Matthew 5:6 - Blessed are they that hunger and thirst and righteousness

INTRODUCTION

Keep in mind, during the beatitudes section of this sermon, Jesus is constructing His disciple from the inside out. In fact, you could rightly say, the entire focus of this sermon is inside out disciple. What do I mean by inside out? The words mean having the inner surface turned outward. It is best to see this in contrast. At the time of Jesus, the Jewish religious system was an outward form of religion. Their focus was not the heart but actions; therefore, if you did the actions, you were righteous before God. However, Jesus turned this way of thing upside down in this sermon. People must view your actions through your heart’s condition. Therefore, if your actions betray your heart then you are just as guilty as if you commited the act.

Several years ago, while I was youth pastoring, we had a sinful situation take place with a couple of our youths. I remember counseling the parents and youths involved about the situation. The parents were focused on the outward; they are no longer doing this sin - they repented. This was the Jewish way of thinking. My focus was on the inward, where the heart is and which did not manifest a “poor in spirit” condition. This was Jesus way of thinking.

Jesus had all these disciples following Him. Many of whom were not authentic followers of Jesus Christ. How to separate them? By preaching a radical message of where the heart of the disciples of Jesus must be. Serving Christ is first and foremost a heart issue.

Proverbs 4:23 KJV 1900

Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.

So, as we go through the beatitudes and the rest of this sermon, may God help us to take an inventory of our heart.

OBJECT

The object is not blessedness. Blessedness is the result of us pursuing the object of each beatitude. We should not hunger and thirst for blessedness. This is not what Jesus said. Our world is in such a mess, we spend so much time, effort, and money on happiness; yet, never truly experiencing real and meaningful joy. The reason our world is such an unhappy, joyless and angry place is the object of their pursuit is happiness. They desire the effect, without caring about the process.

Martyn Lloyd Jones: “

The world, it is obvious, has fallen into a primary and fundamental error…Think of a man who is suffering from some painful disease. Generally the one desire of such a patient is to be relived of his pain, and one can understand that very well. No one likes suffering pain. The one idea of this patient, therefore, is to do anything which will relieve him of it; but if the doctor who is attending this patient is also only concerned about relieving this man’s pain he is a very bad doctor. His primary duty is to discover the cause of the pain and to treat that. Pain is a wonderful symptom which is provided by nature to call attention to disease, and the ultimate treatment for pain is to treat the disease, not the pain....Now that is the folly of which the world is guilty. It says, “I want to get rid of my pain.” But the question is, what is the cause of the pain, and the unhappiness, and the wretchedness? They are not happy who hunger and thirst after happiness and blessedness. No. “Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness.” MLJ

The story is told of James Guthrie, a Christian who went to the scaffold for his faith in Jesus Christ. Waking at 4 A. M. on the day of his execution, James spent time in personal worship, and was asked by his friend James Cowie how he felt. “Very well,” replied James. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” The reason James could have joy on the morning of his execution was his pursuit was not joy but the Lord. For the Christian, the object of our pursuit is not happiness or blessedness but poor in spirit, mourning over sin, meekness, and hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

Thomas Watson said:

A duty implied: 'Blessed are those who hunger'. Spiritual hunger is a blessed hunger. What is meant by hunger? Hunger is put for desire (). Spiritual hunger is the rational appetite whereby the soul pants after that which it apprehends most suitable and proportional to itself. Whence is this hunger? Hunger is from the sense of lack. He who spiritually hungers, has a real sense of his own indigence. He lacks righteousness. (Beatitudes)

Let us consider some points about this object:

Hebrews 12:2 KJV 1900

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1 KJV 1900

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Those of us who are poor in spirit, mourn over sin, meek, and hunger and thirst after righteousness declares Jesus to be our object.

Our Appetite

The appetite of the person who is poor and spirit is the taste of righteousness. In , Peter tells the scattered Christians to:

1 Peter 2:2–3 KJV 1900

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

They are to desire the sincere milk of God’s word because they have tasted the Lord to be gracious. The reason we to hunger and thirst after righteousness is because we have tasted the Lord to be gracious.

When a man is hungry the only thing that will satisfy him is food. He has no interest in other things. You can show him diamonds and jewels, houses and land, but if he is starving his only desire is for food. He realizes that all those other things that people value so highly are meaningless in comparison to satisfying his hunger.

