Introduction

Beloved, gather around as we gather our hearts and minds to contemplate one of the most profound and compelling teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are about to consider Matthew 5:6, a verse that is a wellspring of inspiration and a beacon of hope, a verse that invites us to a banquet of blessings, a feast of faith, a table of truth.

Matthew 5:6 reads,

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

This verse is part of the Beatitudes, the opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus, like a master artist, paints a picture of the kingdom of God using strokes of grace, mercy, peace, and righteousness.

In this verse, our Lord Jesus Christ invites us to a banquet, not of bread and water, but of righteousness. He invites us to hunger and thirst for righteousness, promising that those who do will be filled. What a promise! What an invitation! What a banquet!

But what does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? How can we be filled? And what are the bountiful blessings of spiritual hunger? These are the questions that we will be pondering today.

John Piper once said, "The key to Christian living is a thirst and hunger for God. And one of the main reasons people do not understand or experience the sovereignty of grace and the way it works through the awakening of sovereign joy is that their hunger and thirst for God is so small." There is no spiritual fatigue so wearisome as that which comes from lack of hunger and thirst for righteousness. Just as our bodies crave food and water, our souls crave righteousness. And just as our bodies are filled and satisfied when we eat and drink, our souls are filled and satisfied when we hunger and thirst for righteousness.

And so, we find ourselves standing at the door of a banquet, a banquet of righteousness. We are invited to partake, to feast, to be filled. We are invited to hunger and thirst for righteousness, to be nourished in the kingdom of God.

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word, a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We thank You for Jesus, the Bread of Life, who invites us to hunger and thirst for righteousness. We pray that as we consider Matthew 5:6, You would open our hearts and minds to understand and embrace the truth of Your Word. We pray that You would stir in us a hunger and thirst for righteousness, a hunger and thirst that can only be satisfied in You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

And so, dear friends, let us now consider the bountiful blessings of spiritual hunger, the metaphor of bread for spiritual sustenance, and what it means to become nourished in the kingdom of God.

Bountiful Blessings of Spiritual Hunger

As we consider the teachings of Jesus, we find ourselves drawn to the idea of spiritual hunger. This is not a physical hunger, but a deep, soulful longing for righteousness, for a connection with God. This hunger is a powerful force, driving us to seek God, to strive for righteousness, to yearn for a deeper, more meaningful relationship with our Creator.

This spiritual hunger is a blessing: It is a gift from God, a divine spark that ignites our souls and propels us on our spiritual journey. It is this hunger that leads us to God, that draws us closer to Him, that fuels our pursuit of righteousness. It is this hunger that fills us, that satisfies us, that nourishes our souls.

We are not left empty: God promises to fill us, to satisfy our hunger, to quench our thirst. This is the first blessing of spiritual hunger: the promise of fulfillment. God does not leave us to starve, to thirst, to wither. He fills us, He satisfies us, He nourishes us. He is the Bread of Life, the Living Water, the source of all righteousness.

The blessing of transformation: When we hunger for righteousness, we are changed. We are molded into the image of Christ, shaped by the hand of God, transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the second blessing of spiritual hunger: the promise of transformation. God does not leave us as we are. He changes us, He molds us, He transforms us. He makes us new.

The promise of growth: When we hunger for righteousness, we grow. We mature in our faith, we deepen our understanding of God, we strengthen our relationship with Him. This growth is not always easy. It often involves trials and tribulations, challenges and obstacles. But through it all, God is with us, guiding us, supporting us, helping us to grow.

The promise of communion: When we hunger for righteousness, we are drawn into communion with God. We are invited to partake of His divine nature, to share in His divine life, to enjoy His divine presence. This communion is not a mere religious ritual. It is a deep, intimate, personal relationship with God. It is a living, breathing, dynamic relationship that grows and deepens over time.

Bread as a Metaphor for Spiritual Sustenance

As we continue to reflect on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:6, we find ourselves drawn to the image of bread ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO