First Baptist Arlington Sermons

Rev. Ryan Chandler 

Minister to Young Adults 

July 7, 2024 
 

Digging for Discipleship 

Mark 4:1-20 

If you want to grow higher, dig deeper.  

Digging for discipleship looks like pushing. It is pushing through rocky seasons of life that challenge our faith. 

Digging for discipleship looks like listening. It is taking time to listen to Jesus and grasp who he really is. 

Digging for discipleship looks like trading. It is trading worldly values for kingdom values.  

Mark 4:18-19 

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

June 30, 2024 

SUMMER 2024 

Together . . . in the Gospel 

June 2 – August 3, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Evangelist 

The Good News: Our Ministry 

Mark 1:21-45 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Summer 2024: Together . . . in The Gospel 

THE MESSIANIC MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST: Jesus made His way across the region of Galilee establishing His unique authority, demonstrating His unparalleled power, proclaiming His revelatory message, and displaying His tender compassion. 

Mark 1:21-28: Amazing Authority 

Mark 1:29-31: Personal Compassion 

Mark 1:32-34: Healing Power 

Mark 1:35-39: Prayer, Preaching, and Authority 

Mark 1:40-45: Compassion and Power 

THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST’S CHURCH: We now are the emissaries of the Kingdom of God. We have been called to engage in ministries that bring healing, hope, grace, forgiveness, love, care, compassion, and restoration to this broken world!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

June 23, 2024 

SUMMER 2024 

Together . . . in the Gospel 

June 2 – August 3, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Evangelist 

The Good News: Our Mission 

Mark 1:16-20 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Summer 2024: Together . . . in The Gospel 

Summer – Evangelistic Sensitivity 

 
Tell Me More podcast

COSMIC TO COMMON: The proclamation of Jesus concerning the Kingdom of God had cosmic connotations. Yet, the inauguration of the Kingdom of God would be practically accomplished through the lives of common people! 

From now until Gethsemane Jesus appears in the narrative constantly accompanied by his disciples, and their training and development will be one of the main focuses of the story. They may, and often will, fail him and disappoint him, but their role is crucial to the achievement of his mission, for it is through this flawed and vulnerable group of people that God’s kingship will be established. And it is in tracing their development as Jesus’ disciples, both in its successes and in its more frequent failures, that Mark will expect his readers to find the basis, whether by example or by warning, for their own discipleship. 

-R. T. France, The New International Greek Testament Commentary: Mark 

CALL OF JESUS: Jesus was unique in His day in so many respects. He called people to follow Him! This is still the invitation today! 

CONVERSION TO COMPULSION: What happened to these fishermen? They became followers of Jesus and fishers of people! 

COMMUNITY CASTING: As followers of Jesus, we cast nets together!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

June 16, 2024 

Father’s Day 

SUMMER 2024 

Together . . . in the Gospel 

June 2 – August 3, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Evangelist 

The Good News: A New Day! 

Mark 1:14-15 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Summer 2024: Together . . . in The Gospel 

Summer – Evangelistic Sensitivity 

– Tell Me More podcast – live podcast from the Sanctuary on June 23 – 100th episode!

FORERUNNER TO FULFILLMENT: The era of preparation was over, and the time had come for the Age to Come to be announced and inaugurated! 

OPPOSTITION: God’s work is always opposed by the enemy. 

PROCLAMATION: Jesus had a message to declare – Good News!  

FULFILLMENT: It was about time! 

THE KINGDOM OF GOD: The reign of God in the Age to Come has begun! 

REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

June 9, 2024 

SUMMER 2024 

Together . . . in the Gospel 

June 2 – August 3, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Evangelist 

The Good News: The New Exodus 

Mark 1:9-13 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Summer 2024: Together . . . in The Gospel 

Summer – Evangelistic Sensitivity 

Tell Me More podcast - We will be live June 23 for our 100th Episode

MOUNTWEAZEL - a decoy entry in a reference work, such as a dictionary or encyclopedia, secretly planted among the genuine entries to catch other publishers in the act of copying content. 

The Good News is . . . Jesus! 

CONTEXT FOR THE MINISTRY OF JESUS: Jesus entered the world at a definite point in human history. His ministry was connected to and contextualized by the cosmic battle between evil (Satan) and good (God) and the revelation of God through the life of Israel. 

CONSIDER THE BAPTISM OF JESUS AND THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS IN CONTEXT: 

• Wilderness – Jesus begins his ministry in the wilderness – evoking so many Old Testament images. 
• The Glory of God – this is a cosmic story, and His ministry will be accompanied by heavenly signs. Moses was used by God for the parting of the Red Sea – Jesus’ ministry will be bracketed by the parting of the heavens and the parting of the veil of the Temple. 
• The Spirit of God – God’s Spirit was present at creation, in the deliverance of Israel, and remains present in the story of re-creation. 
• God heard the cry of the Israelites in Egypt and sent Moses to deliver them. He now has responded to the desperate condition of all humanity by sending Jesus to deliver us all!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

June 2, 2024 

SUMMER 2024 

Together . . . in the Gospel 

June 2 – August 3, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Evangelist 

The Good News is About Jesus! 

