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MATTHEW 5: 6

"HUNGERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS"

I. THE PLACE IN THE BEATITUDES.
        A. Earlier caused us to Iook at ourselves.
                1. Poor in spirit - mourn - meek.
                2. Here we begin to look for a solution.
        B. We have been looking at our helplessness and weakness. Our
           bankruptcy in spiritual matters.
                1. Monster self.
                2. Desire deliverance.

II. RIGHTEOUSNESS -"HAPPY ARE THEY."
        A. They are the only truly happy people.
        B. Whole world seeking for happiness.
                1. Everyone wants to be happy.
                2. Everything designed for happiness.
                3. World never seems to find happiness.
        C. What is the problem?
                1. We are not to hunger and thirst after blessedness.
                        a. This is what most people are doing.
                        b. Happiness never is found by seeking it
                           directly. It is result of something else.
                        c. Prince seeking happiness.
                2. World seeking happiness. Goal, objective of life.
                3. When you put happiness before righteousness, you are
                   doomed to misery.
                4. Man sick and suffering great pain.
                        a. Desires relief from pain.
                        b. World trying to forget pain.
                6. Some with church seeking blessings.
                        a. Travel all around.
                        b. We are not meant to hunger and thirst for
                           blessings. 
        D. What does righteousness mean?
                1. Not kind of morality taught by philosophers.
                        a. Nations have moral obligations to keep
                           treaties, etc.
                        b. Men talk with great eloquence on national
                           morality get disloyal to our wife.
                2. Not justification alone - forgiveness of past, but 
                   deliverance from sin.
                3. To desire to be free from sin because it separates me
                   from God.
                        a. The desire to be right with God.
                        b. Trouble in world because men got right with
                           God.
                                1. Thus he has gone wrong everywhere else.
                4. Desire to be free from power of sin.
                        a. Sees world controlled by Satan.
                        b. Sees himself under this control.
                        c. He desires to be freed from tyranny of sin.
                5. Free from desire to sin.
                        a. Not only in        , he likes it.
                                1. Not only do things worthy of death,
                                   take pleasure.
                        b. Wants to be rid of desire.
                6. To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to desire
                   to be free from self and all its ugly forms. Self
                   concern, pride, boasting, sensitiveness.
                7. It is a desire to be like Christ.
                        a. React in gentleness, kindness, love.

III. HUNGER AND THIRST.
        A. To know we cannot attain it by ourselves.
                1. This is worldly view,  concentrates on man.