Blessed Are Those Who Hunger And Thirst For God Series

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness

Matthew 5:1-5:12

Introduction-

We will be looking at the forth Beatitude of Jesus sermon on the mount.

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

We have looked at the poor in Spirit- those who are humble.

We have looked at those who mourn- inner grieve for others and for sin to be out of our lives.

Blessed are the Meek- those that have a heart for the things of God. Not being a punching bag or wimp

I believe that God put these in order because before you are able to even think about thirsting after God- I think the other three qualities have to be in place.

Be Humble

having a concern for sin in your life

have a heart for the things of God. Hate the things that God hates and love the things that God loves.

Most people when they hear this will think- there goes the preacher again telling us to put God first in our lives.

Some will say……. I need to do that. (Today you will make a change)

Some will say (to themselves)……….. I do not want to do that. ( No change will happen)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled”

Let that settle in a minute.

Not many of us know what it is like to be hungry. We say “were starving” when we are just between meals.

During this time in Israel, the time of this writing , a workmen’s wage was one denario. No one would get fat or have any abundance on that kind of income.

3rd world countries know about being hungry, and thirsting for fresh water. The Western culture has such abundance, we have no understanding of shortage.

Most people in America live as rich people compared to those who go without. We may not eat steak everyday, but to people who do not know where their next meal is coming from, we have plenty.

They would be happy with two meals a day.

They would be happy to live in our homes- with or without heat and electricity.

These Israelites ate meat once a week at most, and ate sparingly the rest of the time.

They understood hungry.

They understood doing without.

Water was another issue. They did not just go to the faucet and pour themselves a cold glass of pure fresh, bacteria-free water.

Travelers would fight swirling sand and overwhelming heat in the hopes of finding water. Their throats so parched that they almost suffocated.

The hunger that Jesus is talking about is not waiting for mid-morning snacks.

The thirst could not be satisfied with a cup of coffee, or an iced tea.

It is someone who is starving for food, and the thirst of someone who will die unless they are given water to drink.

The righteousness that Jesus is talking about is Godly righteousness.

Righteousness by definition is acting in accord with divine or moral law.

The only way we can be righteous is through Jesus Christ. The righteous one

If we are seeking the righteous one- we will be filled.

Most people have a desire to do good. But it is vague and shallow. When the moment of decision comes, they are not prepared to make the effort and sacrifice needed.

Can you imagine this city if people desired goodness and God more than anything else?

Here is what I am saying this morning:

we can talk a good game, we can camouflage our lives.

But God is telling us that if we are hungering and thirsting for Him above all else- we will be filled and satisfied.

I have heard some say that I want peace in my life.

I want to be happy.

I want to be satisfied.

I am always searching and never finding what I am looking for.

Listen to me:

you will never find those things without Christ! Christ is peace!

Christ is happiness!

Christ sustains us and fills us.

He satisfies your needs because it is based on a relationship and not on emotions!

God provides blessings on a starved spirit- a spirit that is seeking Christ to fill them.

Luke 14:26

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife, his children, his brothers, his sisters- yes even his own life- he cannot be my disciple”

People love to hate that verse- to say how mean and out of focus Jesus is about relationships with Him.

I want you to know what that verse means- it means compared to the love you should have for Jesus, your love for family does not compare. That in comparison it would be hatred.

Is Jesus saying that should hate your love ones? Of course not! He is saying that our love for Him must be much more.