Main Idea: If you believe the word of God, you will be saved.
Key Verse: “…many of those who heard the word believed…” (Acts 4:4).
Story:
Once there was a man who was walking through the desert on foot. He ran out of water and became very thirsty. He was so thirsty that his tongue dried up in his mouth. He walked and walked until he could walk no more and then he started crawling on his hands and knees. He knew that just over the next hill there was an oasis.
When he came over the hill he was so disappointed because all the water in the oasis was dried up. But, next to the oasis he saw a water pump. He rushed to the water pump and he began to pump it up and down. This is what he heard, “Squeak…squeak…squeak.” The water pump was dry.
He was about to give up in desperation when suddenly he saw a bottle of water at the foot of the water pump. He grabbed the bottle and was about to drink the water but then he saw a note attached to the water bottle.
This is what the note said, “Dear traveler, when you come to the water pump, pour the bottle of water into the top of the pump. When you pump, water will come out. Before you leave, fill the water bottle and leave it with this note at the foot of the pump.”
What shall he do? What shall he do? He was so thirsty. He wanted to drink the bottle of water but he also wanted to believe the word of the person who left the bottle.
His mind says, “Don’t be foolish, Drink the water.” But his heart says, “No, I want to believe the word.”
His mind and his heart fight and finally he decides to believe the word. He pours half of the bottle of water in to the pump and he moves the pump handle up and down. Do you know what he heard? “Squeak…squeak…squeak.”
His mind says, “You fool! You fool! You fool!” His heart says, “No, I want to believe the word.” He pours the rest of the water into the pump and moves the handle. This is what he heard, “Squeak…squeak…Gluck…Gluck…gluck….girggle…girggle.” Water pours out of the pump. He drank and drank and pumped some more until there was a big pool of water. There was so much water that he took a bath.
He drank all the water that he needed and before he left the oasis he filled the water bottle and left it with the note at the bottom of the pump. As he left the oasis, he said to himself, “I’m glad I believed the word!”
Jesus promises to give us living water. If you believe His word today, you will never thirst again. Will you believe God’s word?
