Tag Archives: temptation

Romans 6:1-14, Overview of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson, “Freedom,” for October 4, 2026.

Posted on 2026/09/26 by Shawn Thomas

For teachers and Bible study leaders. Includes a suggested introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, discussion questions for your group, illustrations to share, and spiritual life applications. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Celebratory failurism", "Forgiven", "Has Failure Become a Virtue", application, Baptist, Bible study, Book of Romans, Christians aren't perfect just forgiven, dead to sin, Explore the Bible, F.F. Bruce Romans, group discussion questions, I Corinthians 10:13, illustrations, Jen Wilkin, learned helplessness, lesson outline, Lifeway, Max Barnett, power over sin, Rasputin, Romans, Romans 6, Romans 6:1-14, sin, sin shall not be master over you, slaves to sin, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday School teacher, temptation | 3 Comments

Overview of Judges 16:16-31, Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson, “Compromise,” for August 16, 2026.

Posted on 2026/08/08 by Shawn Thomas

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

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged Baptist, Bible, Bible study, Book of Judges, Community Group, compromise, Explore the Bible, flirtation, flirting, God, grace, group leader, humility, II Samuel 12:14, irreversible consequences of sin, Isaiah 59:2, Jesus, Judges, Judges 16:16-31, Lectures to My Students, Lifeway, little compromises, Mark Twain The Innocents Abroad, Philistines, PIel verb, prayer, relationship with God, salvation, Samson, Samson and Delilah, Satan, sin, slavery of sin, Southern Baptist, Spurgeon These are Thy Champions, Sunday School, teacher help, temptation, The Great Compromise of 1787, toying with sin, Valley of Sorek | 7 Comments

Teacher’s Preview of Matthew 16:13-26, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson: “Following Jesus” for 3/15/26

Posted on 2026/03/07 by Shawn Thomas

An overview for teachers, including 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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged atonement, baptism, Baptist, Baptist Sunday school lesson, Bible, Bible study, Book of Matthew, Caesarea Philippi, Carl Trueman, cheap grace, Christ the Son of the Living God, Christos Kurios, confession of faith, cost of discipleship, cross, deny your self, discipleship, Explore the Bible, expressive individualism, follow Me, following Jesus, gates of hell, God, gospel, Holy Spirit, Jack Phillips baker, Jesus, Jesus death, Jesus is Lord, Jesus Messiah, Kaisar Kurios, Lifeway, lose your soul, Louis Slotkin, Matthew, Matthew 16:13-26, Matthew 1:6, on this rock, persecution, Peter, Peter pope, profession of faith, resisting temptation, sacrifice, salvation, self, Shawn Thomas, Simon Peter, soul, Southern Baptist, substitutionary atonement, Sunday School, take up your cross, temptation, The Glory and the Dream, Who is Jesus, William Manchester, Winston Churchill, www.shawnethomas.com | 8 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

“What Real Faith Looks Like: The Blame Game” (James 1:13-16 sermon)

Posted on 2024/06/03 by Shawn Thomas

On our trip to see our grand daughters baptized, Cheryl & I stopped to see a couple of Presidential libraries, including Jimmy Carter’s in Atlanta. I had to chuckle when we stopped there, because we have an ongoing joke in … Continue reading →

Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons | Tagged A.T. Robertson, ABCs of salvation, accountability, Adam & Eve, alpha privative, blame, blame God, blaming God, Book of James, born this way, C.S. Lewis, Calvinism, Charles Guiteau, Clint Hill, David and Bathsheba, Dwight D. Eisenhower, excuses, first step to salvation, free will, Gary Powers, genetic predisposition, God, God author of sin, Greek grammar, habits, homosexuality, how to be saved, James, James 1, James 1:13-16 sermon, James sermons, Jesus, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, King David, lust, Mere Christianity, peirazo, President Eisenhower, Psalm 51, responsibility, Ronald Reagan, salvation, sin, temptation, temptations, The Blame Game, trials, trials vs temptations, Westminister Confession, What Real Faith Looks Like | 2 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Genesis 39:7-21, Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for May 5, 2024.

