Jesus in the Everyday

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Me

SHOW ZAKK NAME GRAPHIC HERE. WAIT TO USE MAIN SERIES GRAPHIC WHEN REQUESTED BELOW.

Regardless of what field you work in — we all have a “customer service voice”. You know the one — it’s the one that sounds very kind — and warm — and welcoming on the phone — or even in person… especially if it’s somebody you don’t know.

I use the voice when I get a call from an unknown number and I decide to be brave and answer it. I’ll say, “Hello, this is Zakk.” Super warm. And bright. Pure sunshine. I sound like a guy who’s never once had a bad day.

And then I realize it’s a robot offering me an extended warranty on a car I sold in 2017 — and the voice changes. Instantly.

We’ve all got two settings. There’s the “on-the-clock” you — and the “off-the-clock” you. And they don’t always know each other, right?

I think we’re all guilty of it. See — I think our most dangerous mission field might just be right outside our window. It’s called Hell Boulevard. Excuse me… I meant the Lloyd Expressway. I mean think about it — we’ll stand out in the lobby after church — we’ll hug our friends — and tell three people we’re praying for them — and really mean it. And then we get behind the wheel to leave — and pull out on this Godforsaken hellscape of cones and construction signs and reduced lanes — and it takes an act of the Holy Spirit to keep us from losing our minds!

On the clock — I’m patient. Gracious. I am a delight. (You probably didn’t hear it — but my wife just said amen under her breath — I’m sure of it.)

Off the clock though — in traffic. Or in the group text. Or in my own kitchen on a Tuesday night… let’s just say the sunshine is more of a forecast than a guarantee.

And here’s the part that’s not funny.

The off-the-clock me? Honestly — that’s the real me. The honest one. The one that shows up when nobody’s keeping score. That’s not the exception to who I am. A lot of days — that’s the truth of who I am.

And I don’t think I’m alone in that.

We

Now — you might be sitting here thinking — that could never be me.

Really, though? Take out your phone and read through some of your texts. Or go through your comment-section history. Or… here’s a braver one. Ask the people who ride in the car with you when nobody else is around.

We’ve all got the two settings. Every one of us. There’s the version of us that shows up when we know we’re being watched — and the version that shows up when we’re sure we’re not.

And here’s what we don’t really like to admit: that second version is the one most people actually get.

Think about who only ever sees your off-the-clock self. Your kids. Your co-workers. The cashier who caught you on a bad day. They never get the church lobby version of you right? And for a lot of them — that off-the-clock you may just be the closest thing to Jesus they ever see. That’s where they’re seeing the real you.

SHOW “THE REAL THING” MAIN TITLE GRAPHIC HERE

This morning we’re continuing in our series in the Book of Colossians called “The Real Thing”. We’ve talked about what it means to have the Gospel that grows in us — and the Christ who is first in everything — and the new self we’re called to put on.

And none of that clocks out as soon as church is over.

See — the problem is that somewhere along the way — a lot of us started treating faith like a shift. We clock in on Sunday morning — with our best behavior — and our best voice. Our “best self” — and then we clock out somewhere around lunch. Monday through Saturday — the badge comes off.

And underneath that whole thing is a lie: that the on-the-clock performance is the part that God actually cares about. That if I can just look good in church — I’m good.

But God was never after our customer service voice.

Today’s message isn’t about trying harder to look better on Sunday.

Which — by the way — I think we are the best looking church in town. Even with Tom Burmeister here.

It’s a message about who we are on a Tuesday — because that’s where we actually follow Jesus.

“REAL DISCIPLES DON’T CLOCK OUT” GRAPHIC

And today we’re going to see that real disciples don’t clock out.

God

If you were with us last week — you’ll remember that Paul challenged us to change our wardrobe. To take off the old self and put on the new. And so the natural question that Paul answers next is this — “What does the new self do when nobody’s watching?”

Exposition

This morning we’re in Colossians Chapter 4 — Verses 2 through 6. And Paul’s going to show us three things about what it means that real disciples don’t clock out.

v. 2

“OUR PRAYER DOESN’T CLOCK OUT” GRAPHIC

The first — is that our prayer doesn’t clock out.

Take a look with me at Verse 2:

Colossians 4:2 CSB

2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.

Notice that first word in Verse 2 — Devote. It doesn’t mean to try to squeeze it in when it’s convenient — it means to hold fast. To stay steady — and to keep at it. Prayer here isn’t a Sunday clock-in. It’s a posture you live in all week. And then it says Stay Alert. That’s awake. And watchful. Paying attention. Not the prayer you mumble half-asleep… those same nine words you’ve said since you were seven.

And then Paul says — with thanksgiving. Thankful for what? This is where it matters. We don’t pray to get God to finally like us. But we pray thankfully because He already does. The Gospel turns prayer from a transaction into a conversation between a Father and a kid He already loves. That means we’re not clocking in to earn the shift. The shift is already covered.

v. 3-4

Now look at Verses 3 and 4:

Colossians 4:3–4 CSB

3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, 4 so that I may make it known as I should.

Don’t miss this detail. Paul says he’s writing this in chains. Literally. He’s in prison. He’s off the clock in the worst possible way. And what does he ask them to pray for? He’s not asking “Get me out”… he’s praying for a door — an opening to present the Gospel to one more person.

Also — quick note for anybody newer here: “the mystery of Christ” isn’t a secret code. In the Bible — a mystery is something once hidden that God has now thrown wide-open — that God came in the flesh as Jesus — died and rose — and now anybody can be brought back to God. That’s the door Paul wants opened… another opportunity to reveal this mystery.

So Paul is in chains — and his prayer life hasn’t clocked out. His mission hasn’t clocked out.

And here’s the challenge for us: when is the last time — truthfully that we prayed for a door instead of an exit? A disciple’s prayers run all week long — and they point outward — toward the people who don’t know Him yet.

So our prayers don’t clock out. That’s the first thing Paul teaches us.

“OUR WALK DOESN’T CLOCK OUT” GRAPHIC

The second — is that our walk doesn’t clock out.

v. 5

Look at Verse 5 with me.

Colossians 4:5 CSB

5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.

First — outsiders. Let me define that. Paul is talking about people who don’t yet follow Jesus. People outside the family of God. The ones who are watching us… looking for something real.

And then — act wisely. That’s our conduct. How we actually live. Living with grace — and humility — and kindness — and compassion — and Paul says aim that at the people who don’t believe.

Our everyday behavior around other people is part of the message — whether we mean for it to be or not. And “making the most of the time” — Paul says — is about opportunity. Buying it up. Not letting the ordinary moments pass us by.

And here’s the Gospel underneath all of it: we were the outsiders. Back in Chapter 1 of Colossians — Paul told this same church that they were once alienated. Hostile… and far off — and Christ reconciled them. So we don’t look down on outsiders. We were them. And now — we walk toward them. It’s just an echo of the One who walked all the way toward us first.

Which means the “open door” moment in our lives usually isn’t a microphone. It’s a random Wednesday. It’s the cashier. Or the co-worker. The kid on the other team’s sideline — the ordinary moment where the off-the-clock version of us is the only sermon somebody’s gonna get.

A disciple makes the most of that.

v. 6

“OUR WORDS DON’T CLOCK OUT” GRAPHIC

The third thing Paul teaches us in this passage — is that our words don’t clock out.

Look at Verse 6 with me.

Colossians 4:6 CSB

6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

Notice here Paul doesn’t say this is how we should live sometimes. He says our speech should always be gracious. Not just our Sunday speech — but our off-the-clock speech. The group chat. The comment section.

This gracious speech — is literally meant to be full of grace. Speech shaped by the grace we have received.

And then — seasoned with salt. You remember this from a couple months ago? Paul is using the same picture Jesus used on the Sermon on the Mount. Christ said:

Matthew 5:13 CSB

13 “You are the salt of the earth…

In Jesus’ and Paul’s world — salt did two things. It preserved — and it gave flavor. Salt kept things from rotting — and salt made bland food worth eating. And it makes you thirsty.

But it’s important to note — Paul says that our speech is supposed to be seasoned with salt. He didn’t say salty. There’s a difference. Gospel-seasoned words are distinct. They’re not bland or generic — and they’re not cutting and corrosive either. They make people thirsty for something real.

And then there’s that last line of Verse 6:

Colossians 4:6 CSB

…so that you may know how you should answer each person.

That matters. Being a witness isn’t just how we live. Paul expects the door to open into a conversation. Our words are in the mission too.

And here’s why we can do it: the most gracious word ever spoken — was spoken over us. His name is Jesus. Grace came in — so that grace can go out. Our words don’t clock out — they carry grace into every conversation.

Three areas:

our prayer

our walk

and our words

And notice — not one of them needs a stage. They’re all in the every day. They’re all off-the-clock. Which raises the only question that matters now: “What do I do with this?”

You

Well — it’s not about trying harder or being a “better” Christian. It’s about being intentional.

