Righteous Hunger
On November 25th, 1998, a man named Les Stewart reached his goal of typing all of the numbers from one to one million - in words, not numbers. It took seven manual typewriters, 1,000 ribbons of ink, 19,890 pages, over the course of 16 years and seven months. Mr. Stewart said his secret was to type for 20 minutes on the hour, every hour - typing an average of three pages a day with one finger since April of 1982.
Think about all the time and effort that went into that project. But what did he accomplish? Is anyone going to read those 19,890 pages? We can chuckle and think 'what a waste of time' – but do we do the same kinds of things with our lives? Are there things into which we pour huge amounts of energy - only to find it didn't matter that much in the end?
In the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave a handful of 'blessings' - we've looked at these 'blessings' over the past few weeks. This morning I want us to continue in that list from our text again from Matthew ch. 5. You're going to have these verses memorized before we're done…
Matthew 5:1-6 (NIV)
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, (2) and he began to teach them, saying: (3) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (4) Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (5) Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (6) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Each of us has hunger, the desire to feel fulfilled, to feel complete, to feel satisfied. People in this world who don't know God try to fill that 'hunger' with…
I. The wrong food
Have you ever been really hungry? – I mean really hungry? The kind of hunger where all you can focus on is getting your hands on some food, any food, and filling that gnawing feeling in your stomach. That's how some people approach life trying to fill that feeling of incompleteness without a relationship with God.
Now, it's more comfortable to look at those outside of the Church and explain how 'they just don't understand' – how they are chasing after all the wrong things. The problem is – it's not just them. Do many people today talk about their hunger to be righteous? Is that a genuine priority for us as believers..? I see some Christians who might focus on being 'good', relatively speaking, but 'righteous'?
Frequently, even though we should know better – we still chase after the wrong food. For example…
A. Money
...And what money buys. I cannot stress this enough - do not ever underestimate the control that money and things can have over you. You can say - 'that's not me, I'm not a material person'. Okay - then give me your credit cards and checkbook right now... Anyone..? When I put it that way - you may feel a bit of hesitation, right?
I don't have anything against money or things in themselves. Let's face it, I'm not handing you my wallet. I have a good deal of stuff myself and who wouldn't want a little more money. Having money and things is not bad - however, are you more concerned with money and things than you are with pursuing righteousness in your life? - Because money and things can really get in the way of that quickly.
What I'm talking about is perspective and stewardship. The perspective question is 'what did you have to give up to get that money and those things'? And the stewardship question is 'what are you doing with what God has given to you'?
Money and things do not satisfy. Money and things don't last and they can disappear in a heartbeat. Anyone who checks their retirement account or investment portfolio can testify to that. Anyone who has had to deal with losing a job or a home foreclosure understands the fleeting nature of money and things. Those 'things' aren't necessarily bad things – but don't put your full hope in them or underestimate the power that they have over you. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV)...
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Hunger and thirst for righteousness, first and foremost – then you will be filled. Some chase money and things - for others, they chase…
B. Success
And it's amazing how the desire for 'money and things' goes right along with success and recognition.
Now, once again there's nothing inherently wrong with success. Most of us never think of ourselves as seeking success or recognition. But how much time and money have you spent over the years pursuing an education or a job or career or a title or recognition compared to the time and money you've spent on pursuing righteousness? Which area comes out ahead?
Again, those aren't bad things – the American dream is to work hard, get a good education, a good job – get promotions and be successful. There's nothing necessarily wrong with success – unless we place its pursuit above our pursuit of righteousness. I don't care who you are, what degree you've earned, what title you have, how much money you make, how popular you are – if you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, none of those things matter!
We in the Church understand this, but do we always live it? Are these the values that we intentionally pass on to our children and grandchildren? When, as a parent or grandparent, we express our pride in our kids and grandchildren - is it more focused on their personal accomplishments or degrees or great paying jobs - OR - do we communicate the most pride in them because they follow Jesus!
I'm not telling you don't be proud of those accomplishments - but I am challenging you to focus more on encouraging righteousness! If one of my kids grows up and becomes the greatest neurosurgeon in the world or finds the cure to cancer but they reject Jesus - I will not see them in Heaven. So what's the point?
My top priority is not that any of my children grow up and get into the best schools and get the best jobs and become successful as the world defines success. In fact, I will actively discourage them from any of those pursuits if it pulls them away from Jesus! My first prayer is that they would know Jesus Christ! My prayer is that God would use them for His purposes! Does anything else really matter in comparison?
Here's something that bothers me. (I was just talking with Rebeccah about this last week...) It seems the most popular advice given to children in our culture is, "Follow your heart and you can do anything!" Where in God's Word does it ever say to 'follow your heart'? Can you find me one Bible passage where it encourages you to 'follow your dreams'? In fact - it actually says, in Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)...
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Pass this on to your kids and grandkids - Don't follow your heart - follow God's heart! Following your own heart, your own desires will only lead to trouble and leave you empty! Following your heart - without God - does not lead to righteousness.
Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." - Do you know what 'righteousness' is? God is righteous. By definition, 'righteousness' is how God acts and reacts to everything in creation. When we talk about 'hungering for righteousness' it's about a desire, a craving to become more Godly – to surrender our own desires and learn to act more like Jesus.
- Now, as we talk about 'hungering for righteousness', I don't want us to confuse that idea with…
II. Self righteousness
There are those whose pursuit of righteousness becomes more of a pursuit of self righteousness. Self righteousness will not satisfy. Self righteousness seeks to do all the right outward actions in an attempt to gain God's favor with little concern for actually being righteous.
Just because a person attends a Church service every week, gives a generous offering, and reads their Bible does not mean that they are righteous. Remember, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law religiously did all the right things, kept all the right laws – but it didn't make them righteous.
Matthew 5:20 (NIV)
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Now I'm not saying that we shouldn't work hard at doing the right things – those things are important. But don't fool yourself into thinking that if you simply look the part to the folks around you that that makes you right with God.
It's a small matter of motivation that makes a huge difference. - As Christians - why do we do good things? We don't do good things in order to get to Heaven; we do good things because we are going to Heaven. We do good deeds to celebrate that despite the fact that we don't even begin to deserve it, by the grace of God, we are going to Heaven!
Knowing all the right things and doing good deeds is nice, but it won't get you to Heaven. For many, there's still a confusion between…
A. Knowledge and a relationship
We've probably all met people who know the Bible, but by their life you can tell they don't really know Jesus.
I've watched quite a few of the History Channel shows that have to do with religion and ancient history. I'm always amazed at their highly educated religion scholars and professors. They know vast amounts of information about religion and the Bible, but the vast majority of the time they demonstrate a complete misunderstanding of scripture and a total lack of faith in Jesus Christ.
They always have some farfetched explanation of anything even remotely supernatural in scripture and I even heard one scholar flat out say, "Christians believe that Heaven is where good people go when they die and Hell is where bad people go." I yelled at the TV, "You go to Heaven or Hell based on your relationship with Jesus!" Erin threatened to turn off the TV if I couldn't control myself.
It reminds me of what Jesus said about unbelievers in His day. And this passage always strikes me, always shakes me - in John 5:39-40 (NIV)...
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, (40) yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
You can know all about the Bible; you can know all about Jesus – but what makes all the difference is actually knowing Jesus! I do want to encourage everyone to work hard to live in a righteous way, but don't fall into the trap of self righteousness. It will ultimately leave you feeling frustrated and guilty. Rely on Jesus and focus on Him – He will change the way you live and act!
A growing understanding of and a hunger for God's righteousness will lead to a desire for 'right things' around us. A desire will grow for…
B. Righteous change
When you accept Jesus, you recognize that this world is not your home – you have a citizenship in Heaven! However, that doesn't mean that we don't long for righteous change in this world around us until it's time to go home. - That word, "GO", on the wall stands for GO Serve and GO Share. Go serve and GO share… where? - Out in the world.
I'm a citizen of Heaven, but I currently reside in the United States - and as such, I am called to be 'salt and light' in this world! I'm called to 'hunger and thirst' for righteousness in my own life - but also to seek it in the world around me. This passage is still true from Proverbs 14:34 (NIV)...
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
God's blessings are a natural result of righteous actions and attitudes. It's God's natural law - and the opposite is also true, unrighteous actions and attitudes lead to God withholding His blessings. When we hunger for righteousness in this world, we have to do the uncomfortable task of calling sin for what it is – sin.
Martin Luther once said that if he preached ten thousand Biblical truths, but failed to preach on sin, he had failed to preach the gospel.
- Back in the Old Testament, there was a shepherd named Amos. He was just minding his own business when God called him to go preach to the nation of Israel and confront them about their sin – about their unrighteousness. Needless to say, they didn't enjoy hearing that. We find the response of their religious leader in Amos 7:12-16a (NIV)...
Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. (13) Don't prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king's sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom." (14) Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. (15) But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' (16) Now then, hear the word of the LORD."
When we take a stand against sin, even when we do it in the most loving manner possible - with a lot of people - we won't be very popular. We will be called intolerant and judgmental and fanatical. That's okay. People who hunger and thirst for righteousness are satisfied with God's approval, not man's.
So What?
What drives you? What's most important to you? Is your biggest desire to spend sixteen years typing out the numbers one to a million - or do you want something more?
I mentioned earlier about focusing on just being 'good'. 'Nonbelievers' can be 'good', decent, generous, kind, ever loving. But God desires people who want to become righteous – it's those individuals that He can then use for His purposes. And you may think, 'but I'm not good enough to be used by God.' The Bible is filled with people who did some pretty awful things - but God made them righteous in His sight! God determines righteousness - not our failings, setbacks or sins!
What do you live and model and teach your children or grandchildren? What do those around you see? If your biggest desire is anything other than seeking God and His purpose for you in this life – you will be left wanting. If, however, your goal is to seek God and let Him use your life – you are guaranteed an amazing adventure and complete satisfaction in the end.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."