Who's Hungry?

Who’s Hungry?

Matthew 5:6

INTRODUCTION:

ILLUSTRATION: Be honest:

Who tends to get grouchy when they get tired? Who gets grouchy when they are hungry? Maybe some of you are grouchy!

In 2018 a word was added to the dictionary to describe this dire situation

Hangry!!

Definition- bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger.

PRACTICAL EXAMPLES-

Waiting at a restaurant and everybody in the whole place has been served and you haven’t LARGE FAMILY GATHERING: the meal prep was taking a little longer than anticipated= Hangry!

COUNTER-CULTURAL…Jesus is saying, “Happy are the starved.”

MAYBE YOU’RE THINKING RIGHT NOW…NOT SURE THAT’S NOT TRUE!

My kids aren’t happy when they are “starving”

Elijah is crying, Kynzie is whining, Madyson is rolling around on the floor WORST PART: RENEE IS DOING ALL 3

We think to ourselves, no, happiness is when you got to go put some sweat pants on because you ate too much!

That’s true happiness!

REMEMBER THE PROGRESSION:

1st- Acknowledge your spiritual bankruptcy before God 2nd-Mourn over the cause over your bankruptcy: SIN 3rd- LEADS TO …Humility - MEEKNESS

Let the Holy Spirit lead- COMPLETELY SUBMITTED

CATCH THIS!

It’s not enough to just mourn over you sin, to realize that your spiritually bankrupt, that meekness should be in your life.

YOU HAVE TO HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER RIGHTEOUNESS

LISTEN: God doesn’t want us to punish ourselves over the deficiencies we have, He wants us to pursue after HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

Psalm 107:9- For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

EXACT SAME THING…Jesus is saying here on the Sermon on the Mount

If you are hungering and thirsting after Him, He will satisfy you.

As we have mentioned over and over again, and as Christ has mentioned and will mention in every Beatitude that we look at, He wants us to be BLESSED, TO BE HAPPY!

Our world is on a search for it, it is woven into the fabric of our society - THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

Parents do everything so their kid is happy.

Don’t believe me? Go to Walmart!

THE PROBLEM: They never find it! They always want something bigger, better, faster.

Something about the Beatitudes: Christ never encourages us to pursue HAPPINESS

Happiness is always something that results from seeking something else.

Happiness is the by-product of pursing something else.

True happiness, true blessedness is found in pursing God and His righteousness.

HERE IT IS…If you want to be happy, have an intense desire in your heart and life to be right with God.

Psalm 42:1-2- As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

Psalm 63:8- My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

To understand how to hunger and thirst we must grasp what righteousness is.

What is righteousness?

Don’t let that word scare you. We hear words like Holiness and righteousness, and it makes us a little uncomfortable

God is Holy, God is righteousness He came and died so that we might be made righteous 2 Cor. 5:21- For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Matthew 6:33- But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Two aspects of righteous

Legal righteousness

Justified- Just as if I never sinned Paul tells us in Romans 3:23 all have sinned

SIMPLY PUT: When you took your faith and trust and put it completely in Jesus Christ and His completed work you were given RIGHTEOUSNESS in the legal standing in heaven!

Moral righteousness

Character and conduct that pleases God James- Works justify our faith Act like a Christian!

QUESTION: Where should this righteousness be found?

In our heart In our mind In our motives

TRANSITION:

Not our Righteousness, according to Isiah 64:6, and all our righteousness’s are as filthy rags;

He wants us to be like his son, to model our life after Him.

To be conformed to his image… To display His righteousness…

QUESTION: HOW DO WE DO THAT?

ANSWER: HUNGER & THIRST after it.

Hunger and Thirst

These words carry the idea of really being desperate

Not just hungry, but starving!

Not like we use the word ILLUSTRATION: STARVING TO DEATH The Prodigal Son

Backstory Ends up eating the husk with the pigs! Comes to himself, desperate He says, ”Why am I eating this?” IDEA IN THIS VERSE

Not just wanting a bite THE WHOLE THING!! ILLUSTRATION: FOOD COURT SAMPLES Jesus IS NOT calling us to sample His righteousness, He is calling us to taste the whole thing! So thirsty- you just pour it on your head and maybe some makes it in your mouth!

THAT’S THE IDEA

TRANSITION:

QUESTIONS:

Why is this important? Why does it matter how much I hunger and thirst after righteousness?

It is a clear indicator of where your life is.

It shows where your heart is!

LET’S CHEW ON THIS THOUGHT…

PREACHER: How do you know if you’re hungering and thirsting after righteousness?

It is evidenced by what you consume

But we can develop an appetite for it…practically.

Developing an Appetite for Righteousness

Through Worship

Be at church! Hebrews 10:25- 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. Maybe when you were younger you had a drug problem- Every time the doors where open your parents drug you to church.

PRACTICAL HELP…It’s much easier to develop an appetite when you are at the dinner table!

We need to make sure we are putting ourselves in the way of righteousness

Bartimaeus- Got as close to Jesus as possible, Jesus did the rest

LISTEN: You can’t eat the meal if you aren’t at the table

The less you are at church, you begin to lose your appetite But when you are in your place it can cause you to hunger and thirst, it can inspire

Through the Word

Read your bible

ONE OF THOSE MESSAGES- LOL!!! Everyone wants happiness, wants the answers to life

HERE IS THE ANSWER BOOK The more you read and study the better your appetite will be

It will make coming to church exciting

Songs will hit differently You want better preaching? DON’T ANSWER TO LOUDLY PLEASE

Get in the Word at home! Why? You have an appetite for it

Through Work

Work greatly increases the appetite

When I run/workout; I work up a great appetite

ILLUSTRATION: ORDERING LUNCH AT 8AM Getting busy in the service of God will increase your appetite for Righteousness

LISTEN: When you see what God is doing in your life and what he can/wants to do, you can’t help but to want more.

Through Watching

“I’m watching what I eat”

THINKING: Ya, from my fork to my mouth NOT WHAT IT MEANS…

It means you are careful about what you put in. We develop a spiritual appetite by watching what you eat spiritually I love sweets!

ILLUSTRATION: Snacks- MOM LINE- You’ll ruin your dinner

QUESTION: You know why many of us don’t hunger and thirst after righteousness?

We have spoiled our appetite We feast on what the world says will fill us up and it takes away our appetite

COME BACK TO THIS QUESTION: What are you consuming?

Music TV Friends

ARE THEY HELPING YOUR APPETITE?

CONCLUSION:

QUESTION: How can you tell if you are hungering and thirsting after righteousness?

Do we have satisfaction in being right with God?

LISTEN: YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE Shouldn’t be boring, makes no sense Is the fruit of the spirit manifested in your life?

If you aren’t hungering and thirsting after righteousness, develop your appetite.

TAKE-HOME THOUGHT: The world is hungry for happiness, and it is starving.

Jesus tells us to hunger for holiness and WE WILL BE SATISFIED!

Psalm 34:8- 8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.