Mark 1:1-8 

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Summer 2024: Together . . . in The Gospel 

Summer – Evangelistic Sensitivity 

New Devotional Guide for Summer 

– Tell Me More podcast – I will also plug the live podcast from the Sanctuary on June 23 – 100th episode! 

MARK AT A GLANCE 

-Earliest Gospel 

-Gospel – Good News! 

-Mark was a disciple of Simon Peter 

-The Gospel of Mark was intended to be read aloud in community. 

-Mark’s Gospel is a drama with three acts: Jesus in Galilee, Jesus on the way to Jerusalem, and Jesus in Jerusalem 

-The “Messianic Secret” 

-The ending of the Gospel of Mark 

THE BEGINNING! 

PREPARATION: The Good News about Jesus is new news rooted in old news!  

PERSON: The Good News is . . . Jesus!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

May 26, 2024 

SPRING 2024 

Together . . . for God’s Glory 

April 7 – June 1, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Prophet 

Glory Through Generosity 

Exodus 35:4-10, 20-22, 29 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Summer 2024: Together . . . in The Gospel 

Theme for Spring 2024: Together . . . for God’s Glory! 

GUIDANCE: God provided guidance for His people as they journeyed from Egypt towards the Promised Land. He also provides guidance for us today! 

GLORY: God’s glory was often on display in the Exodus story. He desires for His glory to be on display today through us! 

GENEROSITY: In the construction of the Tabernacle, God offered His people an opportunity to demonstrate a spirit of generosity through giving time, talent, and treasure. He continues to call us to give generously as well. 

GENEROSITY PRINCIPLES: 

-God is the Owner, we are mere stewards. 

-God’s people provide for His work to be accomplished. 

-God’s work is worthy of our investment. 

Part of the privilege of serving God is to be found in the opportunity to donate to his purposes things that in his common grace he has already entrusted to the possession of his people. The highest honor a person can have in connection with anything he or she owns and might otherwise have used for self is seeing it given over to and incorporated into that which God thereafter owns and uses for his honor. 

-Douglas K. Stewart, The New American Commentary: Exodus

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

May 19, 2024 

High School Grad Sunday 

SPRING 2024 

Together . . . for God’s Glory 

April 7 – June 1, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Prophet 

How Can I Know God’s Will? 

Exodus 28:15-30 

Harvard Seal 

Baylor Seal 

Auburn Seal 

Columbia Seal 

Yale Seal 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Spring 2024: Together . . . for God’s Glory! 

Urim and Thummim – These “stones” were sometimes used by God to guide Israel in national decisions. They had no intrinsic powers.  

God desires for His people to seek His leadership and live fully into His will. 

God’s Will: God’s Word, God’s Wisdom, and our willingness.

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

May 12, 2024 

Mother’s Day 

SPRING 2024 

Together . . . for God’s Glory 

April 7 – June 1, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Prophet 

Rules are Rules! 

Exodus 20:1-17 

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Spring 2024: Together . . . for God’s Glory! 

Mom Rules! 

The Decalogue – The Ten Words 

“We must keep in mind at the outset that the Decalogue is no mere list of laws given in the abstract. It is given by God to a people he has just redeemed. They reflect the manner in which his people are to be ‘holy’ (cf. ch. 19). It is, therefore, safe to say that these laws are more than simply good rules to live by. They show us something of the nature of God, and for this they deserve our close attention. We see in them not simply ‘what we must do’ but what God is like . . . The giving of these commands is not simply the introduction of rules that help us hold society together—to make us good citizens, as it were. Rather, it ‘integrates cosmic order and social order . . . (the) means by which the divine ordering of chaos at the cosmic level is actualized in the social sphere, whereby God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven’ (Freitheim). The giving of the law, in other words, is an act of re-creation.” 

-Peter Enns, NIV Application Commentary: Exodus 

We find in the 10 Words instructions for how we are to relate to God as His people. 

We also discover in the 10 Words how we are to relate to each other as the people of God. 

Love God! Love each other!

Dennis R. Wiles 

First Baptist Arlington 

May 5, 2024 

College Grad Recognition 

SPRING 2024 

Together . . . for God’s Glory 

April 7 – June 1, 2024 

Preaching Voice: Prophet 

The Mission of God 

Exodus 19:3-8 

Celebration of The Lord’s Supper 

1 Peter 2:9-10

Theme for 2024: Together 

Theme for Spring 2024: Together . . . for God’s Glory! 

REMEMBER: God calls us to remember all He has done for us. 

OBEY: God invites His people to a relationship contextualized by a covenant and characterized by our obedience. 

COMMISSIONED: God commissioned Israel in the Old Testament and the Church in the New Testament to represent Him to the peoples of the world. 

• We are His treasured possession! 
• We are a kingdom of priests! 
• We are a holy people!