Water that Gives Life

Short Talk (SHT024) Life giving water © Jane Hulme 2015 Aim of Short talk: Main themes: Biblical references: Props: Before the service: SHORT TALK: “LIFE GIVING WATER” (SHT024) To encourage people to come to Jesus if they want life that truly satisfies. Jesus gives us life John 7:38 Jug of pure clean water, jug of filthy water (containing mud, insects, leaves, grass etc) and a tray with four empty glasses. Place these on a table and cover them with a table-cloth so that they can’t be seen. You may like to pre-invite four people to take part in this talk before the service begins. i) Ask the two people who are given the glass of pure water to drink it totally and when asked, to say that the water has satisfied their thirst. ii) Ask the two people who are given the glass of dirty water to not touch it and when asked, to say that the water would make them ill if they drank it, and that it wouldn’t satisfy their thirst. ........................................................................................................................ Is anyone thirsty this morning?  I have some free drinks to give away,  so put up your hand if you would like a drink. (Call forward your pre-invited four people and stand them in a line facing the congregation – adults or children. Place the table in front of the line of people and remove the table-cloth showing the two jugs of water) Here we are.....let me pour you a drink. (Pour out two glasses of water from the jug of clean water and pour out two glasses of water from the jug of dirty water. Once you have poured out the drinks, hand them out to the four people) I hope that will satisfy your thirst.  Drink up! (Watch as two people drink their water and say) Did that satisfy your thirst? (People who drink the clean water answer “Yes”) (Turn to the two people who don’t drink their dirty water and say) I thought that you were thirsty......  Why aren’t you drinking the water I have given you?  What’s wrong with it? (People who don’t drink answer, “It would make us ill if we drank that and it certainly wouldn’t satisfy our thirst”) It is rather dirty isn’t it? You are right.....it would probably make you ill if you drunk it,  whereas if you drunk the pure water, it would not only satisfy your thirst,  but you wouldn’t get ill. You know Jesus said something interesting. He said:  “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37) © Jane Hulme 2015 2 When Jesus was talking about being thirsty,  he wasn’t talking about being thirsty for water to drink. He was talking about being thirsty for life;  life that is satisfying,  life that is good,  life in all its fullness and richness. We all want that sort of life don’t we?  Jesus says that if we are thirsty for life,  we are to come to Him and He will give us life in all its fullness,  pure water if you like. (Lift up jug of pure water) Many of us here have responded to Jesus’ invitation,  and have discovered that what He has said is true. However many people think that we can have a life that is totally satisfying without Jesus,  and will look in all sorts of places to try and satisfy that thirst for life. But without Jesus the things that we look to for satisfaction are a bit like drinking dirty water. (Lift up jug of dirty water)  They will never truly satisfy and they can even make us sick. There are people in our world who have looked to money,  owning loads of stuff,  drink, drugs,  power, fancy holidays,  relationships and so on to satisfy their longing for a meaningful life,  and have found that although some of these gifts that God has given us can be good, these things never truly satisfy. Jesus has something on offer that is much better than we could ever dream of.  Plans that include a life-giving relationship with Himself which goes on into eternity.  Plans that include having the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit living within us.  Plans that include living a life that will count for something. If you are thirsty for that kind of life, Jesus says “come to me and drink!” (Send back your volunteers) © Jane Hulme 2015 3