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 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Glory," for 3/22/26
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 18:21-35, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Forgiveness," for 3/29/26
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- Teacher's Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: "Following Jesus" for 3/15/26
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "Seeking Him First" (Matthew 6:33 sermon)
- "The Lord Our Provider" (Philippians 4:15-23 sermon)
- “The Narrow Way To Heaven” (Matthew 7:13-14 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: salvation
Water And The Spirit
“Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:5) Jesus had just told Nicodemus in :3 that he must be “born again” … Continue reading
“Unfathomable Treasure: Our Triune God” (Matthew 3:16-17 sermon)
Do you know that no one really knows WHAT electricity is? Look it up; they don’t. They know theories about how it works; they know how to avoid being killed by it; they know how to harness it to use … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged A.W. Tozer The Knowledge of the Holy, Deity of Christ, Deuteronomy 6:4, doctrine, doctrine of God, doctrine of trinity, Ephesians 2:18, eternity, George W. Bush, God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit, Great Commission, Gregory Nazianzen, heaven, I Peter 1:2, illustrations of Trinity, Islam, Jesus Christ, John 17:5, John 1:1, Matthew 3:16-17 sermon, modalism, modalism and Matthew 3, monotheism, Mormonism, prayer, salvation, theology, Trinitarian Christians, Trinitarian faith, Trinity, Triune God
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Jesus and Jacob’s Ladder
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.’ And He said to him, ‘Truly, truly I say to you, … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged fellowship, heaven, Jacob's Ladder, Jesus, John 1:50-51, salvation
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“Fulfilling All Righteousness: Jesus’ Example of Baptism” (Matt. 3:13-17 sermon)
Adoniram Judson was born in 1788, and grew up in Massachusetts as the United States was in its infancy. He graduated as the valedictorian of his class at Brown University, and after graduation wrote 2 books, one on grammar, and … Continue reading
“Receiving Jesus” May Not Be What You Think
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12) What does it mean to “receive Jesus”? The scripture makes an amazing promise … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged John 1:12, Lordship, receive Jesus, receiving Jesus, salvation
2 Comments
“The Spirit We Need” (Matthew 3:11 message)
One day last week, a woman posted a comment on my blog on the internet. She wrote: “Shawn, I was looking at your work “being poured out as a drink offering”. I am a Christian who have received the baptism … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged baptism in the Holy Spirit, baptism in the spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 5:18, gifts of the Spirit, God the Holy Spirit, healing, holiness, Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 12:13, I Corinthians 12:7, I Corinthians 6:19, II Corinthians 13:5, John 14:16-17, Joni Earickson Tada cancer testimony, Matthew 3:11 sermon, power, power of the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:9, salvation, speaking in tongues, Spirit of Christ, Spirit of God, spiritual gifts
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He Loved Us First: The Difference That Makes
“We love, because He first loved us.” (I John 4:19) John tells us in this brief verse God loved us first. This is significant, and makes such a difference in our understanding of our relationship with Him:
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged God's love, grace, I John 4:19, love, merit, performance trap, relationship with God, Romans 5:8, salvation, saved by grace
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Our Confidence In Judgment
“By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.” (I John 4:17) The Day of Judgment is coming for all … Continue reading
“The Fruit of Repentance” (Matt. 3:4-10 sermon)
It has been very interesting to say the least, to watch the first week of the Presidency of Donald Trump unfold. He has made appointments and issued executive orders which have pleased some, but have infuriated others. But there was, … Continue reading
Posted in Matthew sermons, Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged assurance of salvation, changed life, CNN, Donald Trump, fruit of repentance, garden, John the Baptist, judgment, Luke 19, Luke 3, Matthew 3:4-10, Matthew 7:21, Matthew sermon, repent, repentance, repenter, Rosaria Butterfield, salvation, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Zaccheus
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