Transcript

The Hunger That Demands Fasting

Matthew 5:4-6
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Pastor Randy Smith

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Imagine a mother trout commanding her baby trout to swim. Such a thought is ridiculous! Maybe the trout needs to be taught to stay in the school and watch out for fishing lines, but swimming is an action that characterizes all fish. If it is a trout, it will swim.

Jesus spoke these Beatitudes to His followers in the same way. He was not commanding them to be a Beatitude person. Rather, He was describing the life of every true Christian. It is a life that replicates His own life. It is a life that characterizes the citizens of His kingdom. It is a life that is completely opposite from the world. And consequently, it is a life that will draw all forms of persecution (Mt. 5:10-12). The Beatitude lifestyle is a lifestyle that characterizes all Christians. That is why Jesus in ten verses told His disciples nine times that they were "blessed."

I am not denying that all believers can grow in these areas. But to command "Christians" to begin living this way is a contradiction. As fish are expected to swim, Christians are expected to manifest a "Beatitude Attitude," giving evidence that the Spirit of God is working in their hearts.

Last week we examined the first Beatitude. In verse 3 Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

We don't often think of poor people as being blessed. But when Jesus speaks of the poor, He is not talking about those lacking money. He qualifies it by saying that the blessed are the poor in spirit.

The Greek word for "poor" is ptochos. In the language of the day it referred to one who "crouches and cowers, hence a beggar." Consider the picture of a beggar, thankful for a morsel of food. In the same way, the children of God's kingdom are beggars in the spiritual sense. We understand our depravity. We acknowledge that we have nothing to offer God. With great brokenness we come before Him empty, thankful for the morsels of His mercy.

According to the Scripture, these and only these are the children in God's family. "Blessed are the poor in spirit," said Jesus, "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Those who think they are spiritually rich are sent away empty handed (Mk. 2:17; Lk. 18:10-14). Those who understand their spiritual bankruptcy are filled and made rich through His grace.

This morning, I'd like to take a look at three more Beatitudes. Each of them builds on the foundation of being "poor in spirit." Each of them is contrary to the teaching of the world. Each of them again describes the nature of the true believer. And again, each of them is attended with a specific blessing.

1. BLESSED ARE THE SAD

The second Beatitude is found in verse 4. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

Talk about turning the philosophy of the world upside-down! When have you ever heard someone say, "Happy are the unhappy"? When has sorrow ever been an occasion for celebration?

Well, we know Jesus had a particular type of "sad people" in mind. Consider the context: The verse indicates that these people will be comforted. The prior Beatitude leads us to believe that there is a spiritual emphasis to this sadness. And the final Beatitude informs us that we will be persecuted for this sadness. Everybody in the world experiences sadness, but what is the grief, the mourning that Jesus is speaking about here?

See if you can determine the answer as I read a few verses: Ezekiel 9:4, "The LORD said to him, 'Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.'" Philippians 3:18, "For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ."

Answer: Blessed are those who mourn over the sin that is in the world! What grieves God should grieve His children as well: The millions in the world without Christ, the horrific procedure of an abortion, persecuted Christians overseas, the pornography that is flooding the Internet, the breakdown of the traditional family and the division and carnality within the church. These sins and a thousand others break our Savior's heart (cf. Lk. 19:41f). They should break our hearts as well.

Yet a few more verses to narrow in on what I believe is the heart of this Beatitude. Again, see if you can determine the mourning that Jesus desires: Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." Psalm 119:136, "My eyes shed streams of water, because they do not keep Your law."

Answer: We should grieve over the sin that surrounds us, but more than anything, we should grieve over the sin that indwells us.

All Christians should be able to detect their sin. And all Christians should be able to detest their sin. The world loves its sin. It boasts of its sin and encourages others to do the same. But we as believers understand "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). We know sin brings about the wrath and displeasure of God (Col. 3:6). We know sin severs our fellowship with God (Isa. 59:2). Moreover we see sin as the vile instrument that introduced the Lover of our soul to misery, torture and abandonment on the cross. How can the Christian cherish or remain indifferent to sin? How can it not bring us deep grief and mourning?

John Stott said, "The truth is that there are such things as Christian tears, and too few of us ever weep them" (Sermon on the Mount, p. 41)

About 15 years ago I was deeply convicted over this passage.

