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MATTHEW 5: 6

"HUNGER AFTER RIGHTEOUSNESS"

I. WORLD IN STATE OF ILLNESS.
        A. Suffering from strange virus.
        B. In this beatitude answer to world ills.
                1. Not in thirst for power.
                2. Not in thirst for wealth.
                3. Not in thirst for pleasure.
        C. This beatitude is more positive, less negative.
                1. Up to now, concerned with terrible problem of self.

II. HAPPY ARE THEY WHO HUNGER AND THIRST.
        A. Whole world seeking happiness.
                1. Never seem to find it.
                2. Mistake is to seek it directly.
                3. It comes from result of seeking something else.
        B. If you place happiness above righteousness, you will never find
           it.
                1. Mistake of world.
                        a. Man suffering painful disease.
                                1. Relief from pain primary concern.
                                2. More important to cure that which is
                                   causing pain.
                                3. Pain important.
                2. Mistake of church.
                        a. Those who go around seeking from one meeting to
                           another.
                        b. We must not put blessings, experience or
                           happiness first.

III. WHAT DOES RIGHTEOUSNESS MEAN?
        A. A desire to be free from sin.
                1. To be right with God.
                2. Trouble with world today, no right with God, thus wrong
                   with everywhere else.
                3. He sees that sin has separated him from God, desires
                   right relationship.
        B. A desire to be free from power of sin.
        C. Free from very desire to sin.
                1. Man in         and sin likes it and wants.
                2. He who hungers and thirsts for sin wants to be free
                   from desire.
        D. Desire to be positively holy have beatitudes in every day life.

IV. HUNGER AND THIRST.
        A. We feel we cannot attain righteousness in ourselves.
                1. Worldly attitude which leads to pride of Pharisee.
                2. "Poor in Spirit, negative of every form of self
                   reliance."

V. THEY SHALL BE FILLED.
        A. Shall be given what they desire.
                1. Never be filled apart from Him.
        B. Fullness shall continue into eternity.
                1. "Now unto Him who sable to..."
                2. New body fashioned after Christ.
                3. Whole in body and spirit.