Mt 5:6 - Magnifying Appetite

Introduction

Have you ever known anybody, I’m sure it was never you, about whom it was said, “She’s so heavenly minded that she’s no earthly good.” Perhaps a more polite way of saying that is, “His head is so far in the clouds that his feet don’t even touch the ground.”

This is used to describe a person who is so focused on the ideal, or escaping from this world, that the person has no seasoning or illuminating quality in their community. Maybe this is the person who is so busy with church meetings, committees & homeschooling that she doesn’t even know the names of the person across the fence.

How do we live with the tension between the way things are and the way they should be? Some live with the idea that I just have to endure until I am taken to the better place. I have a few concerns with this escapism mentality.

Rather than enduring until we escape, Jesus instructed that our prayer should be to bring Heaven’s values TO earth.

Matthew 6:10 ESV:2016

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

2. We can’t isolate ourselves from evil.

Luke 14:34 ESV:2016

“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?

Yes, we are to be separate FROM the world, but we also need to be present IN the world as apostles or sent ones.

Romans 6:11 ESV:2016

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

3. Incognito is not an option. Witnesses surround us and enemy pursues us. When we ready about the armor of God in Ephesians 6, if you are like me, you picture a polished soldier ready for parade or inspection. But the soldier imagery often used in the epistles was much grittier than I imagine. This 60-seconds from the motion picture Gladiator pictures what it may have looked like in the arena. [I have edited out all the blood, but those with weak stomachs may want to look away from the screen for the next minute.]

play edited clip from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjruXRHRpmE

I am not trying to sensationalize violence, but simply to help us realize that Christian warfare is not as cold or sterile as we may prefer.

TRANSITION: Shining and seasoning in a way that brings Heaven’s values to Earth is a struggle, or warfare, that doesn’t look like debates with academics in long robes. Jesus describes hungering and thirsting for righteousness. I believe the righteousness of Matt 5:6 was very different than the pretend righteousness of Jesus’ day.

Attempted Righteousness

This week I trust you will go to the polls and prayerfully cast a ballot for the candidate that you believe not only has the ability to promise a dream, but also the ability to move toward a vision. Promises are one thing, but plans are another.

When Jesus talks about an appetite for righteousness He is not just talking about someone who promises a form of justice, but someone who inwardly desires movementtoward that goal.

There are many different forms of religiosity that are far from the righteousness Jesus extols in verse 6.

Pharisaical Righteousness

rule-following or checking the boxes. I’m meeting the letter of the law while denying the spirit behind why it was written.

“I’m sitting on the outside, but I’m standing on the inside”

I like to consider this the difference between compliance and obedience.

tithe mint and dill MT 23:23

Matthew 23:23 ESV:2016

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

whitewashed sepulchers (aka lipstick on a pig) Mt 23:27

Matthew 23:27 ESV:2016

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

good Samaritan Lk 10:32

Luke 10:32 ESV:2016

So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

what good does that do (James 2:14-16)

James 2:14–16 ESV:2016

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

Pious Righteousness

This may be considered cultural morality. Have you heard someone describe an activity as “not only a waste of energy, but morally unacceptable”? This moral acceptability may or may not be rooted in the righteousness of the Bible.

Those who have fought for legislation again killing of pre-born humans, sometimes soften their stand by making exceptions that involve rape, incest, or the health of the mother. These exclusions are based upon cultural norms of consequences for evil or a cultural value of existing maternal life compared to pre-born life.

For generations society has held cultural expectations of acceptable or unreasonable labor: consider the values that shape opinions of slavery, to child labor laws, to 4-day workweek

Piety looks different based upon one’s culture: frequently people from one part of our country may have views that are different than yours on casinos, playing cards, sports betting, tobacco, moonshine, dancing or Church attendance. People in Mormon communities have piety views that are quite different than the Quakers, Mennonites, or Amish.

