Blessed Are The Hungry and Thirsty
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
for they shall be satisfied.”
Matthew 5:6
"Blessed"
This is to be happy with an eternal mindset. It's not temporary happiness, but lifelong joy. This is to find absolute peace in your life, no matter your circumstances. To be “blessed” is to understand that you have been given grace by a Holy God. Even though we are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-3), it is God who has chosen to make us alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4). “For by Grace are we Saved Through Faith” in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). This comprehension should bring to you much joy!
To be "blessed" is to understand and submit to the Sovereignty of God in all situations. Whether things are going well or poorly, you know that you have been blessed by the Supreme Ruler of the Universe. You surrender to His Sovereign will and you have submitted to His decree. To be “blessed” is to view yourself as nothing more than a servant of the King, and no matter the assignment given to you, you will joyfully carry it out with all hope of eternity.
As you consider “blessings” don’t think of just physical gifts that God gives to us — that is a worldly mindset. To be "blessed" is to be totally satisfied in Christ no matter your circumstances. The difference between a genuine believer in Christ and one who is just in search of “blessings” is found in the result of the search. The world is seeking the benefits of Jesus, where the true believer is pursing Christ Himself. The world calls healing a “blessing,” but will not call sickness a “blessing.” The world will call a prosperous person “blessed,” but will not understand that a poor man can be “blessed.” It is not the results of Christ that are the blessings, but it is Jesus Christ Himself. He is sufficient. He is all-satisfying. Pursue Him as a deer pants for the water (Psalm 42:1-2).
Consider the “blessing” that is found in Psalm 119:1-3…
1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
Psalm 119 begins the same way that Psalm 1 begins, and that is by defining how one is “blessed” by God. To be “blessed” is to find eternal joy in Christ as opposed to temporal happiness on this earth. And those who walk in accordance to the Word of God will find much blessing on this earth. According to Ephesians 1:3-4, the believers have been purpose to be “holy and blameless before God.” And the way that we do this is through the consistent “washing of the Word” (Ephesians 5:25-27).
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
The psalmist goes further to explain here that “blessing” does not follow one who follows rules. Keeping the Word of God and abiding in His Word is not about following rules. “Walking in a manner that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called” is the natural byproduct of “seeking God with your whole heart.” This is what is described in Psalm 1:1-3 as “Delighting in the Law of the Lord and meditating on it day and night.”
3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
Continuing with the idea of how to be “blessed,” the psalmist says that “blessing” follows him who does “no wrong, but walks in his (God’s) ways.” This does not mean that we are going to be sinless on this earth. The psalmist is not describing a scenario where someone can be perfect on this earth. We are born sinners (Ephesians 2:1-3). And we are only made alive by the Grace of God through Faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:4-9). But the idea here is that the “blessed man” is the one who “keeps the testimonies” of God, loves God with “his whole heart” and pursues the Holiness of God. The compare/contrast statement made here is “walking in his ways” versus doing “wrong.” This should make it clear for us to understand that pursuing righteousness is being in the Word of God.
"Righteousness"
The reverse side of what Jesus is talking about is a self-righteousness that the Pharisees were pursuing. Instead the point is to seek God's righteousness, not a righteousness of your own. The righteousness that is not of our own, but instead depends on faith (Philippians 3:7-11) is the righteousness of Christ that is imputed to us. We cannot obtain righteousness through the law or through our own merits. We can only receive righteousness by God's Grace through Faith in Christ.
"Hunger and thirst for righteousness"
This is a direct tie back to Psalm 42:1-2, when we are taking about the deer panting for the water... "As the deer pants for water so my soul longs for you..." This deer is desperately searching and seeking for water. This deer is panting, needing a drink. This deer realizes that he cannot satisfy is own necessity for thirst. And so the deer goes to the water and drinks and is satisfied. His thirst is quenched. Likewise, the man who realizes his need for a Savior and "hungers and thirsts" to be quenched by Christ is blessed.
"They shall be satisfied"
Note the importance of the tie to Psalm 42:1-2... "the soul" longs for the water. Your soul is your satisfaction in Christ. The only thing that can truly satisfy your soul is Jesus Christ. That deer could have tried to drink mud or tree sap or any other liquid that the forest produces, but his thirst would not have been satisfied by anything else except the water from the stream. In the same way, we can seek satisfaction and joy in this life from sex, pornography, food, money, jobs, movies, sports, hobbies, etc... but we will not be satisfied by anything except the Living Water.
Blessed is the man who seeks and finds Jesus Christ, because his hunger and thirst will be satisfied by the all-sufficiency of our Lord and Savior.
