In this sermon on Colossians 4:2-6, Pastor Bart Blair discusses the importance of making Jesus the nucleus of our lives and the center of our stories. He emphasizes three main points:
1. Pray for open doors: Christians should devote themselves to prayer, staying alert and thankful. We should pray for opportunities to share our faith, even in difficult circumstances, as Paul did while in chains.
2. Approach conversations with grace: Our speech should always be gracious and "seasoned with salt" (Colossians 4:6), meaning we should carefully consider how to engage with non-believers in a way that makes them want to hear more about Jesus.
3. Be ready to share your story: The pastor encourages believers to be prepared to explain the hope they have in Christ, as Peter instructs in 1 Peter 3:15. He suggests that the best way to lead someone to Jesus is often by sharing how He has impacted our own lives.
Pastor Blair concludes by challenging the congregation to examine how often they talk about Jesus in their daily lives, as this reveals how central He truly is to them.

In this sermon, Pastor Bart Blair continues his exploration of God's "house rules" for relationships, building on his previous discussion of marriage. Using Colossians 3:20-4:1 as his text, he examines parent-child and employer-employee relationships.
Blair emphasizes that Jesus should be the nucleus of all relationships, with concentric circles representing different types of relationships emanating from that center. He discusses the Biblical command for children to obey their parents, noting that this obedience transitions to honor as children become adults. For parents, particularly fathers, Blair stresses the importance of not exasperating their children and instead nurturing their God-given potential.
Regarding work relationships, Blair applies Paul's instructions to slaves and masters to modern employer-employee dynamics. He encourages employees to work as if serving the Lord, seeing their workplace as a mission field. For employers, he stresses the importance of treating employees with fairness and compassion. Throughout, Blair emphasizes the need for all believers to embody qualities like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience in their relationships.

In this sermon, Pastor Bart delves into Colossians 3:1-17, focusing on the theme of renewing one's mind and actions as a follower of Christ. He uses the analogy of choosing the right "coach" to illustrate the internal struggle between listening to the Holy Spirit and giving in to our sinful nature. The pastor emphasizes the need for believers to actively "put to death" their old selves and embrace their new identity in Christ.
Pastor Bart discusses the importance of setting one's mind on heavenly things and resisting the cultural flow that leads away from God. He explains the concept of "phantom pain" - the lingering effects of our old sinful nature even after we've died to sin - and encourages believers to continually choose to follow Christ's teachings. The sermon also highlights the importance of unity in the church, cultivating positive attributes like love, forgiveness, and gratitude, and living every aspect of life in a way that honors Jesus.
The pastor concludes with practical commitments for the church community, including creating a grace-filled environment for open discussion, studying the Bible together, practicing forgiveness, and holding each other accountable in love. He also provides homework suggestions for listeners to apply the sermon's teachings in their daily lives.

Bear Creek Community Church is a new church plant in Lavon, TX. Learn more at www.bc3.church