Those who have needs, and the One who fulfills them – the Lord.

 

Sermon : "Those who have needs, and the One who fulfills them – the Lord."
Ezekiel 17:24; John 14:14; Romans 4:21

Beloved ones who have many needs—may you be filled with satisfaction and peace!

The theme of today’s sermon is: "Those who have needs, and the One who fulfills them – the Lord." To illustrate this, I present two sides before you: the right side with one stack, and the left side with another. Before we begin the sermon, let me say this—there are 66 books in the Bible, but I will highlight only four of them: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Although written by four different people, all four books focus on one story—the life of Jesus Christ. It is not four different accounts, but one united message.

Now, the truth I want to emphasize is this: every person in the world has some needs—things they have not yet received, experienced, or possessed. Among these needs:

1. The First Need: "I want to see God."
This desire was not present in the beginning; it arose after man fell into sin. When God first created Adam and Eve, He appeared to them and spoke directly. But after their fall, God ceased to appear and withdrew to heaven. Since then, from Adam onward, every human has carried a longing: “The God who went to heaven must come to us, speak with us, live among us, and solve our problems.” To fulfill this yearning, the Heavenly God became man in the form of Jesus Christ and came into the world 2000 years ago. He lived among people, stayed in their homes, appeared in the temple, in marketplaces, on journeys, at weddings and feasts, and even in their hardships. Through this, humanity’s deep longing to see God was fulfilled through the Gospels.After examining everything, we realize that Jesus alone is the true fulfillment of that meaning.

2. The Second Need:
Many today say, “Jesus appeared during the time of Peter, James, and John. But is He appearing now in our time? He fulfilled their desires—but is He fulfilling ours?” Some feel the Lord no longer meets their needs. But the Gospels give a clear answer. Jesus’ earthly life ended at the tomb, but He lived again in a resurrected, glorified body for 40 more days. This life was different—it was not a physical body subject to the laws of nature, but a glorious one. It is not to be counted among the earlier 33½ years.

After those 40 days came many more “forties,” continuing until today. If Jesus appeared to people in those earlier days, wouldn’t it be unjust if He didn’t appear to us now? Even then, when the disciples locked their doors, Jesus entered and appeared to them. Likewise, if we remain in the presence of God, shutting ourselves in with Him, Jesus will appear to us, bless us, and speak to us. This is now being experienced especially in prayer gatherings.

Before leaving this world, Jesus gave two powerful promises:

1. “Where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there among them.”
2. “Though I go to heaven, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.”
   Based on these words, we believe He is still with us today. Though many may deny it, Jesus stands near them. He is with every believer. He is even near the unbelievers. This is a profound blessing.

Even if some do not recognize Him, as happened to Luke and Cleopas on the road to Emmaus, Jesus was walking with them. They didn’t recognize Him, but He was still with them. He entered their house, sat at their table, and broke bread with them—even though they didn’t know who He was. In the same way, Jesus is with us too. But unless we believe, His presence brings no benefit. This is why we must believe.

3. The Third Need:
There is one who works unseen—who causes suffering, traps people in sin, holds them in bondage, and leads the world away from God. That one is Satan. From ancient times until now, and even in the future, Satan causes these four forms of separation. If Satan is cast out, that need is fulfilled. That’s why Jesus, when He came of age, entered His ministry, received baptism, went into the wilderness, and defeated Satan. The one who had overcome all mankind was conquered by Jesus. Unless Christ defeated Satan, that great need of humanity would remain unmet. If He had gone back to heaven without conquering Satan, humanity would suffer even more.

Even if Satan was defeated once, like a crushed snake still wagging its tail, he still tries to deceive. Children may flee at the sight, but mature believers will stand firm. Unbelievers may despair during trials, but faithful ones will not. Jesus’ victory over Satan fulfilled another great need.

4. The Fourth Need:
All of humanity is under the burden of sin. If that burden could be removed, it would be a great relief. In Matthew 9:2, Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven.” This shows that Jesus already paid the price for our sins. This is another great need fulfilled.

5. The Fifth Need:
All people suffer from sickness. If these diseases could be removed, it would be a great blessing. In Luke 6:19, we read that many were healed without medication, cost, or effort—Jesus healed them all. So we can believe that He will heal our sicknesses too.

The Gospels show that Jesus fed the hungry, delivered those in danger at sea, and fulfilled many other needs. If you read the four Gospels carefully, you will see clearly how He met need after need. Therefore, we can believe—He will fulfill our needs too.

May these few words help fulfill the needs of your heart. Amen.

This message was delivered by the man of God, Father.M. Devadasu Ayyagaru, on August 16, 1959.