ARE YOU DRINKING OUT OF THE FISH POND
JERIMIAH 2:13
INTRO:
A) I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE HIKING IN THE OUT IN THE WOODS
B) IT IS A VERY HOT DAY AND YOU ARE BECOMING VERY THIRSTY
C) AS YOU COME TO THE END OF THE TRAIL YOU NOTICE A HUGE DRINK COOLER
D) IT IS FILLED WITH ICE COLD FRESH SPRING WATER
E) AND BEST OF ALL THERE IS A SIGN ON THE COOLER THAT SAYS FREE DRINK ALL YOU WANT
F) SO YOU HELP YOURSELF TO THE NICE REFRESHING SPRING WATER
G) AS YOU ARE THO YOU NOTICE ANOTHER HIKER COME TO THE END OF THE TRAIL
H) HE STOPS AND NOTICES TOO THE COOLER FULL OF SPRING WATER
I) BUT, TO YOUR SURPRISE HE STOPS AT THE END OF THE TRAIL AND KNEELS DOWN TO DRINK FROM A SMALL FISH POND AT THE END OF THE TRAIL.
J) YOU PASSED THIS FISH POND AND NOTICED THE GOLD FISH SWIMMING IN IT—
K) THE LILLY PADS, A FEW FROGS AND A TURTLE.
L) LIKE MOST UNATTENDED FISH PONDS IT WAS FILLED WITH ALGAE,
M) THE WATER WAS GREEN, STAGNANT, MURKY.
N) BUT, THIS MAN HAS HIS FACE DOWN TO THE FISH POND DRINKING WITH ALL HIS MIGHT.
O) YOUR CURIOSITY GETS THE BEST OF YOU
P) SO YOU WALK OVER TO THE FISH POND HOLDING YOUR BOTTLE OF CRYSTAL SPRINGS.
Q) YOU ASK HIM—
R) ”WHY ARE YOU DRINKING OUT OF THE FISH POND?
S) DON’T YOU SEE THAT COOLER FULL OF FREE CRYSTAL SPRINGS WATER?
T) THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT’S IN THAT WATER.”
U) HE SAYS TO YOU, “I SAW THE COOLER,
V) BUT THIS FISH POND WAS CLOSER, MORE CONVENIENT AND I WAS REAL THIRSTY.
W) AND BESIDES, DIDN’T YOU SEE THIS SIGN?”
X) HE PULLS BACK A BRANCH HANGING OVER THE FISH POND AND REVEALS AN OLD HAND PAINTED SIGN THAT READS,
Y) “FREE WATER—DRINK ALL YOU WANT—IT WILL SATISFY YOUR THIRST”
Z) WHAT WOULD YOU THINK ABOUT THIS GUY?
1) WOULD YOU THINK HE WAS CRAZY—
2) DRINKING OUT OF THE FISH POND WHEN HE COULD HAVE CLEAN, COOL, REFRESHING WATER?
I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS MORNING—ARE YOU DRINKING OUT OF THE FISH POND?
1. IN OUR PASSAGE TODAY, ISRAEL WAS GUILTY OF DRINKING OUT OF THE FISH POND.
2. THERE WAS A CLEAR, FRESH, FLOWING FOUNTAIN OF WATER AVAILABLE BUT THEY CHOSE INSTEAD TO DRINK OUT OF THE FISH POND.
A) YOU SEE ISRAEL HAD TURNED THERE BACK ON GOD
B) GOD SENT JERIMIAH IN TO REMIND THEM OF HOW GOD HAD LED THEM AND PROVIDED FOR THEM
C) AND NOW THEY HAD TURNED THEIR BACK ON HIM
D) IT WAS NOT BECAUSE THEY FOUND ANY FAULT IN GOD (4-7)
1) *GOD DID NOT ABANDON THEM IN THE WILDERNESS
2) *HE BROUGHT THEM INTO THE LAND OF PLENTY AND THEY ENJOYED ITS GOOD FRUITS.
3) PRIEST DID NOT KNOW GOD—STAY IN WORD
4) THE RULERS DISOBEYED GOD
5) THE PROPHETS GAVE FALSE MESSAGES
AND AS A RESULT ISRAEL HAD COMMITTED 2 SINS:
I. ISRAEL HAS FORSAKEN GOD AND THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER:
A) WATER IS AN ESSINTIAL INGREDIANT FOR LIFE
B) IT IS ESSINTIAL THAT WE HAVE A SOURCE OF CLEAN WATER
C) IN BIBLE DAYS THE BEST SOURCE OF WATER WAS A FOUNTAIN FLOWING WITH FRESH LIVING WATER.
