Wednesday, June 22, 2011
John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
COMMISSIONED TO SHARE GOD'S LIFE-GIVING WATER
Five hundred years ago a Spanish explorer named Ponce de Leon came to the New World searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth. The men of his expedition searched high and low up and down the Florida peninsula in hopes of locating this fountain. Needless to say, they never found it.
But imagine for a moment they had. What a discovery it would have been! No doubt Ponce de Leon would have summoned the men of his search team and ordered them to broadcast far and wide the extraordinary news. "After all, we have drunk of the life-giving water of the Fountain of Youth and will live forever. Let's do what we can now to get the word out to others so they can come here to drink and receive the benefits too!"
Our story may seem far-fetched. But it's not as fantastic as it might appear. Change a few of the characters. Let's say the one who "located" the fountain of youth is Jesus. Let's say He instructed His followers to spread the news to others about where they might find it so they might drink it too. The story now changes from fantasy to reality! For the water we are speaking of isn't H20 but the water of the Gospel which Jesus has conveyed to us in His Word, which we have already drunk (praise God) for the eternal blessing of our soul.
Now, whenever we, His believing people, baptize others in the name of the Triune God; whenever we share the message of Lamb slain for sinners with unbelieving friends and neighbors; whenever we support the Gospel ministry of our church with our time, talents, and treasures; whenever we let our light shine before others through our Christlike attitudes and words (and others are thereby drawn to Jesus), we are distributors of the "miracle water" which, if a person drinks, he will live forever.
May our Triune God richly bless our efforts so to do!
