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MATTHEW 5: 6

"HUNGER AND THIRST"

I. HARD FOR US TO UNDERSTAND INTENSITY.
        A. Average person lived on border of starvation.
                1. Wages extremely low.
                2. Ate meat only once a week.
        B. Land there very arid.
                1. Would often walk for miles before coming to water.
        C. These words usually followed by genitive case in Greek. 
                1. Hungry for bread, lust a slice.
                2. Thirsty for water, just a cup.
                3. Word righteousness in the accusative.
                4. When these words followed by accusative, means hungry
                   for whole loaf, want the whole pitcher.
        D. A hunger that cannot be satisfied by lust a snack, a thirst
           that craves more than just a swallow.
        E. Hunger and thirst for all, the whole of righteousness.
        F. How intense is your thirst for goodness?

II. HEREIN LIES THE SOLUTION TO THE WORLD'S ILLS.
        A. If all men hungered and thirsted for righteousness, we would
           have no wars.
                1. We make a lot of sentimental statements about peace,
                   love, brotherhood, and are applauded by men.
                2. All the talk will never bring it.
                3. The mission of the church is not to lobby for peace or
                   disarmament to proclaim the gospel. Changed men change
                   the world.

Ill. THIS IS ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CHRISTIAN.
        A. It is in order.
                1. First three are negative. This is where I start to do
                   something about it.
        B. It points out the Christian doctrine of grace.

IV. WHAT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS?
        A. Being or doing the right thing or having right attitude.
                1. With God.
                2. With fellowman. (To be free from sin. Power, desire.
        B. Being or doing what God would have me.
        C. This is the burning desire of my heart.

V. "HAPPY ARE THEY."
        A. The world is seeking happiness.
                1. Great motive behind all activities of man.
                2. Tragedy is that it never seems to find it.
        B. We are not to hunger and thirst after happiness.
                1. This is what mast are doing.
        C. Never wise to just trust symptoms.
                1. What is the cause of unhappiness? 
        D. Those in church going around seeking blessings.

VI. THE HAPPINESS IS NOT NECESSARILY RESERVED FOR THE MAN
        WHO HAS ATTAINED RIGHTEOUSNESS.
        A. For that man that hungers and thirst  for it.
                1. God said to David, "you did well in that it was in your
                   heart to do it."

"As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after
Thee O God."