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Charles Spurgeon

The world offers a thousand fleeting pleasures!

John 4:13-14; Philippians 3:8
Charles Spurgeon March, 30 2025 Audio
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John 4:13-14, "Everyone who drinks this water, will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I give him, will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

We see in these words of Jesus, the mirage of worldly satisfaction. The world offers a thousand fleeting pleasures, each promising contentment, but leaving the soul emptier than before. Wealth, success, romance, entertainment--these are the unsatisfying waters of this world, and those who drink them will always thirst again. Many chase after these things, believing that if they only had a little more--more money, more fame, more indulgence--that they would finally be fulfilled. King Solomon testifies that this is a vain pursuit: "Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!" Ecclesiastes 1:2

Sinful pleasures, though they may be sweet in the mouth, are bitter in the belly. They are poisoned wells, that lead only to destruction! Those who seek their satisfaction in these noxious things, will find that they have exchanged their everlasting souls for poor fleeting trifles. Their end is eternal thirst--eternal regret--eternal torment in Hell. Jesus Himself warns us: "What will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mark 8:36

Yet Jesus offers something infinitely greater--living water. This is not a temporary refreshment that fades away, but a perpetual spring welling up to eternal life. Those who drink of this water will never thirst again, for in Jesus all the soul's deepest needs are met. Those whom Jesus has truly saved, have experienced the fle

The sermon delivered by C. H. Spurgeon addresses the profound theological doctrine of true satisfaction found in Christ as opposed to the fleeting pleasures of the world. Spurgeon emphasizes that worldly pursuits, such as wealth and fame, are ultimately empty and lead to spiritual thirst, echoing the wisdom of King Solomon in Ecclesiastes. Key Scripture references include John 4:13-14, where Jesus offers “living water” that satisfies eternally, and Mark 8:36, which warns against the futility of gaining the world at the expense of one's soul. The sermon underscores the significance of Christ as the true source of joy and fulfillment, illustrating that those who pursue Him will find lasting satisfaction, contrasting this with the eternal thirst that awaits those who choose worldly pleasures over spiritual sustenance.

Key Quotes

“The world offers a thousand fleeting pleasures, each promising contentment, but leaving the soul emptier than before.”

“Sinful pleasures, though they may be sweet in the mouth, are bitter in the belly. They are poisoned wells that lead only to destruction.”

“To have Jesus is to have everything. He is our eternal portion, our supreme joy, and our greatest treasure.”

“We never know the preciousness of Jesus until we experience the emptiness of everything else.”

What does the Bible say about worldly pleasures?

The Bible warns that worldly pleasures are fleeting and leave the soul unsatisfied, as seen in John 4:13-14.

The Scriptures reveal that worldly pleasures provide only temporary satisfaction and ultimately lead to emptiness. In John 4:13-14, Jesus speaks of the 'living water' He offers, which truly satisfies. The countless pursuits of wealth, fame, and indulgence are mere mirages, promising fulfillment yet leaving one in eternal thirst. Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:2 describes these pursuits as 'meaningless, meaningless, utterly meaningless.' True contentment is found only in Christ, who provides deep and abiding satisfaction.

John 4:13-14, Ecclesiastes 1:2

How do we know Jesus offers true satisfaction?

Jesus offers living water that quenches spiritual thirst forever, as promised in John 4:14.

We can be assured of the true satisfaction offered by Jesus through His promise of 'living water' found in John 4:14. Unlike the temporary and tainted pleasures of the world, the satisfaction offered by Christ leads to eternal life. Those who partake in this living water experience genuine fulfillment, transcending the fleeting nature of worldly desires. As believers gain deeper insight into the sufficiency of Christ, they recognize that nothing in this world can compare to the joy of knowing Him.

John 4:14, Philippians 3:8

Why is seeking satisfaction in Jesus important for Christians?

Finding satisfaction in Jesus is essential for Christians as He is the source of eternal life and joy.

For Christians, seeking satisfaction in Jesus is vital as He embodies the ultimate source of joy and fulfillment. As Spurgeon emphasizes, Jesus not only gives living water; He is the water itself, which quenches thirst that worldly offerings cannot. Philippians 3:8 illustrates that knowing Christ surpasses all worldly gains, leading to a joyous and purpose-filled existence. In contrast, reliance on worldly pleasures leads to eternal regret and suffering. Therefore, pursuing Jesus as the satisfaction of our souls ensures that we are anchored in the true source of life and joy.

Philippians 3:8, John 4:14

Sermon Transcript

Auto-generated transcript • May contain errors

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The world offers a thousand fleeting pleasures. John chapter 4, verses 13 and 14. Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

We see in these words of Jesus the mirage of worldly satisfaction. The world offers a thousand fleeting pleasures, each promising contentment, but leaving the soul emptier than before. Wealth, success, romance, entertainment. These are the unsatisfying waters of this world, and those who drink them will always thirst again.

Many chase after these things, believing that if they only had a little more—more money, more fame, more indulgence—that they would finally be fulfilled. King Solomon testifies that this is a vain pursuit, meaningless, meaningless, utterly meaningless, everything is meaningless. Ecclesiastes chapter 1 verse 2

Sinful pleasures, though they may be sweet in the mouth, are bitter in the belly. They are poisoned wells that lead only to destruction. Those who seek their satisfaction in these noxious things will find that they have exchanged their everlasting souls for poor fleeting trifles. Their end is eternal thirst, eternal regret, eternal torment in hell.

Jesus himself warns us, what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark chapter 8 verse 36

Yet Jesus offers something infinitely greater—living water. This is not a temporary refreshment that fades away, but a perpetual spring welling up to eternal life. Those who drink of this water will never thirst again, for in Jesus all the soul's deepest needs are met.

Those whom Jesus has truly saved have experienced fleeting nature of worldly pleasures and His all-satisfying sufficiency. This is why Paul could say, I consider everything a loss, compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Philippians chapter 3 verse 8

To those who drink the living waters, the promise is not only genuine satisfaction in this life, but eternal joy with him forever. The well of this living water never runs dry, while the wicked will suffer everlasting thirst in hell. Those who belong to Jesus will forever drink of his rivers of delights.

To have Jesus is to have everything. He is our eternal portion, our supreme joy, and our greatest treasure. Believer, rejoice! If you have Jesus, you have a spring of life that can never be exhausted. Let the world chase its empty pleasures. You have a Savior who is infinitely better.

He is not only the giver of living water, He is the water itself. Drink deeply of Him, and you will never thirst again.

Charles Spurgeon

We never know the preciousness of Jesus until we experience the emptiness of everything else. Come then and drink, O thirsty soul, and ask no more, for this fountain will never be empty, and this water will never lose its soul-satisfying power. He who drinks deeply of Jesus shall find that eternity itself cannot exhaust the sweetness and satisfaction that he alone can give.
Charles Spurgeon
About Charles Spurgeon
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (19 June 1834 — 31 January 1892) was an English Particular Baptist preacher. His nickname is the "Prince of Preachers."
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