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
- 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: Jesus Christ
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson: John 12:20-33, “If It Dies”
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of John 12:20-33, “If It Dies,” for Sunday, March 12, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "The Joel Osteen Sermon That Changed Oprah's Life", Blaise Pascal quote, born to die, chief end of man, commitment, evangelism, Explore the Bible, follow Jesus, glorify God, glory, God, God's Purpose, I Corinthians 10:31, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 12 teaching help, John 12:20-33 Sunday School lesson overview, Lifeway, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson John 12, missions, seeds, some said it thundered, Sunday school lesson help John 12, teacher's help John 12 Sunday school lesson, Tim Challies Joel Ostend sermon, we would see Jesus, Westminster Catechism, witness
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“The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1-2 sermon)
In 1957, Jack Warner’s movie “The Spirit of St. Louis,” about Charles Lindbergh’s first-ever flight across the Atlantic Ocean, came out at the theaters. Interestingly, the real Charles Lindbergh took his wife Anne and their three youngest children to see … Continue reading
Posted in Revelation sermon series, Sermons
Tagged antichrist, blood moons prophecies, bondservant, bondservant of Jesus Christ, Charles DIckens, Charles Lindbergh, day Lord one thousand years, Dionysius Revelation quote, doulos slave, gospel, Hitler antichrist, II Peter 3:3-4, introduction to Revelation sermon, Jesus Christ, Jesus Master, March 2020 COVID, Mike you are my home, Napoleon antichrist, Nicholas Nicholby, Revelation book study Shawn Thomas, Revelation future, Revelation of Jesus Christ, Revelation prophecy, Revelation sermon, Revelation timing, salvation, slaves of Jesus Christ, The Spirit of St Louis Jack Warner
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“The Incomparable Christ” (Hebrews 1:1-4 sermon)
The name of John Hay is not very well known today, but in the 1800s he was one of the most influential men in America. He was Secretary of State under Theodore Roosevelt, but he began his career as a … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Acts 4:12, angel Gabriel, angel Michael, angels, Colossians 1:15, false prophets, forgiveness of sins, glory of God, Hebrews 1 sermon, Hebrews 1:1-4 sermon, Islam, Jesus, Jesus angels, Jesus Christ, Jesus cross, Jesus glory, Jesus God's fairest reflection, Jesus God's final revelation, Jesus name above all names, Jesus redeemer, Jesus sat down, Jesus son of God, Joseph Smith, Matthew 24:24, radiance of His glory, the Bab, The Incomparable Christ
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“A Kingdom of Priests” (Exodus 19:6 sermon)
This week I read an article about a Boston (Catholic) University student named Robert LeBlanc, who went to college, like a lot of young people do, with dreams of one day getting married, having children and setting up a family. … Continue reading
Posted in Doctrine/Theology, Home & Family Life, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged "neighborhood priest", Acts 4:12, are you a Christian, Bulgaria mission, Catholic priests, Christianity, define priest, duties of a priest, Ephesians 3:12, Exodus 19:6 sermon, guard your loved ones in prayer, holy priesthood, how to be saved, I Peter 2:5, I Peter 2:9, intercessory prayer, Jesus Christ, John 14:6, kingdom of priests, making a prayer list, Martin Luther, mediator, prayer, prayer list, priesthood of the believer, Psalm 5:3, Revelation 5:10, Roman Catholicism, salvation, you are a priest
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“4 Things That Won’t Save You (and 1 That Will!)” (Philippians 3:4-11 sermon)
In ancient times, they believed that when you were sick, they needed to get the “bad blood” out of you, so they would employ certain treatments they thought would accomplish that. One (which is so gross to many of us … Continue reading
Posted in Philippians sermons, Sermons
Tagged 4 things that won't save you, Allah weigh good deeds and bad, baptism, Baptist rituals, bleeding as medicine, blood of Jesus, circumcision, deeds, do your best, heritage, intentions, Islam 5 pillars, Islam scales, J. Edwin Orr testimony, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ alone saves, Jewish heritage, John 14:6, justification, leeches as treatment, Lord's Supper, lost ark, Luke 18 Pharisee and tax collector, Nabeel Qureshi testimony, Only Jesus saves, Oscar Wilde, Oscar Wilde deathbed conversion?, Philippians 3:4-11 sermon, Philippians sermon, repentance and faith, rituals, Romans 10:2, Romans 3:20, salvation, salvation intercessory prayers, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, self-justification, sincerely wrong, sincerity, witness, works, works salvation, works won't save, zeal, zeal not in accordance with knowledge
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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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“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
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“What Are You Living For?” (I Peter 4:1-6 sermon)
Sir Winston Churchill had an amazing career as an English politician, Prime Minister and world leader – he is consistently listed by historians as one of the top 2 or 3 most important people of the 20th century. But reading … Continue reading
Posted in I Peter sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged ark of salvation, Bible, Biblical values, Christian suffering, decisions, devotions, drink, dysautonomia, eat drink and be merry, feel like doing, feelings, food, gospel, heaven, holiness, homosexuality, I Corinthians 6:9-11, I John 2:16, I Peter 4:1-6 sermon, I Peter suffering, idolatry, Israel Babylonian Captivity, Jesus Christ, Jesus does not leave you as you are, John 5:14, John 8 woman, John 9 bling man, judgment, just as we are, lust, lusts of men, lusts of the world, morality, morning quiet time, motivation, POTS, Psalm 119:67, purification of suffering, purificaton, purpose, repent, repentance, salvation, Same sex marriage, sanctification, scripture, sin, sin and suffering, suffer, suffering, suffering purifies, time, will of God, Winston Churchill, wrong side of eternity, wrong side of history
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