Sunday November 20, 2022
INTRODUCTION: The Beatitudes. Living life from the inside out. The Beatitudes are all about living life from the inside out. They’re about the inner attitude of our heart!
Remember, it’s Jesus teaching the Sermon on the Mount! And he’s talking about the ways of the Kingdom of God! A Kingdom that has a King!
“Blessed are the poor in spirit for their’s is the kingdom of heaven.” “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”
Matthew 5:6- “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.”
HAPPY, FORTUNATE, are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness..”
THE HUNGRY ARE HAPPY! Hungry for what? Righteousness!
- What is Righteousness?
The only standard of righteousness the people knew was that laid down by the current religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees. Would one who followed that standard be acceptable in Jesus kingdom?
WHAT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS?
- The state of being righteous
- Absolute, complete rightness, correctness and perfection.
- Correctness in your thoughts, actions and feelings and perfection in your soul.
- The state of being perfect and complete.
- RIGHT STANDING BEFORE GOD! (practical definition)
Listen carefully! It’s right standing before God not right acting before God!
SOMETHING ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS.
It’s a gift from God, not something that is achieved for God!
Romans 5:17-21- “For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
TWO WAYS TO BE RIGHTEOUS:
- Be perfect in everything you do.
- Accept the perfect One, Jesus Christ.
We become righteous because of what Jesus did for us on the cross!
There was a great exchange at the cross. Jesus took our unrighteousness upon himself and GAVE us his righteousness!
Jesus didn’t die so you could act better. He died so he could redeem a hopeless, helpless sinner.
He died because I had no chance of being in right standing before God!
There is a righteousness that will make you happy. It’s imputed righteousness!
There is a righteousness that will make you miserable. Self-righteousness!
You try and be right and perfect before God with your actions and you’ll be miserable the rest of your life.
And those around you will be miserable. Because you’ll judge them as well!
However you want to perceive righteousness we have to know and be certain that it is a righteousness we cannot produce of ourselves. It’s a gift from God!
We cannot fill ourselves with righteousness. But we are FILLED when we receive the gift from God!
Romans 9:30-32- “What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.”
Romans 10:1-4- “Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.”
I am the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ!
2. I am hungry and thirsty.
“There is perhaps no greater secret of progress in Christian living than a healthy, hearty, spiritual appetite!” (Martin Luther)
Those who long for righteousness will have a full measure and not a mere trace!
Hungering and thirsting are figures of speech that indicate a longing for more of God!
Food and water are necessary to live. Without it you’ll die.
Righteousness is a necessity, without it you’ll die! Right standing with God is necessary for life!
Right standing with God is not found in performance. It is found only in a relationship with God through his Son Jesus Christ.
We must hunger and thirst for God! Your righteousness is not sufficient!
Psalm 42:2- “I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?”
John 6:35- “Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
John 7:37- “On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!”
Isaiah 55:1- ““Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free!”
Revelation 21:6- “And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.”
Revelation 22:17- “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.”
“I can’t get enough of God!” People like that are blessed, happy and fortunate!
CONCLUSION: God wants to fully satisfy you today. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness WILL BE FILLED!
GOD WANTS TO FILL YOU TODAY!
Jesus didn’t die so you could act better! He died to redeem a helpless hopeless sinner! You could nothing for yourself!!
Jesus died because you had no chance to stand before God!
Hebrews 4:14-16- “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYING TO YOU THROUGH THIS MESSAGE