S.o.t.M. The Beatitudes: Hunger for Righteousness and Merciful
Notes
Transcript
Opener:
WHAT ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR:
Q: FRESHMEN/TRANSFERS, ARE YOU FINDING ALL THE GOOD PLACES TO EAT? WHAT ARE YOU FAVORITES SO FAR?
Talking about this might be making some of us hungry. Hopefully we can get done before anyone gets hangry. Any of you have that problem? When you get super irritable and start acting like you are going to hurt someone.
Just so we will know who to watch out for...
Q: HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE NOT HAD SUPPER? OK, WHAT ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR? WHAT IF YOU COULD HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
Steak, lobster, chicken strips (right Matthew? Ha!) No one said salad. Even when we eat that it is often not what we really want. So...
Q: WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT? (not food) WHAT ARE YOU REALLY HUNGRY FOR? (In life…in the future.) (Be honest!)
It is an important question because what you are hungry for determines the direction you will go to get it. And depending on what you really want the direction you go will either be in the direction of God and righteousness or away from Him.
Only one decision is the right one! It’s like when you ask “where do you want to eat?” And the typical answer is what? (Know anyone who can’t decide? Point them out if they are here. Ha) (It’s like we have to make the right choice, because if we don’t the food won’t will us up.) (While that’s not true when eating physical food…)
IN LIFE WHEN WE ARE HUNGRY AND THIRSTY THERE ARE MANY POOR CHOICES THAT WILL NOT FILL US BUT ONLY ONE WAY THAT WILL SATISFY US!
Q: HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED HOW WHEN YOU GET TO A CERTAIN LEVEL OF HUNGRY, GETTING FOOD IS ABOUT THE ONLY THING YOU ARE FIGURE OUT?
For those who get hangry it is the most important thing until they get it.
When we are really hungry or dehydrated and extremely thirsty, it is hard to think about anything else. IT BECAUSE THE FIRST PRIORITY.
DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE SPIRITUALLY HUNGRY AND THIRSTY FOR GOD WILL DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT HE IS A FIRST PRIORITY.
TONIGHT’S BEATITUDE IS ABOUT HUNGER AND THIRST ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
We have seen that Beatitude comes from the Latin term for blessing; beatitudo for ‘blessing.’ The Greek is ‘Makarios.’ In the Greek it means favored or fortunate or simply happy.
There is something here that everyone is looking for; happiness or wholeness.
Q: HOW DOES OUR CULTURE TELL US TO FIND HAPPINESS OR WHOLENESS? The world tells us that we must get it for ourselves and that it comes through worldly success, possession and financial security.
Until we overcome the lie that fulfillment comes through things of this world we will continue to try to fulfill our hunger for God with that which cannot satisfy.
Q: DOES GOD WANT US TO BE HAPPY OR HOLY?
THAT’S KIND OF A TRICK QUESTION. True JOY comes through a relationship with Christ, not in spite of it. Momentary happiness comes through things and comes and goes. However there is one sense of the word that we use it as in “are you happy” where we mean are we generally happy? You can be happy momentarily or generally happy.)
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
What we really need is holiness. Spiritual wholeness and freedom in Christ are the source of real happiness and contentment. Paul learned to be content in Christ as his strength:
I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Jesus’ teachings contradict worldly wisdom. Jesus is teaching the values that those who are in the kingdom with those in the world. Which do we reflect?
SPIRITUAL HUNGER AND THIRST VS PHYSICAL FULFILLMENT
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Matt 5 In other words those who’s deepest desire is righteousness and God, you will be filled.
Spiritual hunger and Thirst will be filled.
God has promised and shown that those who seek Him and His righteousness will not come up empty. God wants a relationship with us and want us to seek Him. When we do He is going to help. He is ready and waiting to help us along. That is why we find in the bible so many encouragements to seek after God and righteousness.
Encouragements to Seek God.
Moses told the Israelites that when they entered the promise Land, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deut 4:29 (ESV)
David told Solomon; "And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you” 1 Chron 28:9 (ESV)
Jeremiah said in talking about those returning from captivity; 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
“You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart,
14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord,” Jer 29:12-14 (ESV)
Jesus said in Mt 6:33 “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.”