Sometimes cultural ideas about piety take on names like proper, righteousness or Holiness. e.g. this is how a proper Christian acts”

“Holiness movements” (John Wesley) of last 2 centuries

The Holiness Movement, originating in the mid-19th century within the Methodist Church, centers on the belief in instantaneous entire sanctification as a “second blessing” distinct from regeneration. Promoted by figures like Phoebe Palmer and Charles G. Finney, it emphasized perfection in love and the elimination of sinful desires. The movement spread through revivalist techniques, camp meetings, and publications, influencing other Protestant denominations. Tensions with Methodist leadership led to the formation of new Holiness denominations, including the Church of the Nazarene and the Church of God (Anderson, Ind.) and later the Assemblies of God. These groups often emphasized visible evidence of sanctification, and increasingly focused on avoiding worldly behaviors. The movement also influenced related traditions like the Keswick Conferences in Florida and Michigan, though with differing theological emphases.

TRANSITION: closely related to cultural piety is individual feeling. Without concern for ethics or morality, I just do what feels right to me.

Feel good righteousness

This “feel good” righteousness is usually connected with an idea that anything that doesn’t harm others is acceptable or right for me. It is a morality that is not based on code or community, rather it is rule of of individual Conscience.

One’s sexuality, or use of money, or use of one’s time are never shaped by the needs of others.

A person may claim to be submitting to his or her conscience, but what if that conscience has been hardened? How many times have I heard, I didn’t raise my child this way, but she is choosing to live with her boyfriend. I taught my kids the value of hard work but he doesn’t show any initiative unless he wants something.

The only limitation seem to be Does this hurt others. Why do you care if I ...? It doesn’t hurt you if I drink my paycheck away or party with anyone I want. Who are you to tell me how much I should drink, or what kind of drugs I ingest. But this kind of living offends God, and hurts others who depend upon you (like your employer, creditors, landlord, spouse, kids, or your parents).

TRANSITION: Rather than permitting yourself, your code, or your community to determine rightness. Jesus says that those who truly pursue what God considers right to be those who experience real satisfaction.

Actual Righteousness (Rom 3:21 and Phil 3:9)

Apart from Rule keeping

Romans 3:21 ESV:2016

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—

Before the Ten Commandments were ever given on that mountain in Egypt, God has always had a standard of thoughts and behaviors that please Him and those that don’t.

Eve and Adam were given opportunity to please God by obeying or rebel in disobedience.

Cain and Abel gave 2 different offerings, only 1 was acceptable

by the time of Moses behaviors were so offensive to God that He sent a flood.

Although Abraham obeyed by going where God would lead, on one hand he offered hospitality the king of Salem, and later he had relations with a servant in his household. As he was traveling with his people he was known to lie to local politicians.

Abrahams sons and grandsons all chose behaviors that had consequences because they were not right in the sight of God

All 5 of these are hundreds of years before Moses ever recorded a single law or commandment for God’s people.

Ever since God created earth (or even earlier is Satan’s rebellion in Heaven took place before Genesis 1:1) there has always been a decision between what pleases and what displeases God.

Before Paul would ever write the book of Romans, Jesus tells people that those who live the way that God desires (that which is truly righteous) are the ones who experience satisfaction rather than pain, longing, or dissatisfaction.

Since we are incapable of living this right life, God provides a way to grant it to us apart from our Conscience, our Community, or some Code of behaviors. This transfer of satisfaction comes only through the absolute obedience of another.

Comes by Faith

Philippians 3:9 ESV:2016

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

This rightness from God is not because I don’t drink, smoke or chew or hang with those who do. This rightness is not because I always (or mostly) follow the speed limit. This rightness is not because I let the guy with 2 items go before me at the grocery store or allow the jerk (I mean the self-absorbed driver who passes in the no passing zone) to merge into my lane. This rightness is not a result of only having relations with my spouse. This righteousness is not based on what I DO, but trusting faith in what Jesus has DONE.

TRANSITION: This Righteousness is a merciful, gracious GIFT to us, but our response to that Gift also is evidence of a transformed life.

