Hunger and Thirsting after Righteousness.

Matthew 5:1–12 CSB

When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Connection point -

We can almost see a progression in the people that our Lord is describing.

The poor in spirit recognize their need, they mourn over their broken-sinful condition. This produces within them humility(a person emptied of their own will and agenda, a pliable spirit. A person that is now ready to bend to the will of God in Salvation ) Which leads us today’s Text.

Matthew 5:6 CSB

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Review:

Blessed -almost universally occurs in connections which emphasize, ... a sense of God’s approval founded in righteousness which rests ultimately on love to God.

“Kingdom of Heaven” - The present and future realm in which Jesus Christ exercises full authority, and through which he triumphs over all opposition.

Key words/phrases: “Hunger and Thirst”, “Righteousness (91 x in the NT)”, and “Filled”

I. What type of hunger and thirst is being described?

Have you ever been so hungry that you’ve made the statement, “ I could eat anything”. However, once the immediate options were presented you decided that you could wait after all? This is not the type of hunger and thirst being described in this passage. This type of Hunger and Thirst being described is the type of hunger that one has as a result of a famine or extreme poverty.

Now thank back a couple of weeks to the first of the beatitudes. We talked about what it meant to be “Poor in spirit” the idea of spiritual poverty of the soul. This thought like we mentioned a few moments ago is directly linked to this idea of a famine.

This type of hunger is not describing a mere want but rather a desperation. The imagery is if I do not get something to eat or drink I will soon perish. The person being described is in a desperate situation.

Trans: This brings us to our next question

II. What Type of Famine is Being Described?

It is a famine necessitated by a lack of something.In fact, all famines describe for us a situation where there is an extreme shortage. Of course here the famine is not one of lacking food It is the famine of righteousness caused by sin. It is a famine of relationship to God. It is as one whom has tasted in part the righteousness of Christ given to us and thus wants more. The Psalmist wrote of this same desire.

Psalm 42:1 CSB

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God.

Psalm 42:2 CSB

I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God?

Psalm 63:1 CSB

God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you. I thirst for you; my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water.

They desire a relationship with God unhindered by disobedience. They Long for the day when their sanctification will be made complete in Him.

Question: Do you long for this type of relationship with Christ? I mean really long for it. Do you long to be rid of your sinful flesh? Do you long for the righteousness of Christ to truly purify you and cleanse you. that results in change?

One of the worst conditions for a Christian(if they are truly a believer at all) is to be found in is one who has quenched the spirit of God is comfortable living in sin.

What if all of us were desperate to be rid of everything that hinders our relationship to God, everything in our lives that didn’t look like Christ?

Jude 23 CSB

save others by snatching them from the fire; have mercy on others but with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

What if each of us took a spiritual inventory of ourselves not the person around you but you? When is the last time you’ve truly examined the yourself under the light of scripture?

Just recently I purchased this flashlight for my birthday. It boast of 1600 lumens. from my driveway near the end of the street, I can shine it on it’s highest setting and look into the tops of the trees at the other end of the street. When I go camping it will be impossible for anything inside 200 meters to hide from me. The Light is so bright. In this same way.

The Light of scripture and the holy spirit will illuminates sin in our lives when we use it to examine ourselves. Sin cannot hide under its shine. This is why so many people refuse to study the Word or sit under it’s preaching. The word shines so brightly on thier sin and they would rather hide in the shadows then to come into contact with this light. So when is the last time you were so desperate to look like Christ that you began to evaluate every aspect of your life by its light

Does the way you use your time look like Christ.

I’m not talking about doing bad things, I’m asking how are you using the time that God has granted you to further the mission?

Many believers will leave this earth having spent way more time and money on entertainment(which most of today’s entertainment is nothing but filth) than they will have spent time building up themselves and others in the Kingdom of God.

Do your actions look like Christ?

Are you crucifying the flesh or feeding it?

Do you pray?

Do you spend regular time with the father through His Word, pray,and His Church (I’m not talking about a 5 minute devotional but actual time studying the word.)

Are you committing idolatry not in word but by your actions putting sin, your will, money, causes, hobbies and sports ahead of your relationship to God

Are you inhibiting your children’s relationship to God by allowing them to put their activities, sports, and hobbies as priority above these things?

What if each of us truly were so hungry for an uninhibited relationship with God that we were willing to listen to the Spirits leading and rid ourselves of everything that didn’t look like Christ from the way we dressed to the entertainment we consumed(modesty seems to be a thing thrown out the window), to how we spent our everyday.

This is the type of hunger and thirst being mentioned in this text. A desperation for Christ to come wipe us clean.

III. With What Shall They Be Filled?

IV. How Shall Their Appetite Be quenched?

V. When Will This Take Place?

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