New Community

Mission Together

Sermon Manuscript Sermon Outline I. Introduction: The "Neutral Zone" of Pastoral Vacancy * Pastoral vacancy as "liminal space" - between letting go and grabbing hold * Natural tendency toward fear, worry, and anxiety about unknowns * Central thesis: The church was never designed to rise and fall because of a single person II. Continue Steadfastly in Prayer (v. 2) * Key principle: Persistent, unflagging commitment, not sporadic prayer * Being "watchful" = guarding against the temptation to stop praying continuously * Hallesby's insight: "Only those who are helpless can pray" * We avoid prayer because we think we're in control * Reality: We are helpless all the time, therefore should pray all the time * Application: Acknowledge helplessness during vacancy and turn to God in prayer III. Pray for Gospel Doors to Open (vv. 3-4) * Paul's example: Recognizing helplessness in changing hearts * Prayer for God to open doors for the Word and provide clarity in presentation * Application: Pray not just for comfort, but for gospel advance in Beaver Dam during interim * Ministry doesn't go on hold - it continues through the congregation IV. Walk in Wisdom Toward Outsiders (vv. 5-6) * Shift in focus: From Paul's ministry to the congregation's ministry * Living out faith surrounded by non-believers with wisdom, grace, and winsomeness * Godly living as response to slander and foundation for gospel spread * Early church model: "Christianity was supremely a lay movement, spread by informal missionaries" (Green) V. Practical Gospel Sharing * Method 1: Personal witness - sharing belief, reasons, and Christ's work in your life * Method 2: Hospitality - informal home evangelism through meals and conversation * Gospel spread through everyday Christians, not just pastors VI. The Body of Ministry Workers (vv. 7-15) * Paul lists eleven different people with unique ministries * Key point: Multiple people showing pastoral concern, not just one pastor * Encouragement through the care of many workers VII. Connected to the Larger Body (v. 16) * Letters shared between churches (Colossae, Laodicea, Hierapolis) * Churches supported and encouraged one another * Application: Faith Community Church connected to denomination, surrounding churches, and retired pastors * Part of a body much larger than single congregation VIII. Fulfill Your Ministry (v. 17) * Paul's charge to Archippus: "See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord" * Universal application: God has given every member a ministry * Ministries vary by gifts: preaching, deaconal care, music, prayer, workplace ministry, etc. * Challenge: What is your ministry? Are you fulfilling it? IX. Conclusion: Christ Builds His Church * Church doesn't rise and fall based on single person (except Jesus) * Promise: "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18) * Final charge: Keep eyes on Christ, pray continually, fulfill your ministry Main Theme: Ministry belongs to the entire body of Christ, not a single pastor. During pastoral vacancy, the congregation should pray steadfastly, engage in gospel ministry, and fulfill their individual callings while trusting Christ to build His church. Get full access to Jason Ruis at www.jasonruis.com/subscribe [https://www.jasonruis.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Kingdom Homes

Sermon Manuscript Sermon Outline Main Thesis All roles in Christian life—whether in marriage, family, or work—are fundamentally about serving Christ rather than people, and this service must be done "heartily" (from the soul) with eternal perspective. I. The Foundational Principle (3:17, 23-24) * Connection to previous passage: "Whatever you do...do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus" (3:17) * Key phrases throughout: "in the Lord," "pleases the Lord," "fearing the Lord," "for the Lord," "from the Lord" * Central reality: "You are serving the Lord Christ" (3:24) applies to all roles, not just servants II. What "Hearty" Service Means (3:23) * Greek concept: Working "from the soul" * Two dimensions: * Working hard for Christ (full effort, not half-hearted) * Working from the heart (genuine motivation, not external compliance) * Contrast: Not "eye-service" or people-pleasing, but "sincerity of heart" (3:22) III. Marriage Roles (3:18-19) For Wives (3:18): * Command: Submit to husbands "as is fitting in the Lord" * Qualifier: Ultimate submission is to Christ first * Manner: Heartily—not grudgingly or externally only For Husbands (3:19): * Command: Love wives, don't be harsh * Biblical love: Laying down your life (cf. 1 John 3:16) * Manner: Heartily—joyfully, not as victim or martyr Core principle for both: "Get over yourself" (Philippians 2:3) IV. Family Dynamics (3:20-21) For Children (3:20): * Command: "Obey your parents in everything" * Motivation: "This pleases the Lord" * Qualifier: In everything that pleases Jesus For Fathers (3:21): * Command: Don't provoke/embitter children * Goal: Joyful obedience, not mere compliance * Principle: Make parenting enjoyable for parents (cf. Hebrews 13:17) V. Work Relationships (3:22-4:1) For Servants (3:22-25): * Serve earthly masters as serving Christ * Work from sincere heart, not for show * Ultimate authority is Christ, not human masters For Masters (4:1): * Treat servants justly and fairly * Remember you have a Master in heaven Historical note: Paul's approach undermined slavery by changing the dynamic rather than direct abolition VI. Eternal Motivation (3:24-25) Positive reward (3:24): * Inheritance from the Lord as reward * Changes perspective on all earthly service Negative consequence (3:25): * Wrongdoers will be paid back * God shows no partiality (rich/poor, male/female) Conclusion Every word and deed should be done heartily for Christ, motivated by gratitude for forgiveness and anticipation of eternal inheritance. This transforms how we approach marriage, parenting, work, and all relationships. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Jason Ruis at www.jasonruis.com/subscribe [https://www.jasonruis.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

