First Baptist Arlington Sermons

Dennis R Wiles

FBC Arlington

March 5, 2023

2023 Why Does It Matter?

EASTER 2023

Your Story: Why Does It Matter?

February 22 – April 15, 2023

How Can This Be?

John 3:1-21

John’s Gospel contains numerous encounters between Jesus and others. Some of those people are named, some remain anonymous.

LEARN: Nicodemus came to learn about Jesus.

LISTEN: Jesus uses the “double amen” 25 times in John’s Gospel.

LESSON: Here is the lesson-------We all must be born again, born from above, born of water and spirit!

LIFT UP: There are three “lifted up” passages in John’s Gospel (3:14-15; 8:28; 12:32-33).

LOVE: The Gospel is rooted in and emerges from God’s love!

LIGHT: Jesus is the Light of the World!

Dennis R Wiles

FBC Arlington

February 26, 2023

2023 - Why Does It Matter?

EASTER 2023

Your Story: Why Does It Matter?

February 22 – April 15, 2023

Theme for 2023: Why Does It Matter?

Topics for 2023

Anything 

Your Story 

Family 

Eternal Life 

The Holy Spirit
The Church
Mission
The Incarnation

Wedding Planning

John 2:1-12

Messianic Imagery in Cana

The transforming work of Jesus Christ

A miracle in a wedding – A miracle in a marriage!

Dennis R Wiles

FBC Arlington

February 19, 2023

2023 Why Does It Matter?

WINTER 2023 Why Does Anything Matter?

January 1 – February 21, 2023

To Tell the Truth

John 14:1-7

WHY DOES ANYTHING MATTER?

Because . . .

-Everything starts with God! He exists!

-God created everything!

-Human beings are incredible creations of God Himself – created in His image, destined for His glory, formed by His hands, recipients of His unique breath of life!

-Justice is possible because of Him!

-Love exists and can be experienced because of Him!

-There is real truth!

We depend on the reality of real truth!

Here is The Truth: Jesus Christ is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one can come to God unless you come through Him!

Jesus is the embodiment and personification of Truth. His followers are guided by His Spirit into . . . truth!

Dennis R Wiles

FBC Arlington

February 12, 2023

2023 Why Does It Matter?

WINTER 2023

Anything: Why Does Anything Matter?

January 1 – February 21, 2023

Soul Life

John 15:1-8

What does Christianity have to uniquely offer?

Acknowledge the reality of the soul.

Engage in a personal relationship with our Creator.

Cultivate this personal relationship.

Experience the productive life available through Christ!

Connor Torrealba
FBC Arlington
February 5, 2023

2023 Why Does It Matter?
WINTER 2023 Why Does Anything Matter?
January 1 – February 21, 2023

Love Is…
John 13:1

What defines you?

“Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” – John 13:1

Love is wanting God’s best for someone and taking action to see it happen.

“Little Children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and truth” – 1 John 3:18

To Love with truth is to love directed by truth

We cannot passively love

“I give you a new command, love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35

“For God so loved the world in this way, He gave His one and only son, so that everyone who believes in him would not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Dennis R Wiles

FBC Arlington

January 29, 2023

2023 Why Does It Matter?

WINTER 2023 Why Does Anything Matter?

January 1 – February 21, 2023

  
Putting Things Right

John 3:19-21

Broken Signposts: Justice, Love, Spirituality, Beauty, Freedom, Truth, Power

Universal Belief in Justice

Justice is an extension of God’s love for His creation.

Jesus ushers in the Kingdom of God; God’s re-creative work in the midst of a fallen creation!

As followers of Jesus, we are “Justice-Bringers” on His behalf!

Jesus has come to put things right!

Dennis R Wiles

FBC Arlington

January 22, 2023

2023 Why Does It Matter?

WINTER 2023 Anything: Why Does Anything Matter?

January 1 – February 21, 2023

Humanity: God’s Glory

Genesis 2:4-18, 21-25

God is!

God created everything!

God created humanity!

Man is now the pivot of the story, as in chapter 1 he was the climax. Everything is told in terms of him: even the primeval waste is shown awaiting him (2:5b), and the narrative works outwards from man himself to man’s environment (garden, trees, river, beasts and birds) in logical as against chronological order, to reveal the world as we are meant to see it: a place expressly prepared for our delight and discipline. It is misleading to call this a second creation account, for it hastens to localize the scene, passing straight from the world at large to ‘a garden . . . in the east’; all that follows is played out on this narrow stage.

-Derek Kidner, Genesis

Human beings are living beings.

Human beings are spiritual beings.

Human beings live in a cultural context.

Human beings are male and female.

Human beings are social beings.

God has created human beings in His Image and crowned us with His Glory!

Dennis R Wiles

FBC Arlington

January 15, 2023

2023 Why Does It Matter?

WINTER 2023: Why Does Anything Matter?

January 1 – February 21, 2023

God Created . . . Everything!

