Happy Are the Helpless and Hungry

Hungry Jeter satisfied just what happens. Hungry, Jeter satisfied proof that you are alive, is the fact that you are constantly hungering and thirsting and in being quenched, only to be quenched again and to be satisfied if David wrote it this way. My soul is consumed with longing after buying the ordinances at all. So the question becomes out of this beatitude to me is what are you hungry for and how hungry are. With that in mind, here's a question for you. How hungry are you for the things of God and how reliant are you on his spirit to be able to accomplish what God wants from today on wisdom for the heart. Stephen David continues his exposition of Jesus sermon that we call the Beatitudes.

This series is called overcoming them.

Beatitudes and Stevens calling today's message. Happy are the helpless and hungry throughout this sermon on the mount. We call it beginning in Matthew chapter 5 he will reverse the wisdom of the world. Those who come in the last our first giving is really receiving dying is really living losing this finding, the least is actually the greatest weakness is strength surveying is actually ruling blessed are the happy are they he says nine times in the beginning the opening of this rather radical sermon. The word blessed on the Greek word like Iris can be translated truly, genuinely happy and you remember he began with a shocking statement back in verse three.

Happy are the beggars. Blessed are the poor in spirit literally happy are those who recognize they are completely bankrupt in the spirit. Why because they are the ones who are admitted into the kingdom of heaven universe through the first part of verse four goes on further sort of the turnover the applecart of conventional wisdom.

As he says blessed are the broken hearted, blessed are those who mourn.

Why, because those who mourn their desperate condition, understanding they are indeed bankrupt, to God with nothing in their hands and they find genuine comfort. Now the Lord will deliver another rather surprising step toward true happiness. In verse five, where he will say Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. You got to be kidding. The meek get buried in the earth they don't inherit the earth. Doormats are to be stepped on. Matthew Henry, the Puritan pastor of the late 1600s, wrote modern audiences recoil at this.

He writes common sense dictates that people who are meek will suffer insult and abuse. Unable even to find some small corner where they can draw their breath. We know by nature that we must cleanse with the hounds because the BSC is to risk becoming someone else's dinner will put most modern dictionaries. By the way, will define the English word here. Meekness in ways like these deficient encourage one who lacks spirit and backbone my online dictionary that I googled into the find it with words like domicile.

Overly submissive spirit glass spiritless domicile submissive doormat like Academy probably heard about, you know, get set up with the ball. You took his lunch money to get away from him every single day on the bus that they went to school and every day another dollar, five dollars a week. Then the boy saw an ad for karate lessons and Mary got so excited till he found that they cost five dollars a week so he just went back to paying the bully right easier to just take I love the courage of this kid true story which I was me. The other story wasn't true that this is I don't true. I read both of them. Here's another one is a 15-year-old kid almost robbed in New York City. The news report said he was walking from the bus depot to his father's apartment in upper Manhattan when he realized he was flanked by two young thugs pulled a gun on him, demanded that he hand over his wallet and he said now they threatened and listen. We got a gun pointed unite give us your wallet.

He said no. The way they tackled him when first back pocket. He hung on hollering, fighting back into some people came to help and the guys ran away. One of the rescuers said they had a gun. Why didn't he just give them your wallet. He said no way my learners permit and there rather die and not be able to drive. That's more like it like that spirit do not does not meet the meek, don't inherit the earth. The meek get their lunch money taken away the meek in their wallet and they lose their learners permit.

You expect the Lord to say you want to be happy to be on top of the world. Well, then you need to know the powerful and be well connected and you will inherit the planet but instead he says happy are the helpless. Blessed are the meek, but meekness is weakness right nothing to be further from the truth. Let me try to explain it. The Greeks use this word translated meek prowess in a number of interesting ways which sheds quite a bit light on what Christ has in mind. First, it was used to talk about comforting fire in the fireplace when control the fire brought warmth and was comforting out of control.

