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Christ Satisfies Our Needs

(John 6:27-40; 7:37-39)

Lesson 8 -- first quarter 2007
January 21, 2007

by Mark Roth
© Copyright 2007


Are you satisfied?

Everyone wants and seeks for fullness, completeness and satisfaction. And how many avenues people chase down, trying to reach that wonderful destination! They try to attain completeness through marriage or business or career or entertainment or self-indulgence or travel or ministry or who knows what else.

Few in our world today find true fulfillment, because few in the world know where to look for it. Have you found it? Do you know where to find it? I do!

Colossians 2:10 points us in the only right direction -- "Ye are complete in him." Those who are fully yielded to Jesus Christ are also full in Him. Our word complete translates the Greek word pleroo, which the King James Version translates more often as fulfil (by a 25:1 ratio, in fact). To help us get a fuller appreciation for our completeness in Him, here are some of the other passages where pleroo is used.

"And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him" (Luke 2:40). His completeness in us fills us with His wisdom.

"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24). As our boldness in Him increases, we ask and receive according to His will, resulting in fullness of joy.

"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:4). Our daily, living surrender to Jesus brings about in us an amazing completeness which the Law could never bring: righteousness!

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost" (Romans 15:13). In John 16 we already saw the dimension of joy being fulfilled in us. Here we find added to us complete peace as well as hope.

"I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation" (2 Corinthians 7:4). When you are in the middle of your darkest moments, remember that your completeness in Christ fills you with comfort.

"Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:11). Jesus in us; we in Jesus: the result is the fruits of righteousness. Thus we can enjoy completeness in our productivity!

Are you complete in Him?


How do I strive for the meat that lasts forever?

"Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness" (Isaiah 55:2).

"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" (Matthew 6:20).

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2).

"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness" (2 Peter 3:11).


How thoroughly does Christ satisfy my need?

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).


Does this mean I don't need anybody else?

"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12).

"From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:16).

"But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him" (1 Corinthians 12:18).

"And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you" (1 Corinthians 12:21).

"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:15).

"As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Peter 4:10).

"Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church" (1 Corinthians 14:12).

"That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ" (Colossians 2:2).

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25).

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Colossians 1:9).

"Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power" (2 Thessalonians 1:11).


What are some results of Jesus meeting my needs?

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14).

"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38).

"Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts" (Jeremiah 15:16).

"Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:5).

"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2:10).

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6).

"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:12).


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