Starving

Text: Matt. 5:6

Intro: So far we’ve learned that a blessed person is someone who becomes poor in spirit, mourns over his or her sins, and submits to the will of God. The first 3 beatitudes all deal with our need, they lead us to humble ourselves and bow before God. But today we are going to discuss the fourth beatitude, which addresses the desire that arises from such a heart. The first 3 form the roots of a godly life, which lead us to produce a deep hunger and thirst for righteousness.

I. Types of Righteousness

1. Imputed Righteousness (Christ Gives Us)

A. 1 Cor. 1:30 (Righteousness that belongs to another is counted as ours)

B. Phil. 3:9 (Before Christ he thought he had righteousness, but after his conversion, he realized that he was far from righteous and needed imputed righteousness)

2. Righteousness to which Christ calls us

A. We must understand that even thought we are forgiven and accepted on the basis of Christ, we must still pursue our own righteousness to which God calls us

B. Christians are both fully righteous and hungry for righteousness

We must see how far we still have to go

II. What are you hungry for?

1. Hunger for the world or for righteousness

A. If you hunger and thirst for money, you’ll never have enough. If pride takes root, no affirmation will ever be enough. Worldly things never fulfill you.

B. John 6:35 (Hunger and thirst for righteousness will leave you satisfied.)

2. Change your Appetite

A. Vegan reference

B. What you feed yourself is what you desire

III. How to change your appetite?

1. Fast from pleasures

A. Snacking ruins your appetite, so by fasting from everyday pleasures like sports or hobbies or our phones, will allow us to develop a deeper hunger for God.

2. Use the secret sauce

A. Blessings are sweet sauce, troubles are tangy, persecutions are hot sauce.

Use them to strengthen a Godly appetite for righteousness.

B. Job 1:20-21

3. `Trust Christ for Sanctification

A. Christ did not just come to save us from our sins but to deliver us from all that holds us back from the pursuit of a righteous and godly life.

Conclusion: Christ calls us to pursue righteousness, we must develop an understanding of what it is that we are hungering after, is it more money, a better job, a new car, or are we truly becoming poor in spirit and hungering after God rather than our own worldly desires. What do you feed yourself? Is it filthy music, or ungodly entertainment, or do you feed yourself with God’s word and allow yourself to develop an appetite for God. Make God your priority, use every struggle and every hardship to build a deeper hunger for God. And after you begin to hunger and thirst for righteousness, then the fruits will begin to be produced.