Summary of the Beatitude
This text is both for the believer and the unbeliever. For the believer, you need to be seeking Christ daily. You need to be thirsty for more of Christ. You need to be hungry for more of Jesus. You need to be desperate to drink from the Living Water. There is much blessing in this. Don't try to find satisfaction anywhere else in this life outside of Christ. Pursue Christ and leave this world behind. Your end goal is NOT a promotion or a new house or a fancy whatever... Your end goal is that you have gone all-in to seeing that God is glorified through your life and death.
For the unbeliever, please know that there is satisfaction to be had in Christ. There is no real happiness and joy found in this life. You can find things that are pleasing for a moment, but they all offer an immediate high and then nothing. But Christ provides eternal joy. Christ provides eternal satisfaction of your soul. Jesus says, "seek me and you will find me." Would you please consider leaving this world behind you and pursuing Christ? Stop trying to find a righteousness of your own and instead run after Jesus! There is much joy and peace to be had in Christ. But you can only know Him through Faith.
There are three elements that make up saving Faith:
1) Knowledge: You must know about Jesus. You must know about God. You must know you are a sinner. You must know that your sin deserves eternal damnation. You must know that God sent His Son to be the propitiation for your sins. You must know that Christ died the death that you deserved. You must know that on the cross, Jesus took on the sins of those who believe and the wrath of God was poured out on Jesus. And the perfect righteousness of Christ was imputed to those who believe. You must know that Jesus Christ rose from the grave and proved that He is God.
2) Believe: You must believe all of these things to be true. You must not only know these things, but you must believe them to be true. You must believe that all of what you know is fact and is 100% truth.
3) Faith: Then you must put your Faith in what you believe to be true. You must put your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. To surrender your life to the Savior Jesus Christ is to leave this world behind and follow Jesus no matter what the cost. To submit to Jesus Christ as Lord is to no longer seek earthly happiness for yourself, but to give all that you have and all that you are to all that He is. To submit to the Lordship of Christ is to no longer pursue your own desire, but to pursue what Christ desires for your life. To submit to the Lordship of Christ is to make your will HIS will.
If you are pursuing a righteousness of your own and you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can do that today!! "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Stop right now... and this very moment, repent of your sins... realize that you are a sinner... and repent. Confess your sinfulness God. Then surrender your life to Him. Commit your life to following after Jesus. Submit to His Lordship.
This is to be happy with an eternal mindset. It's not temporary happiness, but lifelong joy. This is to find absolute peace in your life, no matter your circumstances. To be “blessed” is to understand that you have been given grace by a Holy God. Even though we are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-3), it is God who has chosen to make us alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4). “For by Grace are we Saved Through Faith” in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). This comprehension should bring to you much joy!
To be "blessed" is to understand and submit to the Sovereignty of God in all situations. Whether things are going well or poorly, you know that you have been blessed by the Supreme Ruler of the Universe. You surrender to His Sovereign will and you have submitted to His decree. To be “blessed” is to view yourself as nothing more than a servant of the King, and no matter the assignment given to you, you will joyfully carry it out with all hope of eternity.
As you consider “blessings” don’t think of just physical gifts that God gives to us — that is a worldly mindset. To be "blessed" is to be totally satisfied in Christ no matter your circumstances. The difference between a genuine believer in Christ and one who is just in search of “blessings” is found in the result of the search. The world is seeking the benefits of Jesus, where the true believer is pursing Christ Himself. The world calls healing a “blessing,” but will not call sickness a “blessing.” The world will call a prosperous person “blessed,” but will not understand that a poor man can be “blessed.” It is not the results of Christ that are the blessings, but it is Jesus Christ Himself. He is sufficient. He is all-satisfying. Pursue Him as a deer pants for the water (Psalm 42:1-2).
Consider the “blessing” that is found in Psalm 119:1-3…
1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
Psalm 119 begins the same way that Psalm 1 begins, and that is by defining how one is “blessed” by God. To be “blessed” is to find eternal joy in Christ as opposed to temporal happiness on this earth. And those who walk in accordance to the Word of God will find much blessing on this earth. According to Ephesians 1:3-4, the believers have been purpose to be “holy and blameless before God.” And the way that we do this is through the consistent “washing of the Word” (Ephesians 5:25-27).
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,
The psalmist goes further to explain here that “blessing” does not follow one who follows rules. Keeping the Word of God and abiding in His Word is not about following rules. “Walking in a manner that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called” is the natural byproduct of “seeking God with your whole heart.” This is what is described in Psalm 1:1-3 as “Delighting in the Law of the Lord and meditating on it day and night.”
