Those Who Hunger
The Beatitudes • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 43:50
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· 18 viewsWelcome to our Morning Devotions from Stevenston High Kirk in North Ayrshire. Rev Scott Cameron reflects on the Beatitudes from the Gospel according to Matthew.
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THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER
THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER
PAST BLESSINGS
PAST BLESSINGS
Adam and Eve knew blessedness with God - walking; talking; perfect peace; and perfectly happy.
Sin enters the world and they lose that state of blessedness.
They would know a polluted world of sickness, sin, suffering, pain & death.
But that’s not the final chapter… one will come to establish a kingdom of righteousness.
FUTURE BLESSINGS
FUTURE BLESSINGS
One day all things will be made new; God’s Kingdom fully realised.
We will experience a life of perfect blessedness with God - Eden restored!
No sickness, no suffering, no more sin, and no more death!
WHAT ABOUT THE PRESENT?
WHAT ABOUT THE PRESENT?
Jesus announces it is possible to know a blessed life now - “Blessed are…”
Paul writes: “For we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ in heavenly places..”
The beatitudes are a portrait of who we are in Christ - “we have been blessed with every blessing”.
There is a progression in the beatitudes: FOUNDATIONS, FOCUS, FRUITS.
The first 3 beatitudes describe emptiness; the 4th describes a longing to be filled.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness!”
THOUGHTS TO GRASP
THOUGHTS TO GRASP
WHO ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST?
WHO ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST?
THEY HAVE A DEEP LONGING
THEY HAVE A DEEP LONGING
The Beatitudes tell you what a true Christian looks like… NOT how to become a Christian.
It is NOT - “Blessed are the morally upright”, it is “Blessed are those who hunger for it”.
Blessed are those who feel they are not where they ought to be. “I have not obtained yet!”
To hunger and thirst describes an intense desire that drives and motivates us.
To hunger and thirst describes a passionate desire to follow hard after something.
Colin Smith writes: Hunger is a sign of NEED; a sign of LIFE; and a sign of HEALTH.
Our righteous acts are like filthy garments;
we NEED the righteousness of Christ…
Spurgeon: The spiritually dead have no hunger - only those who are spiritually alive.
When you are ill, you have no appetite.
When your health improves, your appetite improves!
The true Christian has a deep LONGING to be right with God.
They know they have sinned, they long to have their sins washed away, forgiven, cleansed.
They long to know God’s smile, his favour, his love and his joy.
They may feel empty, yet longing to be filled.
George Herbert: “God has put eternity in our hearts and we have an inconsolable longing.”
Augustine: “Restlessness and longing are universal traits of the human heart.”
Jacob wrestled with God for the blessing.
David relentlessly pursues after the heart of God - Ps 42 “As the deer” - Ps. 63 “my soul longs” and Ps.84
THEY HAVE A DETERMINED FOCUS
THEY HAVE A DETERMINED FOCUS
They have a singleness of heart in their discontent - PAUL: “I have not obtained yet!”
They have a singleness of heart in their devotion, direction, and determination.
They are not focussed on HAPPINESS but are focussed on RIGHTEOUSNESS.
They have a singleness of heart for RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Matthew writes: “seek first the Kingdom of God and his RIGHTEOUSNESS!”
Paul declares that Jesus has become our RIGHTEOUSNESS.
He writes: “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ!”
To win Christ, to put on Christ, to be clothed in Christ’s righteousness meant everything.
Why did Jesus die? So that we could be forgiven, cleansed, get to heaven?
2 Cor.5:15 - Christ died so that we would not live for ourselves!
2 Cor. 5:21 - He made him to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
1 Pt 2:24 - Christ bore our sins on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
Jesus therefore died that we might have a passion for righteousness.
THEY HAVE A DELIGHTFUL PROMISE -
THEY HAVE A DELIGHTFUL PROMISE -
“They shall be satisfied / filled!”
“They shall be satisfied / filled!”
PRESENT:
PRESENT:
The more I am filled, the more I hunger;
the more I drink, the more thirsty I become.
The Paradox of the Christian life:
It is possible to be hungry and satisfied at the same time!
FUTURE:
FUTURE:
We will enter the HOME OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
We shall be fed by the Shepherd, led to living streams; and will hunger or thirst no more!
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
Have you a deep longing for Christ? And to know His life in you - clothed in Christ - The robes of Christ’s righteousness!
Do you have a Determined Focus to live for Christ, with a passion for righteousness?
Come anyone who is thirsty!
Come, drink and live… without price…
Let your soul be filled and satisfied this morning!