New Community

Full Sermon Manuscript Sermon Outline I. The Problem: Misunderstanding Christian Maturity * External vs. Internal Measures * Common temptation to measure maturity by attendance, Bible reading, spiritual disciplines * The Pharisee problem: external excellence masking spiritual death * Consequences of External Focus * Creates "fake it" mentality among members * Establishes church hierarchy (elite, middle-class, lowest rung) * Breeds pride and division * Leads to "my way or the highway" attitudes II. Paul's Context and Purpose * Addressing False Teaching in Colossae * External practices creating hierarchies * Division resulting from misplaced focus * Building on Previous Passage * Identity as those who died to old self and were raised in Christ III. Our New Identity: Chosen, Holy, and Beloved (v. 12a) * Community Focus, Not Individual * "Put on" is second person plural ("y'all") * Salvation draws us into both Christ and Christian community * No such thing as individual Christianity * "Holy" as Set Apart * Not just purity, but distinction from the world * Christian community as "contrast community" IV. Living Out Our Identity: The Character List (vv. 12b-13) * Not Legalistic but Identity-Based * Not earning family membership but living as family * "Since you are already part of the family, this is how we live" * Forgiveness as the Center * All traits connect to forgiving as Christ forgave us * Our massive debt vs. others' minor offenses * Enables compassion, kindness, humility, patience, forbearance V. Love as the Binding Force (v. 14) * Love Summarizes Everything * Connects to Jesus' great commandments (love God, love neighbor) * Love Defined Properly * Not just warm feelings or emotions * Demonstrated by laying down our lives (1 John 3:16) * Action-oriented, not just feeling-oriented VI. Peace as Community Referee (v. 15) * Community Application, Not Just Individual * Peace of Christ rules in the community because we're "one body" * Peace as Umpire/Referee * Greek word means referee overseeing contests * Peace of Christ arbitrates disputes and conflicts * Unity isn't optional VII. Word of Christ Dwelling Richly (v. 16) * Abundant Saturation in Community * Should characterize the community, not just individuals * Two Overflows of God's Word * Teaching and admonishing one another with wisdom * Singing psalms, hymns, spiritual songs with thankfulness * Word affects both intellect and heart VIII. Everything in Jesus' Name (v. 17) * Total Life Application * Every word and deed represents Christ * Specific Community Focus * Governing principle for congregational decisions, disputes, conflicts * Test: Does this properly represent Jesus Christ? * Aligns with our identity as God's chosen, holy, beloved people IX. Heart Transformation, Not External Performance * Internal Change, Not Rule-Following * Being characterized by these traits, not just doing them * Living into new identity through Holy Spirit's power * Result: Community That Glorifies Christ * Loving, forgiving, peaceful, Word-saturated people * Honoring Christ in everything said and done This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Jason Ruis at www.jasonruis.com/subscribe [https://www.jasonruis.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Death to Self

Full Sermon Manuscript Sermon Outline I. Introduction: The Moving Day Illustration * Personal story of unloading the moving truck in hot, muggy weather * Getting drenched in sweat, exhausted, and gross * The relief of showering and putting on clean clothes * Key Point: Once clean, you never want to put the dirty clothes back on II. Paul's Lists of "Dirty Clothes" (vv. 5, 8-9) A. The Sins We've Taken Off: * Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness * Anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, lying B. The Lack of Fruit from Sin: * Each sin promises pleasure but delivers destruction * Looking back at past sins reveals their emptiness * Reference to Romans 6:21: "What fruit were you getting...?" III. The Heart Issue: Covetousness as Idolatry (v. 5) A. Paul's Key Insight: * "Covetousness, which is idolatry" * Connects the 1st and 10th commandments B. Supporting Scripture - James 4:1-2: * All conflict stems from coveting * Murder, adultery, false worship - all rooted in distorted desires C. Definition of Covetousness: * More than wanting what we don't have * "Consuming ambition" and "greed gone amuck" * Never satisfied, always wanting more IV. Remembering Our Former Life (v. 7) A. "In these you too once walked" * We used to live wearing these "stinky clothes" * Importance of remembering our past lifestyle B. The Seriousness of Sin (v. 6): * "On account of these the wrath of God is coming" * Sin doesn't just hurt us - it angers God * The cross demonstrates sin's seriousness V. The Decisive Change in Christ (vv. 9-10) A. What Has Already Happened: * "You have put off the old self" * "You have put on the new self" * We are "dead to" our former lifestyle (v. 5, NASB) B. Connection to Last Week's Message: * Since we're seated with Christ in heaven * We seek heavenly things and are dead to earthly things VI. The Ongoing Renewal Process (v. 10) A. The Tension: * Decisive change has occurred * But renewal "is being renewed" - ongoing process B. The Monastery Illustration: * Monks with old and new robes hanging side by side * Daily choice to put on the new robe, not the old C. Daily Battle: * "But now you must put them all away" (v. 8) * Continual need to "kill" the old patterns * John Owen's quote: "Be killing sin or sin will be killing you" VII. The Ultimate Goal: Renewed in God's Image (v. 10) A. Back to Genesis 1:26-27: * Originally created in God's image * Image distorted by sin, but not destroyed B. Restoration Through Christ: * Jesus IS the image of God * We're being renewed to look like Jesus * Living the life we were created to live VIII. The Conclusion: Christ is All (v. 11) A. Earthly Distinctions Don't Matter: * Greek, Jew, circumcised, uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free * We could add many more divisions to this list B. Central Truth: * "Christ is all, and in all" * He must be central to everything we do IX. Application and Challenge * Don't get caught up in earthly realities and ways of thinking * Remember: you're dead to those things, alive in Christ * Continually focus on killing what dishonors God * Throw off the old, put on the new life in Christ * Keep being renewed into His image Get full access to Jason Ruis at www.jasonruis.com/subscribe [https://www.jasonruis.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]