Sermon XIX - Those who hunger are blessed in the present - Matthew 5:6
know that the desires of our souls are to fear Your name. Let me have this, and I am happy. Though corruption prevails over me, this spark is alive in me, for which I bless Your name. I desire to fear You." And Christ says in the text, "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness." It is worth noting that He does not say, "Blessed is he who does this and that." No, He says, "Blessed is he who hungers and thirsts after righteousness." Although those who do these things are blessed, this is said to comfort the weak. "Blessed are they who desire to hunger and thirst after righteousness." Blessed are they who recognize their need for it and, in the midst of that, desire to fear
God. This Scripture belongs to you. Find comfort in it as your portion, but be sure that your desires are sincere.
SERMON XIX
OR Those who hunger are blessed in the present "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." - Matthew 5:6
There are two remaining aspects of blessedness to be explained before we fully apply it. They are blessed because they are enlightened to see true excellence. They are blessed compared to others who see no higher excellence than satisfying their physical desires. They are blessed because God has opened their eyes to perceive the surpassing excellence of righteousness and to
understand its significance. Those whose eyes have been opened by God, and whose minds have been enlightened to comprehend the beauty, excellence, and glory of righteousness, consider it the greatest blessing under heaven, second only to beholding the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which God has revealed to them.
Secondly, they are blessed because they possess a magnanimous spirit. The Lord has bestowed upon them a spirit of magnanimity that surpasses that of others. People's desires reflect their spirits. A person with a lowly and base spirit limits their desires to lowly and base things. For example, some people, if they had enough money to drink with their friends, would not seek anything higher for a blessed life. On the other hand, someone with a greater spirit aspires to honors, advancements, and greater things. Their desires are commensurate with the magnitude of what their spirits pursue. Now, those whose spirits desire righteousness—first, the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and then the righteousness that is the divine nature, the image of God, the life of God—will not be satisfied with anything less.
The world and carnal pleasures cannot satisfy them; only the righteousness of God can. This is a testament to a truly magnanimous spirit. Alexander desired great things and aspired to conquer the world, wishing he had more worlds to conquer. Why?
Because he had a great spirit, and his desires were equally great.
Similarly, a true, holy, and gracious Christian possesses a great spirit and desires great things. The world cannot sanctify the spirit of a Christian; righteousness is required.
Thirdly, this desire for righteousness is the seed of God, or rather, it is the fruit of righteousness already present in the soul. Thus, they are blessed. No soul can hunger and thirst for righteousness in this way without already possessing righteousness.
There is righteousness within the soul because every entity desires what is
suitable to its nature. What makes an ox desire grass, a fish desire water, or a bird desire grain? It is because these things are suited to their respective natures. Similarly, when there is a desire for righteousness, there is a suitability between righteousness and the soul. Therefore, righteousness has already begun in the soul. A soul that is suited to righteousness undoubtedly possesses the principles of righteousness, and for this reason, they are blessed.
Fourthly, those who hunger and thirst, even if they do not experience the righteousness they desire, are still blessed because in the covenant of grace, God accepts the will as if it were the deed. They have righteousness manifested by their desire, indicating that they have some principles of righteousness within them. Thus, they are within the covenant of grace, which grants them the privilege of having their will accepted as if it were the deed. It is important to consider this privilege—understanding how the acceptance of the will as the deed comes about. This is a significant point. Those under the law do not possess such a privilege; the law demands perfect obedience or rejects everything. Therefore, ignorant and graceless individuals who lack Christ within them mistakenly believe that God will accept their desires, their will, as if it were the deed. However, this privilege belongs to those who are in the covenant of grace, and it is a gift obtained through Jesus Christ—the acceptance of the will as the deed. Now, those who exhibit this kind of hunger and thirst for the righteousness of grace, alongside their hunger and thirst for the righteousness of Christ as previously explained, may be assured that the blessing of the covenant of grace belongs to them, and God accepts their will as if it were the deed. This is a tremendous blessing as it supports the soul amidst all its weaknesses. Even in the absence of righteousness, I can find comfort in my fervent desires for righteousness, knowing that the blessing of the covenant of grace is mine. It is accepted as if I possess the very righteousness I ardently
hunger and thirst for. This concludes the fourth aspect of blessedness.
