Tag Archives: Shawn E. Thomas

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 25:31-46, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson “Active Faith” for May 17, 2026

Posted on 2026/05/09 by Shawn Thomas

We have a sample introduction to the lesson for you, as well as a suggested outline of this week’s text, with some teaching highlights, some illustrations you can share, some potential discussion questions you can ask your group — and … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "when I die I don't want to go to the Post Office", abolitionism, Andrew Jackson judgment, annihilationism, Bible, Bible study, Book of Matthew, C.S. Lewis mud pies, C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory, church, done it unto Me, end times, Eric Metaxas Amazing Grace, Eric Metaxas Wilberforce, eschatology, eternal fire, eternal life, eternal torment, eternity, Explore the Bible, fruit, glory of heaven, God, heaven, hell, II Corinthians 5:10, Jesus, Jesus glory, Jesus King, Jon Meacham American Lion, judgment, Kirk Cameron and hell, lesson outline, Lifeway, Martin Luther, Martin Luther Christmas sermon, Matthew, Matthew 25, rewards, righteous, Shawn E. Thomas, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, the sheep and the goats, The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good, Thomas Clarkson, wicked, William Wilberforce, you shall know them by their fruits | Leave a comment

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 24:36-51, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “Alert” for May 10, 2026

Posted on 2026/05/02 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications to make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ???DISCUSSION QUESTION???“Can … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Alert", "The Game of the Century", 88 Reasons Why The Rapture Will Be in 1988, Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Bible study lesson, Explore the Bible, faithfulness, God, gospel, hell, illustrations, Jesus, Jesus return, John Newton, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 24, Matthew 24:36-51, Matthew 25, Mount Vesuvius, no one knows the hour, Olivet discourse, OU/Nebraska 1971, Parable of the VIrgins, patience, Pliny, preparation, preppers, rapture, readiness, return of Christ, return of the Lord, reward, second coming, Shawn E. Thomas, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, teachers, teaching outline, time of Jesus return, waiting | 5 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 22:15-22, 34-40, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “Honor” for 5/03/26

Posted on 2026/04/25 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 22 for May 3, 2026. 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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged application, Bible study, California COVID crisis 2020, California worship restrictions 2020 COVID, church and state, commandments, denarius, discussion questions, Explore the Bible, flattery, God, government overreach, Great Commandment, greatest commandment, Herodians, I'm good for love, illustrations, Jesus, lesson preview, Lifeway, love, love the LORD your God, love your neighbor, Mark Twain Innocents Abroad, Passion Week, Pharisees, render to Caesar, Romans 13 submission to government, Ronald Reagan age an issue, Shawn E. Thomas, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, Tiberius Caesar, trap of flattery, What is the greatest commandment? | 5 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 21:23-32, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Authority,” for 4/26/26.

Posted on 2026/04/18 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 21 for April 26, 2026. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged authority, authority figure, Bible, Bible study, Book of Matthew, Carl Trueman, elders, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fear, fear of man, Franklin Graham testimony, fruit, God, gospel, Jesus, John G. West Stockholm syndrome Christianity, John Newton, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 21, Matthew 21:23-32, metamello, once saved always saved, parable, peer pressure, presbuteros, regret, repentance, revelation, salvation, Sanhedrin, Shawn E. Thomas, social imaginary, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, tale of two sons, witnessing, you will know them by their fruit | 8 Comments

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 | 16 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 19:16-30, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “Eternal Life” for 4/12/26

