Pragmatism, today we are bombarded by this philosophy. If we get the results that we want, it does not matter how we get them. The results are more important.
Is the end more important for you than the means? Do you believe that the good people finish last? Are you more preoccupied with the results than the way you get there? We hunger for position, power, wealth, status, and recognition.
The Beatitude that we will study today is this:
Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
We need to define some terms:
Definition of righteousness: what is right, just, and the act of doing what is in agreement with God’s standards, the state of being in proper relationship with God.
This desire, hunger, and thirst for righteousness are fruits of the righteousness that came from Christ and His works for us. It is not something that we have by ourselves.
The steps for God’s blessedness must be taken before we get to this stage.
We have to be poor in spirit,
We have to mourn,
And we have to be meek.
When these steps are taken, we will have this strong desire for righteousness.
Let us take a look at those desires:
1 – THE DESIRE TO BE RIGHT WITH GOD
The first thing that we will have is the desire to be right with God. This desire means at least three things:
- The desire for the presence of God – When we go through all these steps, we develop a desire for the presence of God. A desire to be there, to have fellowship with Him to pray, to worship, and to know Him.
This is what the psalmist said in the Psalm 63:
“Psa. 63:1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”
The words used are earnestly, thirst, long for you, express this desire.
- The desire to please God – The second aspect of this desire is a desire to please God. This is expressed in our desire to do what pleases God, and to do what He likes.
This is what Paul wrote to the Christians, asking them to do everything that they could to please God.
1Th. 4:1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
- The desire to obey God – The third aspect is the desire to obey God. When we realize that we are saved by the Grace of God through the sacrifice of His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we will have this intense desire to obey Him and follow Him wherever He goes.
This is what the psalmist said:
Psa. 119:34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
As you can see my friend, to hunger and thirst for justice begins with the desire to be right with God.
Have a blessed week,
Pastor Lucas