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: Matthew 13
Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Acts 17:22-34, “Believe” for Sunday Oct. 13, 2024
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Acts 17:22-34, with the title of “Believe,” for Sunday, October 13, 2024. A video version of this lesson is available on YouTube at … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Acts 17, Acts 17:22-34, Apostle Paul, application, Areopagus, believe, Bible, Bible study, Bulgaria, C.S. Lewis, Christ, Christianity, creation, culture, discussion questions, evangelism, Explore the Bible, faith, Gary Habermas, Genesis 1, God, God sovereignty, gospel, I Corinthians 15, idols, J.D. Vance, Jesus, Jesus only way, Jesus resurrection, John F Kennedy, John Quincy Adams creation, Kamala Harria, Lifeway, literature, Mars Hill, Matthew 13, ministry, missionary, missions, Nabeel Qureshi, Parable of the Sower, Paul and Silas, Psalm 50, repent, repentance, repentance and faith, response to the gospel, resurrection, Romans 1:4, salvation, SBC Disaster Relief, second missionary journey, seek God, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, sermon, Silas, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, Tim Walz, Westminster Catechism
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“What Real Faith Looks Like: Real Faith Works” (James 2:14-26 sermon)
John Wooden was one of the greatest coaches of all time. His UCLA Bruins dominated college basketball back in the 1960s-70s like no other team ever has. He won 10 national championships in 12 years, including seven in a row! … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged Abigail Adams, Abraham, Abraham faith, Abraham works, arrested for being a Christian, Bible, Book of James, demons, demons believe, epistle of straw, evidence, faith, faith and works, fruit, God, good works, gospel, Islam, James, James 2, James 2:14-26, Jesus, Jimmy Carter testimony, John Adams, John Wooden, John Wooden testimony, judgment, Martin Luther, Matthew 13, Nabeel Qureshi, Parable of the Sower, Rahab, Rahab faith, Rahab works, religion, salvation, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, spiritual fruit, testimony, They Call Me Coach, witness, words vs actions, words vs deeds, works, works salvation, world religions
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“What Real Faith Looks Like: Perseverance” (James 1:12 sermon)
We’ve got one of my very favorite family pictures to put up on the screen: In 1998, I ran the Tulsa Run road race with Paul, David & Libby, our three oldest kids. Cheryl took this picture of the four of us at my … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like
Tagged A.T. Bobertson, acid test, acid test gold, approval, approved, assurance, assurance of salvation, Book of James, crown of life, dokimos, eternal security, family, gold, gold test, I Corinthians 13, I Peter 1:6-7, if saved always saved, James, James 1:12, love, Matthew 13, once saved always saved, Parable of the Sower, perseverance, perseverance of the saints, Romans 16:10, seal of approval, stephanos, tested like gold, tests, trials, Tulsa Run, What Real Faith Looks Like
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Behold I Have Told You
“Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” (Matthew 28:7 NASB) When the angel had … Continue reading
Run With Endurance
Hebrews 12:1 exhorts us: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that … Continue reading
“What Real Faith Looks Like: Perseverance” (James 1:12)
In 1998, I ran the Tulsa Run road race with Paul, David & Libby, our three oldest kids. Cheryl took a picture of the four of us at my favorite time of a race: when it was OVER! After the Tulsa run … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged A.T. Robertson, acid test, Apelles, approved, assurance, authenticity of gold, crown of life, crown of righteousness, diadem, dokimos, games, Genesis 29, genuine faith, I Corinthians 13:7, I Peter 1:6-7, II Timothy 4:7-8, Jacob, James 1:12 sermon, Josephus, kingly crown, love, Matthew 13, nitric acid, once saved always saved, Parable of the Sower, perserverance, perseverance of love, possession of faith, profession of faith, proof of your faith, Rachel, Romans 16:10, salvation prayer, stamp of authenticity, stephanos, tested faith, tests, tests for gold, trials, Tulsa Run, victor's crown, What Real Faith Looks Like
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shawnethomas 