Tag Archives: Kingdom of Heaven

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 20:1-16, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Grace,” for 4/19, 2026

Posted on 2026/04/11 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: (Let me … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Bible context, C.S. Lewis Great Divorce, Christian service, context, Dave Ramsey better than I deserve, day laborers, discipleship, Ephesians 2, Explore the Bible, God, gospel, grace, grace giving, Jesus, judgment, Kingdom of Heaven, lesson outline, Lifeway, Mary and Martha, Matthew 20, Matthew 20:1-16, parable, Parable of the Landowner, rewards, rewards in heaven, salvation, Sarah Smith from Golders Green, service, Shawn E. Thomas, Shawn Thomas, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher | 13 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Judgment Coming,” for 2/22/26.

Posted on 2026/02/14 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 13 for February 22, 2026, “Judgment Coming. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged angels, annihilationism, Baptist, Baptist Faith & Message, Bible, Billy Graham, C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory, devil, discussion questions, do not judge, eschatology, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fruit, gardening, glory, God, gospel, Gospel of Matthew, heaven, heaven and hell, hell, Jesus, Jesus and hell, Jonathan Edwards, judging, judgment, Judgment Coming, kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Kirk Cameron, know them by their fruit, last things, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 13, meaning of judge not, mixed multitude, Nathan Finn, Satan, scriptures on hell, shawnethomas, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, the wheat and the tares, weeding, weeds, wheat and weeds, witness | 8 Comments

Poverty In Spirit: “I Need Help” (Matthew 5:3 sermon)

Posted on 2021/01/17 by Shawn Thomas

A pastor who served in California for a number of years shared the testimony of a Hollywood celebrity he knew, who had struggled for years with a drinking problem. But one of the most difficult things they had to deal … Continue reading →

Posted in Beatitudes Series 2020 FBCA, Discipleship, Sermons | Tagged baptism, Beatitudes, Charles Spurgeon nothing in my hand I bring, Christian character, Christian life, declaration of dependence, how to be saved, humility, I can't save myself, I need help, Isaiah 64:6, John 5:19, Kingdom of Heaven, Luke 18 Pharisee and Publican, Mark 1:35, Matthew 5:3, morning prayer, nothing in my hand I bring simply to Thy cross I cling, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, prayer, prayer and dependence, ptochos, righteousness, Rock of Ages, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:29, salvation, spiritual dependence, spiritual growth, spontaneous prayer, The character of Christ | Leave a comment

“Seeking Him First” (Matthew 6:33 sermon)

Posted on 2017/09/18 by Shawn Thomas

This week I finished reading a book I had always heard about, but had never read: Herman Melville’s The White Whale or Moby Dick. In it he tells the story of Captain Ahab, who was obsessed with killing the great … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Home & Family Life, Matthew sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Acts 16, anxiety, calendar, capitalism, church services, conversion, decision making, desperation, devotion time, dsicipleship, Eric Metaxas podcast, families, family first, finances, first fruits, follow Me, God first, home life, I Kings 3 Solomon, Islam, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kids baseball, kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Larry Burkett, Matthew 10:37, Matthew 5:48, Matthew 6:33 sermon, Moby Dick Herman Melville, money, Philippian jailer, Philippians 2:21, priorities, quiet time, religion in America, repentance, salvation, schedule, seeking, tithe, worry, worship attendance | 6 Comments

Are You A Stumbling Block?

Posted on 2016/09/21 by Shawn Thomas

“You shut off the Kingdom of Heaven from people.” (Matthew 23:12) The harshest words Jesus spoke here on earth were not directed to the immoral or to heretics, but were for the religious hypocrites He condemned in Matthew 23. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged curses, evangelism, heaven, hell, hypocrisy, hypocrites, Kingdom of Heaven, lifestyle, Matthew 18, Matthew 23:12, Matthew 5:9, peacemaker, salvation, scribes and Pharisees, stumbling block, woes, wrath | Leave a comment

Who Is “The Greatest”?

Posted on 2016/08/23 by Shawn Thomas

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’” (Matthew 18:1) We might do well to ask why the scripture tells us that it was “at THAT time” that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Discipleship, Uncategorized | Tagged child, greatness, humility, II Corinthians 13:5, kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Matthew 18:1, Matthew 20:25-28, salvation, servant, service, who is greatest? | Leave a comment

The Model Prayer: Kingdom Praying (Matthew 6:10 message)

Posted on 2015/04/30 by Shawn Thomas

(Preached at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Wed. 4-29-15) Yesterday, a well-known pastor wrote on his Twitter account something about all of the troubles our world is facing right now: the killings by ISIS, the earthquake in Nepal, the riots in … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermons, The Model Prayer Series | Tagged evangelism, how to pray, India mission, intercession, kingdom, kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Kingdom praying, Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:10, missions, model prayer, Oswald Chambers, prayer, prayer outline, Romans 10 | 1 Comment