Genesis 1:1-2:3

DIVINE ACT OF SALVATION

CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

DIVINE ACT OF CREATION

The Bible portrays creation as divine activity that results in the appearance of and the ordering of the heavens and earth.

Creation flows out of who God is. It is a natural expression of his attributes . . . God’s attributes intrinsically lead to his creative work just as they lead to his salvific work. God needs no motivation to create; it simply flows from who he is. He does not need to create; he is the Creator. When we honor and serve him, it is in recognition of those attributes.

-John H. Walton, Genesis

Creation is an act of divine Revelation. God’s self-revelation through creation fills the created universe with purpose.

Science, Biblical Texts, Theological Reflection

Creation exists due to God’s express will and desire. Thus, creation reveals and reflects the majesty and glory of God!

Dennis R Wiles

FBC Arlington

January 8, 2023

2023 Why Does It Matter?

WINTER 2023

Anything: Why Does Anything Matter?

January 1 – February 21, 2023

In the Beginning . . .

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Theme for 2023: Why Does It Matter?

Topics for 2023

Anything 

Your Story 

Family 

Eternal Life 

The Holy Spirit
The Church
Mission
The Incarnation

APOLOGETICS

“Apologetics” comes from the Greek word, apologia, which means “defense.” Doing apologetics is speaking in defense of the faith, or providing reasons for belief. It involves untangling the many misconceptions that people lug around due to their upbringing or the various cultural sound bites they’ve consciously absorbed into their religious point of view. Apologetics serves to clear away the intellectual rubble strewn about by our cultural moment and the entrenched assumptions of our day, providing the message of Jesus with a fairer hearing in the marketplace of ideas.

-Paul Chamberlain and Chris Price, Everyday Apologetics

Apologetics, in its most basic form, is the practice of offering an appeal and a defense for the Christian faith.

-Joshua Chatraw and Mark Allen, Apologetics at The Cross

The Judeo-Christian view of God and reality is in stark contrast to all other ancient views!

MODERN HUMAN VALUES

Equality, Compassion, Consent, Enlightenment, Science, Freedom, and Progress

The extraordinary impact of Christianity is seen in the fact that you don’t notice it. You already hold particularly “Christianish” views, and the fact that you think of these values as natural, obvious or universal shows how profoundly the Christian revolution has shaped you.

-Glen Scrivener, The Air We Breathe

EVERYTHING STARTS WITH GOD!

THE GOD OF THE BIBLE:

-Pre-Existent (Immensitas)

-Personal

-Powerful

-Purposeful

Dennis R Wiles 

FBC Arlington 

New Year’s Day 2023 

2023 Why Does It Matter? 

WINTER 2023 

Anything: Why Does Anything Matter? 

January 1 – February 21, 2-23 

We Are Here! 

Psalm 1 

2022: Re- . . .  

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.  

-Theodore Roosevelt 

First Baptist Arlington is . . . in the arena!  

THANK YOU!!!! 

STAFF UPDATE 

PASTORAL LEADERSHIP TEAM 

Dr. Dennis R. Wiles, Senior Pastor 

Dr. Dennis R. Wiles - Care Division     
Dr. Barry Rock - Coordination Division
Rev. Curt Grice - Content Division 

MINISTRY LEADERSHIP TEAM 

Dr. Dennis R. Wiles, Senior Pastor 

• Dr. Barry Rock
• Rev. Curt Grice
• Rev. Katy Reed-Hodges
• Rev. Brad Echols
• Phyllis Lisby
• Andy Milliorn 

First Baptist Arlington . . . in the arena! 

A glimpse into 2023 . . .  

Theme for 2023: Why Does It Matter? 

Image of webpage: www.whydoesitmatter.org 

Focal Points for 2023: Apologetics, Evangelism, Young Adults, Church Growth, Dispersed Church (Digital Space) 

Topics for 2023 

• Anything  
• Sin
• Family  
• Eternal Life
• The Holy Spirit
• The Church 
• Mission
• The Incarnation 

www.thesacramentaljourney.org 

The Gospel of John 

John’s gospel is unique not only in Christian literature, but in all writings everywhere. How should we best approach it? Think of it for a moment in terms of food. John’s gospel contains all the ingredients you need for a full, first-class meal. Those who have the time (and most of us do, if we really want to) should regularly treat themselves to a sit-down, full-on, five-courses-and-wine reading of it, right through. It should take roughly a couple of hours. Take that time to savor it, to sense both its overall flow and its sudden extra flavors, its splendid nutrition and extra delights. There will always be more: more depth, more subtlety, more hints of promise . . . Equally, in between long and leisured readings, John is also—if I can put it like this—a great book to snack on . . . John’s gospel will reward that approach too, even while reminding you of the full meal that’s waiting for you when next you have the time and opportunity. 

-N.T. Wright, Broken Signposts 

Our Message: Glorifying God by Following The Jesus Way! 

Our Mission: Becoming Fruitful Believers, Influencing Our World for Christ! 

So then, just as your received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 

-Colossians 2:6-7