The three-minute sermon

There are times when, as a pastor, I spend days praying and studying, pulling together a sermon for Sunday morning.
Sermons should be engaging, thought-provoking moments that inspire the congregation to live closer to the Lord and each other. There are many different ideas on the length of a good sermon. I believe an appropriate time limit is 15 to 20 minutes. However, some of the greatest sermons do not come from the pulpit. Sometimes, they come from the congregation in one sentence, taking less than three minutes.
A short but powerful message can significantly impact one’s perspective in various areas of life. Here’s an example: a man once prayed, “Lord, let me walk in a way that others see You coming.” Even after two decades, this single sentence spoken in prayer continues to influence my life.
Life can have its challenges, and often, I respond in a very human fashion. Then I wonder what others may have seen and if I reflected the grace of God. Did I honor the Lord with my actions?
Scripture teaches of a man who desires to please God with offerings. He wonders which would be more pleasing to God, burnt offerings or elaborate gifts. He questions if he would become worthy of the Lord’s presence by offering all he had, including his firstborn child. The response that came was simple yet powerful. The Lord’s only request is that the man walk humbly before Him and to be kind and merciful (Micah 6:6-8). If we follow this scripture, men will always see the Lord walking before us.
In a recent Sunday morning service, we shared our joys and concerns with one another.
During this time, a man spoke about his wife’s health and her impending surgery. The people were empathetic as he shared the recovery road ahead of them. And then it happened – the one-sentence sermon from the newest member of the congregation. She said, “May I bless you and your wife.” She had been a nurse before retirement and offered her skills to help care for this member of our church family.
I had spent three weeks preparing for my sermon that day, yet her words spoke volumes. The Lord has a warehouse full of spiritual gifts, and He has generously given these gifts to His people. Some have the gift of speaking as if the Lord is speaking through them. Others have a gift of helping, and they help others with the strength of the Lord. In everything they do is to bring glory to the Father (1 Peter 4:10-11). We are called to bless others, and she offered her nursing skills to bless others.
Truthfully, we all have a sermon within us. The teaching is up to the individual. Do we offer blessings or curses, do we build up or do we tear down? The message is our lives becoming an imitation of the life of our Lord Jesus. If we follow the pattern outlined in the scripture, we will walk in the way of love, just as we are loved (Ephesians 5:1-2). In offering our gifts, we can become walking sermons that bless others and reveal the Lord’s grace for we are all called to preach the love and mercy of our Lord.
John 13:34: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this, everyone will know you are my disciples if you love one another.” We decide if we offer blessings or curses. Do we use our gifts for good or evil?

Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.