Fire brings what destruction the word was also used to refer to a gentle breeze. Just the right amount of wind could could move your boat down river could cool down a hot afternoon. Too much wind we call it names like Hurricane Katrina right brings death and destruction, loss, the word was also used in Christ day for medicine patient struggling with a fever could be given medicine that was prowess that is capable of relieving the burning fever so that the patient could sleep the one who always have in common. They are all things that can be comforting and helpful if they are contained in the end experienced in the right amount to much, they become deadly. She meekness is not weakness. Truth is the biblical ideal of meekness is power under control.

Meekness is strength contained meekness is having the ability to strike back in resisting the urge to that's restrictive. One author said it's not about it's not about me is not about being defiant about me.

It's not about standing up for me it's not about defending me, and in fact he went on to Satan. Meekness is being done with me the way to remember this and weakness. It is the power of Christ cleansing the temple with a whip to defend the honor of his father is the silence of Christ before Pilate unwilling to defend himself.

What strength, power, meekness that is dying his word to me this is replacing that the spirit of me attitudes with the principle of Beatitudes. By the way, would you notice the promise again. He says here the meek are now I've got a inherit the earth. The word inherit. By the way, is a future tense verb you are going to in the future rule the planet and it is consistent with everything else we learn in the word of God about the coming kingdom, but I think the fact that you don't receive an inheritance until somebody dives right will in this case it is we who died we die to self we die to our demands, we die to our rights, we die to our way and our will and in dying to self. We find true happiness because as long as we are living for herself. We will never ever find happiness as long as we are defiantly defending ourselves. We will never find happiness as long as we are standing for our rights. We will never find happiness. But when we are finished with ourselves, we are actually free to revel in the truth that one day you fully share in the inheritance of the one who also was humble and meek. This is the promise of Paul to the Corinthian. So then he says let no one boast in men don't boast in yourselves for all things belong to you already. Whether Paul or Apollo's receipt of the world or life or death, or things present, things to come for all things belong to you and you belong to Christ. So happiness than can come if you can literally become your your spirit when you have been stepped on and mistreated and abused and ignored how by recognizing that one day because of your relationship to this one who was meek, Jesus Christ.

You will one day rule the earth. Imagine that the slaves of Christ rule the earth one day will evidently pull thought was a pretty exciting prospect as he delivers the truth in his epistles to how you know if you're dying to self.

How do you know if you're developing meekness. I thought about this how you how you have a tangible way of identifying whether there's any progress, especially in something like this, so I've come up with a little meekness examination thanked three questions pop quiz you live through it. Here's the first question, how do you respond when confronted with the truth.

How do you respond when confronted with the truth, the word meek appears in James chapter 1 verse 21 which reads receive with meekness the word word when confronted by the word of God. The response of the meek is not to defend themselves, but submit themselves to the truth. There is humility in that Lord you've got me here. Here's the word and I will I will receive it humbly, with meekness not stand up for myself. Not not defined. You do not not claim well I'm I'm not as bad as all that noticeably admitted when you confronted with the truth. There is meekness. James 121. Here's the second question how you respond when challenged about your faith specifically with unbelievers honey respond the job when there are those who challenge your faith, listen to what Peter wrote in first Peter three. The word appears there again be ready always to give an answer for the hope that is in you yet do it with meekness having a good conscience, for it is better to suffer for doing good if that should be God's will than for doing evil. So here again is that nuance of dying to self rather than defiantly standing up for self and it appears as a sort of is voluntary helplessness in the face of those who could grind you into the dirt respond with meekness when challenged in particular about your faith get on who wrote that the apostle Peter out-of-control sword swinging here chopping off Peter talks first thing last Peter emotions under control. What fun is that Peter which you give us all hope, not only in the principle of meekness, but in the person who wrote the principal. Evidently Peter grounded meekness over the years, which means we can to how we respond when confronted with the truth. Patty respond. The challenge that your faith third final question, how do you respond with another Christian falls into sin your phone bill go up leading the pack outside the city gates together stones. Your writing out your notes for the speech of your life. Paul told us how to respond in Galatians 61 the word appears there.

