Dennis R. Wiles

First Baptist Arlington

March 6, 2025

2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ

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

WINTER 2025: Happiness Is . . .

The Beatitudes

January 5 – March 4, 2025

Flourishing in Persecution

Matthew 5:10-12

Theme for 2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ

Theme for the Lenten/Easter Season: The Real Story

Theme for Winter 2025: Happiness Is . . .

The Apostles demonstrated their willingness to die for their faith.

Photos: St. Peter in Chains

St. Paul’s

The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.

-Tertullian

The earth has been filled with the blood of the martyrs as with seed, and from that seed have sprung the crops of the church. They have asserted Christ’s cause more effectively when dead than when they were alive. They assert it today, they preach him today; their tongues are silent, their deeds echo round the world. They were arrested, bound, imprisoned, brought to trial, tortured, burned at the stake, stoned to death, run through, fed to wild beasts. In all their kinds of death they were jeered at as worthless, but “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”

-St. Augustine

2 Corinthians 11-12

PRONOUNCEMENT: Persecution (to be chased, pursued, hunted down to harm) will be experienced by followers of Jesus. Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

POSTURE: The message from Jesus becomes very personal in verse 11 when He uses the pronoun “you.” His followers can expect to experience persecution, false accusations, and mistreatment. Our posture is to one of humility in rejoicing and gladness.

PERSPECTIVE: As Christians, we must cultivate an eternal perspective (“great is your reward in heaven”) in the face of persecution and trial.

PURPOSE: Jesus shares the goal of “beatitude living” in Matthew 5:13-16. We are to be salt and light to our world so that God will be glorified through us!

Flourishing in Persecution - March 2, 2025