Got Righteousness? (2)
Red Letter Weekend 2 • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsCan this promise possibly be for the now as well as the not-yet?
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6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
How fortunate are those who are starving and thirsting to death to see God-people doing God-things the God-way for they shall be filled but not stuffed. [Mt 5.6 JMT]
When I first taught this back in 2011, the world was still reeling from the Norway shooting where 77 people, mostly teens, were killed in a one-man terrorist attack on the government. In DC, the US threatened to default on its bills because of partisan squabbling over a national budget. So much has happened since that these events which caused so much angst at the time are now little more than footnotes in history.
All this would seem to make the answer to the sermon title be, “I don’t think so?” But why not? Jesus promised that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness could have it. Or is righteousness just a personal matter with no implications for the larger society? Maybe this Beatitude is totally “not now” with its promise for heaven only. What is righteousness anyway?
Those who hunger and thirst.
Those who hunger and thirst.
This is the man who is starving.
This is the man who is starving.
This is the woman who must get water or die.
This is the woman who must get water or die.
The wording here suggests the intensity of their desire.
The wording here suggests the intensity of their desire.
For righteousness.
For righteousness.
Righteousness: God-People doing the God-Thing the God-Way
Righteousness: God-People doing the God-Thing the God-Way
There is an obsession to see Not-God-People become God-People.
There is an obsession to see Not-God-People become God-People.
There is an intense longing to see God-People doing God-Things beginning with self.
There is an intense longing to see God-People doing God-Things beginning with self.
There is also a fanatical desire to see God-People doing the God-Things the God-Way, with the heart and mind of God.
There is also a fanatical desire to see God-People doing the God-Things the God-Way, with the heart and mind of God.
Barclay points that the language suggests these people want the whole loaf:
Barclay points that the language suggests these people want the whole loaf:
They will not stop until everyone is a God-Person.
They will not stop until everyone is a God-Person.
They will not stop until every God-Person is doing the God-Thing.
They will not stop until every God-Person is doing the God-Thing.
They are not satisfied unless all those doing the God-Thing are doing it the God-Way.
They are not satisfied unless all those doing the God-Thing are doing it the God-Way.
Shall be filled
Shall be filled
If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you will receive food and water for you will win, teach and model and people will respond.
If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you will receive food and water for you will win, teach and model and people will respond.
The “not now” side of this beatitude is that someday, in heaven, we will see an end to all unrighteousness and will live in a place where it’s all God-People doing the God-Thing the God-Way all the time.
The “not now” side of this beatitude is that someday, in heaven, we will see an end to all unrighteousness and will live in a place where it’s all God-People doing the God-Thing the God-Way all the time.
The now side of this beatitude:
The now side of this beatitude:
We will be full but not stuffed.
We will be full but not stuffed.
We will know victory but not success.
We will know victory but not success.
What about us?
What about us?
Are we God-People doing God-Thing the God-Way? Are we hungering and thirsting for even more personal righteousness?
Are we God-People doing God-Thing the God-Way? Are we hungering and thirsting for even more personal righteousness?
Ø Are we hungry and thirsty enough for more righteousness in our world to win, teach and model so that one person at a time we can be God’s instrument for transforming others into God-People doing God-Things the God Way?
Ø Are we hungry and thirsty enough for more righteousness in our world to win, teach and model so that one person at a time we can be God’s instrument for transforming others into God-People doing God-Things the God Way?
Are we content to see our world get worse and worse and wait until heaven to receive the promise of this Beatitude?
Are we content to see our world get worse and worse and wait until heaven to receive the promise of this Beatitude?
If we are not part of the solution of righteousness, we are part of the problem of unrighteousness.
If we are not part of the solution of righteousness, we are part of the problem of unrighteousness.
Want righteousness?
Want righteousness?
