Matthew 5:6

Matthew 5:6
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

I don't believe this has ever happened before, but our Sunday sermon was on this verse. I'm sure I can't improve on that, and so I'm going to record my notes here If you were there, this will be a review for you!

The first 4 beatitudes show us a progression:

• Blessed (happy) are the poor in spirit--those who recognize their own spiritual bankruptcy.
• Blessed are those who mourn--over our own sin.
• Blessed are the meek--those who are humble and gentle toward others. (power under control)
• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Definition of "righteousness"--a deep desire for personal righteousness before God; a deep desire to be right with God. When we're right with God, we will also be right with ourselves and with others.

"Hungering and thirsting" are interesting metaphors here. Food and water are necessities. When we lack them, we become desperate for them. Righteousness is a spiritual necessity.
   Our outer man needs food and water.
   Our inner man needs righteousness--to be right with God.

Righteousness also means a hunger for holiness. The Holy Spirit lets us know when we're not holy.
The Bible teaches 3 types of holiness:

• Imputed holiness--This is justification. When we trusted Christ as Savior, He declared us righteous before God.
• Imparted holiness--This is sanctification. We are set apart to live a holy life, and we should be continually growing as believers.
• Eternal holiness--This is glorification. We will not experience this until we reach heaven. Then we will no longer sin, and we'll be like Jesus.

True holiness does not divide, but rather it unites and builds us up.

Psalm 42 and 43 teach the same concept of hungering and thirsting for righteousness.
"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God."
The psalmist longs for God. He asks the age-old question, "Why?" Ps 42:5, 11;  Ps. 43:5
He remembers God. Ps. 42:6-11 "By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me--a prayer to the God of my life." v. 8
He trusts God. Ps. 43:1-5  "Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me;...Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." vv, 3, 5

Here is a link to a worship song based on Psalm 42:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no9StppmvGA