As followers of Christ, we are the church. The church has a job to do. I’ve talked about things like ridin’ for the brand, and bein’ on the right trail and how important it is for us to have a personal relationship with the Lord.
But, we need to be diligent in going out and gatherin’ lost strays.
If we are followers of Christ, then why do we refuse to go out to search for lost strays? Some of us just prefer hangin’ out at the bunkhouse. And others just flat out desert our duty from the beginning. Why do we do that?
Jesus tells us to go and make disciples, whether they be country boys or city dwellers, aliens, or native to this land, and tell’em about the “good news” available to them all!
Jesus might have said something like, “I will forgive their sorry ways and then you can dunk ‘em in the water tank or down at the creek in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which represents bein’ buried with Christ in baptism and raised up to ride His trail with new life. And He might need to tell us, “Don’t hold ‘em under too long, My Father and I didn’t give ’em gills.”
Well, maybe He didn’t say it exactly like that, but I think that’s the jist of it. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to pray for the fish. Y’all may have heard the song Randy Travis sang:
Everybody gathered where the river runs wider at the edge of town to see that Eddie Lee Vaughn baptism was really gonna go down. Folks bet their hard earned money that water wouldn’t change a thing. They set the odds at a hundred to one his soul wouldn’t never come clean.
Then the preacher said, People take a moment or two. There’s something we need to do
Pray for the fish, They won’t know what’s coming When the sin starts rolling off the likes of him.
Lord be with em, they ain’t done nothin’
Please won’t you leave them just a little bit ‘a room to swim. Pray for the fish!
When we place our faith in Christ, we are turn from our former ways. And one of the first things we need to do in obedience to the Christ is get baptized! It lets others know that we’re now ridin the trail for Jesus. If we are gonna ride His trail then we need to earn our keep. There’s more to it than just ridin’! He told us to gather up the lost strays. And we’re to teach them how to be followers of Christ! The Bible is the best source for that!
So why do we tend to just keep hangin’ out in the bunkhouse? Jesus said, “Follow Me.” We’ve got work to do!
Now, Jesus wasn’t catchin’ fish. And He wasn’t on any cattle gather, neither. He wants us to join Him on a people gather. As His followers, we are to be the crew!
But we say, “No, not me. I don’t have time. I don’t know what to do, or I’m too busy.”
Doing what? Now, I know we’ve all got to earn a livin’ and some of y’all keep sayin’ how you are too busy gatherin’ cattle and plowin and pushin a pencil and drivin’ a truck and such to even make it to church gatherin’, but there are lost strays to find and gather!
Is it possible that sharing Jesus with a lost world—doomed to hell, is important enough to fit into our schedule? Yep, it’s time we open up the Book and get to it! Heb 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (nasb)
Choose Jesus, choose life and let your light shine! And find a Bible believin’ church where you “fit in” and know, grow, and follow Christ! Tell others! See y’all at church and keep PRAYIN’ for HIS HARVEST! Pray for the rain! Amen!