I really enjoyed the many years I served as a wrestling and football coach in the public school. While I loved working with the kids, I did have one problem: I was way too competitive, and I could not stand losing. Winning was OK, but losing would ruin my evening.

When I coached Jr. High football, we played our games on Wednesday nights. Immediately after the game, I would rush over to the church where I served on the Youth Group staff. On this particular week we lost, and our leader was teaching through the Beatitudes, specifically, the need to mourn over our sin.

After the teens left, we gathered for prayer. I was still in a very down and gloomy mood when the Spirit of God used the Word of God to hit me right between the eyes. I thought to myself, when have I ever been this sad over my sin? Not sad over the consequences of sin, but sad over the sin itself? Why does the loss of a Jr. High football game affect me more than an offense against the living God?

I have come to realize that when God's grace is working in our hearts, we don't excuse, belittle or ignore sin. Rather we cry out with the apostle Paul, "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? (Rom. 7:24).

Yet in the very next verse Paul concludes, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom. 5:25). And in the remainder of this Beatitude Jesus concludes that those who mourn over their sin "shall be comforted" (Mt. 5:4). Jesus was prophesized in Isaiah 61:1 as the One who will "bind up the brokenhearted," but how? How does He comfort us?

First John 1:8-9, "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Our mourning leads to greater joy when we find the true comfort of forgiveness and cleansing offered to us in the gospel.

And ultimately, the comfort spoken of here will be the final comfort offered to believers when they enter heaven. Revelation 21:4, "(God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, orcrying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

It comes down to living a life completely in the presence of God. In one sense, His holiness brings the conviction of sin. And in another sense, His mercy brings the comfort of forgiveness.

Did you notice the progression? True Christians mourn over their sin. And those who mourn are the ones who will receive the future comfort in heaven. Taking this Beatitude at face value, there are no exceptions to this rule.

2. BLESSED ARE THE MEEK

In the next Beatitude found in verse 5 we read, "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth."

So imagine a person who is "poor in spirit." Imagine a person who "mourns" over their sin. What images are coming to your mind that characterizes that individual? Do you think such a person would be proud or haughty or argumentative? Absolutely not! Such a person conjured up in our imagination would be gentle and humble and meek - the three synonymous words that describe verse 5. Right?

Meekness is looked down upon in our society as wimpiness. Here is an example: "According to Bill Farmer's newspaper column, J. Upton Dickson was a fun-loving fellow who said he was writing a book entitled, Cower Power. He also founded a group of submissive people. It was called DOORMATS. That stands for 'Dependent Organization Of Really Meek And Timid Souls-if there are no objections.' Their motto was: 'The meek shall inherit the earth-if that's okay with everybody.' Their symbol was the yellow traffic light" (Our Daily Bread).

This is absolutely not what Jesus had in mind when He spoke this Beatitude!

Lest we confuse meekness with weakness, consider these comments from Bible scholar Leon Morris: "Meekness is not to be confused with weakness: the meek are not simply submissive because they lack the resources to be anything else. Meekness is quite compatible with great strength and ability as humans measure strength, but whatever strength or weakness the meek person has is accompanied by humility and a genuine dependence on God. True meekness may be a quality of the strong, those who could assert themselves but choose not to do so. The strong who qualify for this blessing are the strong who decline to domineer. Self-assertion is never a Christian virtue; rather, it is Christian to be busy in lowly service and to refuse to engage in the conduct that merely advances one's personal aims" (Matthew, p. 98).

Wasn't this the attitude of Jesus? Matthew 11:29, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart" (cf. 2 Cor. 10:1). Jesus is the One who, Philippians 2:6-7, "Existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant." Aren't we also called the bondservants of God (Col. 4:12; 1 Pet. 2:16)? And what did Paul tell Timothy about the bondservants of God? "The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 2:24-25). Meekness!

Meekness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). In other words, we cannot produce it on our own. As God requires it, He provides it for all His children. Meekness is having a true estimation of ourselves, not thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought (Rom. 12:3; Gal. 6:3). Meekness is relying upon God's strength and His resources. And meekness is best tested during times of criticism.

