“Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst”
Introduction:
Today we have come to a very important place in our journey through the beatitudes.
As I've mentioned before, the Beatitudes are essential for our transformation into Christ-likeness.
They serve as the blue print for living and becoming like Christ, embracing the very essence of who Jesus was and guiding us toward true happiness and lasting peace.
Each of these Beatitudes builds upon the previous ones, much like roots that nurture a growing and thriving plant.
The first 3 Beatitudes are the roots of a growing and thriving spiritual life.
The first three focus solely on the individuals recognition of their own spiritual state.
Poor in spirit— Our own spiritual poverty
Those who mourn— Mourning over sin and brokenness
The meek— Submitting to God’s will with humility.
From these roots, a life energized by a desire for righteousness, godliness, and Christ-likeness begins to flourish.
This desire for godliness becomes the very life taking shape in the Christian believer, ultimately producing fruit such as mercy, purity, peace, and yes, even persecution.
This Beatitude marks a turning point in our journey of becoming. The first three focus on the individual’s recognition of their spiritual state.
Now, Jesus goes deeper, saying, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
Here, Jesus shifts from external recognition to internal transformation, from observing our condition to actively seeking change.
Jesus moves from an external observation— to an internal desire for righteousness, reflecting a deeper longing for spiritual growth and transformation.
Here Jesus is emphasizing on a deep spiritual longing and appetite… He use hunger and thirst to illustrate this.
Hunger and thirst are basic, but powerful human drives that force people to change everything to satisfy… this symbolizes the intensity and the urgency with which one should pursue righteousness… because we need water and nourishment to survive… and we must activity pursue it rather than be passive and wait for it to happen on it sown.
Through this hunger, Jesus promises fulfillment, addressing our core human need for purpose and meaning.
This desire for God’s righteousness speaks to living out both personal holiness and social justice, marking a clear progression in spiritual maturity.
When we think about hungering and thirsting… imagine someone lost in a desert, desperately searching for water, their intense thirst drives every action and thought.
This is easily reflected in Psalm 42:1-2
Here we have the imagery where a deer pants for water in a dry land.
Just as a deer desperately seeks streams of water, our souls must yearn for God’s presence with great urgency.
This longing is not a casual desire but a profound need that only God can quench. Jesus assures us that those who hunger and thirst for God and His righteousness will be satisfied.
However, without this thirst for God, we wither and die spiritually.
Today, we will explore three key aspects:
1. Identifying True Righteousness
2. Cultivating a Godly Appetite
3. Experiencing Satisfaction
1. Identifying True Righteousness
Righteousness, in biblical terms, refers to a life that is in alignment with God's will and character. It encompasses both a right relationship with God and right living according to His standards.
This hunger and thirst for righteousness is not a casual desire but a deep, consuming longing.
Righteousness is a lifestyle that distinguishes us as true Christians and invites opposition from the world.
If you look ahead at Matthew 5:10 it says righteousness opens you up to persecution
In essence, we are to hunger and thirst for the kind of life that will cause some people to persecute us.
It includes both our position before God and our practical outworking of that position in daily life.
Positional Righteousness: We have a positional righteousness that we received from God through faith in Jesus. This is not something that we have earned; it is a gift of grace
Practical Righteousness: This goes beyond surface-level righteousness. It involves practically living according to God’s commands and reflecting His character in our actions and decisions. This is about living out the righteousness we have received (1 John 3:7).
True righteousness is the foundation of a deep and meaningful relationship with God.
Without this intense desire for holiness and rightful living, a person will not pursue a relationship with God, nor will they seek to develop the character of Christ.
The foundational requirement for Godly living is to seek the kingdom of God above all else and to live righteously.
In Micah 6:8…we get a more clear of a biblical understanding of how God expects us, as His people to live.
This passage is one of the clearest and most complete pictures of how God expects us, as His people to live.
Do Justice: This requires fairness and honesty in our dealings with others. It involves standing up for what is right and ensuring equitable treatment for all.
Love Kindness: This requires showing genuine, active compassion to people in need. It’s about loving others selflessly and putting their needs above our own.
Walk Humbly with God: This requires a constant attitude of gratitude toward God, total reliance on Him, and an undying respect for His purposes. It’s about recognizing our dependence on God and submitting to His will.
Righteousness starts in the heart and focuses on an internal transformation within us.
Jesus consistently emphasized the importance of the heart in His teachings.
He often illustrated that the true measure of righteousness is not merely external actions, but the intentions and attitudes that reside within us.
Have you ever noticed, when Jesus teaches an extreme position he always begins with the heart?
For instance, a little bit further in His sermon, He addresses the issue of adultery by saying, "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28).