Here’s the assignment: one name. Not your entire unsaved family tree. Not the whole West Side of Evansville. Just one person in your everyday life who doesn’t know Jesus yet. The co-worker. The neighbor. The guy at the gym. The barista who knows your order but not your Savior. Picture that face right now.

…And maybe you’re sitting here and you’ve heard this before. You’ve heard me talk about “Who’s Your One?” for months now and you’re like, “Oh my gosh would this guy just give it a rest already!?” — No. I won’t. Because Jesus didn’t give up on you. And He didn’t give up on me.

That one person I keep referring back to — the person who needs your prayer — and your witness — and your invitation into the Christian life. I believe one day you’re going to be able to tell them the story of how you didn’t give up on them — because of the grace of a Savior who didn’t give up on you.

So — take your One. And we run all three of these through that one name.

“PRAY FOR THEM” GRAPHIC

First — we pray for them. This week — pray for a door. Not an opportunity to “fix them” or to win an argument. Just an open door. Write this down somewhere you can see it — on your bathroom mirror. Screenshot it and put it as the lock screen on your phone. Put it on the dashboard of the car. And every time you see it — pray just one sentence: “God, open a door.” Paul prayed it from a prison cell. We can pray that at a stoplight. Even on the Lloyd.

“WALK IN FRONT OF THEM” GRAPHIC

The second thing we’re called to do is to walk it in front of them. This is the hard part. This is the off-the-clock test. Be the same person what that one name that we are in this building. Same patience. Same kindness. Same us — badge on or badge off.

And make the most of one ordinary moment this week. Show up — and help out — notice something that nobody else asked you to notice. You’re not performing for a witness… you’re just refusing to clock out where they can see.

“SPEAK GRACE TO THEM” GRAPHIC

And then third — speak grace to them. When the door cracks — and it will — because you’ve been praying for it — you don’t need a seminary degree to walk through it. You just need one gracious — honest sentence. And you tell the person — “Honestly — Jesus is the reason I’m not falling apart right now.”

That’s salt. That makes somebody thirsty.

But here’s the thing, friends. We don’t do any of this to earn God’s approval. We already have it. The shift is covered. We’re not clocking in to impress Him — we’re overflowing with what He already poured in. Grace came in. Grace goes out. That’s not more pressure… that’s freedom.

Just our one name. Pray. Walk. and Speak. That’s what Monday looks like in the life of a disciple.

We

So do me a favor — and picture next week. Not a different you — but a whole you. That name… of your One… you’ve prayed for that door for several days now. You’re not anxious about it. You just keep asking. You let the guy merge in front of you between the traffic cones on the commute to work and it barely costs you anything.

You walk into the kitchen at 6:45 and the sunshine isn’t a forecast anymore — it actually shows up.

The conversations stay gracious. And somewhere in the middle of an ordinary week — a door cracks — and you say one honest sentence about Jesus — and you watch somebody get thirsty.

Nothing dramatic. No stage. No microphone. Just an ordinary week where the “on-the-clock” you and the “off-the-clock” you are — finally — the same person.

And here’s what surprises most people: that life isn’t exhausting. It’s the most rest you’ll ever feel. Because you finally stopped performing.

So how is that even possible? How is that real?

It’s because Jesus never clocked out.

In the garden — the night before the Cross — He asked His closest friends to do one thing — stay awake with Him for one hour. To stay alert. And they clocked out. They fell asleep. But He didn’t. He stayed in it. And He could have punched out any second after that — at the betrayal — at the trial — at the whip — at the nails. Any moment — He could’ve said — “I’m done.”

But He didn’t.

He worked the worst shift in human history — all the way to the Cross — until He said three words: “It is finished.”

Not “I’m finished,” but It is finished. The shift. The debt. The clock.

He clocked in for every single moment you and I have ever clocked out. And three days later He walked out of a grave — off-duty for absolutely nobody.

Friends — this doesn’t mean we grind harder so God will finally be proud of us. It means the grinding has already been done. The performance is over. We can drop the customer service voice for good — because the One who sees the real us — He went to a Cross for us — and called us worth dying for.

Some of you have been clocking in on Sundays for years and you’re tired. And today you can put down the act. Bring Him the “off-the-clock” you — that’s the one He came for. Start this week with one name.

And maybe for some of you — you’ve never actually trusted Him. You’ve been performing your whole life for a God you weren’t even sure liked you.

Hear me: He loves you. Even the off-the-clock you. You don’t have to clean yourself up to come to Jesus… You come to Jesus — and He cleans you up. Today you can stop performing and come home.

So let’s be the same person tomorrow that we were in this room today. Pray for the door. Walk it. And speak grace.

Because real disciples don’t clock out.

Prayer

Communion