James wrote, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8 (ESV)
Trans: If those who hunger and thirst will be filled and God encourages us then…
Q: IF GOD PROMISES THAT WE WILL FIND HIM IF WE SEEK, WHY DO MORE PEOPLE NOT FIND HIM?
They are not seeking after him. Why are they not seeking after Him? They are not hungry. Q:Why are they not hungry enough? They are hungry but they are trying to satiate that hunger with the wrong things. They are trying to fill their needs with the physical…
So many are trying to fill their spiritual hunger with physical food (things). This is the contrast you see in this verse.
ILL: heard in a sermon recently which told about the wealthiest neighborhood in country (in mill valley California) all million dollar houses…highest rate of divorce, teen suicide, and alcoholism) We need holiness to have happiness…
SPIRITUAL HUNGER AND THIRST VS PHYSICAL FULFILLMENT
Q: How do those who seek fulfillment in Christ differ from those who seek fulfillment from the world?
Q: HOW LONG AFTER YOU EAT DO YOU GET HUNGRY AGAIN?
A: Temporary satisfaction (vs.) complete satisfaction. When you try to fill the void we all have with worldly things; all the physical comfort and pleasures, whether it be possession, relationships or whatever, these things only satisfy temporarily, AND THE BEING FILLED IS NOT ONLY THE SAME LEVEL.
Solomon had it all and said he denied himself nothing yet it was meaningless.
Eccl: 2:9,10a and 11
So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
Q: DOES THIS MEAN THAT WE CANNOT ENJOY THE THINGS OF LIFE?
NO, ECCL SAYS that working and enjoying the fruit of our labor is a gift from God. WE CAN PRAISE GOD FOR OUR BLESSINGS. HOWEVER...
But God never intended for us to take something He gave us a gift and try to replace Him with it. (i.e. sex, food, possessions, relationships)
Have you ever felt like; “If a certain thing happened then you’d be happy. When I get this job, WHEN I GET MARRIED (which is a good thing), WHEN WE HAVE OUR OWN HOUSE (which is not bad to own), when I get through this time in my life (it’s good to get move forward)…when we make a little more money (not that making money is bad)…it is great to have goals and dreams, AND ENJOY THE BLESSINGS OF EACH STAGE OF LIFE but when we hinge our JOY AND SENSE OF WELL BEING on those things, then we are seek after those things most and end up disappointed or at least feeling like more.)
WHEN WE FALL FOR THE LIE IN OUR CULTURE THAT JOY COMES FROM LIVING A LIFESTYLE OF HAVING MORE WE GET TRAPPED IN ENDLESS CYCLE OF GETTING MORE.
(Ill: Then I’ll be happy; if this happens I’ll be happy. When I get this job, WHEN I GET MARRIED (which is a good thing), WHEN WE HAVE OUR OWN HOUSE (which is not bad to own), when I get through this time in my life (it’s good to get move forward)…when we make a little more money (not that making money is bad)…it is great to have goals and dreams AND ENJOY THE BLESSINGS OF EACH STAGE OF LIFE but when we hinge our JOY AND SENSE OF WELL BEING on those things, then we are seeking it in the wrong ways.)
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
EVERYONE WHO TRIES TO FIND WHOLENESS THROUGH PHYSICAL WAYS WILL BE THIRSTY AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN.
Jesus offers “living water.” In Jn 4:13-14 He contrasts physical water with spiritual water. He makes the point that the water He offers satisfies forever. It becomes a spring of water inside.
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' "39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 7:37-39
Appl: When we try to satisfy our spiritual needs with physical things it is never ending. We continue to put things into our lives to fill the thirst we have…when God offers what we need to be filled from within
Q: Do we see people do this today and in what ways? Yes. They go from one relationship to another, they fill it with success, possessions, sin, ect.…elab.
Fully Satisfied:
I like what the Mounce’s Greek interlinear has: “will be fully satisfied.” V6 NIV had filled. It is the idea of not a partial or temporary satisfaction but full or complete.
Spiritual satisfaction vs. worldly satisfaction: Isaiah 55 gives a perfect depiction of how people are going after worldly satisfaction. God offers true and complete fulfillment freely yet so many people are laboring so hard for the temporary fulfillment that this world offers.
