A Passion for God

Matthew 5:6 (NLT)

6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

(μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσονται.)

Introduction:

I. THE PRINCIPLE.

A. Importance of Christ recognized. (Colossians 1: 12-17 ).

Colossians 1:12–17 (NLT)

12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.

17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

1. Recognize His importance in creation. (Colossians 1: 16-17).

Colossians 1:16–17 (NLT)

16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.

17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

a) Without him, nothing would have been created. (John 1: 3 ).

John 1:3 (NLT)

3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

b) Without him, nothing could continue to exist.

2. Recognize his importance and salvation. (Colossians 1: 13- 14 ).

Colossians 1:13–14 (NLT)

13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

(Philippians 1: 6 ).

Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

a) There is no other savior. (Acts 4: 12 ).

Acts 4:12 (NLT)

12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

b) There is no other way to the Father. (John 14: 6).

John 14:6 (NLT)

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

3. Recognize his importance in sanctification. (Colossians 1: 12 ).

Colossians 1:12 (NLT)

12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

a) He is the one through whom we have the power to live. (John 15: 5)

John 15:5 (NLT)

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

b) He used to be the very reason for our lives. (Colossians 3: 4 ).

Colossians 3:4 (NLT)

4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

B. Intensity of desire for Christ is vital. (Matthew 5: 6.)

Matthew 5:6 (NLT)

6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

(μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσονται.)

πεινῶντες = “to hunger, be hungry, hungered,”

διψῶντες = to be thirsty, to have a strong desire to attain some goal

δικαιοσύνην = ‘righteousness, doing what God requires, doing what is right.’, “the character or quality of being right or just”; it was formerly spelled “rightwiseness,” which clearly expresses the meaning.

χορτασθήσονται = to be satisfied or content with some object or state—‘to be satisfied, to be content with.

This has reference to having an intense desire to know Christ, his will and his ways. This is the pathway to deep spiritual satisfaction.

1. Intense desire to know Christ more fully. (Philippians 3: 7-10 ).

Philippians 3:7–10 (NLT)

7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.

8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,

a) The primary pursuit of our lives is to know Christ. (Philippians 1: 20-21)

Philippians 1:20–21 (NLT)

20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.

21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.

2. Intense desire to grow in love with him. (Mark 12:30 ).

Mark 12:30 (NLT)

30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

a) This love is built upon the love He has given us. ( 1 John 4: 19 )

1 John 4:19 (NLT)

19 We love each other because he loved us first.

3. Intense desire to please him. (Philippians 3: 14 ).

Philippians 3:14 (NLT)

14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

a) In life and death, we are his. (Romans 14: 8-9 ).

Romans 14:8–9 (NLT)

8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

II. THE PRACTICE.

A. Recognize that nothing else will satisfy.

1. Recognize the emptiness of the pleasures the world offers.

a) Solomon found out about this. (Ecclesiastes 1: 1-9; 2: 13 ).

Ecclesiastes 1:1–9 (NLT)

1 These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem.

2 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

3 What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?

4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes.

5 The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again.

6 The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles.

7 Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea.

8 Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

9 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.

Ecclesiastes 2:13 (NLT)

13 I thought, “Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness.

2. Recognize the emptiness of material possessions.

a) Can be here today, gone tomorrow.

(1) Stock market crashes and the Great Depression both illustrate this.

3. Recognize that only Jesus can satisfy the longing of your soul. (Matthew 11: 28 ).

Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

a) The Samaritan woman at the well found that the only relationship that satisfied her was Jesus. (John 4 ).

b) The Apostle Paul found that religion does not satisfy.

B. Repent of pursuing the wrong goals. (2 Corinthians 6: 17 ).

2 Corinthians 6:17 (NLT)

17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.

1. Make a willful choice to quit following the ways of the world. (Romans 12:1-2 ).

Romans 12:1–2 (NLT)

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

2. Make a willful choice to dethrone Self Will. (Galatians 2: 20 ).

Galatians 2:20 (NLT)

20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

3. Make a willful choice to pursue Christ.

a) Your personal relationship with him is to be the primary goal of your life. (Philippians 3: 8-10 ).

Philippians 3:8–10 (NLT)

8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,

C. Remain consistent in your pursuit of intimacy with Christ. (Philippians 3: 13)

Philippians 3:13 (NLT)

13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

1. Concentrate on the goodness of Christ.

2. Cultivate your relationship with him daily.

3. Cling to him through the good times and the bad times of life.

4. Continue to seek his guidance in all things.

III. THE PROMISE.

Matthew 5:6 (NLT)

6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

A. Personal in nature.

1. God's promises are personal.

a) For the one who has their desires set upon him.

B. Positive in its assurance.

(Hebrews 10:23)

Hebrews 10:23 (NLT)

23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

1. God's promise will be fulfilled.

a) God has never made a promise that he has not kept.

C. Practical in its fulfillment.

1. He will fulfill the greatest need and desire of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

(John 10:10)

John 10:10 (NLT)

10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Conclusion: