jesus, Ephesians 2:14-15, Esther Edwards peace, Explore the Bible teacher help John 20:19-29, Great Commission, I Corinthians 12:3, Incarnation, incarnational mission, Jesus, Jesus is Lord, Jesus resurrection Sunday school lesson, John 1:1, John 20:19-29, John 20:19-29 Sunday school lesson, Jonathan Edwards George Marsden, kurios Lord, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 20:19-29, mission, missionary, My Lord and My God, peace, peace in your heart, Peace to you, peace with God, peace with others, personal commitment, Philippians 2:11, Philippians 4:7, receive the Holy Spirit, resurrection, Romans 5:1, so send I you, Sunday school lesson help John 20:19-29, Sunday school teacher help John 20:19-29, Texas Port Ministry
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Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 1:1-14, “In The Beginning.”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible Study leaders, of Lifeway’s Explore The Bible lesson of John 1:1-14, “In the Beginning,” for Sun, Dec. 4, 2022. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Christ of Christmas, Christology, Incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Deity, Jesus humanity, John 1:1-14 Sunday school lesson helpl, Lifeway Explore the Bible, Lifeway Explore the Bible John 1:1-14, Paul Harvey The Man and the Birds, person and work of Christ, Shawn Thomas, shawnethomas.com, teacher helps John 1:1-14
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“The Christ of Christmas: His Humanity” (John 1:14 sermon)
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
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“Comforting or Convicting? 4 Tests of Genuine Salvation” (I John sermon)
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
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“On The Road With Jesus” (John 4 sermon)
One of best ways to learn about someone is to spend some time on the road with them. I remember reading an article by the renowned actor, Charlton Heston (who played Moses in the classic 1956 movie “The Ten Commandments”). … Continue reading
Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged "The Ten Commandments" movie, ask Jesus into your heart, Charlton Heston, cheap grace, confront sin, conviction, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, direction, discipleship, Don Sunshine, evangeism, gospel, Gospel Resurgence, help, hope, I AM, I Peter 2:21, Incarnation, Jesus Christ humanity, Jesus Deity, Jesus is the answer, John 14:6, John 4, John 4 sermon, Luke 13:3, Matthew 19, Matthew 24:30, ministry, peace, prayer, repent, repentance, repentance and salvation, rich young ruler, Ronald Reagan, salvation, sin, strength, The Cost of Discipleship, tiredness, weariness, witness, woman at the well, YHWH
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“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
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“Just Like Us”
When Cheryl & I brought our grand daughters Corley Jane and Lottie up to the hospital to meet their newly born sister, Josephine Grace, the girls were filled with excitement and wonder. And pondering her little sibling for the first … Continue reading
“The Most Miraculous Birth” (Matthew 1:18-23 sermon)
Our family is anxiously awaiting the birth of our fourth grand daughter, who is due in Wake Forest at any minute. If you have ever participated in a birth, or held a newborn baby, you know that EVERY birth — … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Christ, Emmanuel, God is with us, Incarnation, Jesus, Matthew, Matthew 1:18-23, Matthew sermons, salvation, virgin birth
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“His Only Begotten Son” (John 3:16 sermon)
In Matthew 26, the Bible describes how just before He went to the cross, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as … Continue reading
Posted in John 3:16 sermon series, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 4:12, atonement, Deity of Christ, eternal generation, fully God fully man, Garden of Gethsemane, Genesis 22:2, God the Son, Hebrews 2:17, humanity of Christ, incarnate, Incarnation, Islam God has no son, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus only way, John 14:6, John 17:24, John 1:1, John 3:16, John 3:16 sermon, Jonathan Edwards, Kenneth Copeland, Mormon doctrine Jesus, only begotten Son, Son of God, Tony Dungy prayer breakfast testimony, Tony Dungy testimony death of son, Trinity, Triune God, yachid, yachid darling
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