Posted on 2024/04/27 by Shawn Thomas

A lesson overview for Sunday school teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 39:7-21 with the title “Accused,” for Sunday, Mary 5, 2024. (I might use an alternate title: “He Is With Me”!) A … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "Sovereignty of God", accountability to God, Accused, Bible study, Deuteronomy 19:15, Explore the Bible, false accusation, flee youthful lusts, Genesis, Genesis 39:7-21, George Whitefield America's Spiritual Founding Father, God judge, gospel, I am with you always, I Corinthians 14 worship, I Timothy 5:19, II Timothy 2:22, II Timothy 4:7, Jehovah, Joseph, judgment, lesson overview, lesson preview, Lifeway, Lord, Matthew 28:20, presence of God, Providence of God, Psalm 139, Psalm 23, Richard Jewell accusation, Romans 8:28, salvation, Sunday School, teacher help, temptation, the gospel, the Lord was with him, Thomas Kidd George Whitefield, two or three witnesses, Yahweh, you are with me Psalm 23 | 2 Comments

Teacher’s Overview: Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 4:1-5, “The First Murder”

Posted on 2023/12/19 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 4:1-15 with the title of “The First Murder” for Sun. Dec. 31, 2023. A video version of this overview is available … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged A.W. Tozer, Abel, Abel sacrifice, abortion, addictions, Admiral Hyman Rickover, anger, attributes of God, Baptist Sunday school lesson, be killing sin, be killing sin or sin will be killing you, best, Bible study, blood, blood sacrifice, Cain, Cain & Abel, Cain sacrifice, children, children gift, Christ, Christmas, consequences of sin, doing your best, Explore the Bible, forgiveness, Genesis 4:1-15, grain offering, Habakkuk 3:2, Hebrews 11:4, Hebrews 9:22, in wrath remember mercy, Jesus, Jimmy Carter Why Not the Best, John Owen, judgment, lesson outline, lesson plan, Leviticus 7:37, Lifeway, Malachi 1:8, mercy, murder, My Best Jimmy Carter, parents, pornography, President Jimmy Carter, Psalm 101:3, Psalm 127:3, punishment, relationships, Romans 13:14, sacrifice, salvation, Saviior, sin, Southern Baptist, Sunday School, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, temptation, The First Murder, The Knowledge of the Holy, why not the best, works, worship | 2 Comments

Teacher’s Overview of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 3:1-7, 21-24 “The First Sin”

Posted on 2023/12/09 by Shawn Thomas

A brief overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson of Genesis 3:1-7, 21-24, “The First Sin,” for Sunday, December 17, 2023. A video version of this overview is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading →

Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews | Tagged "The First Sin", Adam and Eve, as God now is man shall become, as man now is God once was, Bible, consequences of sin, do not love the world, Explore the Bible, first sin, Genesis, Genesis 3:1-7, Genesis Bible study, Genesis Sunday school lesson, God's word, has God said?, I John 2:15-17, James Dobson, John Milton, Lifeway, lust, lust of the flesh lust of the eyes boastful pride of life, marriage, Mormonism, Paradise Lost, protevangelium, R.C. Sproul, repentance, Revelation 12:9, salvation, Satan, Satan's schemes, serpent, sin, sin is cosmic treason, Sunday school help, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, temptation, The First Gospel, The Garden of Eden | 6 Comments

“Warnings From The Wilderness” (I Cor. 10 sermon)

Posted on 2022/07/25 by Shawn Thomas

On the coastline of Japan, there is a little village called Aneyoshi. On a certain spot in the town, there is an ancient stone tablet, engraved with a somber warning: “Remember the calamity of the great tsunamis. Do not build … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Aneyoshi Japan Tsunami, faith, grumbling, holiness, homosexuality, I Corinthians 10:1-13 sermon, idolatry, immorality, salvation, sin, temptation, try the Lord, warnings, wilderness | Leave a comment

“Lessons From Gethsemane” (Matthew 26 sermon)

Posted on 2022/02/14 by Shawn Thomas

I read this last week where the famous pro golfer Jack Nicklaus said that if he had only one round of golf left to play in his life, he would play it at Pebble Beach (just south of San Francisco, … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Matthew sermons, Sermons | Tagged an ounce of prevention, Daily Bible readings, devotions, discipleship, Douglas MacArthur, evangelism, forgive us our debts, Gethsemane, God's will, Jack Nicklaus, Jesus only way, John 14:6, John Newton, last hour, lead us not into temptation, Matthew 26 sermon, Matthew 6 model prayer, missions, model prayer, morning prayer, not my will, not my will but Thine, Pebble Beach golf, pray not my will, pray not to enter temptation, pray that you may not enter into temptation, prayer, praying for an hour, praying to avoid temptation, priorities, salvation, sleeping and prayer, temptation, The Lord's Prayer, watch with Me for one hour | 2 Comments