Discipleship Bible Studies

Bethel MBC

Discussion #5

10/10/07 DWS

Lesson text:  Matthew 5:6

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

Five Prerequisites:                  Luke 14:33           _________________________

                                                Luke 14:27           _________________________

                                                John 8:31             _________________________

                                                John 15:8             _________________________

                                                John 13:35           _________________________

a. What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”?

b. What does spiritual poverty lead us towards?

c. What is resultant of spiritual mourning?

d. Who are the meek and what is their reward?

We find ourselves at a pivotal point tonight as our first two Beatitudes told us of the works of God on the INSIDE of us before we may progress.  Last time, we spoke about the third Beatitude which is the first OUTWARD expression of discipleship (meekness) and possesses a somewhat passive nature to it.  Tonight, we begin the ACTIVELY OUTWARD portion of this climb towards discipleship.  Have you been discouraged by how much work is necessary before the world can see the slightest sign of our discipleship?  Don’t be!!  We are at the point of pay-off!  We will begin to discuss why all the work is necessary and worth every struggle to get to this point.

I. Our text verse

                a. What we need at this point:   A hungering and thirsting (appetite)

                b. What we are to desire:           The righteousness of God

                c. Our end goal:                          A filling that comes only from God

A man must first be cured of his desire for earthly things before he can feel the fervor for heavenly ones.  To really desire God and His righteousness, we must first be totally free of every earthly pursuit and desire.  Each of us has multitudes of earthly desires which prevent us from actually desiring God’s righteousness.  This is where our walk towards discipleship ends unless we are radically changed by the grace of God.

II. Our appetites

a. Natural and necessary

Hunger and thirst are innate instincts.  We are born with them and a portion of our brains control these impulses in order to keep us alive.  Likewise, we as God’s children, have a “natural” spiritual desire to seek God’s righteousness in order to gain our basic needs for spiritual survival.  Likely none of us have experienced REAL hunger and thirst to the point of threatening our lives.  However, when this occurs, it is well documented that it becomes the ONLY thing on the suffering one’s mind.  Thus, all energy and focus is cast upon obtaining these most basic necessities for survival.  We are to hunger after God as a starving man and thirst after him as a man in the desert.  Nothing else is important except satisfying that “urge” which has consumed our thoughts and cravings. 

Illustration:

A man is lost in the mighty Sahara desert, says without water.  He sees in the distance an oasis and begins to crawl with his last energy towards it.  As he does so, he comes upon two World Series tickets.  He passes them up without hesitation.  They offer him no relief.  He next sees the entire Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders performing a routine outside the oasis perimeter.  He acts as though they are invisible.  Again, they offer no satisfaction towards his immediate needs.  As he nears the water-laden oasis, he stumbles upon an enormous treasure chest overflowing with gold, silver and precious stones.  He continues unfazed as his objective is clear and absolutely necessary for his survival.  None of these “enticements” are of use to a dead man.

While the above a great stretch at best, it does symbolize how God would have for His children to live in this world.  As we develop this appetite for God’s righteousness, the many earthly enticements we so easily succumb to become surprisingly unattractive.  Jesus’ disciples are unimpressed with the temporary and shallow things of this world.  To be successful, we must not only shun the temptations of this world but also continuously pursue that which constitutes our real needs.  Unfortunately, many a Christian has chosen to stop along the way and enjoy the “treasure in the desert” while unwittingly sealing their own sad fates.  NOTHING can replace that spiritual nourishment which gives us a basic, life-sustaining power.

b. Developing and sustaining a spiritual appetite

God gives each of us a new nature when he saves our souls and changes our hearts.  He would that these new natures truly become “natural” to us.  To maintain such, new habits and behaviors have to develop.  For instance, I eat and drink every day.  I realize that I need to in order to survive and continue living.  However, what and how I eat and drink will determine HOW WELL and to some extent, HOW LONG I will live.  My flesh craves Dr. Pepper and potato chips.  Those items will keep me alive, but I won’t enjoy good health very long as a consequence.  The same is true spiritually.  I truly am what I eat spiritually.  Meek disciples (see the last lesson) seek healthy spiritual nourishment.  They don’t seek or pursue God’s righteousness as we drive US 31 trying to decide where to eat.  Rather, they scour for spiritual nourishment as a starving man on the verge of extinction.  They are fully aware of their spiritual malnourishment and seek that which satisfies and promotes health.  After God empties us of the world, He expects us to use all that energy to pursue that which truly satisfies.  See Matthew 6:33.

