The Hungry Are Satisfied

Intro

Isn’t it nice to be back in the chapel?

Have some fun settling in back “home”

This is also a great time to start a new sermon series

This summer = The Upside-Down Kingdom

No, not a riff on “Stranger Things”

Track some of Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom of heaven through the gospel of Matthew

“Upside-down” is a reference to some of the lessons Jesus taught

Counter-cultural = Went against the religious norms of his day

Counter-intuitive = Goes against the way that we naturally think about things

First will be last, and the last will be first; the humble will be exalted and the proud will be humbled; those who seek to save their life will lose it, but those who lose their life will save it...

… Starting with this morning, where we learn that the hungry will be satisfied

This is part of the beatitudes, which are part of the sermon on the mount

“Blessed” = true, God-given happiness

Many of the beatitudes reveal the “upside-down” nature of the kingdom:

Happy are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the hungry and the persecuted

Sermon on the mount paints an incredible picture of how we are to live in the kingdom of heaven

Jesus makes reference to the kingdom right away (Matthew 5:2–3 “And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”)

“Kingdom of heaven” a phrase used by Jesus to refer to God’s rule and reign over His Creation

The kingdom of heaven exists here and now (present)

Jesus established this kingdom in a tremendous way through his birth, life, death, resurrection and ascention

Since the kingdom of heaven exists now, we are called to learn about the nature of this kingdom and how we should live as citizens of it (our series)

The kingdom of heaven will be complete in the future

This awaits the final saving act of Jesus: His return

We are being prepared for a specific future and should live in light of this

Read Matthew 5:6 and pray

How Hungry Are You?

This teaching of Jesus invites us to ask a few diagnoistic questions. First, how hungry are you?

There are certainly different levels of hunger

Hunger = boredom

A trait that we passed on to our kids; i.e. asking for snacks constantly during a road trip

Hunger = desire for something that tastes good

Like salivating at the smell of bacon or going for dessert even after a big meal

Hunger = legitimate physical need for food

Like waking up hungry in the morning or eating after hard physical labour (treeplanting story)

Hunger = life and death scenario when food is scarce and you are starving

We don’t know or understand this level of hunger! But much of the world does

Share story of Mike Vilhaur; first meal in 5 days = dandelion

Now THAT is hunger! How much would you desire food in that situation?

And that greatest level of hunger is what Jesus is looking for in Matthew 5:6.

Greek word means to hunger or “avidly desire something”

To be blessed (truly happy) in the kingdom of heaven, we need to be starving for righteousness

Not just because we are bored (friends invite you to youth group or church)

Not just because it is something we enjoy (church always makes me feel better; I have good friends here)

Not just because we have worked hard and need to be re-fueled (Sunday gives me what I need spiritually to make it through another week)

We need to desire this righteousness above all else, the way someone who has had nothing to eat but dandelions for 5 days desires food

How hungry are you?

What Are You Hungry For?

It is one thing to be foraciously hungry, but another thing to avidly desire the right thing. Diagnostic question 2: What are you hungry for?

Show “Snickers Satisifies” 80’s commercial

What are the odds that a candy bar really gives the satisfaction a truly hunger person requires? Zero!

The 80’s were a wild time...

We can hunger for many things that do not satisfy

To make matters worse, many of these things promise to satisfy… but ultimately fail in that promise (just like a Snickers bar)

Share my story with Silas telling me I would be happier with a Tesla that can drive itself

Money, fame, sex, power, even family… can’t hold up their end of the bargain

If we pursue satisfaction in things that do not satisfy, not only are we left wanting, but we can be hurt as well

Use the illustration of sailors caught in the doldrums, thirsty, surrounded by salt water

Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink. (Rime of the Anctient Mariner, Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

Don’t settle for what the kingdom of the world has to offer: It will only make you more thirsty

Jesus is clear on this point: Hungering and thirsting for righteousness alone will lead to satisfaction

What does he mean by righteousness? Is it doing the right thing? Living the right way?

Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary ii. The Baptism of Jesus (3:13–17)

Righteousness in Matthew is not so much ‘being good’, still less legal correctness, but rather a synonym for the Christian life, viewed as a relationship with God focused in obedience.

So this is NOT primarily about being “good enough” (our righteousness)

It is much moreso about being in right relationship with God (his righteousness)

Cf. Matthew 6:33.

We seek/hunger/thirst after God and His kingdom, and then we will be satisfied

Obedience and living rightly is important, but it is not our means of satisfaction, it is our living in a state of satisfaction

Will You Be Hungry Again?

Final diagnostic question: Will you be hungry again?

This is a bit of a trick question, and points to the “upside-down” nature of the kingdom of heaven

As we just mentioned, if you hunger and thirst for the wrong things, of course you will be hungry again

Just like you will be if you eat a Snickers bar and rely on it to take you to the next meal

Stop looking in the wrong places to fill the appetite of your soul!

But interestingly enough, hungering for righteousness can lead you to be hungry again as well… just in a different way

Have you ever eaten so much that you exclaimed, “I can’t eat another bite” or “I will never eat again”?

What happened the next morning at breakfast?

Exercise: Imagine your favourite food or drink that you find truly satisfying; do you only eat or drink it one time?

I believe that a helpful way of understanding Matthew 5:6 is that are called to be consistently spiritually hungry

This is not about meeting God one time; making one prayer; one commitment; one moment

It is about waking up each and every morning with the same single-minded desire for the righteousness of God, for relationship with Him, to be able to live in His kingdom

Our continual hunger will lead to continual satisfaction, which is a great way to characterize the Christian life

Yet there will come a time when we will be truly and completely satisfied in the future

Cf. John 4:13-14.

What a beautiful picture! To follow Jesus is to drink the water of life, and we are continually filled (satisfied) until it overflows into eternal life

There will come a day when Christ returns, the kingdom will be completely established and we will hunger and thirst no more

The upside-down kingdom of heaven is already, but not yet

Until that day comes, may we always wake up hungry and thirsty to be filled by the righteousness of Christ

Pray