Fifthly, a significant aspect to consider is that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed because their hunger and thirst quench sinful and base desires in the soul. There is no better way to mortify sinful desires than through gracious desires. The same principle applies to all other affections. The way to overcome base and sordid love in the soul is through love for God and love for Jesus
Christ. Likewise, the way to conquer sinful joy is through the joy of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the way to mortify base and sinful desires in the soul, which wander after countless vanities and follies in the world, leading to the destruction of many souls, is to redirect desires toward righteousness. Blessed are those who have their desires rightly oriented, turned away from vain and base things and focused on righteousness—the image of God, the life of God, and the principles of union and communion with God. In this regard, they are blessed, for these desires quench unlawful and wicked desires, regulating the soul.
Sixthly, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness find the ordinances of God and the initial workings of grace to be exceedingly delightful to the soul. How sweet is the word to a soul that hungers and thirsts for righteousness? How sweet are all the ordinances of God, which serve as conduits of grace, appointed by God Himself?
Any influence of grace on such a soul is greatly cherished. When the Lord enters the soul during prayer or through His word, quickening it or granting it strength to resist sin and temptation, it brings immense sweetness to the soul. Blessed are those who possess this hunger, for it enhances the sweetness of all ordinances and the beginnings of grace's influence.
Blessed are the souls that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they have the gracious invitation of the Lord and Christ to come and receive mercy. The Lord invites these souls to come to Him, just as in the Gospel when they said to the poor blind man, "Be of good comfort, He calls you." Similarly, I say to all who can affirm that their souls, though weak, possess this hunger and thirst for righteousness: be comforted, for the Lord calls you. You are invited to come. I will provide you with these Scriptures as an invitation. In Isaiah 55, a well-known passage, it is written, "Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." The grace of God is compared to these excellent things, and it is proclaimed to all who hunger and thirst to come to the waters. These waters represent both the righteousness of Jesus Christ and the righteousness of sanctification. Additionally, in John 7:37, there is another invitation. It is said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." Take note that Christ calls out to those who hunger and thirst. They may face discouragement, unable to find the righteousness they desire, but Christ calls them to come to Him.
They are truly blessed to be invited by Christ Himself, calling out to them. Furthermore, in Revelation 22:17, a passage quoted concerning the righteousness of Christ, is an invitation to those who hunger and thirst for this righteousness.
Eighthly, they are blessed not only because they are invited but also because they have numerous promises. There are many promises for the soul that hungers and thirsts. Let me share a few with you. In Psalm 10:17, it is written, "Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart; thou wilt cause thine ear to hear." God hears the desires of the humble and prepares their hearts.
He will cause His ear to hear. Then, in Psalm 22:26, it states, "The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek
him, your heart shall live forever." Those who seek the Lord—those who hunger and thirst for Him—are promised satisfaction and the ability to praise the Lord. Their hearts shall live forever. A principle of life has been initiated, and their hearts will endure eternally.
Perhaps you think that due to the corruption within your hearts, you will eventually falter, perish, and come to nothing. However, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall praise the Lord and their hearts shall live forever. One day, you will praise God for these desires and this hunger. This is another promise. Moreover, in Isaiah
41:17, it is written, "When the poor and the needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys, I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water."
Observe how God's heart is present in this promise to those who thirst. It is important to note that spiritual blessings are represented by these expressions of outward things. During the times of the Old
Testament, especially, the Lord promised Gospel graces in external ways, using outward things to signify spiritual blessings. Lastly, I want to emphasize two aspects of this promise. First, notice how many times God expresses Himself by saying, "I will do this for you."
In verse 17, it is written twice, "I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them." Then, in verse 18, "I will open rivers in high places, and I will make the wilderness a pool of water." In verse
19, it is written, "I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, and I will set in the desert the fir tree." Six times in just a few words of Scripture,
God declares, "I will do it." It is as if He is saying, "Poor souls who hunger and thirst, you cannot fathom how it will be done. You find your hearts so wicked, corruption so prevalent, and may think it impossible to overcome. But I, I, I, I, I, I will do it." The second aspect to be highlighted is that the Lord removes objections that may discourage those who hunger and thirst. Some may question how
they can obtain righteousness, especially if they live in a place where there are no means or a lack of effective ministry. Let not that discourage you, for God will open rivers in high places and fountains in the midst of valleys. He will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water. Even in the wilderness, God can bring forth springs of water that will refresh and satisfy your souls.
