𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟰: 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
Today we are in the fourth Beatitude found in the Sermon on the Mount. If you missed the previous ones, we suggest you go back and read those to get a better understanding of today's.
"𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘥" (Matthew 5:6, ESV).
𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲
Hunger and thirst are powerful physical needs that drive us to seek nourishment. Jesus uses this vivid imagery to describe a deep, spiritual longing for righteousness. This Beatitude highlights a desire for God’s will and justice to prevail in our lives and the world.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀?
To hunger and thirst for righteousness means to have a strong desire for a right relationship with God and for His will to be done. It's about seeking to live according to God's standards and longing for His justice and goodness to be evident in the world. This longing drives us to pursue holiness and to stand against injustice and sin.
𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
King David expressed this longing in Psalm 42:1-2: "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." Similarly, the Apostle Paul describes his desire to know Christ and His righteousness in Philippians 3:8-9: "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith."
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱
Jesus promises that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied. This satisfaction is both present and future. In the present, God fills us with His peace and presence as we seek Him. Ultimately, in the future, we will experience complete fulfillment in God's eternal kingdom, where His righteousness reigns.
𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
Living out this Beatitude involves seeking God with our whole hearts. It means prioritizing time with Him in prayer and Bible study, striving to live according to His Word, and advocating for justice and righteousness in our communities. It also means being aware of our need for God's grace daily, recognizing that true righteousness comes from Him alone.
𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
In Isaiah 55:1-2, God invites us to come to Him to be satisfied: "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food." Additionally, in John 6:35, Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."
𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Reflect on your own spiritual hunger and thirst. Are you seeking God's righteousness in your life? In what ways can you pursue a deeper relationship with Him and advocate for His justice in the world?
𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿
We invite you to say the following prayer as we study today’s Beatitude:
Heavenly Father, create in me a deep hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. Help me to seek You wholeheartedly and to live according to Your will. Satisfy my soul with Your presence and guide me in advocating for Your justice and goodness in the world. Thank You for the promise of fulfillment that comes from pursuing You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Stay tuned for tomorrow's message, which will explore the fifth Beatitude: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”