Hunger
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· 22 viewsIt is the opposite of the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. It speaks of those who seek God’s righteousness rather than attempting to establish a righteousness of their own.
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Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
1) Ben What does it mean to hunger and thirst?
1) Ben What does it mean to hunger and thirst?
Ben What does it mean to hunger and thirst?
It’s a desire, desperation, strong desire, to be famished.
When we say we are hungry we mean it’s 1:00 and were used to eating at 12:00. Or we just ran around a little bit and now were thirsty. But that’s not what this verse is talking about. It means to hunger and thirst as if there has been a famine and all the food is gone and the water is dried up and it’s been a few days since you have eaten or drank anything.
It’s an action verb of continuation. Always wanting more and more. we would say, Paul, you know it all and have seen it all you have written theology and have a deep understanding of who God is. Yet he says in
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,”
It’s never enough. He wanted to know God more and more!
It’s never enough. He wanted to know God more and more!
The prodigal son when he was hungry he ate husks but when he was starving he went to the father. That’s the kind of hungering desperation God wants us to seek him with. Not until we are hunger and thirst after righteousness to we find the fulfillment God can give.
He hath filled the hungry with good things;
And the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away.
When we are filled with our own riches God can not fill us with his!
When we are filled with our own riches God can not fill us with his!
2) What are we to be hungry for?
2) What are we to be hungry for?
The world is so full of entertainment. I’m not against entertainment but it’s like a man full of a painful disease and wants to be relieved of the pain but doesn’t want to cure the disease.
The world has a disease that wants to eliminate the pain with happiness but doesn’t want to deal with the disease. So the world is hungry and thirsty for happiness. And I’m afraid that’st true in the church as well. They want an experience but don’t want to deal with the problem.
You see happiness is a byproduct. What does it say “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:” you want to be happy it comes because you are seeking after righteousness. The only real happiness is to be right with God.
It is the opposite of the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. It speaks of those who seek God’s righteousness rather than attempting to establish a righteousness of their own.
Ben why don’t you read and Philippians 3:9 for us
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
What they seek will fill them or it will satisfy their hunger and thirst for a right relationship with God.
What they seek will fill them or it will satisfy their hunger and thirst for a right relationship with God.
Do you see how well this all fits together with the other beatitudes? V3 the poor in spirit realize they have no righteousness, V4 you mourn the fact that you are not righteous before God, V5 you become meek or humble receiving what is not your own righteousness, and V6 now you hunger and thirst for more of what is not yours but is given to you!
Until you realize this you will never truly be happy you will never truly be filled as the last part of the verse says.
It’s interesting tho because this verse gives the thought that, you will be satisfied but not satisfied, you will be filled but never filled.
Ben, how would you explain this to us?
Well, it’s kinda like this. If my wife makes me my favorite pie. I’m always satisfied after I eat it but for some reason, I always want more. Even tho I’m full because I just ate dinner but I always want more. Because the taste and satisfaction of what I’ve already tasted makes me want more.
3) How to we know if we are hungering and thirsting after righteousness?
3) How to we know if we are hungering and thirsting after righteousness?
1) Are you dissatisfied with yourself? Are you self-centered or Christ-centered?
2) Does anything external satisfy you? You can take a hungry man food but what he wants is food. If your Hungry and thirsty for righteousness nothing else can satisfy you.
3) Do you have a great appetite for the word of God? You know Ben I’ve never seen anyone beg a hungry man to eat. The preacher shouldn’t have to beg Christians to feed on the word
3) Are the things of God sweet to you?
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb;
But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. (Even those things that are hard to swallow are sweet to the one hungering and thirsting after righteousness.)
(Even those things that are hard to swallow are sweet to the one hungering and thirsting after righteousness.)
Challenge:
Are you chasing after happiness or do you want righteousness? Hunger and thirst now and be filled.