Consider words describing this attitude from the Psalmist David in Psalm 63:1-8.

c. Enemies of a healthy appetite

Some people don’t like to eat (?!?)  Some are obsessed by the thought of being super thin; others eat but act to prevent their bodies from receiving the proper nutrients.  All of these actions are categorized as “eating disorders”.  There must be spiritual eating disorders as well and this malady stands as a primary cause of the anemia plaguing many of God’s people and His churches.  It is possible to lose your spiritual appetite!  As we allow ourselves to become hardened by the sin in this world, we slowly lose of appetites for the things of God.  Can you sometimes see a person and tell that they are alcoholic, a drug addict or a sufferer of an eating disorder.  Sure.  Why?  Eventually, because they sacrifice good eating habits for the sake of their respective addictions, their outward appearance begins to show evidence of their malnourishment.  It cannot be hidden forever.  We all serve our passions.  If God is not our passion, we are malnourished and possibly starved. See Deuteronomy 6:5; Jeremiah 29:13 and Mathew 6:5.

d. A healthy diet

Our natural appetites determine the direction and course of our lives.  Don’t believe it??  The #1 killers of Americans today are what is referred to as “lifestyle killers”; diseases and conditions which are directly attributable to voluntary behavior and lifestyle, rather than genetic predisposition.  Cardiac conditions, obesity, diabetes, emphysema, cirrhosis, etc are all largely due to lifestyle choices.  The sad fact is that NONE of these diseases are worth the enjoyment of the sins which were enjoyed along the way.  The price is always higher than advertised.  The only thing which truly satisfies is…the righteousness of God. 

How do we combat the effects of poor natural nutrition?  We “diet.”  We eat nuts, twigs and leaves until we lose a little weight.  Then we eat like we want to again and all the weight comes back.  A diet is always unsuccessful.  What is required is a “Lifestyle Change.”  Spiritually, we have to have a lifestyle change once we are saved in order to be healthy in our walk with the Lord.  Further, we are instructed to pursue God’s righteousness that we might be “filled”. God knows that the only thing that truly provides satisfaction to our spirits is righteousness…and we have none!  God, graciously, imputes HIS righteousness to those whom seek it.  God wants His people to be satisfied with His provisions in heaven AND in this life.  He is a perfect provider.  (Who better to know our nutritional needs than the One who created us!?!?!)  Our lifestyle must promote and sustain a healthy, spiritual diet.

II. Being Filled

The word “filled” means satiated or satisfied.  We, as Americans, don’t even know how to eat naturally.  We often view meals as “how much can I eat” instead of “how much I NEED to eat?”  We have restaurants which challenge us with proclamations of “All You Can Eat $12.99”.  We are encouraged on all fronts to overeat…and boy, do we. 

God’s view is illustrated in the book of Ruth.  When Boaz fixed a bountiful feast for Ruth, she ate quickly and just enough to be satisfied.  Why?  The Scriptures teach that she did so in order to return quickly to work in the Boaz’s fields.  Boaz (Jesus in picture) blessed her with more than she could possibly eat and rather than gorge herself and bask within the wealth of Boaz, she ate enough to satiate her hunger and returned work.  Often we come to the house of Boaz (church) and sit down with hopes of an all you can eat smorgasbord.  More mature disciples will seek enough from the Lord to satiate their hunger for His righteousness and then eagerly return to work….because it is the work that gives them value and pleasure.  The nourishment is a means by which they may continue to labor.  Nourishment is a means to the end….not the end.  Think about how we eat naturally….we eat as though eating was the end or reward.  Mistake.  Now spiritually….are the blessings of the Lord the end you seek or means used by God to enable to continue to work for Him.  TRUE DISCIPLES love the Lord’s blessings (righteousness) because it provides them with the power necessary to successfully work for Him in this world. 

What is our work?  To tell the world about the mercy and saving grace of Jesus Christ!!  Look at the next Beatitude…”Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”  Spooky, huh?

a. Inexhaustible supply

The promise attached to this Beatitude is that those which hunger and thirst after righteousness WILL FIND IT…because they WILL BE FILLED.  They will find that for which they crave.  God wants us to crave (have an appetite for) His righteousness, but HE also wants to supply our every need!  The Lord never ran low on manna in the wilderness and He is no more likely to become strapped for resources when supplying our needs in this life. 

b. Passion

Who gets filled?  Those with passion and I feel that this Beatitude is about becoming passionate about seeking after the Lord and His Will.  People are passionate about the Colts (we had about 40 for conference Sunday evening, but tens of thousands were right down the road at the Dome), they are passionate about their families, and money and power and fame an endless list of carnal things.  Few are passionate about much in life and even fewer concerning the truly important things of life.  How many are passionate about Jesus?  Do you know who they are without exception?  The TRUE DISCIPLES of Jesus Christ.   Are YOU passionate about Jesus??

Picture for tonight:

In an effort to assist you in remembering the underlying lesson in each Beatitude, I have been offering little illustrations. Last time, it was “Enough is as great as a feast.”  Before that was the beggar cowering and cringing as he became mournful concerning his lot.  Tonight, remember the man in the desert.  He totally ignored all the normal items of temptation and pleasure in this life.  He felt them to be insignificant in light of his need to sustain himself with that which was life-giving. 

In order to progress through this level of discipleship, we must develop such a strong need of and love for God’s righteousness that ALL other objects are insignificant.  Our passion must be our Savior and what He offers to us as His disciples.  The prize worth seeking and obtaining is a satisfaction and spiritual filling in THIS life!