Kingdom Living 4: Who Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness

Matthew 5:6 CSB

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

INTRO—

How do you generally know when you need to eat? (When I’m hungry.) How do you know when you’re hungry?…When my stomach rumbles (hunger pangs, etc.)—SOOOO, when it’s empty!

Beatitudes 1-3 show the Blessed ones in a condition (/attitude) of emptiness! [poor in spirit, mourn, meek]

…the blessed are…

THE BLESSED are “Those Who Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness” [Matthew 5.6a]

HUNGER: Famished, Intense desire for food

“the ones who are hungering”

THIRST: Parched, Intense desire for drink (water)

“the ones who are thirsting”

Psalm 42.1-2 “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God?”

RIGHTEOUSNESS: right, just, virtuous (good, true); the character of God

1 Peter 1.13-16 “Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.” [holy action is righteousness]

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke (1) The Beatitudes (5:3–10))

So it is better to take this righteousness as simultaneously personal righteousness (cf. Hill, Greek Words, pp. 127f.; Strecker, Weg, pp. 156–58) and justice in the broadest sense (cf. esp. Ridderbos, pp. 190f.). These people hunger and thirst, not only that they may be righteous (i.e., that they may wholly do God’s will from the heart), but that justice may be done everywhere. All unrighteousness grieves them and makes them homesick for the new heaven and earth—the home of righteousness (2 Peter 3:13).

[Author: D A Carson]

ORTHODOXY — Upright, correct BELIEF (Thinking)

Right theology (understanding of truth, God, etc.)

Job 42.7 “After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.”

ORTHOPRAXY — Upright, correct PRACTICE (Action)

Right actions (obeying what God has said)

Micah 6.8 “Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

ORTHOPATHY — Upright, correct FEELING (Emotions)

Right emotions.

A very challenging area here involves Sympathy/Empathy.

SYMPATHY: feeling with, including sharing the same/similar circumstance

EMPATHY: feeling with, by ‘putting myself in their shoes’ though I have not ever been there.

Hebrews 4.14-15 “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.”

John 11.35 “Jesus wept.” [sympathy]

Matthew 9.35-36 “Jesus continued going around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.” [empathy & sympathy]

Missing one of these really messes us up.

THE BLESSED “Will Be Filled” [Matthew 5.6b]

FILLED: Satisfied (Sated), Contented

Matthew 14.20 “Everyone ate and was satisfied. They picked up twelve baskets full of leftover pieces.” [Feeding the 5000]

The filled are those who…

…are continually hungering & thirsting for righteousness!

[NOT, those who achieve perfect righteousness.]

Psalm 17.15 “But I will see your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied with your presence.”

CONCL—

Matthew 6.33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

YET, in this life we know we are not constantly satisfied by just one meal, one drink…we need constant refueling.

BUT, on day—we will be eternally satisfied, filled…no more sin, sorrow, death, etc.

INVITATION:

…Salvation

…Repentance

…Joy

Matthew 5:6 CSB

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.