“Hungry and Thirsty” (Matthew 5:6)

“Hungry and Thirsty” (Matthew 5:6)
^{Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist Church/Sunday PM, August 9, 2015}

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matt 5:6, NIV)

1.    Hungry and Thirsty

a.    A metaphorical hunger and thirst – from the imagery of physical hunger/thirst.
b.    A hunger/thirst that arises from deep deprivation.
c.    An insatiable hunger/thirst that does not rest until it is filled/satisfied.
d.    A perpetual hunger/thirst that is not content with a one-time filling but remains hungry/thirsty for our lives until glory when it is finally and fully filled.
e.    A hunger/thirst that can only be satisfied by God alone.

2.    Righteousness

a.    Not Social Justice in the Kingdom
b.    Not Imputed Righteousness of Justification
c.    Rather, it is personal piety/sanctification in the life of the individual believer.
d.    It is a desire of a person to live out their faith in a manner that accords with righteousness.

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matt 5:48, NIV)

e.    It is a hunger for God himself

3.    Being Filled

a.    We cannot of our own effort fill ourselves.
b.    God must fill us by his grace.
c.    Not only are we justified (imputed with righteous standing) by grace; we are also sanctified (made holy and righteous in practice) by grace.
d.    This filling with righteousness is a perpetual filling/growth in the here and now in this life.
e.    It will ultimately be fulfilled when we are fully made righteous in glorification in the kingdom of God.

4.    Junk Food

a.    Our biggest problem in remaining perpetually hungry and thirsty for the righteousness of God is the junk food of the pleasures of this world.
b.    The more we feed on the junk food of this world’s sinful pleasures, the less we long for the truly soul-satisfying food of God and his righteousness.
c.    If we are to develop and nurture a hunger for righteousness, then we need to at the same time declare a fast from the junk food of the world.

Main Idea: Disciples of Jesus will never be satisfied with the junk food of this world’s pleasures; instead, they will be perpetually hungering and seeking to live a life of righteousness in the power of God’s grace. And one day that hunger will be fully and forever satisfied in the future kingdom of God.