First Baptist Arlington Sermons

Ryan Chandler
February 2, 2025

Flourishing In Poverty

Matthew 5:3-5 

Main Idea: It’s blessed to be poor in God’s kingdom.  

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” 

1. The poor in spirit are: 
2. Those who recognize their dependence on God. 
3. People of grace.  
4. The consequences of not recognizing our spiritual poverty are: 
5. We lose the ability to offer grace to others.  
6. We lose the blessing of doing the Lord’s work.   

“Blessed are those who mourn.” 

1. Permission to mourn 
2. Mourning as an act of faith 

“Blessed are the meek.” 

1. Bridling our aggressive tendencies 
2. The connection between happiness and humility 

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

January 26, 2025 

2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ 

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 (Gospel Guide: Matthew) 

WINTER 2025: Happiness Is . . . 

The Beatitudes 

January 5 – March 4, 2025 

Flourishing in Purity 

Matthew 5:1-2, 8 

Theme for 2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ 

Six Domains of Human Flourishing

• Happiness and Life Satisfaction 
• Mental and Physical Health 
• Meaning and Purpose 
• Character and Virtue 
• Close Social Relationships 
• Material and Financial Stability 

The Great Commission 

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age. 

-Matthew 28:19-29 

Matthew’s Gospel contains 5 major “sermons” or “discourses” delivered by Jesus. Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom of God on earth. These sermons give definition and description of life in this new Kingdom. 

Matthew 5-7: Citizens of the New Kingdom 

Matthew 10: Missionaries of the New Kingdom 

Matthew 13: Parables for the New Kingdom 

Matthew 18: Community Life in the New Kingdom 

Matthew 24-25: Eschatological Hope in the New Kingdom 

The Sermon on the Mount is the declaration from Jesus about how followers of Jesus are to live now that the Kingdom of God has been established on earth. 

“Blessed” is one English translation of the Greek word, makarios. The word can mean: blessed, fortunate, happy, and favored by God. 

The heart is the “center of the human self” (Dallas Willard) 

Pure Heart 

• Cleansed Heart 

Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. 

-Psalm 24:3-4 

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence . . . You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of bones of the dead and everything unclean. 

-Matthew 23:25, 27 

• Changed Heart 

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

-Psalm 51:10 

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified . . . 

-Romans 10:10 

• Committed Heart 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. 

-Proverbs 3:5 

The pure in heart will see God in eternity! 

The pure in heart will see God in the everyday!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

January 19, 2025 

2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ 

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 (Gospel Guide: Matthew) 

WINTER 2025: Happiness Is . . . 

The Beatitudes 

January 5 – March 4, 2025 

Don’t Worry, Be Happy! 

Psalm 68:3-6 

Theme for 2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ 

The creation narratives the Scriptures begin with are an important source for discerning God’s intent for the human person. There it seems that God’s intent for each person and for all creation is that all aspects of being should be good. At the completion of the first creation narrative in Genesis, we read, “God saw everything he had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1). God’s intent, actualized in creation, was that it would be good. 

-Tyler VanderWeele, Theology of Health 

Flourishing Together Launch Weekend 

Six Domains of Human Flourishing (One slide) 

• Happiness and Life Satisfaction 
• Mental and Physical Health 
• Meaning and Purpose 
• Character and Virtue 
• Close Social Relationships 
• Material and Financial Stability 

Theme for Winter 2025: Happiness Is . . . 

Don’t Worry, Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin – Billboard #1 1988 

Happiness vs. Joy --- in our common vernacular, most people distinguish between the two. Happiness is usually connected to circumstances and joy is often portrayed as a deeper reality that can be experienced regardless of circumstances. 

TEXTUAL REALITY: The Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament contain a wide range of terms that are translated as: joy, rejoice, gladness, cheer, laughter, happy, blessed, exultation, merriment, pleasure, enjoy, and delight. This is how semantic domains work. 

In the Bible, happiness is serious business! 

Ecclesiastes 9:7 (One slide) 

(NIV) Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart . . . 

(NASB) Eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart . . . 

(KJV) Eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart . . . 

(NLT) Eat your food with joy and drink your wine with a happy heart . . . 

Psalm 68:3 (One slide) 

(NIV) But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. 

(NASB) But the righteous will be joyful; they will rejoice before God; Yes, they will rejoice with gladness. 

(KJV) But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: Yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. 

(NLT) But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy. 

The wellspring of human happiness is God Himself! Within His eternal holiness and purity, God is happy and joyful. 

1 Timothy 1:11 

. . . the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. 

1 Timothy 6:15 

God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 

Isaiah 65:17-19 

See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. 

The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 

But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. 

I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; 

The sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. 

Jesus was happy and joyful! 

Luke 7:33-34 

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, “He has a demon.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” 

Neither joy nor happiness are portrayed in the Bible as glib, surface realities. Happiness and joy are both exhibited in the lives of faithful people who serve God with humility, faithfulness, and obedience regardless of the situation. (For example, Paul and Silas in jail) 

According to the Bible, joy and happiness are deeply connected to righteousness, obedience to God’s Word, godliness, living according to God’s purposes, aligning one’s life with God’s will, exercising faith in God, and rejoicing in both the presence and goodness of God. 

“The end of life is not to be happy, nor to achieve pleasure and avoid pain, but to do the will of God, come what may.” 

― Martin Luther King, Jr. 

 
“Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.” 

― Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

THIS WEEK: Read and meditate on Philippians 4:4-9. Put it into practice. Don’t worry, be happy! 

GLIMPSE AHEAD: The Beatitudes!

