Keep Living! - August 31, 2025
Dennis R. Wiles
First Baptist Arlington
August 31, 2025
Flourishing Together
First Baptist Arlington
2025 – 2030
2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 (Gospel Guide: Matthew)
AUGUST 2025: Gold’s – God’s Gym
August 3 – September 6, 2025
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30)
Keep Living!
Colossians 2:6-7
Theme for 2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ
Theme for August 2025: Gold’s – God’s Gym
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED SO FAR?
-We live in a broken and fallen world.
-Life is harder than we expected.
-No matter how things seem, God cares deeply for us!
-Control the controllables, leave the uncontrollable to our loving God!
TODAY’S LESSON: No matter what, keep on living!
EXEGESIS OF COLOSSIANS 2:6-7
-Plural verbs (ye, we)
-Progress
-Pre-eminence of Christ Jesus
-Passive participles
-Participatory participle
-Pupils
CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES!
CHRIST JESUS IS LORD! We must continue to submit ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus in our lives.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
-Philippians 2:9-11
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
-Romans 10:9
CONTINUE TO LIVE! No matter what, we keep living!
All these people were still living by faith when they died.
-Hebrews 11:13
But my righteous one will live by faith.
-Hebrews 10:38
For we live by faith, not by sight.
-2 Corinthians 5:7
COMMUNITY: We must stay connected to the Body of Christ – the Church.
Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
-Hebrews 10:24-25
CULTIVATION: Allow God to till the soil of your souls so that the roots of your faith grow deeper and deeper.
But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out is roots by the stream.
-Jeremiah 17:7-8
CONSTRUCTION: Keep trusting God to build and shape your life through your hardships.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
-Ephesians 4:14-16
CONDITIONED: Trust God to strengthen you in every facet of your life as you learn to be more resilient in the face of challenges.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
-Isaiah 41:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
-Ephesians 6:10
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
-Philippians 4:13
COMPREHENSION: Remember that God is always teaching us more and more about Him, His will, His ways, and His Kingdom.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways may ways,” declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
-Isaiah 55:8-9
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
-Psalm 32:8
CHECK YOUR ATTITUDE! So often we need to be reminded to just be grateful for all God has done and is doing for us!
Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all His benefits — who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
-Psalm 103:1-5
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES!
-Keep surrendering to the Lordship of Christ Jesus!
-No matter what, keep living!
-Stay connected to your church!
-Keep your soul “soft” in God’s hands!
-Look for how God is growing your faith!
-Notice how God is developing resiliency in your life!
-Stay humble and keep learning!
-Be grateful – even when it’s hard!
