Blessed: Those Who Hunger and Thirst of Righteousness - Matthew 5:1-2, 6
“Blessed.” We began this
series many weeks ago, and then, in the aftermath of Florence, we broke from it
for the last two weeks. In a time where
we really need to be reminded what it means to be blessed, we return to our
series. What does it mean to be
“Blessed”? We’ve discovered in our
series that being “Blessed” is not about being “Happy,” it is beyond any
emotional state that we have. Being “Blessed” is a state of being…it means to
find oneself fortunate, well-off, or privileged. Who are the “Blessed”? As we have journeyed through the Beatitudes,
we find that Jesus takes our world and turns it upside down in defining who is
“Blessed.” Let’s remember what we have
already considered.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit…for theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven.” Jesus said those who realize
that they are not self-made and are not self-reliant are blessed. Those who are blessed are those who realize
that they are wholly and completely dependent upon God and find their identity
in God and God alone, not in what they have and what they do. Why are they blessed? Because they are already part of God’s
Kingdom.
“Blessed are those who mourn…for they shall be comforted.” We realized this was not a statement about
grief over the loss of a loved one, but lamenting the state of the world like
the Psalmist, like the prophets, like Jesus.
Jesus says those who look into the world and find great sorrow at all
the pain, suffering, and injustice they see are the ones who are blessed. Why?
They will be comforted, their grief will turn to joy, because God is
going to act and make everything right.
“Blessed are the meek…for they shall inherit the earth.” Jesus does not say that those who are
physically or militarily strong will one day inherit the earth. He says those
who pattern their lives after Him, in true strength, serving rather than
seeking to be served, forgiving rather than seeking vengeance, denying oneself
rather getting everything we could are the ones who are blessed. Jesus said those who are meek who, like the
poor in spirit, find their identity in God and not themselves, will populate New
Jerusalem when God brings Heaven and Earth together and brings His fullness to
dwell with all of Creation.
This morning we hear Jesus say, “Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness…for they shall be filled.”
Just as “the meek” connected with “the poor in spirit,” “those who
hunger and thirst for righteousness” connects with “those who mourn.” Those who are mourning are those who look
into the world and see the injustice…remember, when we say injustice it is not
about disliking how a particular trial turned out, but it is about looking at
the world through the eyes of Christ and weeping. It is seeing folks who do not
have food while others toss half eaten meals in the trash. It is seeing others without clean drinking
water while others flush gallons of clean water down a toilet. It is seeing some working in sweatshops while
those enjoying the products relax in their recliners with the AC set at 72. It is seeing some left homeless or jobless by
wind, rain, and tide, while vacationers whine about their trip being cancelled. Jesus says those who see these things and
mourn will be comforted, because God is going to act in the world and make
everything right.
How? God will do it in the connection between those who mourn and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. When you see something that breaks your
heart, for most of us, anyway, there is this natural desire to see things made
right—so if we are brought to tears by what we see in the world, then we are
going to hunger and thirst, strongly and overwhelmingly desire, to see those
things addressed and fixed. And in this
blessing, we hear the words of Jesus that those who hunger and thirst will be
satisfied.
It is not just by chance that Jesus said, “Blessed are those who
hunger and thirst for righteousness….” As
the Word made flesh, there is significance to every word that Jesus speaks…He
does not just randomly babble. What do you do when you are hungry? What do you do when you are thirsty? Do you sit around and wait for food or drink
to magically appear out of nowhere?
No. When we are hungry or
thirsty, we actively pursue satisfying these cravings. We get up and pour
something to drink. We fix ourselves
something to eat. If we don't have food or drink in our homes, and are able, we
go to the store to get the ingredients. If we can’t cook, then we have to make an effort to get to a
restaurant or somewhere where food or drink is already prepared. The point is,
when we are hungry and thirsty, we don't just sit around and wait, we actively
seek out satisfaction.
The same applies to those who hunger and thirsty for
righteousness...those who desire to see God’s world, God’s Creation made right
again…to see the brokenness and want of the Fall erased and the bounty of Eden
restored.
I don't know how many of y'all are familiar with the movie
associated with the clip opened with, Cloudy
with a Chance of Meatballs, but in this movie, the main character, Flint,
has seen the need in the world, and instead of sitting around waiting for
everything to be alright, he set out to create inventions that would meet those
needs--including a machine that would turn rain clouds into clouds that rained
down food. Imagine if all of the rain we had the last two weeks were clambakes,
fried shrimp, or soft-crab burgers…or maybe something a little cooler like ice
cream. Were all of Flint’s inventions a
success? No. Did folks ridicule and make
fun of him as he tried to solve the problems? Yes. Did it stop him? No. The
point is that Flint actively worked to meet the needs of the people that he saw
hurting.
Better than looking at Flint, though, is looking at the One who
said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst...." Jesus knew that the day was coming when God
would make right all that is wrong in the world, so did he just wait for His
Father to act? No Jesus actively went
about the work of the Father, revealing the Kingdom of God and making right
those things that were wrong…feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty,
reaching out to those that society cast out, forgiving sin, and showing what it
means to live in the community of faith that makes up the Kingdom. Did folks ridicule and make fun of Him? Yes.
Did He put His own life in danger? Yes.
Did it stop him? No.
The truth of the matter is, my brothers and sisters, Jesus expects
the same from us. He expects those of us living in the here and now that see
the pain in the world and desire to see things made right to be the ones who
are working to make it happen. Jesus
desires us to make God’s Kingdom visible among us. Jesus wants us to be actively involved in
Kingdom building, and tells us that when we are at work building His kingdom,
that in touching the lives of those in need, we are actually touching him: “‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world; for I
was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me
clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited
me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we say you
hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger
and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison
and visited you?’ And the king will
answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of
these…, you did it to me.’”[i] Jesus’ brother James echoes that feeling when
he says, “If a brother or sisters is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you
says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not
supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?” We could also say, “If a brother and sister
is in need and we look at them and say, “Stay strong God is going to make
everything alright, and we do nothing to alleviate their suffering, what is the
good of that?”[ii] Will we always succeed? No.
Will folks make fun of and ridicule us?
Yes. Will we find our lives on
the line from time to time? Yes. Should any of this stop us? No!
Anyone who has hungered or thirsted and responded to the need has
experienced the promise that Jesus offers.
Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.” I can’t tell
you the number of times over the last twenty-two years that I have seen someone
responding to a need and hearing them express the truth of Jesus’ statement... Whether it is a mission trip overseas or
serving at the EMS Food Distribution or helping a neighbor, or even stranger,
in response to a hurricane, or seeing some other need and responding, what I
hear over and over is that those who have provided the ministry say that they
have felt ministered to—that their lives were enriched as they tried to meet
the needs of those who suffered. It is
in offering ourselves in the same way that Christ offered Himself, making the
Kingdom of God seen and felt here on earth for those who are suffering, that we
experience the satisfaction of the hunger and thirst, for we see the needs
being alleviated and their lives becoming fulfilled.
Are you hungry, my brother and sisters, are you thirsty? Then do something about it…and Jesus promises
that you will be satisfied…and counted among those who are blessed.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit…Amen.
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