First Baptist Arlington Sermons

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

September 15, 2024 

FALL 2024 

Together . . . for the Future 

September 1 – November 2, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Shepherd 

You Are Here! 

Ezra 3:1-6; Nehemiah 2:11-17a 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Fall 2024: Together . . . for the Future 

CONTEXT: In Ezra 3, both Joshua and Zerubbabel acknowledged the reality of life in Jerusalem without the Temple. They began by simply rebuilding the altar. In Nehemiah 2, Nehemiah took time to assess just how much damage had been done to the wall around the city. He acknowledged the devastation and communicated clearly to the leaders of Israel. 

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED: 

1. Before we can begin re-building anything, an honest assessment must be taken. 
2. After the assessment, we must accept the reality of the situation. 
3. Acknowledgment of reality must be holistic – emotional responses, accepting responsibility, experiencing the full brunt of the situation --- all are necessary to build a new future. 
4. Once we have embraced the reality of our situation, acknowledged the need to rebuild ----- resolve must begin to emerge.

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

September 8, 2024 

FALL 2024 

Together . . . for the Future 

September 1 – November 2, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Shepherd 

Kneeology: The Priority of Prayer 

Ezra 8:21-23; Nehemiah 1:1-11 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Fall 2024: Together . . . for the Future 

Devotional Guide for the Fall 

CONTEXT: Come, let us rebuild! The stories of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah are told in Ezra-Nehemiah. 

KNEEOLOGY: The priority and practice of prayer. The posture of prayer is physically disadvantageous, but it is spiritually advantageous! 

Ezra and Nehemiah both model for us the appropriate first response and the ongoing practice when realizing the need to rebuild or restore. They prayed! And—they prayed! 

Why pray? 

PRAYER: 

1. Prayer connects us to God. This encourages and facilitates the satisfaction of the deepest human need. Connecting to God makes it possible for us to flourish as human beings. 
2. Prayer demonstrates our trust in God. 
3. Prayer is an act of obedience. 
4. Prayer fosters and develops spiritual patience. 
5. Prayer offers God the opportunity to bring clarity to us. 
6. Prayer emboldens and strengthens our faith. 
7. Prayer connects us to spiritual power, fortitude, humility, and grace. 
8. Prayer works!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

September 1, 2024 

FALL 2024 

Together . . . for the Future 

September 1 – November 2, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Shepherd 

Anchored and Aimed! 

Ezra 7:1-7; Nehemiah 1:1-3 

CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Fall 2024: Together . . . for the Future 

the New Devotional Guide for the Fall 

CONTEXT: Come, let us rebuild! The stories of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah are told in Ezra-Nehemiah. 

The checquered story of the Kings, a matter of nearly five centuries, had ended disastrously in 587 BC with the sack of Jerusalem, the fall of the monarchy and the removal to Babylonia of all that made Judah politically viable . . . It was a death to make way for a rebirth. A millennium before this, Israel had been transplanted to Egypt to emerge no longer a family but a nation. Now her long night in Babylon was to mark another turning-point, so that she emerged no longer a kingdom but a little flock with the makings of a church. This is the point at which the book of Ezra begins. 

-Derek Kidner 

ANCHORED IN THE FAITH: For God’s people, the journey of rebuilding begins with an acknowledgement of our heritage of faith. 

AIMED TOWARDS THE FUTURE: You cannot stay where you are and follow God’s leadership! God invites us on a journey towards His future!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

August 25, 2024 

AUGUST 2024 

Together! 

August 4 - 31, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Teacher 

Together . . . in Power! 

Ephesians 5:18-6:20 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for August 2024: Together! 

EPHESIANS: This letter was written by Paul from prison in Rome to the church in Ephesus and was intended to be a circular letter for all of the churches in the region. It offers a panoramic view of God’s plan to “bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (1:10). The letter is filled with praise for the Messiah and revelation (mystery) about God’s miraculous work through Him. Thus, Ephesians is known for its High Christology. 

Ephesians is also marked by its High Ecclesiology. Paul points his readers to the truths about the identity and realities of the Church that God intended. This new creation (the Church) is the new Temple where heaven and earth converge and the new humanity, comprised of both Jews and Gentiles reside. God is now present in this new creation and on display through this new humanity. He will display His wisdom to the heavenly powers and blanket the earth with His glory and knowledge through the Church (Ephesians 2-3). 

The Church is uniquely equipped for this grand task to live circumspect lives amidst their neighbors as testimonies to what God is doing. He will equip the Church through the presence and power of His Spirit to fulfill this role to His glory (Ephesians 5-6). 

Satan will not take all of this lying down! He will oppose the work of God on every hand. Consequently, we must be clothed with power from on High to live as the Messiah’s people in every arena of our lives! 

Remarkably, the union of heaven and earth, the miracle of the new humanity is to actually be on display in our homes! We are to reflect the glory of God in and through our marriages. God created the institution of marriage (Genesis 1-2). He uses the imagery of marriage to convey His relationship with Israel in the Old Testament. Every Christian marriage is intended to be a reflection of the relationship that Christ has with His Church. “Tinker with it at your own peril” (N.T. Wright). 

Christians are to be marked by mutual submission as one sign of being filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-21). 

A Christian home is characterized by an appropriate level of order and clarity. Marriage is a heaven/earth partnership between a man and a woman, each participating in the partnership willingly and lovingly as unto Christ. Men and women are different, uniquely designed by God (Genesis 1:26-28) and both created in His image. Marriage is not just a partnership intended for mutual fulfillment (though this does happen), it is intended to be a reflection of the mystery of the union of Christ and His Church! Non-Christians should gaze at Christian marriages with wonder, curiosity, and amazement!