Additionally, in Isaiah 44:3, it is written, "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground. I will pour my
Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." Here is an excellent promise, extended to both you and your descendants. It is a grave misconception and contrary to the covenant of grace to hold the belief that the children of believers, the godly, have no promise or are not in any sense in covenant with God, just like any other person. In addition to other promises, God promises to circumcise the hearts of believers and their children. In this verse,
He promises to pour water upon the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground. He will pour His Spirit upon their seed and bless their offspring. Thus, even the descendants of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed. It is possible that the things you have been praying for your own soul may be granted to your seed after you. You will receive as much as is necessary for your salvation and satisfaction, but for the specific things you have been praying for, they may be granted to your future generations. Here is a promise that God will pour water upon the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground. However lightly a carnal heart may regard the promises of the Gospel, those who possess grace would not exchange their portion in these promises for a thousand worlds. They embrace such promises and consider them greater riches than the numerous bonds and bills possessed by a covetous person.
But the main thing in which they are blessed is in what Christ says:
"They shall be satisfied." And we have many promises for this, apart
from Christ's statement. In Proverbs 10:24, it is written: "The desire of the righteous shall be granted." In Psalm 145:19, there is another promise: that God will fulfill the desires of those who fear Him. And in Psalm 103:9, it is said: "He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness." They shall be satisfied, but how? First, all hungry souls in this world will find contentment in the ways of righteousness, to the extent that their hearts will never turn away from those paths, regardless of the temptations they face. Surely, this provides some satisfaction. There is a certain satisfaction in a soul that remains unwavering in a way that no temptation can draw it away. If a bee attaches itself to a flower and sucks honey from it, and cannot be removed from that flower, it surely finds sweetness and honey there. Similarly, even those who have only just begun to experience true grace, although they hunger for more, find enough satisfaction that they will never turn to unrighteousness again. They will never abandon the ways of God. You may be complaining, saying, "I have been desiring for many years, hoping to overcome certain corruptions and to serve God with greater freedom and cheerfulness, but I do not seem to make progress. I get little. Why then does temptation come? If you cannot achieve anything, if you strive, labor, desire, and pray, and obtain nothing, temptation says to give up and return to your former ways." God forbid! says the gracious soul. "I will never return to my former ways, for although I cannot do as much as I would like, I have a thousand times more peace and contentment than I ever had in my former ways, and that is some satisfaction."
Secondly, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will experience the growth of grace within them. More and more grace will come to them. Perhaps they will not always be aware of it, but grace will continually sustain them, at least to uphold them if not to comfort them as much as they desire.
Thirdly, there will certainly come a time when all these hungry souls will be fully and sensibly satisfied. There is a time when you will never sin again, when you will no longer be troubled by your wretched heart—proud, stubborn, carnal, and distrustful. There is a time when you will serve God as much as you desire, as much as you long to serve Him. You will have as much grace as you desire to have.
Surely, that is a blessed time, and it will satisfy the souls of those who possess grace. There is a time coming when you will serve God to the fullest. It is as if you will have your belly full. You are now a vessel of mercy and will be filled with the grace of God within you. The very thought that such a time is coming provides great satisfaction to the soul in the present. How much more satisfied will your soul be when that time arrives! Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness—they will be satisfied.
Now, for the application, here is a use of comfort and encouragement for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Be comforted in your hunger and thirst for righteousness—it is a sign of life. Just as a crying child seeks the breast, it is undoubtedly alive. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby"
(1 Peter 2:2). It is a sign that you are at least a newborn babe. That's what the Apostle says. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." Here is evidence of a newborn babe. Why does your soul desire the word so much? Is it not to grow thereby? What does that mean? It means having more power over your corruptions and being more able to serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness all the days of your life. You are a newborn babe, and there is life.
Secondly, it is a good sign of a thriving Christian, not just a living Christian but a thriving one. As you know from experience with the body, when a person begins to have a good appetite for food, when
they become hungry, we say that they are getting better. A person who develops an appetite and tastes their drink is beginning to thrive. The same goes for the soul. You may not have the growth that your soul desires, but do you have an appetite for food? Can you taste your drink? Can you taste the waters of life? Can you say, "These are sweet. I desire more. I am thirsty and long for more"? When you come to the word, you receive some milk to nourish you, and you hunger for more. This is an indication that you are in a thriving condition. It is a sign of the health and wholeness of your soul. You do not have the disorders and corruptions that others have. Other people whose souls are burdened with the lusts of the flesh and the desires of the world—the ambitions, honors, riches, and pleasures of it—they can go for a whole year without the word. They only attend out of habit. But a poor, hungry soul, after just one day in the word, longs for the next feeding. They cannot imagine going without a meal. That is a sign that such a soul is thriving. So be encouraged by this.
