Dennis R. Wiles

First Baptist Arlington

June 29, 2025

Flourishing Together

First Baptist Arlington

2025 – 2030

2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ

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

SUMMER 2025: You Are Here!

June 1 – August 2, 2025

Psalm 1

Flourishing Fruitfulness: Love Others!

Matthew 22:34-40

Psalm 1 Tree – A Flourishing Person

Two Questions from Human Flourishing Measure (One Slide)

-Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?

-I understand my purpose in life.

FOUNDATION: Who am I? Why am I here?

FORMATION: What is happening TO me?

FRUITFULNESS: What is happening THROUGH me?

COMMAND: The first command in the Bible is found in Genesis 1:28 – “Be fruitful . . . “

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

-John 15:8

Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23) – remember the fruitfulness of the seed that fell on good soil.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

-Galatians 5:22-23

GREATEST COMMAND: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD . . . When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

-Leviticus 19:18, 33-34

Jesus is not simply advocating an emotional attachment or an abstract love. Rather, love here indicates a concrete responsibility, the act of being useful and beneficial to one’s neighbors, both Jew and Gentile. To love is to give to someone what that person needs. In the same way that individuals are called to care for themselves responsibly and attune their lives to carry out God’s will in their lives, they are to give themselves to others to care for them responsibly and help them attune their lives to carry out God’s will.

-Michael J. Wilkins, The NIV Application Commentary: Matthew

COMMUNITY: We are to love the people in our community through our actions.

CIRCLE: We are to love the people within our “circle” through our actions.

COMMISSION: We are to love the people of God’s world through our actions.