Insatiable Craving Series

PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS: INSATIABLE CRAVING

ILLUSTRATION:

Can you believe that next year will mark 20-years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans? We all saw the news stories—the DESTRUCTION, the DEATH TOLL, the HUMAN AGONY and MISERY. Hurricane Katrina is the COSTLIEST natural disaster in American history. Over 1,000 PEOPLE were KILLED. More than 400,000 HOMES were DESTROYED—some entire TOWNS throughout Louisiana and Mississippi were FLATTENED. Hundreds of thousands of people were DISPLACED—many never RETURNED to their HOMES.

There was no WATER, no FOOD, no SEWAGE DISPOSAL, no ELECTRICITY, no means of COMMUNICATION. Thousands were STRANDED at the New Orleans Super Dome and Convention Center surrounded by a LAKE of POLLUTED WATER. Those who were able to make it to HIGHER GROUND were living in TENTS and whatever MAKESHIFT SHELTERS they were able to put together to SHIELD them from the SCORCHING SUN until they were able to EVACUATE. Many were becoming DEATHLY ILL from the UNSANITARY conditions under

which these people were FORCED to live.

Families had to PATROL their neighborhoods with guns because of LOOTING and ARMED ROBBERY. Some had their CAMPS raided, and all that was taken were FOOD and WATER that

they had managed to SAVE before the STORM hit.

“Just give us one bottle of PURE, CLEAN water,” a young mother PLEADED with a government official. “My children are STARVING,” another woman CRIED out. “All we want is something to EAT and DRINK,” people SHOUTED in DESPERATION.

COMMENT:

I have never experienced anything like what these people went through. Obviously, I haven’t MISSED many MEALS. And I haven’t gone for LONG PERIODS of time without at least having

something to DRINK.

But people who are LITERALLY STARVING and DYING of THIRST will do anything to EAT and DRINK?nothing will SATISFY them but FOOD and WATER.

A. It is this INSATIABLE CRAVING that Jesus speaks of when He says, “Blessed are those who hunger

and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled”- Matthew 5:6.

1. The words “HUNGER” and “THIRST” have a much STRONGER MEANING than the way we

usually use the words.

COMMENT:

We skip lunch and by dinnertime we say, “Boy, I’m STARVING.” Or after MOWING the LAWN, we run to the FRIDGE and grab a BOTTLE OF WATER because we’re “THIRSTY.”

2. The words of Jesus speak of a much deeper CRAVING or DESIRE.

ILLUSTRATION:

The majority of Jesus’ HEARERS understood the implication behind this BLESSING. Most in ancient Palestine knew the meaning of deep HUNGER and THIRST. The DAILY WAGE was often just barely enough to FEED the FAMILY. Certainly, no LUXURIES were PURCHASED!

If the MONEYMAKER became ILL and couldn’t work, the rest of the FAMILY would either have to BEG or STARVE to DEATH. Some, to keep from STARVING, would SELL their WIVES, CHILDREN, and THEMSELVES into SLAVERY. At least as SLAVES their MASTERS would FEED them.

COMMENT:

So, when Jesus spoke of HUNGERING and THIRSTING, they understood the CONCEPT very well. It was the idea that “HUNGER and THIRST could produce HAPPINESS” that threw them off. But you see, it’s what a person HUNGERS and THIRST FOR that brings HAPPINESS.

B. We have seen throughout these lessons that POWER, PRESTIGE, POPULARITY, PLEASURE,

POSSESSIONS cannot PRODUCE true FULFILLMENT and HAPPINESS in LIFE.

COMMENT:

And the reason is, there is nothing PHYSICALLY on this EARTH that brings complete SATISFACTION. We may be SUCCESSFUL in gratifying some of our PHYSICAL NEEDS, but there is still something MISSING DEEP INSIDE. The DEEP LONGING that we have INSIDE can never be satisfied PHYSICALLY because it is a SPIRITUAL LONGING. It only can be SATISFIED with GOD.

MESSAGE:

I. HUNGER AND THIRST LEADS TO FULFILLMENT

A. We need to recognize our REAL HUNGER and THIRST.

1. Most of us Americans are not PHYSICALLY HUNGRY, but we are HUNGRY.

a. Mother Teresa once said, “In India, they are starving physically, but in America, you are

starving emotionally.”

b. She came close to being right. Our HUNGER manifests itself EMOTIONALLY?we feel

it? but it’s really not an EMOTIONAL HUNGER, it’s a SPIRITUAL HUNGER.

COMMENT:

And the fact is, most people don’t know what they’re HUNGRY for, they just know they’re HUNGRY. And so, you hear phrases like, “My life is EMPTY.” “I’m BORED.” “I’m RESTLESS.” “Something just seems to be MISSING.” Or, “There's got to be MORE to LIFE than this.”

2. What is it that really makes me HUNGRY? What’s MISSING in my LIFE?

ILLUSTRATION:

Have you ever played the “I DON’T KNOW GAME?” You get in the car after Sunday morning WORSHIP and look over at your wife or husband or at the kids and ask, “Where do you want to eat?” “I don’t know. Where do you want to go eat?” “I don’t know.” “Well, what are you hungry for?” “I don’t know.” “What are you hungry for?” “I don’t know.”