Thirdly, there is an infinite fountain of grace open for poor souls.
You, who hunger and thirst after righteousness, there is an infinite fountain of grace, and there is an abundance of bread in your
Father's house. You do not need to seek satisfaction with husks.
There is enough bread. "My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed" (John 6:55). Jesus Christ is an infinite fountain of all grace. He is filled with the fullness of God, and He is filled in this way so that hungry and thirsty souls may be satisfied. That is why Christ is filled. "And of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace" (John 1:16). There is grace corresponding to the grace of Christ, to be received from His fullness. Although it is true that there is emptiness in your own heart and in all ordinances, apart from Christ, there is a fountain of grace available to satisfy you—a boundless fountain that has been the source of satisfaction for
hungry souls since the beginning of the world. It is open to you, and you may come for it as freely as any soul ever did—to take that which may satisfy your soul.
Fourthly, your desires and God's desires meet. There is nothing in the world that God is more willing to bestow than righteousness. The Lord is more willing and free to bestow the righteousness of His Son
(as mentioned earlier) and the righteousness of His Spirit than to give a piece of bread. You may receive one from God as easily as the other, for His heart is more in one than in the other. You desire to overcome sin, to be able to walk before God in holiness and righteousness, and God desires the same thing. Your heart and God's heart meet as one.
Fifthly, your desires and God's desires coincide. There is nothing in the world that God bestows more freely than righteousness. The Lord is more willing and eager to bestow the righteousness of His Son (as mentioned earlier) and the righteousness of His Spirit than to provide a piece of bread. You may receive one from God as easily as the other because His heart is more inclined towards one than the other. You long to overcome sin and serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness, and God desires the same thing. Your heart and God's heart align in unity.
Sixthly, if God fills the voids in nature and hears the cries of ravens, will He not fill the emptiness of your soul? God has ordered things in nature in such a way that there can be no emptiness. Philosophers say that the world would sooner cease to exist than have the slightest emptiness, for it must be filled with something or other. Now, the Lord has appointed that there must be no vacuity in nature, and surely He will not allow a void in an immortal soul. He has something to fill that empty soul of yours for the time being. The
Scripture tells us that the Lord blesses every living thing, so will He not satisfy the hunger of a raven and provide water for a crying raven? Will He not then satisfy an immortal soul that hungers for His own image, that desires to overcome sin and serve Him in holiness and righteousness? Certainly, the Lord will satisfy you.
Seventhly, the Lord commands us that if our enemy is hungry, we should give them food, and if they are thirsty, we should give them drink (Romans 12:20). This is God's charge to us poor creatures. If we, with our evil nature, know how to give good things to our children, how much more will our heavenly Father do so? Therefore, if you hunger and thirst after righteousness, God will not deny you.
He will give you bread and drink to satisfy your soul. We are required to do this for our enemies, so the Lord will do it even more for a soul that desires above all else to be reconciled to Him.
Eighthly, take comfort in this—you who hunger and thirst. Your hunger and thirst make you praying Christians. They are powerful elements in prayer, and it is a great blessing to be a praying
Christian, especially in these times. There are no praying Christians like those who hunger and thirst, who feel the lack of the righteousness of the Son of God and the Spirit of God. They are the mighty prayers in Israel. Many may pour out lengthy prayers, but a prayer that comes from a hungry and thirsty soul is worth a hundred of those prayers that come from recited words and memory.
Ninthly, know further that the ordinances of Jesus Christ are appointed for you. There will come a time when Jesus Christ will immediately satisfy your soul. Until that time, He has appointed His ordinances—His Word and Sacraments—to satisfy hungry and thirsty souls. Comfort yourself in this, O blessed Saviour. I hope to have full communion with You in the future, but for the present, You
have not left me destitute. I will gratefully take what You have provided for now, expecting a more immediate satisfaction from You later. Now, as I have sought to encourage those who are hungry and thirsty, secondly, I desire to present some considerations to stimulate our appetites for these desires of righteousness.