D) GOD IS LIKEN THAT SOURCE OF LIVING WATER
1) *THE BEST SOURCE OF LIFE—
2) *THE BEST SOURCE OF SATISFACTION!
3) * THE BEST SOURCE TO QUENCH THIRST!
II. ISRAEL HAD MADE FOR HERSELF CISTRENS THAT WOULDN’T EVEN HOLD WATER:
A) NOW YOU MUST REALIZE WHAT A CISTREN IS
B) IT IS A WELL TYPE VESSEL THAT WAS USED TO CATCH WATER
C) AND THIS WATER WOULD AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME
D) BECOME STALE AND BLACK SOMETIMES STAGNATED
E) IT WOULD MOST OF THE TIME TASTE LIKE DIRT
F) THEY WOULD DRINK FROM THESE
G) THEY WERE DRINKING OUT OF FISH PONDS
III. ARE YOU LIKE ISRAEL THIS MORNING ARE YOU DRINKING OUT OF THE FISH POND:
A) HAVE YOU BUILT CISTRENS THAT LEAK
B) ARE YOU TRYING TO FIND SOUL SATISFACTION IN THE STALE STAGNET WATERS OF THE BROKEN CISTRENS
C) WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU WERE FIRST SAVED OR WHEN YOU EXPERIENCED THAT LAST REFRESHING OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE?
1) YOU WERE DEVOTED TO GOD.
2) YOU COULD NOT WAIT FOR SUNDAY TO COME
3) YOU COULD GO TO CHURCH
4) YOU COULD HEAR GOD’S WORD TAUGHT AND PREACHED
5) GIVING WAS A JOY
6) YOU COULD NOT HELP TELLING OTHERS ABOUT HIM
7) *YOU ENJOYED YOUR PRAYER/BIBLE STUDY TIMES
8) DURING THE DAY YOU WOULD SPEND TIME W/ HIM
9) SET YOUR ALARM CLOCK SO YOU COULD GET UP …
10) YOU COULD NOT HELP TELLING OTHERS ABOUT HIM
11) YOUR HEART WAS OVERFLOWING WITH LOVE FOR JESUS
12) YOU LOVED TO LIFT UP YOUR VOICE IN PRAISE/ WORSHIP
13) HE WAS THE JOY OF YOUR LIFE—SATISFACTION
14) YOU FOLLOWED GOD COMPLETELY
15) YOU WANTED TO OBEY WHATEVER HE TOLD YOU
16) YOU HATED SIN IN YOUR LIFE
17) NO SACRIFICE WAS TO GREAT FOR YOUR LORD
18) YOU ENJOYED SERVING GOD—ANYTHING
19) SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SURRENDERED TO MINISTRY OR MISSIONS
20) YOU KNEW YOU WERE GOD’S SPECIAL TREASURE
21) YOU FELT SO SPECIAL
22) JESUS SAVED YOU—HE DIED FOR YOU
23) GOD HAD CHOSEN YOU TO BE HIS
24) YOU HAD BEEN FORGIVEN—CLEANSED—SAVED
25) THAT WAS YOUR JOY—SOUL SATISFACTION
D) AS TIME WENT ALONG LIKE ISRAEL YOU BEGAN TO DRIFT
1) THE FIRST THING TO GO WAS YOUR QUIET TIME
2) THEN YOU NO LONGER HAD THE JOY AND EXCITEMENT OF JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR
3) *GIVING BECAME A BURDEN
4) SERVING WAS A SACRIFICE YOU WERE UNWILLING TO MAKE
5) CHURCH BECAME DRY, BORING
6) YOU BEGAN TO TOLERATE OLD SINS AGAIN IN YOUR LIFE
7) SINS YOU HAD GIVEN UP WHEN SAVED OR REVIVED
8) NOW YOU ARE GIVING INTO THEM AGAIN
9) YOU BEGAN TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF MAN RATHER THAN THE VOICE OF GOD
YOU STARTED DRINKING FROM THE FISH POND
CONCLUSION:
A) ARE YOU DRINKING OUT OF THE FISH POND TODAY
B) I WANT YOU THIS MORNING TO LISTEN TO GOD’S VOICE AS HE CALLS TO EACH AND EVERYONE IS THIS ROOM TODAY
“1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” Is. 55:1-3
THE ONLY WAY TO QUENCH YOUR SOUL’S THIRST IS TO ABANDON YOUR FISH POND AND COME DRINK FREELY AND DEEPLY FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER— THE LORD JESUS!
“37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38
HE IS YOUR SOUL’S SATISFACTION