Posted on 2026/04/04 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested 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: INTRODUCTION/ILLUSTRATION: “In … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Baptist, Benjamin Franklin moral perfection, Bible, Bible study, Book of Matthew, C.S. Lewis The Great Divorce, Dwight Eisenhower and Billy Graham, eternal life, eternal salvation, Explore the Bible, forgiveness, George Barna survey, God, good works, gospel, gospel in a nutshell, heaven, how can I know that I am going to heaven, how can I know that I have eternal life, James 2:1, Jesus, John 17:3, Juan Ponce de Leon, keep the commandments, Law, lesson help, lesson outline, Lifeway, marshmallow test, Matthew, Matthew 19, Matthew 5:3, New heaven and new earth, New Jerusalem, partiality, partiality to rich, poor in spirit, poverty in spirit, regeneration, rewards, rich, rich young ruler, salvation, salvation in a nutshell, Samuel Rutherford, Shawn E. Thomas, sin, Southern Baptist, spiritual pride, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, with God all things are possible, with men this is impossible, www.shawnethomas.com | 2 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Glory,” for 3/22/26

Posted on 2026/03/14 by Shawn Thomas

Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: You could begin with … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Abraham Lincoln, awe, Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Book of Matthew, C.S. Lewis Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory, definition of glory, discipleship, discussion questiions, Doris Kearns Goodwin Team of Rivals, doxa, Elijah, eternity, Explore the Bible, glorified, glory, glory of God, Glory of Jesus, God, gospel, heaven, Holy Spirit, illustrations, Jesus, Jesus Himself alone, lesson preview, Lifeway, Lindy Boggs, Martin Luther terror, Matthew, Matthew 17, Matthew 17:1-13, Moses, Mount of Transfiguration, Mt. Hermon, Mt. Tabor, Peter, reverence, saints glory, Shawn E. Thomas, shekinah glory, Simon Peter, Southern Baptist, spiritual life, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, tabernacle, This is My Beloved Son, time, timing is everything | 3 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26

Posted on 2026/01/31 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for teachers of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Matthew 11 for Sunday, February 8, 2026. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Confronting Doubts", accountability to God, Anton Bruckner, Baptist, Benjamin Franklin mule story, Bethsaida, Bible, Book of Matthew, can't please the crowd, Capernaum, Christian doubts, criticism, doubting salvation, doubts, expectations, Explore the Bible, fruit, gift, gifts, God, gospel, Henry Adams, Jesus, John Newton, John the Baptist, judgment, Letters of John Newton, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 11, missions, opportunity, Shawn E. Thomas, shawnethomas.com, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, teacher help, The Education of Henry Adams, theodicy, woe | 11 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 6:19-34, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Treasure,” for 1/04/2026

Posted on 2025/12/27 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for teachers of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Matthew 6:19-34, for Sunday, January 4, 2026, with the title, “Treasure.” Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged anxiety, Billy Graham, Cheryl Thomas, choices, Christianity and materialism, Craig Blomberg Matthew, David McCullough Mornings on Horseback, discussion questions, Dwight Eisenhower, eternity, Explore the Bible, Explore the Bible lesson, giving, giving illustrations, God, gospel, Heavenly Father, illustrations, invest in eternity, Jesus, life application, Lifeway, Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, mammon, Mark Twain Innocents Abroad, materialism, Matthew, Matthew 6, missions, missions giving, pastor Shawn Thomas, Pompeii, provision, Psalm 37, salvation, seek first the kingdom, Sermon on the Mount, serve God or money, serve two masters, Shawn E. Thomas, shawnethomas, stewardship, Sunday school lesson overview, temporal values, tithing | 6 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Deuteronomy 12:1-11, 29-32, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Undivided Worship,” for 11/09/25

Posted on 2025/11/01 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for November 9, 2025 on Deuteronomy 12. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Asherah, Asherim, Bible, Bible worship, Biblical Archeology Society, compromise, David Foster Wallace quote, Deuteronomy 12, Deuteronomy 12:1-11, every man did what was right in his own eyes, everybody worships, Explore the Bible, feminism, First Amendment, giving, God, homosexuality in churches, idol worship, idolatry, illustration, Jesus, lesson outline, Lifeway, Lord's Supper, New Testament worship, Old Testament worship, Plains of Moab, prayer, priesthood of the believer, regulative principle of worship, Shawn E. Thomas, Shawn Thomas, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday School teacher, tithing, Undivided Worship, worship, worship commands, www.shawnethomas.com | 10 Comments