Connor Torrealba
August 18, 2024

Together...In Practice
Ephesians 4:17-24 (NIV) 

Big Idea: The Christian’s daily starting point is righteousness 

Where is your starting point? 

Jesus has bridged the gap 

“What is a Christian? …The richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God as Father.” – J.I. Packer 

Two perspectives 

1. A continual cycle 
2. A moment in time 

As God’s child, you should know: 

• He is always with you 
• He always wants to speak to you 
• He always wants to guide you 
• He always wants to empower you to do the right thing 

Slide 7: 

Daily Time with God 

Weekly Worship 

Monthly unhurried time 

Consistent community 

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

August 11, 2024 

AUGUST 2024 

Together! 

August 4 - 31, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Teacher 

Together . . . in Praise and Prayer! 

Ephesians 1:3-23 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for August 2024: Together! 

What is God doing? The answer to this question is contextualized by determining what God has already done. 

Ephesians 1:3-14 reveals what God has done: Blessed, Chosen, Destined, Freely Given, Lavished, and Made Known. 

PRAISE – The Jewish tradition of praising God is practiced by recounting how God has worked in the past with an expectation of how He may work in the future. 

PASSOVER – This passage is laden with imagery from the Passover and the Exodus. 

PLAN – God’s great plan of redemption and rescue is to result in the praise of His Glory throughout creation. 

PEOPLE OF GOD: The Church is to be used by God to accomplish God’s plan on earth. 

“The point of it all is the display of God’s eternal and now revealed plan of rescue to show creation that He is the glorious Creator. . . The Church is to be the advance sign to the world the new heaven and earth reality that God plans to make. . .  

The purpose of God leads to the purpose of the Church. . . The point of the Church is to be so visibly the people indwelt by the Spirit of this God of love and grace and generosity and healing and hope that people will see it and give praise to God the Creator and Redeemer.” 

-N. T. Wright 

PRAYER – We need God’s provision, perspective, power, and presence in order to fulfill our calling on earth as His people.

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

August 4, 2024 

August 2024 

Together . . .

August 4 - August 31, 2024  

Together...In Partnership With Christ!
Ephesians 1:1-2

How high or how developed is your view of Christ and His Church?  
 
The Apostle Paul: Pastor, Preacher, Planter, Prophet, Prisoner 
 
AD 60 – Churches in Asia (Roman province – Acts 19:10), Lycia, Pamphylia, Cappadocia, Cilicia, Bithynia, Achaia, Macedonia, Europe, Syria, Samaria, and Judea were all small house churches where Christians lived in the shadow of the Roman Empire. 
 
“These churches were a mess, and Paul wrote his letters to them to try to clean up the mess. But the dominant concern in this Ephesian letter is not to deal with the human problems that inevitably develop in church—no church is exempt—but to explore God’s glory that gives the church its unique identity . . . It is as if Paul takes time out from his responsibilities for straightening out the problems of belief and behavior that have cropped up in the various churches and writes out, as clearly and completely as he can, what makes church church. And what comes clear is that church is not what we do; it is what God does, although we participate in it.” 
-Eugene H. Peterson, Practice Resurrection  
 
“Ephesians is about the cosmic vision of heaven and earth coming together. The church is to be filled with the Spirit in the present age as the sign to the world what God is going to do for the whole cosmos in the future. The church is to demonstrate to the world who the world’s creator really is. In fact, the Church is a small, working model of the new creation.” 
N. T. Wright 
 
“. . . for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” 
-Isaiah 11:9 
 
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” 
-Habakkuk 2:14 
 
“Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory.” 
-Psalm 72:19 
 
Ephesians is about the people of God who are now “in Christ.” “In Christ” – this phrase or imagery connected to this phrase appears 164 times in Paul’s writings and 36 times in Ephesians! 
 
“To bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” 
-Ephesians 1:10  
 
“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 
-Ephesians 3:10-11  
 
“. . . that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” 
-Ephesians 3:19

July 28, 2024
Rev. Sergio Ramos 

Holy Devotion: The Call to True Discipleship 
Mark 8:34-38 (CSB) 

Central Idea: Even though God is all-powerful, He has never promised to protect us from all environmental catastrophes or even from deadly attacks on our lives by those who hate the gospel of Christ. However, He has promised to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6).  

Application: Even though we may be dedicated Christians, we must make sure our motives are to honor God and not ourselves. Let us open our hearts and minds to receive His Word today.  

The Call to Deny Ourselves: Verse 34: “if anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself…”  

Taking Up Our Cross: Verse 34: “…take up his cross…” 

Losing Life to Save It: Verse 35: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it.”  

Gaining the World vs. Losing the Soul: Verses 36-37: “For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? What can anyone give in exchange for his life?   

Being Unashamed of the Gospel: Verse 38: For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angles.”  

Call to Action: As we reflect on these profound truths, let us examine our hearts and recommit ourselves to the path of holy devotion. May we deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus with unwavering faith.

Sermon 7.21.24 

The Good News: Transformation! 

Luke Stehr 

Mark 7:1-23 

 
"These people honor me with their lips bur their hearts are from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules." Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13. 

Jesus is calling you and me to have a transformed heart, not just clean hands. 

Jesus isn't after our blind obedience to the traditions that the church has made; he's chasing after the transformation of our hearts so that we become like him. 

Jesus is calling you to have a transformed heart, not just clean hands.

Katy Reed-Hodges
 

Restored and Commissioned 

Mark 5:1-20  

Mark 5:1-20 NIV 

“People today are more likely to be controlled by a legion of cravings, captivations, and destructive impulses than by a legion of demons.” – David Garland 

“[Legion] may express the man’s sense of being possessed by an aggregate of uncoordinated impulses and evil forces which have so impaired his ego… it is a pathetic admission of the loss of all sense of identity.” – William Lane