Sermon Illustrations

Next, we live in a "Salt Water World". Survivors of naval battles have often told of the hardships on the high seas. The command is given, "Abandon ship!", and all the sailors either launch the life rafts, life boats, or in many cases jump into the water with only a life vest to survive.

After abandoning ship and going into the water the survivor is faced with problems. One problem is shelter from the sun and if possible the waves. Another is the temperature of the water especially if it is freezing. Food and water are issues of survival as Jesus pointed out.

But one element of survival at sea is pure water. In an ocean filled with water many die of dehydration. They die because it is salt water. Ironically the more salt water you drink the thirstier you become. It relieves for the moment, but eventually the thirst becomes maddening. Some are even driven to true acts of madness because of the salt water, even to the point of murdering fellow survivors.

We live in a "Salt Water World because our world contains all kinds of salt water. Some will give you temporary joy, temporary peace, temporary satisfaction. The problem is they only make you thirstier. They all exact a price that results in death. What are they? Spiritualism in all its forms, religion, bad theology, good works, not to mention drugs, alcohol, power, sex, success, and the list goes on. For righteousness to work we must have the pure food and water from God. Jesus said in John 4:14,

"...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."