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 13:24-30, 36-43, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Judgment Coming," for 2/22/26.
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 12:1-14, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Rejecting Legalism," for 2/15/26.
- “Building Your Life On The Rock” (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon)
- "How To Run The Christian Race" (Hebrews 12:1-2 sermon)
- "True Religion" (Philippians 3:2-3)
- "God's Purpose For Your Life" (I Peter 2:4-5 sermon)
- Teacher's Overview of Matthew 11:1-6, 16-24, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, "Confronting Doubts, for 2/08/26
- Basebaal Strikes Out
- "This Is My Story: The Philippian Jailer" (Acts 16:25-34 sermon)
- "Three Christian Attitudes" (Philippians 3:12-15 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: the Law
Teacher’s Overview of Matthew 12:1-14, Lifeway Explore the Bible lesson, “Rejecting Legalism,” for 2/15/26.
An overview for teachers of Lifeway’s Explore the Bible lesson of Matthew 12 for February 15, 2026. Includes a sample introduction to the lesson, text outline and highlights, illustrations you can use, discussion questions for your group, and spiritual life … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged Bible, Bible study, Book of Matthew, Byron Farwell Mr Kipling's Army, C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity, care, church, church legalism, church tradition, criticism, David McCullough Johnstown Flood, Deity of Christ, Explore the Bible, God, Jesus, legalism, Lifeway, Lord of the Sabbath, love, Matthew, Matthew 12, mercy, Oral tradition, ox in a ditch, Pharisees, Rudyard Kipling, Sabbath, sabbath breaking, Sunday School, Talmud, the Law, tradition
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Teacher’s Overview of Leviticus 9:15-10:3, “Separation,” Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible” lesson for Feb. 9, 2025
An overview for Sunday School teachers and Bible study leaders, of Lifeway’s “Explore the Bible lesson of Leviticus 9:15-10:3, with the title of “Separation,” for Sunday, February 9, 2025. A video version of this lesson is available on YouTube at: … Continue reading
Posted in Explore the Bible SS lesson overviews
Tagged "course he isn't safe. But he's good", A Leopard Tamed, Aaron, Aslan, balance, balance in worship, Bible, books of Moses, C.S. Lewis, day of atonement, Eleanor Vandevort, Explore the Bible, family first, for You are with me, glory, glory of God, God, gospel, Hebrews 12:29, I am the way, Jesus, John 14:6, John MacArthur, John Newton, L. Michael Morales, lesson outline, Letters of John Newton, Leviticus, Leviticus 9:15-10:3, Lifeway, Lion Witch Wardrobe, Moses, Nadab and Abihu, ox sacrifice, Psalm 23, sacrifice, separation, Southern Baptist Sunday school lesson, strange fire, Sunday school lesson, Sunday school teacher help, the Law, the Torah, Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord, worship, worship practices, worship services
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“What Real Faith Looks Like: The King’s Laws” (James 2:5-13)
In Leo Tolstoy’s War & Peace, he writes about how during Napoleon’s War with Russia he commanded a group of his soldiers to go downstream and find a good place to ford the river, and go to the other side. … Continue reading
Posted in Book of James Sermons: What Real Faith Looks Like, Sermons
Tagged all sin is sin, Andrew Jackson, Bible, Book of James, C.S. Lewis, Christianity, comparing, discipleship, ethics, failure, faith, God, gospel, how would you like it, in the course of justice, James, James 2, James 2:5-13, Jesus, John Adams, Jon Meacham American Lion, judgment, King Jesus, Law, law of liberty, Law of mercy, Leo Tolstoy, Love God Love Others, love your neighbor, mercy, Napoleon, obedience, render the deeds of mercy, Romans 13:8-10, salvation, Shakespeare, Sheldon Vanauken, sin, slavery, Tao, The Golden Rule, The Great Commandment, The Hermitag, the Law, The Merchant of Venice, the quality of mercy, the standard, transgression, War & Peace, we do pray for mercy, Yours Jack, zeal
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Psalm 119’s Most Important Lesson
”How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD.” (Psalm 119:1) Well, that eliminates all of us, doesn’t it?! Psalm 119 is such a majestic Psalm. It is the longest Psalm, the longest … Continue reading
Posted in Devotions/Bible Studies, Uncategorized
Tagged God's word, God’s commandments, God’s Law, Law of the Lord, Psalm 119, Psalm 119:1, Romans 3:10, salvation, sin, the Law
2 Comments
shawnethomas 