1 "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food” Isaiah 55:1-2 (ESV)
There is a sad irony to this verse that is true of today, people are killing themselves working to have the money buy their happiness with “physical food” when God offers spiritual food that really satisfies. (We have drunk from those wells and are still wanting…)
Q: NOW, HOW MANY OF YOU ARE HUNGRY AND THIRSTY FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS?
We all (almost raise our hands) because we know that we should. But are you really hungry for righteousness. If so how does your life show it? No judgment, I’m just trying to get you to think about your motives.
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS ALL ABOUT THE DEEPER REASONS WE DO WHAT WE DO FOR GOD. WE CAN HAVE THE RIGHT ACTION WITH THE WRONG MOTIVES. We can do the right things for the wrong reasons!
Q: MAYBE THE BETTER QUESTION TO HELP WITH THIS WOULD BE: WHY ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS?
Q: what are we really hungry for? What are you after? Why is it that we do not have an appetite for God and His righteousness?
Q: Do people ever come to Christ for the wrong reasons today? Yes! Many people come to Christ as a fix for their lives or so that He can help them with what they want out of life.
I understand that Jesus said “Hunger and thirst after righteousness.” There were those who came to Jesus seeking something besides righteousness and eventually went away from Him. In John chapter 6 Jesus told those who followed Him after being fed the day before that they were only there because they got a free meal the day before.
Jesus told them, 27 “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.” John 6:27
When we hunger and thirst after righteousness we are not coming to God so that we can have a perfect life.
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” Psalms 73:25
One who hungers and thirsts after righteousness is the one who wants to be right with God and just like Jesus. A consuming desire and drive to be closer to God and closer to His will for our lives.
Q: IF YOU ARE HUNGRY AND THIRSTY FOR PHYSICAL FOOD AND DRINK WHAT DO YOU DO?
Q: IF YOU ARE HUNGRY AND THIRSTY FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS WHAT DO YOU DO? HOW DOES IT COME OUT IN YOUR LIFE?
(ILL: If you are hungry for God and His righteousness bible study will be a pleasure and a craving…prayer will be a privilege and worship will be looked forward to. It will be our passion and goal. It shouldn’t be a question or something we have to be convinced of…)
“For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” Psalms 107:9
“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalms 119:103
“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalms 63:1 (ESV)
Q: is the Psalmist talking about the land being physically dry? No, so what is he speaking of?
Do we view the world and what it has to offer this way? Do we admit that it is dry? Or are we constantly going back to it to be refilled.
Lk 14:16, 18, God’s banquet…those who gave excuses were hungry for other things.
We are truly blessed when we find wholeness in Christ that is not temporary.
“For they shall be satisfied.”
Why will they be satisfied?
Because those who are hungry and thirsty will seek God and His righteousness and He will not let they go without finding.
How will they be satisfied?
John 7 tells us that when Jesus was speaking of a well coming from the inside then He was talking about the Holy Spirit.
BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Being merciful not just something that we do on occasion but something that comes from a condition of the heart that we both need to get and give frequently.
(ill: To start off I want you to think of something big that you had to forgive someone for. When was the last time you had to let someone off the hook for something they did? Chances are you can think of multiple instances…If you are married definitely…I won’t even touch that one…)
(ill: I once had to forgive my roommate for wrecking my 1973 Mustang Mach 1…the favorite car of all that I have ever had…that was not the hardest thing…)
(ill: But on the other side of the coin as much as others might need mercy from us there are many times when we need it from others…) So we come to the beatitude of mercy…
Intro: The Meaning of Mercy and verse 7.