You who have hungered and thirsted, be careful not to lose your appetite and eagerness. There was a time when you had a strong desire for righteousness. Do you still have it? Be cautious not to lose it. When you come home feeling unwell and have no appetite for food, your spouse and children around you start to worry, and you are troubled, saying, "I have lost my appetite for food." It is often a precursor to death, and it may also indicate the death of the soul. Do not lose your appetites but strive to revive them. These considerations will serve to invigorate your appetites for the righteousness we are speaking of. I address those I suppose to have grace. Do not think this way: "I hope God has worked some beginnings of grace, and that may suffice for me." No, hunger and thirst for more—Lord, more, more grace. You have started something, but I long for more.
First, consider that you do not know what work God may call you to before you die. Therefore, it is not fitting for Christians to settle for a little grace; they should desire much. You may be called to a great deal of work. A little grace will help you do a small amount of work, but abundant grace will enable you to accomplish much. These are times when God calls all His people to do much work. And it may be that you will live to see times when you will be called to do more work than ever before. Therefore, hunger for more—Lord, strengthen me with more grace, so that I may be empowered to do all the service that You will call me to.
Secondly, others who have started their religious profession more recently than you have surpassed you. Perhaps you have been a kind of professor for twenty or thirty years or more. Now, how many young ones have started after you? Although many of them fall into disputes and errors, some are truly gracious and godly. How much of Christ, of God, of heavenly qualities, of wisdom, of holiness, have they acquired in just a few years—more than you have gained in the past twenty or thirty years? Shouldn't you hunger and thirst for more?
Thirdly, by having more grace, you will be able to do more good for others. It is not enough to have grace merely to secure your place in heaven; it is also so that you may be useful in the sphere where God has placed you. Weak Christians may manage to sustain themselves in this world and make it to heaven with great effort, but strong
Christians are beneficial to others and do a great deal of good. Oh, that I may have enough grace to do good to others!
Fourthly, consider the strong hunger and thirst you had in the past for worldly things. Lord, I remember that in former times my heart was carnal, and how strong my desires were for the world. My thoughts revolved around my business and how I could prosper and achieve success. Lord, You know that many times my soul was strongly drawn to base and sinful lusts. Shouldn't my soul now be equally strong in its desires for Your righteousness?
Fifthly, know that it is impossible for you to have a heaven on earth.
All Christians may come to experience a heavenly condition in this world, filled with unspeakable and glorious joy through believing in the ways of godliness. However, weak grace cannot achieve this; it requires strength of grace. Through strong grace, the soul of a Christian can be in heaven while still on earth and commune with
God, His angels, and saints as if they were already in heaven. This can be attained, so continue to hunger and thirst for further degrees of righteousness.
Sixthly, growing strong in grace is the only way to help you against temptations. If you have only a little grace, you are susceptible to temptations from every side, and the Devil is ready to deceive you in various ways. However, with the strength of grace, you can resist temptations. It is a great mercy in these dangerous times in which we live to resist temptations. Just as a weak and sickly person needs a staff to walk and stumbles at every stone, a weak Christian stumbles at every offense. But a person who has gained strength can walk steadily. Strong Christians can do it. That is why you find that Saint
Peter, in 2 Peter 3:17-18, gives a rule for remaining steadfast:
"Beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness; but grow in grace..." In these times, when there is a deluge of errors in the world that ensnare young and weak individuals, causing them to fall from their own steadfastness, the way to prevent this is by growing in grace. Hunger for more, maintain your appetite, and let your prayers and efforts be directed toward increasing righteousness, so that you may remain steadfast.
Seventhly, by increasing in grace, you will have a more abundant entrance into heaven when you die. You will pass away with greater peace and experience a bountiful entry into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is not enough to have a little grace, even though it may lead you to heaven. With abundant grace, you can have an abundant entrance. In 2 Peter 1:5, the Apostle encourages us to add one virtue to another. If you have acquired one grace, then strive for and add more. In doing so, you will make your calling and election sure. You will never fall and will be aided against your
doubts, fears, and the power that the Devil has over you. The way to combat these challenges is by adding one grace to another and continually growing in the ways of godliness. By doing so, an abundant entrance will be granted to you into the everlasting
Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is as if the Apostle is saying, "The broad gates of heaven will swing open for you." Just as in great houses, the small gate is ordinarily opened, but when great men, earls, and princes come, the broad gates are thrown open.
Likewise, God will admit to heaven those with little grace, but they must struggle and face many discouragements. However, those who possess abundant grace will receive an abundant entrance. Oh, you
Christians who have any beginnings of grace, continue to hunger and thirst for more righteousness, for it will lead you to an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ.