Authentic Christianity

A Spiritual Appetite
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst
after righteousness for they shall be filled Matthew 5:6

In the Beatitudes, Christ draws his followers aside and begins to share about the special kingdom that he is establishing.  Jesus paints the picture of an Authentic Believer.

Trying to satisfy our spiritual hungers we consume large quantities of physical things.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness  Matthew 5:6a

"Hunger" and "Thirst"

·       These terms speak of being passionate.

·       This craving is not occasional, but constant and habitual.

"Righteousness" = being right with God

Man is "wanting incarnate".

What you WANT determines what you SEEK.
What you SEEK determines what you BECOME (destiny).
Man BECOMES what he WANTS--"he shall be filled."

A Spiritual Passion To Know God:

·       Emphasizes the attitude of heart over execution of deed

Law magnifies the action, grace magnifies the attitude.

·       Must be an intense desire

·       The desire for righteousness must be continuous

The great bondage of religion is maintained by keeping our focus on the works of man instead of the person of Christ.  Philippians 3:8-10

To have a spiritual passion to know God reveals that we are in great need of God and creates a constant appetite for God that can only be satisfied by God.

The desire must be for “righteousness” not happiness.  

The one who is "blessed" is not necessarily the one who achieves goodness, but the one who longs for it with a whole heart.

“For they shall be filled"  Matthew 5:6b

"filled" = stuffed, gorged - passive voice - done by God

The reward is RIGHTEOUSNESS!

Being right with God changes our behavior.

God's desire is that we desire.

Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you
the desires of your heart.  Psalms 37:4