Spiritual Nourishment Journey - Hunger, Thirst & Righteousness
The profound spiritual journey of hungering and thirsting for righteousness, seeking to be filled with divine sustenance and understanding how to nourish the soul effectively according to biblical teachings.
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Presentation Transcript
Welcome to GBC February 12, 2023 Isaiah 40:31 They that wait upon the LORD shall mount up with wings as eagles.
The Beatitudes - Matthew 5 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Hunger & Thirst - Powerful & Pivotal Adam & Eve eating the garden fruit Jacob s family starving and moving to Egypt Israelites murmuring in the wilderness David panting for God like a deer for water Jesus and the thirsty woman at the well Praying to our heavenly Father for daily bread Heaven s final invitation to Come, drink freely from the water of life (Rev 22:17).
Pivotal Point in the Beatitudes peacemaker (known peace) pure (known forgiveness) merciful (known mercy) poor in spirit (about self) mourn (over sin) meek (toward others) hungry to be right (with God) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
1 - What does it mean to hunger & thirst? 2 - What is this righteousness for which we are to hunger & thirst? 3 - With what does God want to fill us?
To hunger & thirstis Understandable physically - tosense the need for nourishment - to feel a consistent craving - to grasp the basics of survival (70/3 days) Transferable spiritually Desire to be PROPERLY NOURISHED in my SOUL.
How do I PROPERLY NOURISH my soul? Isa 55:1,2 You who thirst, come to the waters, Ilocate sources of spiritual nourishment you without money, come, buy and eat. Iinvest in spiritual nourishment Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? I refusecostly but empty substitutes
Eat what is good and let your soul delight in abundance. I consume quality & quantity nourishment
How to PROPERLY NOURISH my soul Jer 2:13 My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, I prioritize my relationship with God and they have hewn themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water. I don tpour time & energy & trust into broken & empty things
Hunger in my soul is meant to draw me back to God and to His sustaining power, but I get sidetracked into unrighteous, short-term and unsatisfying pursuits.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. What is the RIGHTEOUSNESS for which we are to hunger & thirst?
It is a righteousness found only at the end of great spiritual emptying. (5:3) I am poor = spiritually bankrupt (4) I mourn = broken-hearted over my sin (5) I am meek = no longer preoccupied with self - I stop indulging myself (Pagan) - I stop comparing myself (Judge) - I stop trying to save myself (Pharisee)
- I start entrusting myself to Christ 2Cor 5:21 For He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus, the Son of God) Who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Have you stopped trusting your own righteousness and started trusting Christ s?
In this sermon Jesus further describes righteousnessas something that attracts PERSECUTION. Matt 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecutedforrighteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 5:11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Has your FAITH in Christ attracted persecution?
Have your WORDS about Christ attracted persecution? Matt 5:12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Has your hunger & thirst for righteousness caused you to CHANGE LOCATIONS? Matt 10:23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
Has your pursuit of righteousness resulted in BODILY INJURY? Matt 23:34 Indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city.
Jesus describes righteousnessas something that attracts persecution. something that exceeds mere human religious efforts. Matt 5:20 Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Its a righteousness that goes beyond (21-26) avoiding murder to avoiding anger. (27-30) avoiding adultery to avoiding lust. (31,32) avoiding quick divorces to avoiding any divorces. (33-37) avoiding false words to avoiding anyfalseness.
A righteousness that goes beyond (38-42) seeking just punishment to accepting unjust punishment. (43-48) loving nice neighbors to loving your enemies.
In this sermon Jesus describes righteousnessas something that is found at the end of great spiritual emptying. attracts persecution. exceeds mere human religious efforts. This is the righteousness that God blesses, and for which I am to hunger and thirst.
With what does God want to fill us? (5:7) Mercy, because we have been shown God s mercy. (5:8) Purity in the deepest part of the heart, such that we can be like family in the presence of a holy God . (5:9) Peace so abundant that we want others to have it with God, themselves and others.
A Pivotal Point Matt 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Are you properly nourishing your soul? Does righteousness appeal to you? Are you filled with (among other things) God-given mercy, purity, peace?
Isa 55:1 Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isa 55:2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Gentle Shepherd come and lead us For we need you to help us find our way.
Gentle Shepherd come and feed us For we need your strength from day to day.
There's no other we can turn to Who can help us face another day.
Gentle Shepherd come and lead us For we need you to help us find our way.
