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
- "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. 1:18-24 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20, "Our Task," Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson for 4/05/26
- "Suffering Servant/Glorious King: The Cost and Benefits of His Atonement" (Isaiah 53:5 sermon)
- "A Living Hope" (I Peter 1:3 sermon)
- "Lessons From Gethsemane" (Matthew 26 sermon)
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "I AM the Living One" (Revelation 1:17-18 sermon)
- "Christ's Suffering/Our Salvation" (I Peter 3:18 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 18:21-35, Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, "Forgiveness," for 3/29/26
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 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: Sunday School teacher
Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 18:21-35, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson, “Forgiveness,” for 3/29/26
Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text highlights and outline, 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: OPENING … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
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3 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 17:1-13, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Glory,” for 3/22/26
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
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3 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26
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 9:10-19, 23-26, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson “Mercy Extended” for 1/25/26
For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 9, for January 25, 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 that … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "Mercy Extended", Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln pardons, Bible professional mourners, Book of Matthew, Carl Sandburg Abraham Lincoln, church, down and out, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fasting, gospel, grace, gracious, Jesus, Jesus and fasting, John Lloyd Stevens, legalism, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 9, mercy, mourning, New Testament fasting, outreach, Pharisees, reclining to eat, separate from sinners, shawnethomas, showing grace, sin, sinners, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, synagogue official, triclinium, wineskins
5 Comments
Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 7:15-29, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Authority Acknowledged,” for 1/11/26.
For teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 7, for Sunday, January 11, 2026. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Authority Acknowledged, Bible, Bible study, Carl F.H.Henry sermon, doers of the word, Explore the Bible, false prophets, false teachers, foundation, fruit, fruit trees, God, God's word, gospel, Grima Wormtongue, Hillel vs Shammai, house on the rock, I never knew you, I say to you, Jesus, Jesus is Lord, Kenneth Copeland, LDS, lifestyle, Lifeway, Lord Lord, Lord of the Rings, Matthew, Matthew 5, Matthew 5 6 7, Matthew 7:, Matthew 7:15-29, morality, Mormonism, N.T. Wright Jacob Neusner, neopaganism, profession of faith, Ralph Nader, salvation, Sermon on the Mount, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, teaching, works salvation, you will know them by their fruit
1 Comment