Drink Your Own Water Series

INTRO.- ILL.- I remember when I was only 17 or 18 years old and working as a stock clerk in a grocery store in Webb City, MO. I was stocking merchandise one day when suddenly the manager came to me and said, “Steve, follow me. I want you to witness something.” I could tell that he was angry. His face was red with anger and I had no idea what was going on but I followed him to the back room of the store. Personally, I thought I might be in trouble for something I did or didn’t do!

When I got to the back room (actually the break room) the story became clear. The manager had caught a young boy stealing from the store. I don’t remember what he stole but the manager wasn’t about to let him get away with it. I don’t remember everything the manager said that boy but he gave him the worst chewing out I’d ever heard at that point in my life. He let that boy know in no uncertain terms that it was wrong to steal and that if he ever caught him stealing again he would call his parents and the police.

That boy sat there petrified. I was somewhat petrified myself. The best I remember, I don’t that boy ever darkened the door of our store again. He learned a lesson the hard way but I’m sure he never forgot it. I doubt seriously that he ever stole again, at least, not in that grocery store!

If this incident had happened today most store managers probably would have called the police immediately. That boy got off lucky, in a sense.

Stealing anything from anyone is sinful. Stolen watermelon is not sweet. We might think it is, until we get caught.

Stealing damages relationships and especially, our relationship with God. And stealing another person’s mate is a big sour note with God! How do we know this? One reason is because of what this text says! And what God says in His Word in other books.

I Corinthians 6:13-20 The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

This text pretty much tells the story about sexual immorality in any form. And sexual immorality in all forms (homosexuality, adultery, pre-marital sex, etc.) is rampant in our world today, but it shouldn’t be for the person who is in Christ.

PROP.- This whole chapter contains the wisdom of God about marriage and avoiding the adultery trap. What’s the message?

1- Drink your own water

2- Rejoice in your wife/mate

3- Consider your ways

I. DRINK YOUR OWN WATER

15 Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. 16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? 17 Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.

Drink your own water. Drink water from your own cistern.

ILL.- Many years ago I planned to attend a National Christian Convention in Denver, CO. I lived in southern IL at that time and Denver was 1,000 miles from there. Our family had two cars but we were having mechanical problems with both of them. I wasn’t sure we could trust either car to get us that far.

One of our good church members called and said, “Why don’t you drive our Dodge custom van to Denver?” Well, I had never borrowed another person’s car before except for maybe just something in town. The owner of that custom van (which was several years old) insisted, however, that we take it on our trip because he wasn’t driving it and it was just setting in the garage. He and his wife had a car that they drove locally and they were both retired. After their insistence, I borrowed that large custom van. We were gone one week and had no problems whatsoever but we drove it 2,000 miles. So when we returned home I had the oil changed and I also washed it for him.