The words “hunger” and “thirst” are active voice and present tense. This means there will always be a continual hunger and thirst for righteousness. “Hunger” means to constantly feel the pangs of lack of, and in this case, it is the lack of righteousness. We can never get to the place, on this side of eternity, where we can be completely satisfied with our righteousness. There should always be this continual hungering and thirsting for righteousness.

This means two things:

This means we must have a craving for righteousness.

A duty implied: 'Blessed are those who hunger'. Spiritual hunger is a blessed hunger. What is meant by hunger? Hunger is put for desire (). Spiritual hunger is the rational appetite whereby the soul pants after that which it apprehends most suitable and proportional to itself. Whence is this hunger? Hunger is from the sense of lack. He who spiritually hungers, has a real sense of his own indigence. He lacks righteousness. (Beatitudes)

Having a craving for righteousness is dependent upon our view of us and God.

“Having a craving for righteousness is dependent upon our view of us and God.

Viewing ourselves

Romans 7:24 KJV 1900

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

It does not seem that Paul ever forgot who he was. Outside of grace, he was a wretched man, with a sin nature of death. Why did he constantly stay hungry for God? He never lost view of himself.

Ephesians 2:3–4 KJV 1900

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Imagine how much different David’s life would have ended up, if he did not lose sight of who he was outside of God’s favor? David confessed his sinful view of himself after Nathan the prophet exposed his sin.

Psalm 51:1–10 KJV 1900

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.

Viewing God - Understanding who we are is not enough to crave for righteousness. Everyone is craving for something but with most people their craving is not after righteousness. The reason in every case is an improper view of God. The passage below applies to everyone who is lost.

Romans 1:18–23 KJV 1900

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

To suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness, people must change who God is. If we are to crave after righteousness then we must have the right view of God.

Romans 1:16–17 KJV 1900

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

What view of God must we have to reveal the righteousness of God? The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Answer

Immediately upon God saving us, we inherited a positional righteousness with God. This is called the imputed righteousness of God.

Immediately upon God saving us, we inherited a positional righteousness with God. This is called the imputed righteousness of God.

Romans 4:22–25 KJV 1900

And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

In this positional righteousness God no longer sees us outside of His righteousness. Praise God! However, this is not object that Jesus has in mind. The person who is poor in spirit has this positional righteousness. The kind of righteousness that Jesus has in mind is sanctifying righteousness. Sanctifying righteousness is the ongoing and progressive work in our lives to be righteous. So, on an everyday level what does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness:

Having a desire to be free from sin

Having a desire to be right with God

Having the desire to be free from the power of sin

Having a desire to be free from the desire of sin

Blessed because in the presence of this hunger many meaner hungers die out. One master passion, like Aaron's rod, swallows up all the rest. He hungers and thirsts after righteousness, and therefore he is done with the craving of lust, the greed of avarice, the passion of hate, and pining of ambition

Pining to be holy, longing to serve God, anxious to spread every righteous principle,-blessed are they. CHS

OPPORTUNITY

The opportunity that hungering and thirsting after righteousness provides.

This is not an overstatement to say that the answer to all of man’s problems is this verse.

Real time stats in America:

Abortion *:614756Heart Disease:345853Cancer:333102Tobacco:197036Obesity:172828Medical Errors:141558Stroke:74931Lower Respiratory Disease:80471Accident (unintentional):76592Hospital Associated Infection:55733Alcohol *:56296Diabetes:43060Alzheimer's Disease:52660Influenza/Pneumonia:31091Kidney Failure:24073Blood Infection:18839Suicide:24079Drunk Driving:19033Unintentional Poisoning:17878All Drug Abuse:14077Homicide:9457Prescription Drug Overdose:8444Murder by gun:6470Texting while Driving:3372Pedestrian:2815Drowning:2204Fire Related:1970Malnutrition:1561Domestic Violence:

Abortion - 614,756

Suicide:24,080

Tobacco:197,036

Alcohol *:56,296

Drunk Driving:19,033

All Drug Abuse:14,077

Homicide:9,457

Domestic Violence:822

If Americans were hungering and thirsting after righteousness, these statistics would not exist.

The opening paragraphs of an article written by USA Today Newspaper, entitled: Broken hearts: A rundown of the divorce capital of every state

One of the more sobering realities of 21st-century American life is divorce.

