The Meek and Hungry

Matthew 5:5-6

The first two Beatitudes teach us that the world can never truly fulfill us or satisfy us. 

Being poor in spirit means you don’t put your trust in your possessions, positions, money, or self, but in God. You are not prideful nor dependent on your own works. You recognize and have complete dependence on God. You see how desperate and needy you are for God to intervene in your life.

To mourn means that you have a true recognition of the reality of your sin and are broken before God about them. You mourn at the thought of your sin and how it separates you from God. And in that mourning and realization, we find comfort from a forgiving and loving God who calls us to a new life. 

We summed it all up by saying: True blessing is found when we depend on God and are broken over our sin.

Tonight, we dive into “The meek and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.”

If you’re like most students, you have times when things don’t always go your way, and you don’t always handle that well. Maybe it’s when someone posts something about you online, when you get in trouble, or when you get hurt by something. Often, our default reaction is to get revenge, snap back, prove ourselves, or just let our anger take over. Today’s Beatitudes will help us to choose attitudes that will respond as Christ does: with strength and under control.

Illustration: The Controlled Horse

NOTE: Have a picture or visual of a horse with their rider.

NOTE: When a horse is trained, it doesn’t lose its power. It learns to trust and follow the direction of the one calling it. That’s what meekness looks like for us. It’s not being weak or giving up. It’s about yielding and following the One who guides you. There’s strength in that. It’s giving up what you want to do or where you want to go for the sake of something bigger. For the horse, it is still just as strong as before, but now its strength is submitted to its master.

The world tells us to believe what we want to believe. Chase what feels good. Do what you want. 

Jesus tells us to hunger and thirst for what is eternal true and right?

The big question is… what are you hungering and thirsting for?

The Meek

Matthew 5:5–6 ““Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

The word meek is probably not one you use in your everyday language.

It’s the idea of gentleness or humble strength. It’s not being weak but exercising strength under control.

Think back to the horse, submitting to his trainer. Wild horses are incredible, strong. But untamed they’re dangerous, But, a trained horse has the same power… guided and under the ultimate authority.

To be meek is to be a person who lives under the authority of Jesus. As a follower of Jesus, we live under the authority of Jesus. He us our Lord and Savior.

It’s someone who submits to HIS will and plans for life.

It’s someone who takes in God’s Word and lives it out.

The oppositie of meekness is someone who is very prideful, and impulsive.

the live wild and out of control

they react to everything without real guidance

they often try to exalt themselves or prove themselves around others.

It takes more strength to be submissive than to give in to every internal desire and every emotion or attitude. 

Jesus modled this and lived it out…

ALL authority in Heavena nd on earth.

The reward? Jesus said, “They shall inherit the earth.” Those who live this way will receive their reward.

This means those who live surrendered to God’s authority will share in His kingdom with Him.

Inheritance is the privilege of a faithful heir.

Jesus is pointing forward to the day when there is a new earth and Jesus’ disciples will not only live there but inherit it as their own.

The Hungry and Thirsty

Matthew 5:6 ESV

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” 

We’re all hungry. One of life’s most essential needs is food and water. We have to have it to survive. If you could eat one snack every day, what would it be? Take 20-30 seconds and turn and tell the person next to you what that snack would be. 

What is a hunger and thirst for righteousness?

It’s a strong desire, pursuit, and passion to live for God. 

It’s desiring to live rightly for Him and in His Kingdom.

It’s about wanting what God wants more than what the world has to offer. 

So, what are you hungry for? What are you thirsty for ?

The hunger and thirst for righteousness Jesus is referring to here isn’t about our appetite. It’s really boiled down to this: To live devoted and obedient to the Lord.

It’s about wanting what is right, loving what is good, and pursuing what is good and holy.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

For the meek: be humble and trusting.

To be meek means to choose humility over pride and trust God instead of trying to prove yourself. 

You don’t have to try to fight to earn people’s approval.

You can be strong, humble, and confident in living for God.

Trust that God sees you and will take care of you.

So the challenge here would be to reflect on how you respond to things.

Where is it hardest to be humble?

When do you feel the need to prove yourself?

Maybe this week, you prioritize how you respond to things with gentleness or humility instead of emotion. 

Remember, being meek isn’t a sign of being weak. Its strength is guided by trust in God. 

For the hungry: pursue what’s right.

To hunger and thirst for righteousness means to crave the things of God more than your own desires. 

It’s not about trying to perfectly live for Him, because you’d never be able to do that, and that tends to lead to self-righteousness, which is the opposite of Jesus’ words. It’s about a faithful pursuit and desire to want the things of God.

It’s about a mind and heart that says, “God, I want what You want.”

So, the challenge here would be to feed your hunger for righteousness.

What are you feeling your heart with the most? God’s truth or the world’s noise?

Spend time in prayer this week before you start your day. 

Ask God to help you and give you the strength to pursue or long for the things of Him.

It’s hard. It takes strength.

Remember, only God can truly satisfy the hunger of your soul.