Rev. Oza Jones
Director of Evangelism for Texas Baptists

The Playlist for Life
Psalm 1

Deny The World

• Watch Where You Stroll
•   Watch Where You Stand
•   Watch Where You Sit

Delights In The Word

•   Desire The Word
•   Digest The Word
•   Declare The Word

Depiction Of The Word

•   The Tree Is Planted
•   The Tree Is Purposed
•   The Tree Is Productive

Are Your Flourishing or Floundering?

"IN RESCUING OTHERS FROM AN UNNECESSARY DEATH, WE RESCUE OURSELVES FROM A MEANINGLESS LIFE"

- EVANGELISM

Destruction of the Wicked

• Bitter Truth
• Borrowed Time

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

January 5, 2025 

2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ 

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 (Gospel Guide: Matthew) 

WINTER 2025: Happiness Is . . . 

The Beatitudes 

January 5 – March 4, 2025 

Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ 

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 

Theme for 2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ 

Theme for Winter 2025: Happiness Is . . . 

CORE CHALLENGES 

-Managing Appetites 

-Encountering Emptiness 

-Limited Horizons 

CALLING OF GOD 

-An Invitation to Deep 

-Wisdom of God 

-Spirit of God 

-Mind of Christ

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

December 29, 2024 

ADVENT 2024 

Together . . . in the Light 

December 1 - 31, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Evangelist 

Our Guiding Light 

Isaiah 50:10-11 

Glimpse Ahead 2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ 

Winter 2025: Happiness Is . . . 

Flourishing Together Launch Weekend: January 24-26, 2025 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Advent 2024: Together . . . in the Light 

TRUTH: Periods of darkness are inevitable. 

We live by promises, not explanations. 

-Warren Wiersbe 

TEMPTATION: When we find ourselves in a time of darkness, our temptation is to provide our own light. 

TRUST: In periods of darkness, we learn to trust and rely on God more fully. 

You may never know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have. 

-Corrie ten Boom 

Glorifying God by Following The Jesus Way!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

December 22, 2024 

ADVENT 2024 

Together . . . in the Light 

December 1 - 31, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Evangelist 

For God So Loved 

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 

 
A Glimpse Ahead . . . Flourishing Together! 

Today we turn our attention to the “Why?” of Christmas! 

For God so loved . . . that He gave His one and only Son . . .! 

BEHOLD! 

ABC’s of Christmas! 

ABC’s of Easter! 

The Suffering Servant is . . . The Messiah, Jesus Christ, Savior, and Lord! 

Our Savior’s sacrifice makes it possible for us to be found, forgiven, set free, and live forever! 

As followers of the Suffering Servant, we are called to a lifetime of service in His Name.

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

December 15, 2024 

ADVENT 2024 

Together . . . in the Light 

December 1 - 31, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Evangelist 

Christmas Lights 

Isaiah 42:1-9 

ADVENT CANDLE: JOY 

CONTEXT: Isaiah received the prophecy recorded in Isaiah 42 during the reign of Hezekiah, King of Judah. Hezekiah led Judah in spiritual renewal as king. He began his service as king in 727 BC and he died in 686 BC. Isaiah received a vision from God that foretold the coming exile of Judah some 100 years later. This vision also included the prophetic proclamation of God’s deliverance of Judah from the Babylonians. 

FURTHER CONTEXT: Psalm 137:1-6 

THE SERVANT: God revealed to Isaiah that He was sending His Servant as the Deliverer! 

THE SERVANT: 

-God’s servant 

-Chosen by God 

-Anointed by God 

-A Shepherd 

THE SERVANT’S CALL: 

-Righteousness 

-Covenant 

-Light 

-Freedom 

-Glory

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

December 8, 2024 

ADVENT 2024 

Together . . . in the Light 

December 1 - 31, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Evangelist 

A Light Has Dawned! 

Isaiah 9:1-7 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Advent 2024: Together . . . in the Light 

CONTEXT: Ahaz was King in Judah. He was a wicked king who chose to distrust God and decided to forge an alliance with Assyria. He also desecrated the land through his willingness to allow pagan worship practices to exist in Judah. His reign was marked by darkness across Judah. And—Judah faced the reality of both the threat of Israel and the tragic defeat of Israel at the hands of the Assyrians. The people of Judah were fearful for their very existence. 

CHILD: What was God’s answer to Judah’s dilemma? A child! Already mentioned in Isaiah 7:14, God promised a child would be born, a son would be given—and God’s reign would be established forever! 

CONTEXT: We now live in a new era. The light has dawned! The Messiah has come. He is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace! 

CHRISTMAS: Christmas is the season when we re-visit the great truth that God has kept His promise! We also celebrate the truth that the future holds great promise for His people!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

December 1, 2024 

ADVENT 2024 

Together . . . in the Light 

December 1 - 31, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Evangelist 

The Absence of Light 

Isaiah 1:1-9 

ADVENT CANDLE: HOPE 

CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER 

Isaiah 65:17-19

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Fall 2024: Together . . . in the Light 

Darkness has its place in our lives. There is a natural cycle of light and dark woven into the fabric of God’s creation. 

Darkness captivates, baffles, and appalls us. It's a shifty thing of many textures, many moods, a state of fascination and of horror, an absence and a presence, solace and threat, a beginning and an end. 

-Jacqueline Yallop 

CONTEXT: Isaiah opens his book of prophecy with a poetic and symbolic representation of the brokenness of the nation of Judah. Because of the rebellion and spiritual apathy of God’s people, the times were dark. 

In the Scripture, darkness represents the very absence of God. It represents the power of sin, evil, brokenness, rebellion, and unbelief in this world. 

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 

-John 3:19 

Darkness can be both a corporate reality and/or and individual experience. 

Darkness is my closest friend. 

-Psalm 88:18 

The answer to the power and presence of darkness in this world is the power and presence of God! God is light! 

God’s light can overcome the personal darkness in your own life!