Marriages end over a host of issues, including infidelity, stress, money troubles, and personal changes by one or both partners over the course of a marriage. Divorce can be an emotionally wrenching experience and can fracture families. For many children, divorce leaves scars that never heal.

About 40% to 50% of married couples in the United States divorce, according to the American Psychological Association. The divorce rate among those who remarry is even higher.

There are over 800.000 divorces every year in America. 800.000 families in brokenness. This number would not exist if we hungered and thirst after righteousness.

Imagine the global impact of hungering and thirsting after righteousness:

No AIDS epidemic in Africa

No Tariff wars

No nuclear fears

No terrorism

Immigration would be extinct.

No need for Interpol

1.6 trillion dollars spent on military

The fix for society is not more money, military, U. N., etc....rather, it is hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

Outcome

Future: The outcome is, one day we will be filled. The word “filled” means “to provide more than enough to be satisfied.” This is the day I long for; when I will be just like my Savior - completely righteous and without sin.

Determines if we are a disciple: It is important to note that this day comes for those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness. These beatitudes are a litmus test, determining if we are His disciples. This does not mean we are saved by our works; just the opposite is true. These beatitudes are not a work of the flesh but of grace. A person cannot be poor in spirit without grace intervening in their life. Flowing from this poor in spirit - mourning over sin, meekness, and hungering and thirsting after righteousness are all works of prevailing grace. Spiritual “hunger is a pain. It is God’s merciful provision, a divinely sent stimulus to propel us in the direction” righteousness. Therefore, the beatitudes are a litmus test determine whether or not we have be impacted by grace. There are many people who claim to be a follower of Jesus or a Christian; yet, they do not desire righteousness because they have no taste for it. This passage should help them to see that they are lost.

Unless we hunger after righteousness we cannot obtain it.

If we do not thirst here we shall thirst when it is too late.

Hunger is a pain. It is God's merciful provision, a divinely sent stimulus to propel us in the direction of food. If food-hunger is a pain, thirst, which is water-hunger, is a hundredfold worse, and the more critical the need becomes within the living organism the more acute the pain. It is nature's last drastic effort to rouse the imperiled life to seek to renew itself. A dead body feels no hunger and the dead soul knows not the pangs of holy desire. "If you want God," said the old saint, "you have already found Him." Our desire for fuller life is proof that some life must be there already. Our very dissatisfactions should encourage us, our yet unfulfilled aspirations should give us hope. "What I aspired to be, and was not, comforts me," wrote Browning with true spiritual insight. The dead heart cannot aspire.

Conclusion

Isaac Watts wrote a hymn to the beatitudes:

I Hunger and Thirst

Blest are the humble souls that see

Their emptiness and poverty;

Treasures of grace to them are giv’n,

And crowns of joy laid up in Heav’n.

Blest are the men of broken heart,

Who mourn for sin with inward smart;

The blood of Christ divinely flows,

A healing balm for all their woes.

Blest are the meek, who stand afar

From rage and passion, noise and war;

God will secure their happy state,

And plead their cause against the great.

Blest are the souls that thirst for grace

Hunger and long for righteousness;

They shall be well supplied, and fed

With living streams and living bread.

Blest are the men whose bowels move

And melt with sympathy and love;

From Christ the Lord they shall obtain

Like sympathy and love again.

Blest are the pure, whose hearts are clean

From the defiling powers of sin;

With endless pleasure they shall see

A God of spotless purity.

Blest are the men of peaceful life,

Who quench the coals of growing strife;

They shall be called the heirs of bliss,

The sons of God, the God of peace.

Blest are the suff’rers who partake

Of pain and shame for Jesus’ sake;

Their souls shall triumph in the Lord;

Glory and joy are their reward.

Final Thought

A devoted follower of Socrates asked him the best way to acquire knowledge. Socrates responded by leading him to a river and plunging him beneath the surface. The man struggled to free himself, but Socrates kept his head submerged. Finally, after much effort, the man was able to break loose and emerge from the water. Socrates then asked, “When you thought you were drowning, what one thing did you want most of all?” Still gasping for breath, the man exclaimed, “I wanted air!” The philosopher wisely commented, “When you want knowledge as much as you wanted air, then you will get it!” The same is true with our desire for righteousness. (Our Daily Bread)