3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
Continuing with the idea of how to be “blessed,” the psalmist says that “blessing” follows him who does “no wrong, but walks in his (God’s) ways.” This does not mean that we are going to be sinless on this earth. The psalmist is not describing a scenario where someone can be perfect on this earth. We are born sinners (Ephesians 2:1-3). And we are only made alive by the Grace of God through Faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:4-9). But the idea here is that the “blessed man” is the one who “keeps the testimonies” of God, loves God with “his whole heart” and pursues the Holiness of God. The compare/contrast statement made here is “walking in his ways” versus doing “wrong.” This should make it clear for us to understand that pursuing righteousness is being in the Word of God.
"Righteousness"
The reverse side of what Jesus is talking about is a self-righteousness that the Pharisees were pursuing. Instead the point is to seek God's righteousness, not a righteousness of your own. The righteousness that is not of our own, but instead depends on faith (Philippians 3:7-11) is the righteousness of Christ that is imputed to us. We cannot obtain righteousness through the law or through our own merits. We can only receive righteousness by God's Grace through Faith in Christ.
"Hunger and thirst for righteousness"
This is a direct tie back to Psalm 42:1-2, when we are taking about the deer panting for the water... "As the deer pants for water so my soul longs for you..." This deer is desperately searching and seeking for water. This deer is panting, needing a drink. This deer realizes that he cannot satisfy is own necessity for thirst. And so the deer goes to the water and drinks and is satisfied. His thirst is quenched. Likewise, the man who realizes his need for a Savior and "hungers and thirsts" to be quenched by Christ is blessed.
"They shall be satisfied"
Note the importance of the tie to Psalm 42:1-2... "the soul" longs for the water. Your soul is your satisfaction in Christ. The only thing that can truly satisfy your soul is Jesus Christ. That deer could have tried to drink mud or tree sap or any other liquid that the forest produces, but his thirst would not have been satisfied by anything else except the water from the stream. In the same way, we can seek satisfaction and joy in this life from sex, pornography, food, money, jobs, movies, sports, hobbies, etc... but we will not be satisfied by anything except the Living Water.
Blessed is the man who seeks and finds Jesus Christ, because his hunger and thirst will be satisfied by the all-sufficiency of our Lord and Savior.
Summary of the Beatitude
This text is both for the believer and the unbeliever. For the believer, you need to be seeking Christ daily. You need to be thirsty for more of Christ. You need to be hungry for more of Jesus. You need to be desperate to drink from the Living Water. There is much blessing in this. Don't try to find satisfaction anywhere else in this life outside of Christ. Pursue Christ and leave this world behind. Your end goal is NOT a promotion or a new house or a fancy whatever... Your end goal is that you have gone all-in to seeing that God is glorified through your life and death.
For the unbeliever, please know that there is satisfaction to be had in Christ. There is no real happiness and joy found in this life. You can find things that are pleasing for a moment, but they all offer an immediate high and then nothing. But Christ provides eternal joy. Christ provides eternal satisfaction of your soul. Jesus says, "seek me and you will find me." Would you please consider leaving this world behind you and pursuing Christ? Stop trying to find a righteousness of your own and instead run after Jesus! There is much joy and peace to be had in Christ. But you can only know Him through Faith.
There are three elements that make up saving Faith:
1) Knowledge: You must know about Jesus. You must know about God. You must know you are a sinner. You must know that your sin deserves eternal damnation. You must know that God sent His Son to be the propitiation for your sins. You must know that Christ died the death that you deserved. You must know that on the cross, Jesus took on the sins of those who believe and the wrath of God was poured out on Jesus. And the perfect righteousness of Christ was imputed to those who believe. You must know that Jesus Christ rose from the grave and proved that He is God.
2) Believe: You must believe all of these things to be true. You must not only know these things, but you must believe them to be true. You must believe that all of what you know is fact and is 100% truth.
3) Faith: Then you must put your Faith in what you believe to be true. You must put your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. To surrender your life to the Savior Jesus Christ is to leave this world behind and follow Jesus no matter what the cost. To submit to Jesus Christ as Lord is to no longer seek earthly happiness for yourself, but to give all that you have and all that you are to all that He is. To submit to the Lordship of Christ is to no longer pursue your own desire, but to pursue what Christ desires for your life. To submit to the Lordship of Christ is to make your will HIS will.
If you are pursuing a righteousness of your own and you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can do that today!! "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Stop right now... and this very moment, repent of your sins... realize that you are a sinner... and repent. Confess your sinfulness God. Then surrender your life to Him. Commit your life to following after Jesus. Submit to His Lordship.
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