Tag Archives: Mark Twain

“Red Letters”

Posted on 2019/04/15 by Shawn Thomas

I recently watched David Crowder’s testimony about writing the popular song, “Red Letters.” He said when he was a little boy, he was sitting in a church service with his grandmother, and he was fiddling with the envelopes or whatever … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged blood of Jesus, David Crowder, Jesus, Jesus death, Life on the Mississippi, Louis Klposch, Luke 22:20, Mark Twain, red letter Bible, Red Letters, Red Letters song, Romans 3:23, salvation, steamboat accident, substitutionary atonement, What can wash away my sin? | 1 Comment

“Pursuing Holiness” (Hebrews 12:14 sermon)

Posted on 2019/03/24 by Shawn Thomas

The old Puritans of England in the 1500-1600’s have gotten what J.I. Packer calls “a bad rap.” Usually if someone calls a person a “Puritan”, or says that something is “Puritanical”, they mean it as an insult: that the person … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged applying scripture, Arthur Bennett, beatific vision, cathedral of Milan, conviction, daily quiet time, desire for holiness, forgiveness, Hebrews 12:14, holiness, holy, holy holy holy, I John 1:9, I John 2:3, I John 3:2, I John 3:3, If I do not walk holily, II Corinthians 5:17, II Timothy 3:16, Innocents Abroad, Isaiah 6, J.I. Packer, Javert, Les Miserables, Mark Twain, Matthew 5:8, morning devotions, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 17:15, Puritans, pursuit of holiness, repentance, sanctification, Seeing God, sin, sinners prayer, Stars song Les Miserables, U-turn, Valley of Vision book, Victor Hugo | 1 Comment

“The Gift That Is An Insult” (I Kings 9:10-14)

Posted on 2018/09/24 by Shawn Thomas

In “Henry V”, one of my very favorite plays or movies, Shakespeare tells of how when King Henry V of England was considering invading France, the French ambassador came to him with a “treasure,” saying that the Dauphin (or Prince … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged alabaster vial, cabul, commitment, corporate worship, dedication, discipleship, Endor, Galilee, Genesis 4, gift, gifts, giving, hard work, Hebrews 11:16, Henry V, I Kings 9:10-14, II Samuel 23, James 1:17, Jerusalem, King Hiram, Magdala, Malachi 1, Mark Twain, marriage, mission trips, missions, palace, personal worship, President John F. Kennedy, sacrifice, Shakespeare, Solomon, Sunday School, Temple, The Innocents Abroad, Tiberias, tithe, we choose to go to the moon, widow's mite, work, worship | Leave a comment

“What Jesus Came To Do For You” (I Peter 3:18 sermon)

Posted on 2018/05/07 by Shawn Thomas

For the last several years, the social media platform “Twitter” has been gaining in popularity over “Facebook,” although the two are very different. One of the interesting things to see on Twitter is the biography that each person uses to … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons | Tagged Al Mohler, Augustine, Bill Elliff, Christ, Confessions Augustine, cross, death on the cross, face of God, gospel, health and wealth gospel, His presence, I Corinthians 15:1-3, I Peter 2:24, I Peter 3:18 sermon, Isaiah 59:2, It is finished, Jesus, John 19:30, just for the unjust, love of God, Mark Twain, Mark Vroegop, North Greenville University, prosperity gospel, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:8, Ronnie Rogers, sacrifice, salvation, sin, sinners, steamboat pilot dies, tetelestai, the cross, Twitter | Leave a comment

“Come Away … And Rest” (Mark 6:30-32 sermon)

Posted on 2018/04/16 by Shawn Thomas

In the 1860’s, Mark Twain took a steamboat tour of Europe and the Holy Land, during which he visited Rome. He wrote about his experience there: “Afterward we walked up and down one of the most popular streets for some … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermons | Tagged 4th Commandment, balance, break, busy-ness, Christian life, cruise, daily Bible reading, day off, Ephesians 2:8-9, exercise, getaway, Hebrews 4, Mark 1:35, Mark 6:30-32, Mark Twain, prayer time, rest, rest in Jesus, rest in Me, rest in peace, retreat, Revelation 14:11, Revelation 14:13, Sabbath, sabbath rest, salvation, The Innocents Abroad, trust, vacation, work | 1 Comment

“The Disciple’s Character: Spiritual Hunger” (Matthew 5:6 sermon)

Posted on 2016/02/16 by Shawn Thomas

Last week I was listening to the podcast of the Eric Metaxas show, and Eric had Bob Beckel on as his guest. Many of you know Bob Beckel as a Fox News contributor. He was sharing about his new book, … Continue reading →

Posted in "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. 5:3-12), Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Beatitudes, Bertrand Russell, Blaise Pascal, Bob Beckel I Should Be Dead, Bob Beckel testimony, C.S. Lewis, cathedral of Milan, character, Eric Metaxas show, hunger for righteousness, Mark Twain, Matthew 5:6, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 17:15, righteousness, salvation, spiritual growth, spiritual hunger, The Disciple's Character | Leave a comment

Illustrations from Mark Twain’s The Innocents Abroad

Posted on 2014/10/21 by Shawn Thomas

Not long after the Civil War, Mark Twain joined a steamship tour of Europe and the Holy Land. His entertaining book, The Innocents Abroad, chronicles the journey in a way only Twain could. Punctuated liberally with sarcasm and irony, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, Sermon Illustrations | Tagged atonement, Bible prophecy, Death, Ephesus, Holy Land, Jesus, Mark Twain, materialism, rest, Sabbath, salvation, sermon illustrations, sin, the cross, The Innocents Abroad | Leave a comment