Happy Are The Hungry - Matthew 5:6 Series

Matthew 5:1-12 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you

Introduction: The Thirst of the Soul

One thing almost everyone in our culture has in common is a full schedule. If nothing else we are an incredibly busy people. Even our children are busy. Our lives are jammed full of all kinds of activities and relationships and stuff. And most of it is stuff and activities and relationships that we have because it seemed good to us.

Another thing we all have in common is we go through times of feeling empty on the inside. We all have those times when our soul is just restless – we just don’t feel right. We look around at all we have and think, “I should be happy, but instead I’m…bored. Judging from all the stuff I have got going in my life my heart should be full of joy, but instead there are so many times when I feel empty.” You know how sometimes you are lying in bed trying to go to sleep and for some reason you just cannot seem to get comfortable? That same thing happens to our souls sometimes. No matter how many fun things you do, no matter how many friends you have, no matter how well work is going – your soul is just restless and agitated and you cannot get comfortable.

Why is that? How come sometimes my heart is full, and other times – even though I still have all the same stuff in my life – I am just joyless, empty, bored, lonely, weary, depressed, unfulfilled – just kind of empty? What is that? The longings and groanings and dissatisfaction of the human soul are what the Bible calls hunger and thirst of the soul. Just like your body has hunger and thirst, so does your soul. And whatever it is you think will cure that feeling of dissatisfaction is what you are hungry and thirsty for.

We have recently begun a study of the Sermon on the Mount, and we come this morning to beatitude #4.

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Righteousness

Righteousness basically means to be right with someone. In the Old Testament context they used that word to refer to behavior that placed you in someone’s good graces. So back then, when the secular people used the word “righteousness” in a non-religious context, they would use it to describe a good relationship between various parties. For example, righteousness toward the government was behavior that gave you favor with the government. You follow their laws, pay taxes, show loyalty, and in return you are in good standing with them. Righteousness toward your wife was whatever behavior it took to get her to be happy with you. Righteousness in the context of a covenant (or contract) was behavior that fulfilled the terms of that covenant so you are in good standing with the person you made the deal with.

The Bible writers use the term righteousness in reference to God. Righteousness toward God, in the Old Testament, was behavior that fulfilled the terms of His covenant (the Law in Old Testament times), and showed you to be a person who had God’s approval and favor. If you are righteous it means everything is right between you and God.

It is important for us to understand that background because the Sermon on the Mount is basically a sermon on righteousness – specifically what righteousness looks like in the Kingdom of the Messiah. And if you go through the whole Sermon on the Mount and summarize each thing Jesus says about righteousness, here is what you get: Righteousness is good deeds, internal and external, done out of obedience to Jesus Christ for the glory of God, that enable nearness to God. What does the life of the person who is right with God look like? What sort of life has the approval and favor of God in the kingdom? A life of obedience and loyalty to Jesus Christ – including both internal and external obedience