Jesus is highlighting that sin doesn't start with the physical act but with the desires and thoughts within our hearts.
This signifies that RIGHT and WRONG behavior begins in our hearts.
It is not enough to simply “refrain” from outward sinful actions; we must also guard our thoughts and intentions.
The heart is the source form which our actions flow. Proverbs 4:23 states, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
When Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, He touched on the inner state of our hearts.
True longing for righteousness is an internal, deep-seated desire to align our hearts and lives with God's will.
This internal transformation leads to external actions that reflect God's character and commands.
It’s a holistic change that starts from within and manifests outwardly.
The spiritual condition of Christians throughout their lives will largely depend on their hunger and thirst for God—for His presence, His guidance, His influence.
Do you know what the default setting is for 99% of all people… and most Christians?… self-righteousness.
Our default setting is self-righteousness.
We are the kings and queens of our kingdoms, determining for ourselves what is good and beautiful.
Those who oppose us are grabbing for power, they are judgmental, and ignorant.
Self-righteousness is the belief that one is inherently right and virtuous, often coupled with a judgmental attitude towards others.
It’s a mindset where we see ourselves as the judges of what is right and wrong, good and bad, based on our own standards rather than objective, divine standards.
True righteousness is a holistic and deeply relational concept.
It involves being made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ, experiencing inner transformation by the Holy Spirit, living in obedience to God's commands, loving others, acting justly, showing mercy, and walking humbly with God.
It's about a genuine, heartfelt alignment with God's will and character in every aspect of life.
Understanding what true righteousness entails sets the foundation for our spiritual journey.
But how do we cultivate this deep desire and longing for righteousness in our daily lives?
2. Cultivating a Godly Appetite
Hunger is natural but appetite can be cultivated.
Hunger is a natural response to a need for sustenance.
Hunger is a basic human need that drives us to seek nourishment.
It’s a signal that our bodies require food to function and thrive. This natural hunger is crucial for survival and well-being.
No one needs to tell you to be hungry in the natural, and no one needs to remind you when you haven’t eaten.
Your body is programmed to send signals and it forces you into action.
Similarly, spiritual hunger is an innate desire within us for meaning, purpose, and connection with something greater than ourselves.
It reflects our need for spiritual nourishment and fulfillment.
Spiritual hunger is a natural response to our need for God.
Hunger is instinctual… but appetite can be cultivated… because you can learn to like and enjoy things that at one time you did not have a taste for.
This is why Paul tells Timothy to train ourselves in godliness… 1 Timothy 4:7-10
Paul is saying that there are practices and disciplines we can do that will help us to advance spiritually and go on into mature believers.
Much like the neglect of our physical bodies… many Christians have neglected spiritual bodies.
Many have never moved on into maturity, they are still stuck on the milk.
There are so many immature believers in the church today, mostly because they have never taken the time to cultivate a godly appetite…
The sad reality is… mostly those who are immature, don’t know it.
Immaturity shows up in several ways… 1. Easily offended 2. Focused to heavily on what they have done and not received in return. 3. Lacks Grace for others. 4. Forgets that we are, at all costs to become less, so that He can increase.
Spiritual maturity comes through spiritual disciplines and having the right appetite.
Appetite can and should be cultivated.
Did you know that your physical appetite is shaped by what you consume?
You crave the things that you most often consume, because you have acquired a taste for those things and whats even more interesting is, you will crave other things that are similar.
If we consistently eat certain types of food, our taste preferences and cravings can change.
I am a foodie… like most of you, I absolutely love food…and this is no secret… the struggle is real!
The problem is I love food, the problem is the foods I love are terrible for my body…
For example… I love
Chocolate
Cheeseburgers
French fries’
Hot dogs
Steak smothered in mushrooms and onions
ANYTHING fried
Pizza
Ice Cream
Potato chips
Cakes
Brownies
Chinese food
Bacon
Donuts
Cookies
As long as I am eating of these freely… I feel satisfied and I crave these sorts of things… here is the issue… none of these satisfy my hunger.
It can only dull my hunger temporarily… because every time I indulge in this junk… a few hours later I am on another raid through the kitchen… looking for more junk.
However, if I sit down and have a meal that is actually nutritious… I can eat to my fill and my body is satisfied for many hours.
For example If I have a large piece of grilled chicken breast with a sweet potato, large portion of broccoli, and maybe a small healthy salad… I am not hungry with in an hour.
One thing I know, is food… and I have lost weight quickly and gained it quickly… whenever I started dieting for the first time… It was difficult for me to sit down and eat something healthy.
I had no appetite for it… I actually despised some of the food… at first it all seemed bland and tasteless...but after a while I thought: ‘This is not so bad.’ I felt better, and I had more energy.”
I began to lose weight… and feel better… I had a better quality of life…and interestingly enough… I began to crave the foods I once hated.
See a change of diet led to a change of appetite.
The point I am making is that appetite can be cultivated.
Change your diet and you will change your appetite.
Regular diet shapes appetite over time.
This is true regardless if we are talking about our physical health or our spiritual health.
Jesus uses the language of hunger and thirst to relate to our brains because we perfectly understand what those are…and he says similar to that… we need to desire God and His righteousness.
So when we look at our spiritual lives… we are what we eat.
Take a church setting for example…
If a congregation is fed entertainment, it will develop a strong appetite for entertainment.
If a congregation is fed emotionalism, it will develop a strong appetite to be appealed to emotionally.
If it's fed popular psychology, such as self-help,or mainstream psychology… the congregation will grow hungry for popular psychology.
However, if a congregation is nourished with the Word of God, it will cultivate a deep and enduring hunger and thirst for God.
So the principle is clear… you will want more of whatever you feed yourself on.... so we should choose our diet very carefully!
Lets take a deeper look here…think about what you are into?
What do you find yourself doing, when you are not fulfilling your obligations such as work, children, and managing life?
Where do you spend the majority of you free time?
Do you work out?
Do you sleep?
Do you watch TV or sports?
Do you shop?
Do you cook?
Do you hunt or fish?
Do you bake?
Do you watch movies?
Do you garden?
When asked the question, what are you doing with your life… you answer is defined by your appetite and your appetite is fed by your diet.
SO concerning your won spiritual lives… you need to examine your life and your diet… and ask...
Is this really the best that I can do with my life?
Could I not make better use of it?
Are the pleasures of my life holding me back form becoming all that Christ intends me to be?
Is my appetite for God being cultivated or is it diminished by a hunger and thirst for other things?
Spiritual hunger represents our innate desire for God and His righteousness.
It’s an essential part of our spiritual makeup, but appetite—the intensity and consistency of that desire—can be nurtured through intentional practices.
In John 6:35 Jesus says
Hunger: Represents the inherent need within us for God and His righteousness.
It's the initial drive that prompts us to seek spiritual nourishment.
Appetite: Is the cultivated desire that drives us to pursue God consistently.
Unlike hunger, which is instinctual, appetite can be developed and deepened through our choices and practices.
We need to have intentional practices if we are going to cultivate a spiritual hunger for God.
Just as a physical appetite can be developed through regular eating habits, a godly appetite is cultivated through spiritual disciplines.
This includes regular prayer, Bible study, and worship. These practices help us focus our desires and increase our longing for God.
See, active pursuit of spiritual growth is crucial for developing a godly appetite.
It’s not just about responding to spiritual hunger but about intentionally seeking God.
To cultivate a deeper appetite for God, establish daily habits that keep you connected to Him.
This could be a structured time for prayer, scripture reading, and reflection.
We need to be creating a routine that involves setting specific times for these spiritual disciplines, ensuring that our appetite for God grows stronger over time.
Here is a misconception… people have this understanding that they just “Start hungering and thirsting for more of God”
That this will automatically begin for them… when in fact… it won’t.
There needs to be a time of cleansing and re-prioritizing.
One sure way to spoil your appetite is to snack between meals.
If you snack on chips throughout the afternoon, you won’t have much appetite for dinner in the evening.
The principle here is a very simple one: Restrict what spoils your appetite. Don’t snack between meals.
Proper pleasures, if indulged at the wrong time or in excessive amounts, can diminish your desire for holiness.
So although you might not be sinning by enjoying your favorite pass time… it may be spoiling your capacity to have a deeper and more fulfilling relationship with God.
They can spoil your hunger and thirst to be all that you can be for God.
Some of you can look back to a time in your life when you had a great passion to live all out for Jesus Christ. What happened? The appetite was spoiled by legitimate comforts and pleasures.
Sometimes the things in our lives that are not hurtful… are not helpful…and at times, in order to cultivate our deeper hunger for God, we need to remove things or prioritize them differently.
Cultivating a Godly appetite involves transforming our desires to align with God’s will.
It means prioritizing spiritual nourishment over worldly distractions and seeking fulfillment in a relationship with God rather than in temporary pleasures.
As we cultivate a spiritual appetite for God, we grow in holiness and become more like Christ.
This process involves ongoing transformation and refinement of our character to reflect God’s righteousness.
I believe there are 5 steps to cultivating a Godly Appetite.
Feeding on the Word of God: Just as our physical bodies need food, our spirits need nourishment from the Word of God.
Regular reading, studying, and meditating on Scripture help cultivate a deep spiritual appetite for God's truth and wisdom.
