Two Seas, Two Lives: What the Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee Teach Us About Discipleship

In the land of Israel, there are two well-known bodies of water: the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. They sit just about 100 miles apart, yet they couldn’t be more different. One teems with life. The other is completely barren. And the difference between them offers a powerful spiritual lesson, especially when it comes to discipleship.

The Sea of Galilee – A Picture of Life
The Sea of Galilee is vibrant. It's full of fish. It supports surrounding agriculture. Towns and cities flourish along its shores. Jesus walked on the waters, calmed the storms, and called fishermen from the banks to become His disciples.

Why is the Sea of Galilee so alive? It has both an inflow and an outflow. It receives fresh water from the Jordan River, and then that same water flows out of it to nourish the land below. It’s a living, breathing system—because what comes in also flows out.

This is how discipleship should work. We receive from the Lord—His Word, His Spirit, His grace—and then we pour that out into others. We teach, we serve, we disciple, we love. We don’t just store up truth—we share it.

The Dead Sea – A Picture of Stagnation
Now consider the Dead Sea. It's ten times saltier than any ocean. Nothing lives in it. No fish. No plants. No life. It’s beautiful to look at, but barren to the core.

Why is it dead? It has an inflow but no outflow. The Jordan River flows into it, but nothing flows out. It simply sits there, collecting minerals, evaporating, and becoming increasingly toxic. The same water that gives life to Galilee brings death to the Dead Sea—not because the water is bad, but because there’s no release.

This is what happens when we become consumers of the faith but not participants in the mission, when we receive teaching but never teach, when we attend church but never serve. When we fill up week after week, but never pour into others.

Discipleship Demands Movement
Jesus didn’t call us to be Dead Sea Christians. He called us to be rivers of living water (John 7:38), not reservoirs of religious knowledge. Real discipleship means taking what we’ve learned and sharing it. It means letting the Gospel flow through us, not just to us.

This is why Paul told Timothy:

“And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” —2 Timothy 2:2 (LSB)

Discipleship is a relay race, not a trophy shelf. It’s designed to move from person to person, generation to generation.

So What Kind of Sea Are You?
Are you like the Sea of Galilee—taking in and pouring out, receiving and giving, learning and leading?

Or are you like the Dead Sea—always listening, always attending, always consuming, but never discipling anyone else?

Here’s the truth: If what God is pouring into you isn’t flowing through you, it will eventually grow stale. That’s not how you were meant to live. You were created to make disciples. To invest in others. To multiply.

A Call to Action
If you’ve been soaking up spiritual truth but not sharing it, it’s time to open the floodgates.

• Lead a Bible study.
• Mentor a younger believer.
• Teach your children the Word.
• Serve in your church.
• Start that discipleship group.

Don’t be the Dead Sea—beautiful but lifeless. Be the Sea of Galilee—alive, flowing, and fruitful. That’s what discipleship looks like. That’s what Jesus called us to. Let the life He’s poured into you become life for someone else. Let it flow.

In Love,

Pastor Jody