A hunger For Righteousness
Welcome to today’s podcast. Today we are going to continue our study of the Beatitudes.
If you’re just tuning in for the first time, The Beatitudes are the teachings of Jesus Christ that were shared during The sermon on the Mount. They describe the blessedness of those who have certain qualities or experiences that relate to those belonging to the Kingdom of Heaven. As believers to be attitudes should inspire us to seek the kingdom of heaven daily. Now let’s get started and pick up where we left off with Matthew 5:6.
Matthew 5:6 NKJV – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
We read in John how we can attain that righteousness.
John 6:35 NKJV – And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Hunger and thirst are basic human needs that we cannot live without.
Jesus uses these metaphors to emphasize the intensity of our longing for righteousness. Righteousness, in this context, refers to a right relationship with God and living in accordance with His will. In Luke Jesus shares the intensity of our longing for that righteousness.
Luke 10:27 NKJV – So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”
To hunger and thirst for righteousness means to have an insatiable desire for a deeper connection with God and to live in a way that pleases Him. It all starts with faith.
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV – But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
But what does Jesus mean by “they will be filled”?
“They will be filled” means that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will find what they’re looking for. They will find a deep and meaningful relationship with God, and they will experience the blessings that come with that relationship. This verse is a promise that if we seek God with all our hearts, we will find Him, and He will satisfy our deepest longings.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV – Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
That’s a powerful promise. But how can we practically hunger and thirst for righteousness in our daily lives?
Hungering and thirsting for righteousness means pursuing God with all our hearts. It means spending time in prayer and reading the Bible, seeking to know God more intimately. It means living a life that is pleasing to Him, obeying His commands, and loving others as He loves us. It means being filled with a desire for God that is stronger than any other desire we may have.
Matthew 6:31-33 NKJV – Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
So, in summary, what can we take away from Matthew 5:6?
True happiness and fulfillment come from pursuing a relationship with God and living in accordance with His will. When we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we are pursuing the very thing that brings true happiness and fulfillment. And the promise of this verse is that if we seek God with all our hearts, we will find Him, and He will satisfy our deepest longings. Let me leave you with one final verse for today.
2 Peter 3:18 NKJV – but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
This concludes today’s lesson.
As always I’d like to thank you for listening and may you have a week full of opportunities to share this good news with those that need to hear it.