This cultivates a hunger for spiritual growth and understanding. It aligns our desires with God’s will and shapes our spiritual appetites to seek righteousness and holiness.
Regular Prayer and Worship: Developing a consistent prayer life and engaging in worship help foster a deeper relationship with God.
This intimacy cultivates a stronger spiritual appetite for His presence and guidance.
Through prayer and worship, our hearts are aligned with God’s desires, and we develop a craving for His presence and a deeper connection with Him.
Community and Fellowship: Being part of a faith community encourages spiritual growth and cultivates a Godly appetite.
Fellowship with other believers provides support, accountability, and inspiration.
Participating in group Bible studies, prayer meetings, and service projects helps reinforce spiritual appetites and encourages a collective pursuit of God’s purposes.
Service and Generosity: Serving others and practicing generosity reflect a heart that is in tune with God’s love and compassion.
These acts cultivate a spiritual appetite for selflessness and a desire to make a positive impact.
Engaging in acts of service and generosity helps align our lives with God’s commandments and cultivates a deeper desire to live according to His will.
Fasting and Reflection: Fasting and periods of reflection help shift our focus from physical to spiritual nourishment.
They create space for a heightened awareness of God’s presence and a deeper longing for His guidance.
Through fasting and reflection, we learn to depend on God for our needs and desires, strengthening our appetite for His righteousness and guidance.
Cultivating a Godly appetite involves transforming our desires to align with God’s will. It means prioritizing spiritual nourishment over worldly distractions and seeking fulfillment in a relationship with God rather than in temporary pleasures.
As we cultivate a spiritual appetite for God, we grow in holiness and become more like Christ. This process involves ongoing transformation and refinement of our character to reflect God’s righteousness.
Developing a Godly appetite helps shift our focus from immediate, temporary desires to an eternal perspective, valuing God’s promises and living with a focus on His kingdom.
The reward of all of this…is that we are Satisfied.
This satisfaction goes beyond momentary pleasure, offering a lasting fulfillment that aligns with God’s promises and His eternal kingdom.
3. Experiencing Satisfaction
IS your soul satisfied?…are you being filled?
Experiencing satisfaction means finding deep, enduring fulfillment in our relationship with God, as He promises to fill our deepest spiritual desires when we seek His righteousness, allowing us to discover that He alone can completely save and satisfy our souls.
The term "filled" or "satisfied" in this Beatitude means that the pangs of hunger and thirst will disappear.
The verb is passive, indicating that God Himself will fulfill our intense desire for a right relationship with Him.
As you hunger and thirst… as your pursue… as you long for him and yearn for him, He satisfies you.
When you think about what it means to be filled… or to be satisfied… it means you are content with what has been experienced or recieved.
Jesus promises that those who earnestly seek righteousness will find true satisfaction.
This satisfaction is not temporary or superficial but a deep, enduring fulfillment that only God can provide.
This is a divine satisfaction… unlike the fleeting pleasures of this world, the fulfillment that comes from God is lasting and profound.
It goes beyond physical needs and touches the core of our being, filling the spiritual hunger within us.
God always responds and is commited to satisfying those who long for him.
True satisfaction is rooted in a relationship with God and living according to His will. It is about being content in God's presence and trusting in His provision.
To further illustrate this… I want to look at Philippians 4:11-13
We can be content in all circumstances through the strength that Christ provides.
We have peace, that transcends understanding.
This satisfaction is a foretaste of the ultimate fulfillment we will experience in His eternal kingdom.
Transition to Communion
As we conclude this message on hungering and thirsting for righteousness, we are reminded of the ultimate expression of God's provision for our deepest needs: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Communion is a powerful reminder of how Jesus’ body was broken and His blood was shed to bring us into right relationship with God.
It’s through His sacrifice that we can be filled with His righteousness and experience true satisfaction.
As we partake in the bread and the cup, let's reflect on our hunger and thirst for righteousness and recognize that Jesus is the one who fulfills that hunger.
He invites us to come to Him, to be filled, and to experience the satisfaction that only He can provide.
As we close today, remember this: True satisfaction is not found in the temporary pleasures of this world, but in the eternal righteousness of God. When we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we align ourselves with His purpose, His love, and His peace.
Call to Action:
This week, I challenge you to examine what you are truly hungry for.
Are you seeking fulfillment in things that fade, or are you pursuing the eternal righteousness of God?
Make a conscious effort to spend time in His Word, seek His presence in prayer, and allow His Spirit to transform your desires.
Let us go forth, not just as hearers of the Word, but as doers, living out our faith with a passion for righteousness that shines brightly in a world that desperately needs hope.
May our lives be a testimony of God's transforming power, and may we find the deep satisfaction that comes from living for Him.
Prayer