Meekness starts in the heart (Mt. 11:29). It is seen in a "gentle and quiet spirit" (1 Pet. 3:4) and a non-retaliatory attitude (1 Pet. 2:23). Meek people can put up with little honor and demonstrate patience with great offenses (1 Cor. 13:4; Jas. 1:19). They are teachable. They are peaceable (Col. 3:12-13; Jas. 3:13). They are sensitive to the feelings of others. The greater good is always better than their own because they always consider other people more important than themselves (Phil. 2:3-4).

Such people give evidence that they are trusting the Lord. They with King David believe that "the battle is the Lord's" (1 Sam. 17:47). They know God is in control and He will ultimately settle all accounts.

Such a person is the individual whom God smiles upon and uses for His purposes. Micah 6:8, "He has told you, o man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" James 4:6, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." The meek person will always receive blessing and divine approval.

That is why the remainder of the verse concludes saying the gentle or meek "shall inherit the earth."

Quoting from Psalm 37:11, Jesus informs His followers that the meek will inherit the earth. The world says the meek will get nowhere. On the contrary Jesus says the meek are the ones who will dwell and reign in His Messianic kingdom. We are people as Paul said who appear to "(have) nothing yet (possess) all things" (2 Cor. 6:10). The new heavens and the new earth await not the mighty, as the world teaches, but the meek.

3. BLESSED ARE THE HUNGRY

With the time we have remaining, let's consider one more Beatitude this morning. Verse 6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."

Up until this point we have been told to mourn over our sin. As good as that is, such an action means nothing if we don't do anything about it. Mourning over our sin should spur us on to this Beatitude which says Christians are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Hungering and thirsting are often used in the Bible as metaphors (Psm. 119:131; Lk. 6:21; Jn. 4:13-14; 6:35; 7:37). The Biblical writers want us to imagine the relentless, passionate and unending pursuit we have for food and water and then transfer it in our minds to the same pursuit for righteousness. The self-righteous Pharisee is already "satisfied." He believes he has already arrived. The humble Christian is always hungering to be more like God. Think about it. How can we have a strong desire to have a right relationship with Him without a strong desire to be righteous like Him?

Consider the Psalmist: "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God? (Psm. 42:1-2).

Like food and water, the hunger and thirst for righteousness will never be satisfied this side of heaven. Because regardless of how much we mature in Christ, there will always be more room for improvement. However, the day will come, says the remainder of the Beatitude that we will at last be satisfied.

We are called to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness" (Mt. 6:33). Heaven is a kingdom of righteousness. It is a place where sin does not dwell. So isn't only natural to assume that those who will long for righteousness in the future are the ones who long for righteousness right now?

This Beatitude is teaching us that Christians do not pursue righteousness as a duty or unwelcomed chore. On the contrary, they are ones who hunger and thirst for righteousness because they love it and desire more than anything else to be like their Savior. To them, heaven is not the place to just "go and party." To them, heaven is the place where their hunger and thirst for perfect righteousness is finally satisfied, their great ambition is fulfilled!

Beloved, according to Jesus, this is true happiness! All people pursue happiness; few have any idea of how to achieve it. This Beatitude provides the answer. We are not called to hunger and thirst for happiness. We are called to hunger and thirst for righteousness. According to the Beatitude, these are the ones who will be satisfied. These are the ones who are "blessed." These are the ones who will be happy! Let's flip it around. Could it be that there is so much misery in the world because people spend most of their time hungering and thirsting for unrighteousness?

When the Holy Spirit comes inside a believer, He will give the believer a desire to be holy. This Beatitude is teaching us that those who desire to be holy are the true citizens of God's kingdom, because God's kingdom is a kingdom where righteousness dwells and righteousness is enjoyed. Romans 14:17, "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

As we are half way through the eight Beatitudes, I hope you are beginning to grasp the description of a Christian.

When Jesus said His "kingdom is not of this world" (Jn. 18:36), He wasn't kidding around! The world boasts of its self-righteousness. Jesus said we are to be "poor in spirit." The world is unaffected by its sin. Jesus said we are to mourn over it. The world looks down upon the meek. Jesus said the meek will inherit the earth. The world pursues unrighteousness. Jesus said we are to hunger and thirst for righteousness. A disposition opposite from the world, yet a disposition that reveals God's work in one's life and a disposition that results in unspeakable blessings.

Do you believe this? If others were to describe you, would they say your life is marked by a "Beatitude Attitude"?