The best sermons are lived, not preached.
Many cowboys have seen memes or posts on social media that make this kind of statement and liked or shared them because it sounds great.
But it’s only half of the equation and it’s important not to miss the other half.
In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us to be a light in the world—that how we live our lives and the good we do will show Jesus to others. That’s very true and essential to our faith. When our saving faith in Jesus is real, we can’t help but want to become less sinful and live out more of what Jesus teaches and commands us to do.
One of his commands is what we call The Great Commission.
Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
A disciple is a follower of Jesus and in this command, we are all told that we are to go into the world around us and make disciples. That means first telling them about Jesus and then teaching them what we have learned or are learning. It isn’t just for preachers in the pulpit, it’s for rodeo cowboys at the fairground and ranch hands working cattle.
Being a light, doing good things, demonstrating that our life is changed by our saving faith in Jesus will show people our lives are different and being affected by our growing relationship with Christ, but others can’t be saved through our actions alone. We have to actually tell them who Jesus is and that he died on that cross to take the punishment meant for our sins so that through belief, genuine repentance of sin and asking to be forgiven, we can have an eternity in Heaven. The plan for salvation is commonly called The Gospel and we understand The Great Commission to be about sharing The Gospel with others.
Peter explains to us that we have to be ready to explain it to people what we believe.
1 Peter 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, This is where we can see how both our actions and our words are necessary for others to also come to a saving faith in Jesus. Peter says we have to be prepared to explain why we believe in salvation, where our hope comes from.
The best sermon is both lived our and preached, together, so people can see our lives are different through our hope in Jesus but that we can also explain what that saving faith, The Gospel, is, so that they also can have a chance at a perfect eternity in Heaven.
Cowboys of the Cross is a rodeo/bull riding ministry that leads cowboy church services at events and maintains an online presence to share the gospel and make disciples among the ranch and rodeo community. They can be found at Cowboys OfTheCross.com
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