Matthew 5:6

 

Bruce Chant

GODZILLA – generation-j
30/04/2004

 

Matthew 5:6

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

 

Blessed = happy, favoured, to be envied.

 

This term we are looking at the words of Jesus – they are important.

One term he uses very often is the word “Blessed”. Not everyone is blessed – looking around the world that is plain to see. But we’d all like to be if asked the question.

 

How are we blessed? The simple answer is only through Jesus.

That is why we study His words, that is why we live our lives for Him, that is why we should love Him, that is why Godzilla exists – because life is all about Jesus.

If you’re life is not all about Jesus – you are wasting your time, it’s a lost cause; that is what this verse is saying.

 

Life (and death) is all about Jesus.

 

Hunger and thirst = your appetite.

 

“A strong desire or craving”

“An insistent desire; a craving”

 

What are you hungry and thirsty for? What do you have an appetite for?

 

It could be anything. But what you have an appetite for, is what drives you.

 

Who has a hunger / thirst / appetite / craving / desire for exams? Some people just love them. They go crazy. When I was at school I had to do exams but my hunger / thirst/ appetite / craving / desire was for basketball.

 

Instead of studying I would end up outside shotting hoops in my backyard. Why? because that is what I had an appetite for.

 

Old joke from when Africa was under severe famine: What is the fastest thing in the world? An Ethiopian with a free Big Mac voucher. It’s pretty crude but the principle is what you have an appetite for is what you will pursue in life.

 

That appetite could be anything – BUT Jesus says only one thing will lead to blessing and “being filled”: RIGHTEOUSNESS.

 

Righteousness = right standing with God.

 

What does right standing mean? Well I’m mot of you know what wrong-standing or broken standing with someone is like. Be it your parents, teachers, friends, the law etc – wrong standing is when you’ve argued, fought, disagree, chucked a tanty and left things in a mangled wreck with them. Do you know what I mean?

 

Eg story of Kingsway with Dad when I feared for my life.

 

That is how things are between you and God. A wreck of a relationship. Why? Sin.

Sin we commit is personally offensive to God, because it separates us from Him.

We can’t overcome that separation through our own efforts. Our own efforts really only make things worse.

 

It’s like robbing a bank and then vacuuming the banks carpets and expecting things to be even. It’s ridiculous!

 

We can only get true Righteousness through Jesus forgiveness and empowering grace. That is the only way we have right standing with God. It is the only way to live.

 

 

So this is what Jesus is saying:

 

 

Filled = to be satisfied.

 

Ever had a awesome meal when you just are loving every delicious bite that enters your mouth? The flavours are going off and it is just so satisfying?

Eg beautiful steak at Hogs Breath.

 

That state of being satisfied, fulfilled, at peace can ONLY come through pursuing God, His righteousness day after day.

 

You can live for many other different things, many other ‘gods’ can try and take the mantle but nothing satisfies like right standing with God!!

 

 

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