Aspirational Righteousness

“IF only” hopes look that the person who admits things are not right now, but there is only 1 thing that needs to change for my reality to become different. If only I begin to attend church regularly God would change my circumstances. If only I would tithe 10 percent, God would make my paycheck longer than my month. If only I would work in AWANA, then God would bring my prodigal child home., if only...“if I can just make it to the top of the hill”

Elevated Mound spirituality

An interesting study is to look al all the times in both testaments of your Bible that God did something special on a mount or high place. The ESV has 400 verses that refer to a mountain or something being elevated.

I was watching a program on the Smithsonian Channel about the building of the First Americans Museum, just 150 miles south of us. The producers of the program said that even before Southwestern College became Moundbuilders, that mounds have always been significant to indigenous people on our continent. So much so that 45,000 Semi Trailer loads of dirt were brought in to build a 90’ peak.

Rather than move dirt, or earthly resources to build a situation for a spiritual/religious experience. Jesus is saying that the key toward satisfaction is by setting our affection on the things that please God.

The rewards are at the level of spiritual experience and relationship with God rather than of material recompense

Colossians 3:2 ESV:2016

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

we don’t aspire to a “one and done” situation or a bucket-list dream

This is the time of year when Christian camps are closing down as band camps and football two-a-day practices are ramping up in order for school to stark in a couple weeks.

2 One of my experiences in Christian camps was the annual assurance/dedication ritual. If you didn’t do this at camp it may have been when your church held annual revival meetings.

3. For me, and maybe for you, these rededication decisions were based in...

stairwell piety

Since the last revival or last year at camp I had “backslid” in my spiritual passion. Although I knew I was saved, I felt like I needed to significantly rededicate my intention to follow Jesus.

I labeled this “stairwell piety” because that rededication decision rarely got me to the finish line of the satisfaction that Jesus promises.

that rededication was more like, “I resolve to make it to the next landing”

My College dorm in Chicago was 19 stories tall and my first year was on the 16th floor. While the 3 elevators carried students up and down, sometimes we would take it upon ourselves to “run the stairs” it started with taking the elevator down to 1, then running up the stairs until we reached our floor. A more fit student would add in the floors to the “top of the rock” before or after his run to his home floor.

the 3 times I chose to run the stairs was more like run the first 5 floors, rest on the landing until continuing up the next 5 floors, then resting until I struggled up the final 6 stories (which was 12 flights) because the stairwells each had a landing halfway between floors.

Like revival dedication or camp-meeting rededications, I never fully “ran the stairs” but each time I attempted I made it further than the previous time.

TRANSITION: I never reached the full satisfaction that Jesus promises in this verse. That satisfaction only comes when we hunger and thirst for...

Reckoned righteousness

Reckoned righteousness is when one fully believes what Paul challenges in Romans 6:11

Romans 6:11 ESV:2016

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Both Mound Spirituality and Stairwell Piety are connected to my effort to make it to the level I desire. This human desire puffs up. This contribution of human desire denies that I am poor in Spirit, that I mourn over my brokenness, that I meekly rely on Jesus’ power to grant my desires. Only when I view myself the way God sees me, clothed in the righteousness of Christ, do I find satisfaction.

And this satisfaction are both noticed and misunderstood by others. A Commentary written by faculty of a Seminary in Dallas Texas says...

Conclusion

“People possessing these qualities would naturally stand out in the crowd and would not be understood by others”

The kingdom that Jesus offers in these 12 verses, these 8 rings, this velocity that moves us toward the type of life that God blesses does not look like lifestyles of the rich and famous. It doesn’t look like the values that make you a social media influencer.

These 4 heart changes as we look at what we bring to the table and what God desires to grant to His children do not come when we say “Jesus take the wheel”. These happen when we scoot out of the drivers seat of our lives and ask Him to take us where He wants us to go, to do what He wants us to do, to be what He want us to be.

Our response song speaks of this scoot from behind the steering wheel.

Response Song #451.......................... “I Surrender All”

Benediction

1 Thessalonians 3:12–13 ESV:2016

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Cross, F. L., and Elizabeth A. Livingstone, eds. 2005. In The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd ed. rev. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

France, Richard T. 1994. “Matthew.” In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 4th ed., 910. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

Barbieri, Louis A., Jr. 1985. “Matthew.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, 2:29. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.