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.
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 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)
- "The Discipline of Fasting" (Ezra 8:21 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 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
Teacher’s Overview of Genesis 41, based on Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for May 12, 2024, “Revealed”
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 41:14-20, 33-37 for Sunday, May 12, 2024, with the title, “Revealed.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged balance, Bible, Biblical balance, Cervantes, Charles DIckens, Don Quixote, dream, evangelism, Explore the Bible, faith, Genesis 41, God, God sovereignty, interpretation, Jesus, John Bunyan Pilgrims Progress, Joseph, Joseph prison, life application, Lifeway, Nile River, Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition, pray like it all depends on God, prayer, providence, rags to riches, Revealed, Romans 8:28, salvation, sovereignty, sovereignty and responsibility, Sunday School, teacher help, trust, Walter Raleigh, witness
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“What James’ Faith Looked Like” (James 1:1 sermon)
This summer the Olympics will return to Paris France. It’s always fun to see how our American athletes do — and usually somebody from our country wins, and shares their Christian testimony. In 2008 a young man by the name … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged anointed One, Bible, Book of James, C.S. Lewis, Christ, Christian testimony, commitment, David Boudia, doulos, faith, God, heaven, James, James the brother of Jesus, Jesus, Lord, Lord Jesus Christ, Mary, Mere Christianity, Messiah, Nicodemus, personal relationship, rich young ruler, salvation, saving faith, sin, slave
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“What Real Faith Looks Like” (Introduction to the Book of James)
Some time ago I was visiting with a pastor in another state, and he was talking about how there are well over 30 churches in just their small community. He said, “You know how it is here; everyone says they … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
Tagged American Christianity, assurance, Bible, Book of James, Christianity, commandments, conviction, conviction of sin, easy believism, epistle of straw, faith, God's Law, gospel, how can I be saved, James, James 3, Jesus, John Ryland, Lord, Lord Lord, Martin Luther, meddling in my private life, salvation, Samuel Rutherford, saving faith, scripture memory, sin, strawy epistle, Tennessee Williams, testimony, tongue, What Real Faith Looks Like, words, works
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Genesis 32:22-32 Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for 4/14/23, “Wrestled”
(A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 32:22-32, “Wrestled,” for Sunday, April 14, 2024. Includes a sample lesson introduction, outline, text highlights, illustrations, questions for your class, and … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged baptism, Bible, Bible study, Bill Elliff, Blessed, Christophany, conviction, D Day, Dwight Eisenhower, Explore the Bible, Genesis, Genesis 32, Genesis 32:22-32, God, Habakkuk 2:1, heel snatcher, Israel, Jacob, Jacob wrestling, Jesus, Lifeway, Lord's Supper, Luke 11, Luke 18, name, Peniel, prayer, remembrances, Romans 10:1, Romans 9:1, salvation, sin, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, supplanter, teacher help, wrestling with God
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“Suffering Servant/Glorious King: Exalted!” (Isaiah 53:12 sermon)
In 1927, Charles Lindbergh made the first-ever trans-Atlantic flight, taking off from the United States, and landing in Paris, France. It was a huge event in the history of mankind, and it was celebrated all over the world. After he … Continue reading
Posted in Isaiah 53 sermon series Suffering Servant Glorious King
Tagged atonement, C.S. Lewis, Charles Lindbergh, Christian persecution, church, Civil War Story, daily Gethsemane, Easter, Easter sermon, evangelism, example, Gethsemane, glory, heaven, hoi polloi, imitation, iron man triathlon, Isaiah, Isaiah 53, Jesus, Jesus Paid It All, John F. Kennedy, Jonah sign, kenosis, let it wave high it is our glory, ministry, mission, Old Glory, Philippians 2, propitiation, resurrection, reward, Romans 1:4, salvation, service, sign, suffering, Suffering Servant, witness
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Teachers’ Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 28:10-22, “A Stairway”
An overview for Sunday School teacher and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 28:10-22, for Sunday, March 24, 2024, with the title, “A Stairway.” A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged A Stairway, Bethan Lloyid-Jones, Bethel, Corrie Ten Boom dream, dream, dream interpretation, El, elohim, Explore the Bible, Falls Creek, Genesis 14, Genesis 28, house of God, Jacob, Jacob's Ladder, Jesus, Jesus only way, John 14:6, Lifeway, Lord, Psalm 67, salvation, stairway, tenth, tithe, tithing, Yahweh, YHWH
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Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson: Genesis 27:18-30, “A Deceiver”
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 27:18-30, “A Deceiver,” for Sunday, March 17, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRO: ??? … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged 10 Commandments, Acts 2:23, Bathsheba, Bible, Bible study, Deceiver, Eru, Esau, Explore the Bible, Genesis, Genesis 27, Genesis 27:18-30, God bless the broken road, grace, heel snatcher, inquire of the Lord, Isaac, Isaac and Rebekah, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jacob, Jacob and Esau, Jesus, Lifeway, Melkor, pray, prayer, prescriptive vs. descriptive, Rebekah, Romans 11:33, Romans 3:23, salvation, Simarillion, sin, sovereignty vs responsibility, Sunday School teacher, supplanter, twins, Why God?
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“Suffering Servant/Glorious King: Consider Him!” (Isaiah 53:8 sermon)
A few years ago I was reading an interview they did with a man, who was highly regarded as someone who was very intelligent, and they asked him: “Do you believe in heaven and the afterlife?” And this man answered, … Continue reading
Posted in Isaiah 53 sermon series Suffering Servant Glorious King, Sermons
Tagged Bill Tolar, Bill Tolar testimony, C.S. Lewis Screwtape Letters, consider Him, cross, demons, devil, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 53 sermon, Isaiah 53:8, Jesus, Matthew Henry, Messiah, Old Testament prophecy, resurrection, Romans 1:4, salvation, sin, spiritual warfare, substitutionary atonement, Suffering Servant, vindication
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“Suffering Servant/Glorious King: Like A Lamb” (Isaiah 53:7 sermon)
In Acts Chapter 8 the Bible tells the story of how the Treasurer of the country of Ethiopia was in his chariot reading a verse from the scroll of Isaiah, when the deacon Philip walked up to him. Acts tells … Continue reading
Posted in Isaiah 53 sermon series Suffering Servant Glorious King
Tagged Acts 8, atonement, Behold Me, blood on the doorpost, cross, Ethiopian eunuch, Gadhafi, gentleness, Isaiah, Isaiah 53, Isaiah sermon, Jesus, John 10:17, John 3:16, John Milton, lamb, Like a Lamb, meekness, Paradise Lost, Passover, Passover Lamb, Philippians 2, Psalm 37, Robert E. Lee, Rock of Ages, Romans 3:20, sacrifice, salvation, substitution, substitutionary atonement, Suffering Servant, the cross, the lamb of God, volunteer
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Teacher’s Overview of Genesis 22:1-14 “A Substitute” Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson for March 3, 2024
A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Genesis 22:1-14 “A Substitute”, for March 3, 2024. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: Gene Kranz, … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged a test, Abraham, atonement, children, Chuck Colson, cross, Explore the Bible, Failure is not an option, faith, Father Maximilian Kolbe, Gene Kranz, Genesis, Genesis 22, Genesis 22:1-14, Hebrews 11, I Samuel 15:22, Isaac, Isaiah 53, Jehovah Jireh, Jesus, Lifeway, Luke 6:46, Mt. Moriah, NASA, obedience, obey, sacrifice, Sarah, substitutionary atonement, test, testing, the cross, the Lord the Provider, trials, Yahweh Jireh
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