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 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 12:1-14, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Rejecting Legalism," for 2/15/26.
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- Joshua 3:5 Sermon: "Preparing For God To Work"
- Basebaal Strikes Out
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 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: Isaiah 53
“The Firm Foundation” (I Peter 1:23-25 sermon)
Years ago, John Wesley wrote: “I want to know one thing: the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end he came from heaven. He … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, I Peter sermons, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged all flesh is like grass, assurance, Bible, born again, church, confidence, discipleship, duct tape, eternal life, fad, firm foundation, foundation, gimmick, gospel, Hebrews 4:12, How Firm A Foundation, Hussein Bolt, I Corinthians 2:1, I Peter, I Peter 1:23-25 sermon, I Peter sermon, II Timothy 3:16, Isaiah 40:6-8, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 55:10-11, James 4:14, John 3:16, John Wesley quote, Matthew 24:35, Matthew 5:17, ministry, Muslim conversion, not perish, once saved always saved, Ozymandias Shelley, perish, perseverance of the saints, Psalm 103, Psalm 90, Rameses II, Romans 10:17, salvation, salvation testimony, scripture, the word of the Lord, Wilbur Wright, word of God
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“The Hope” (Easter Sermon 2018)
A young man came into our church in Oklahoma City one Sunday morning, and he was in despair. His marriage, and really his whole life, had fallen apart, and he came to church in despair for help, and he said … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Acts 20:21, Acts 26, Acts 26:19-23, deeds of repentance, despair, Easter, Easter sermon, Ephesians 1 resurrection power, eternal life, hope, I Corinthians 6:9-10, Isaiah 53, Jesus resurrection, John Merrill football coach, power, promise, repent, repentance, repentance and faith, repenters, repenters and Christians, resurrection, Romania, sin, Stefan Berci, Tim Keller
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“The Sacrifice That Satisfies God” (Leviticus 1:1-4 sermon)
Our little grandbaby girls are learning to read! But before they can actually understand the great concepts they can learn from reading, they must first master the “A-B-C’s.” The “A-B-C’s are the building blocks of reading, and all those big … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged A Tale of Two Cities, blood, foreshadowing, forgiveness, In Christ Alone, Isaiah 53, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus only way, John 14:6, John the Baptist, lamb, Leviticus 1:1-4, male without defect, Passover Lamb, prophecy, sacrifice, salvation, satisfaction, substitution, substitutionary atonement, Sydney Carton, The Man With The Golden Arm, theological ABC’s, wrath of God was satisfied
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Jehovah Jireh My Provider
“Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, ‘In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.’’ (Genesis 22:14) ”The Lord will provide” Abraham said. In Hebrew this is … Continue reading
“Behold The Lamb Of God”
“The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.’” (John 1:29) John the Baptist’s description of Jesus to his disciples and the crowd at the … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged atonement, I John 2:2, Isaiah 53, Jesus, John 1:29, Lamb of God, Messiah, propitiation, sacrifice
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“The Disciple’s Character: Persecuted” (Matthew 5:10-12 sermon)
Henry Blackaby, the author of Experiencing God, one time prayed a prayer that many of us have perhaps prayed at one time or another: “Lord, make me like You.” But Blackaby shared that when he prayed those words, God directed … Continue reading
Posted in "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12), Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged Beatitudes, character, character of Christ, disciple's character, hate crimes, Henry Blackaby, homosexuality, I Peter 2:20, India, Isaiah 53, Matthew 5:10-12 sermon, Matthew 5:3-12, persecuted for righteousness, persecution, RSS, suffering, William Tyndale
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The Divine Delight
“Behold, My Servant, Whom I uphold; My Chosen One in Whom My soul delights.” (Isaiah 42:1) It is significant that God calls His Servant here “My chosen one IN WHOM MY SOUL DELIGHTS.” The “Servant” which is mentioned several times … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Doctrine/Theology
Tagged Christ, delight, eternal fellowship, father, fellowship, Holy Spirit, Isaiah 42:1, Isaiah 53, Jesus, joy, Messiah, pleasure, servant, Son, Suffering Servant, Trinity
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“This Is My Story: The Ethiopian Treasurer” (Acts 8:25-38 sermon)
ACTS 8:25-38 “This Is My Story: The Ethiopian Treasurer” Cheryl & I love Stefan Berci (our Romanian pastor) and his family. They did a Facetime chat with us yesterday, and we had a great visit. One of the things I … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Acts 8:25-38 sermon, Ethiopian eunuch, evangelism, Isaiah 53, Jesus, RSVP, salvation, story, testimony
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