Tag Archives: Sunday School teacher

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 Preview of Matthew 15:1-11+, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson for March 8, 2026, “Real Devotion”

Posted on 2026/02/28 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 you can make. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: INTRODUCTION: ILLUSTRATION: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged A.B. Bruce, Alfred Edersheim, Baptist, Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Bible, Bible and tradition, Bible study, Book of Matthew, born again, Catholic Church authority, Christianity and food, churches, commandment, Corban, criticism, critics, elders, Explore the Bible, God, gospel, hand washing, heart, heart disease, heart of the problem, heart transplant, Jack Tillery, Jesus, Jews, Life group, Lifeway, Marcus Aurelius, Martin Luther, Matthew, Matthew 15, Matthew 15:1-11, Matthew 23, Meditations, new heart, New Testament and food, pastors, Rabbi Akiba, scribes and Pharisees, scripture, Shawn Thomas, show me scripture, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, Talmud, tradition, tradition of the elders, tradition vs commandment, www.shawnethomas.com | 3 Comments

Teacher’s Preview of Matthew 14:22-33, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Courage,” for March 1, 2026.

Posted on 2026/02/21 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 14:22-33 for March 1, 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 Baptist, Bible study, do not be afraid, Explore the Bible, faith, fear, fear not, God, Hebrews 12 fixing eyes on Jesus, Hurricane Rita, Jesus, Jesus and fear, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 14, Matthew 14:22-33, Olivier Messiaen, Psalm 107, Rich Mullins, Shawn Thomas, Southern Baptist, still the storm, storm on the sea, storm stories, storms, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, test of faith, tests, trials, www.shawnethomas.com | 2 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Judgment Coming,” for 2/22/26.

Posted on 2026/02/14 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 13 for February 22, 2026, “Judgment Coming. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged angels, annihilationism, Baptist, Baptist Faith & Message, Bible, Billy Graham, C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory, devil, discussion questions, do not judge, eschatology, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fruit, gardening, glory, God, gospel, Gospel of Matthew, heaven, heaven and hell, hell, Jesus, Jesus and hell, Jonathan Edwards, judging, judgment, Judgment Coming, kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven, Kirk Cameron, know them by their fruit, last things, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 13, meaning of judge not, mixed multitude, Nathan Finn, Satan, scriptures on hell, shawnethomas, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school help, Sunday school outline, Sunday School teacher, the wheat and the tares, weeding, weeds, wheat and weeds, witness | 8 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 9:10-19, 23-26, Lifeway “Explore the Bible” lesson “Mercy Extended” for 1/25/26

Posted on 2026/01/17 by Shawn Thomas

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.

Posted on 2026/01/03 by Shawn Thomas

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

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 2:1-12, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Worship the King,” for 12/21/25

Posted on 2025/12/13 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for for teachers and Bible study leaders of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible series. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Worship the King", Augustine of Hippo, Bethlehem, Bible study, Christmas, Christmas lesson, Christmas message, Christmas Sunday School, Explore the Bible, genuine worship, giving, giving as worship, Herod the Great, Herod's pig than his son, hidden agendas in church, humility, humility in worship, hypocrisy, hypocrites, hypocritical worship, joy, Lifeway, Macrobius, magi, Matthew 2, Matthew 2:1-12, Micah 5:2, missing heaven by 18", motives, obedience, obedience and worship, politics and church, prophecy of Christ, proskuneo, selling in church, shawnethomas, signs of genuine worship, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, the star of Bethlehem, visit of the magi, wise men, worship | 10 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 4:12-25, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson “Invitation,” for 12/14/25

Posted on 2025/12/06 by Shawn Thomas

For Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, lesson outline and highlights, illustrations you can share, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life applications you can make. A video version of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Andrew, Baptist, call of the disciples, call to mission, Capernaum, church mission, church purpose, church purpose statement, December 14 2025 lesson, discipleship, ecclesiology, evangelism, Explore the Bible, fishermen, following Jesus, fulfill, instant obedience, invitation, James, John, lesson outline, Lifeway, Making of the President 1960, Mark Twain, Matthew, Matthew 4:12-25, ministry, ministry evaluation, ministry metric, ministry motto, missions, obedience, Old Testament prophecy, Old Testament quotes in Matthew, Reaching Teaching Caring, Ron Chernow, shawnethomas, Southern Baptist, Steve Jobs Walter Isaacson, Sunday School, Sunday school discussion questions, Sunday school help, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school lesson applications, Sunday school lesson illustrations, Sunday School teacher, Sunday School training, Sunday School University, Theodore White John Kennedy | 14 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 3:13-4:11, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Affirmation,” for 12/07/25

Posted on 2025/11/29 by Shawn Thomas

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

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Affirmation", Alben Barkley, baptism, baptizo, China, ESL, Explore the Bible, Gospel of Matthew, Gospels, Gregory Nazianzen, I Peter 2:21, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus temptation, John Hay, John Taliaferro All The Great Prizes, Journeyman missionary, Katherine Graham Washington, lesson outline, Lifeway, Matthew, Matthew 3, Matthew 3 and 4, Matthew 3:13-4:11, preparation, scripture memory, shawnethomas, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, temptation, Trinity, when I say God I mean Father Son and Holy Spirit | 2 Comments