Mercy is such a powerful and popular theme in scripture. It is a major attribute of God. If you were to list the major themes in scripture mercy would have to be there. (Ϛ#3) Mercy is defined as; “to show compassion and concern for someone in difficulty, despite that person’s having committed a moral offense—‘to show mercy, to show compassion.”[1]
- The most common words for mercy in the NT are the verb ‘eleeo’is ‘to have mercy, feel sorry for, have pity’ it is also the resulting action one takes because of compassion that one takes on another who is suffering or afflicted. It is the word used when people cried out to Jesus to “have mercy on us.” (I.e. Mt. 9:27; 20:30) The greatest demonstration of this word is in the mercy God showed in offering mankind salvation through His son, even to the “chief of sinners.” (I Tim. 1:13, 16)
- “Mercy is compassion in action” – Author unknown
The greatest illustrations of mercy come from God’s demonstrations of mercy to mankind. (I.e. God giving Israel mercy and God offering the world mercy through Christ)
- “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” — Eph 2:4-5
- ‘eleeo’ is the root word of the word ‘eleemon’ or merciful used in Mt 5:7
- The noun form of this word is ‘eleos’ is used frequently in the NT as an attribute of God. Eph. 2:4 God is rich in ‘eleos’or mercy, proven by salvation in Christ. Read.
- Peter tells His readers we are born again according to His “great mercy.” 1 Pet. 1:3
- This is the word used to describe the mercy that the master had on his servant in the parable of the unmerciful servant…Mt 18:33
What mercy is not; help that is deserved:
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Matt 5:7
Q: How does this statement prove to be true? In two ways (1) from man and (2) from God.
Q: If we show mercy to people does that mean that we are guaranteed mercy back?
It is a in a way a law of effect, but not always. When we show mercy most will show mercy back but this is not always true. But what Jesus is teaching goes beyond this.
- Hence Prov. 11:17 “A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.”
God makes sure that those who give mercy receive it. He gives mercy to those who are merciful and refuses it to those who refuse to give it... For example;
- Mt 6:12 Jesus in this prayer implies that God forgives those who are willing to forgive.
- Mt 18: 21ff Jesus teaches the parable of the unmerciful servant and makes the point that those who do not give mercy will be punished.
- “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:13 (ESV)
(Ϛ#5) The principles of mercy are throughout scripture;
God exemplifies it…
- “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lam 3:22-23
Q: How are God’s mercies “new every morning?” Our daily blessings come from God.
- James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
- Whether we give it, we experience it every day…
Q: Why is it essential that we understand God’s continual mercy?
A: Because how we treat others and how we treat God depends on it. We may not extend mercy if we forget that we receive it. We may not thank God for it if we take it for granted.
- "With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;” 2 Sam 22:26
- 3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,” 2 Cor 1:3 (ESV)
Jesus both taught and demonstrated it: (in so many different places, here is one example)
- Luke 18:13 the tax collector who prayed for mercy received it…
- Luke 18:38-39 Blind man calls out for mercy…the followers of Jesus told the man to shut up. Jesus had compassion while others following him saw him as insignificant. Oh how the church needs have the heart of Christ. By the time that they get to Jericho Jesus sees Zachaeus…they do not understand why Jesus goes to the home of this tax collector. Jesus goes to Zach’s house and saves him…
- And now the hardest part…
We are instructed to extend it…
- “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful”. Luke 6:35-36
- “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 (ESV)
- "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.” Matt 23:23
Q: What would the opposite of this verse be? Those who are not merciful will not receive mercy.
Mercy is more important
Q: Why were justice, mercy and faithfulness weightier or more important? Because these must come from the heart… it is not just to know and act on knowledge. Mercy is something that is hard to give if your heart is not in the right place.
- Being merciful is not acting out of obligation, but out of generosity, concern, and fitting.
- Mt 18:35 the point of the parable of the unmerciful servant,
35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
- Mercy is compassion in action…and where mercy is absent so is compassion.
Q: How is mercy going against the culture? You may be considered weak or not a man if you give mercy. Revenge is a big theme in our culture. Get them back; don’t let them treat you like that…
- (ill: Show; “Revenge” that is fiction but…)
- In reality the absence of mercy can be a destructive force in the church and in the home. (When a spouse does something out of spite or because of something that the other did…instead of talking about it and seeking forgiveness and reconciliation…(i.e. Counseling session with couple who had made a habit of hurting each other and taking everything personally…)
(Ϛ#6) The practice of mercy is powerful in our lives;
Q: How can mercy be something that is in our lives daily?
