So, 

How many glasses of water do you drink every day?

I know there are lots of medical experts that say that you should drink at least eight 8 oz glasses of water each day. Although looking around online, I saw anywhere from 6-13 glasses for men and a bit less for women.

Why? 

Because in order for the body to function well, it needs to be hydrated. 

We need water for our blood stream to function, for our digestive system to function, even for our breathing to function correctly. We use water in our joints. We use water in our cells.

Dehydration, the lack of water is dangerous because it can cause dizziness, confusion, and even seizures. 

Remarkably, it turns out to be a potential source of weakness and confusion for some senior citizens! No longer able to tell if they are thirsty, they don’t drink enough water.

Water is essential to the body, the human body…

It is also essential, to the body of Christ! 

Listen to what Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians? 
But God’s Spirit baptized each of us and made us part of the body of Christ. Now we each drink from that same Spirit. 
It turns out that the body of Christ, that is the community of the church and of all those who are followers of Christ, need not only baptism as the sign and symbol of our faith…
But we also need to be baptized by the Spirit, and in that baptism filled with God’s presence. 
And we also need to drink from that same Spirit, the water of life.
Paul makes clear that in order to be the body, that is the community of faithful believers, we have to be not only in the water, but filled with the water of the Spirit!
That’s why simply coming to church and being a church member and using Tithely to make donations and all that - is not enough. That’s just floating around in the baptismal font.
That is just hanging around at the pool. It’s good for show, but is nothing like immersing yourself.
What Paul is remind us is that we need to take in the life-giving water! We need to drink deeply that internal baptism that allows the Spirit to grow in us and change us and use us as Jesus faithful disciples in this world.
We are the baptized!
So, baptism is not just an external thing!
It is an interior transformation where literally our spirit, takes in the water of the Holy Spirit in order that we become like Jesus. The water found in worship, and fellowship, and service to the Lord transforms us!
Years ago, the Boy Scout Troop here went on a hike down at High Point State Park. We somewhat factiously call it our Bataan Death March. No one died, not even close, although many of us felt like we were going to. 
It was hot and humid, the water we had filled the canteens with was sulfur water, and as we hiked it was obvious that we were all headed toward dehydration.
We stopped for a rest under some trees. It was still hot and humid. But thank heavens, Jeff Grebeldinger and Ron Zoll headed off and got a park ranger and came back with gallon bottles of fresh water. 
It was amazing! Such a blessing. Water never tasted so good! And we all felt better! 
The Ranger then pointed out that a little farther down the trail, someone after the black bear crossing our path was some additional relief. 
And just another mile down the trail the boys all headed into the Lake. You could see the steam rising up as each boy hit the water!
But while the lake water was good and cooled down a lot of hot sweaty young men, what saved their lives was drinking from those gallons of fresh water.
Bobbing in the lake was fun and functional, core temperatures dropped. 
But what they drank drove away the listlessness, the confusion, the lack of clarity, and the lack of desire to take another step. By the way, that included me! Walk ahead I would do, but I wouldn’t like it!
Because at some point, the body decides it isn’t really thirsty anymore, and not just the human body and the body of Christ can wave off the long cool waters of baptism.
We are too tired to go on!
It’s true, the church can get just as stuck, just as listless, just as unaware of what a fresh drink of the Holy Spirit could do, as a human can when the desire to even drink leaves us!
When the church, the wildly diverse body of Christ loses focus, gets listless, confused, unclear, and exhausted, notice if perhaps it has just been bobbing around in the baptismal waters…
And not drinking deep of the Spirit.
Because when the Spirit is present Paul makes clear, the body of Christ is amazing! 
The gifts of the Spirit, Paul makes clear, are all in evidence, and all are being put to work, because we can’t afford to be without even one since we have things to do, people to care for, miracles to make happen, and joys too numerous to recount to share!
When we are tired and dehydrated, we argue about whose gifts are better, who has more to offer, who should be in charge. 
Dehydrated we wither!
We lose our way!
But full of God’s presence we see each other through God’s eyes; all a part of the body! 
And the body, the community of faith, the church is everything!
And it all starts with understanding that…
We are the baptized. 
Inside and out! 
Filled with the Spirit! 
And ready to make this world God’s Kingdom!
And all God’s people said… 
Amen!