Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst For Righteousness

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: Psalm 42:1-6

I. Hungering and thirsting

A. We noted that the spiritual description of “poor in spirit” could be compared to physical abject poverty with nothing at all but what is given by others.

B. Likewise, those who have a spiritual hunger and thirst for righteousness could be compared to those who are completely famished, whose bodies are craving nourishment and a deep thirst desiring to be quenched

1. Think of the hunger of Jesus in Matthew 4:2 who went 40 days without eating or the rich man in torments who would be satisfied with a drop of water to provide relief.
2. The person is preoccupied with satisfying the appetite and thirst—nothing else is more important than satisfying these needs.

C. The hunger is for food that satisfies and the thirst is for drink that refreshes.

II. We do not live in a world where people hunger and thirst for righteousness

A. Modern man has filled himself with the empty calories of materialism, self-love, and recreation

B. It was a danger for Israel of old: Deuteronomy 8:5-14, 17-20

C. Sometimes people detect the hunger as a feeling of emptiness, wondering why they are here and asking themselves “is this all there is?” but try to feed on food that cannot not satisfy.

1. Solomon demonstrated this: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
2. All of the things and pleasures of life would not provide meaning and satisfaction, only a harsh reminder of how hungry he remained.
3. George Gilder: ” Men lust, but they know not what for. They fight and compete, but they forget the prize; they spread seed, but spurn the seasons of growth; they chase power and glory, but miss the meaning of life.”
4. If you could see them physically as they are spiritually, they would look like the victims of a famine or forced starvation: thin, emaciated, diseased, and dying.
5. They are hungry but they don’t look deep to discover what they are hungry for.

III. When one realizes the hunger and thirst is for righteousness they can find nourishment

A. Realizing the desire for righteousness, they understand what will not satisfy their craving.

B. W. Pink: “In the first three Beatitudes we are called upon to witness the heart exercises of those who have been awakened by the Spirit of God. First, there is a sense of need, a realization of their nothingness and emptiness. [poor in spirit] Second, there is a judging of self, a consciousness of their guilt and sorrowing over their lost condition. [mourn] Third, there is an end of seeking to justify themselves before God, an abandonment of all pretences to personal merit, a taking of their place in the dust before God. [meek] And here, in the fourth, the eye of the soul is turned away from self to Another: there is a longing after that which they know they have not got and which they are conscious they urgently need.”

C. Realizing the desire for righteousness, they can go to God to find it.

1. Solomon, failing to use wealth, entertainment, learning, work, and pleasure to satisfy his hunger discovered the true satisfaction to the hunger of the soul: Ecclesiastes 12:9-14
2. God is the source of righteousness

IV. What is the righteousness for which we should hunger and thirst?

A. Defined

1. ” in the broad sense, the state of him who is such as he ought to be, righteousness; the condition acceptable to God . . .integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling and acting” Thayer
2. To be right with God and live right

B. Be right with God

1. We desire the righteousness that only He can give
   • Romans 1:16-17 – the gospel is the message of righteousness to a lost and spiritually starved world
   • All sin and need righteousness, Romans 3:10, 21-26
   • Through Jesus we are reconciled to God, Romans 5:6-11
   • When we are baptized our sins are washed away and we begin a new life and relationship with God, Romans 6:1-8
   • Having cleansed us from unrighteousness we can enter the presence of God, Hebrews 10:19-23
2. We desire the peace of a relationship with him
   • Psalm 63:1-8 – thirsting for God
   • Psalm 42:1-6 – As the deer…
   • John 6:35; 47-51 – Feed on the bread of life

C. Live right

1. A desire to live right because it glorifies God, Matthew 5:14-16
2. A genuine desire to live right regardless of persecution, mocking, or the consequences, Matthew 5:10
3. Righteousness that is not an act for others but is genuine obedience, Matthew 5:20; 6:1

V. Better living with satisfied hunger

A. God not only fills the hunger immediately by providing righteousness to the sinner who comes to Him through Jesus, He continues to fill the child of God’s desire to be righteous as He transforms his life to reflect the glory of Jesus.

B. As noted before, the person who is famished can think of nothing but food. When the hunger is met we can meet other tasks with focused attention.

1. Matthew 6:25-34 – realizing God will take care of the physical things we can focus on the kingdom and His righteousness
2. We enjoy a peace and satisfaction knowing the hunger has been met

C. Children of God must not get caught up chasing the junk food the world promotes to satisfy the hunger of the soul—be satisfied with the spiritual manna from heaven

D. Psalm 37