A: Mercy can be shown in big ways but more frequently in small ways that help love and relationships to grow. (ILL: Mercy can keep marriage relationships in the right place…for example when one spouses makes a mistake and mercy is extended the next time the other spouse makes a mistake they may give mercy…this can keep the relationship in proper perspective…prevents fights and help us to be fair, seeing we both make mistakes…)
(ILL: The shoe incident…both of us left our shoes on the floor…)
- The Apostle Paul wrote it this way, “forgiving one another, as Christ forgave you" (Col 3:13 Eph 4:32):
- This is such a powerful principle for our lives. It is something that should affect us daily and change our relationships altogether. The truth of God’s forgiveness to us should be on our hearts daily and so we should extend mercy daily as it has been to us daily.
Q: How can mercy help us to be happy in life?
A: It should help us to have better relationship at home and at work. If we desire more harmony in our marriages, friendships, and lives in general, we will need to gain some control over our willingness to extend mercy to others. Mercy should be in our words and actions and effect the way we treat everyone.
Q: What is our reaction sometimes when someone does us wrong? “They are going to get it,” or “I am going to give them a piece of my mind” or “tell them what I think.”
Q: How does mercy give us a proper perspective in such situations? We realize what foolish things God has forgiven us for and we are more ready to forgive.
We can gain control over ourselves by understand mercy; that which God has for us and what we should have on others. We understand that mercy is not about giving people what they deserve.
- When we retaliate we are acting off of emotions and not truth and love. No wonder so many fights happen within the church. People are letting themselves be controlled by emotion instead of truth.
- (Do you have any grudges you are holding? Be honest with yourself. Is there anyone you need to forgive? If God held a grudge for all the things you have done how would you stand.)
We take mercy much more easily than we give it out. For example when you make a mistake you are thankful that others forgave you and it was forgotten. When someone else has made a mistake we look down on them with distain and talk about them. We sometimes do not practice the golden rule. (When spouses bring up something and something is then brought up against them “oh that’s not fair.” Or is it?)
(Ϛ#7) The scope of Mercy: (Not just Forgiveness but compassion and care…
Q: When you consider the meaning of the word as to have compassion on one who is in need, to whom else should our mercy be expressed?
Those who are poor and in need…
- Lk 10:37 say that the Good Samaritan had “mercy” on the one who fell among robbers. It is a wider scope than simply forgiving others as God has forgiven us. It is helping others as God has helped us.
- Heb. 4:16 God encourages us to come to Him in prayer when we are in need to find mercy and help in time of need.
- Jesus did not just tell stories of mercy he specifically commanded us to feed the hungry, visit prisoners, clothe the naked, visit the sick and give other practical help as needed. In serving others, in need we demonstrate a heart of mercy? (Mt 25:31-41)
How do I know if I am being merciful? When you look at others do you see them as worthless or priceless? How did Jesus see others?
Canaanite who comes to Jesus Mt 15; asks for Jesus’ mercy in healing her demon possessed daughter. Mt 17 same scenario. He asks for mercy. Jesus gives it. Mk 1 Leper comes and asks for help and Jesus has pity on him. Paul was shown mercy.
We need to see people as significant.
25 Rembrandts in one room on display. Worth 25 million dollars apiece. 300 years old. What if you came across a priceless painting? That had a little dirt on it. The worth is in the painter. We look first at the priceless nature or the problems.
Who deserves to have mercy extended to them? Mercy is a heart that is open to the misery of others. Mercy is not condoning sin it is extending help to someone regardless of it.
Mercy;
- To Noah, Moses saw it extended to the Israelites; God extended it to the exiles.
- God looks down on us and is patient, loving and caring. He extends His mercy to us.
Jesus demonstrated mercy and then offered grace. He first helped out of compassion then he gave the truth. How will people ever understand God’s mercy unless we extend it to them? We are His hands and feet.
Mt 18 The unmerciful servant (10 talents = 10 million dollars) he cries for mercy and forgave him yet would not give mercy to the other servant. (We look at this man and think this is unbelievable…but we can look in the mirror sometimes and see the same person.)
Two questions;
What have I received from God? Forgiveness and help, mercy and grace.What do I give to others?
[1]Louw, Johannes P. ; Nida, Eugene Albert: Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament : Based on Semantic Domains. electronic ed. of the 2nd edition. New York : United Bible societies, 1996, c1989, S. 1:750