Listen, if anyone is caught in a sin you are spiritual get a club and let him have it. Oh, sorry, is the reverse version, you who are spiritual. There's the key restore him in the spirit of what meekness power under control strength contained just the right dose of medicine, warmth, perhaps you're thinking. What I like to do better on the next pop quiz. How can I develop more bigness will be free right on 10 ways to become more meek by coffee mug. I will be meek you now drink your coffee out of that. Just remember this just one reminder. Meekness is a fruit of the spirit translated gentleness you don't drum up meekness you have the spirit of God develop meekness over a lifetime like Peter, as you surrendered him cover 1 More Way to overcome the Beatitudes.

Look at verse six. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. The first question we have to answer. Answers one of the nearby righteousness. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. It is this objective righteousness is this the righteousness of God imputed to your account by faith in Christ alone.

Is this what you receive, the conversion will can't be. We arty have that righteousness is the gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 321 and 22. We have already been declared righteous in that sense right with God. Is it some kind of social righteousness and adjust treatment of the poor and oppressed will could be. However, I think were given a clue and that everyone of the seven occurrences of righteousness in the sermon on the Mount everyone of them refers to sub righteousness, not object if not social but subjective. It doesn't have to do with being right with God as much as it has to do with living right for God is the idea of hungering and thirsting after righteousness has to do with passionately. Longing for a life that pleases God. And when God is pleased you are pleased. Paul wrote, it is my ambition uses the word three times in anything. It is my high passion. It is my resolution to be pleasing to God. Second Corinthians 5 verse nine. Your greatest happiness is God's happiness. Your greatest pleasure is in bringing God pleasure. What satisfies you most is satisfying God will be truly happy for both of these Beatitudes clearly tell us that the way to be happy is to live for somebody other than our ourselves primarily living for God right and in so living setting itself aside not pursuing the things himself being done with me passionately pursuing a life that pleases God. Guess what's discovered in that journey. True happiness. Jonathan Edwards talked about the longing that we ought to have for God and happiness that comes he wrote this man pastored in the mid-1700s, the enjoyment of God is the only happiness with which our souls will ever be satisfied. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives or children for the company of earthly friends are. But shadows enjoyment of God is the substance family and friends are, but scattered beam. God is the son. These are but streams, but God is the fountain. These are but drops but God is the ocean while the paradox of this beatitude is that you are satisfied with that which then makes you hungry, decent, you're hungry for right living and satisfied in living, in which which makes you hunger only the more what is that sound like something you like Thanksgiving you been there you get your your your satisfied, you can't eat another bite you are satisfied the unreasonable dimensions. A couple hours later. What are you doing make a sandwich.

What is proof your God, no, no, no, that's not what it proves what that proves is you are alive. Your living you hungry Jeter satisfied. Guess what happens you hungry Jeter satisfied is what happens. Some of us quicker than others. You get hungry you eat proof that you are alive, is the fact that you are constantly hungering and and and and thirsting and and being sealed and quenched only to be quenched again and to be satisfied again. David wrote it this way.

My soul is consumed with longing after the vine ordinances at all time. So the question that comes out of this beatitude to me is twofold. What are you hungry for and how hungry are you if you're really hungry for right living for God which pleases him. You'll find satisfaction and that will deepen your longing to live a life that satisfies them and that will find satisfaction one decision at a time, one step at a time. The question is, how hungry are we, Aristotle wrote of the time in one of his young students came to him and said Aristotle master you have wisdom that I so desire to have. How can I have it. Aristotle responded with you really wanted the midsemester.

I do nurse Donovan said, follow me. He had across the porch out of the building where they were standing across the courtyard without even hesitating walk directly into the pool of the fountain nearby waist high water. The young man hesitated at the edge and in follow after him regarding this is gallon and about halfway in.

Aristotle suddenly turned, grabbed the young man by the next snap of the neck and forced his head underwater young man, of course, was flailing away and kicking and trying to get his his head above water and Aristotle just held it there until the last possible moment pulled the young man up drag him over the edge Saddam on the side and said while the man sputtered away, catching his breath young man, what was it that you wanted more than anything. When I held you underwater and the young man said errors, sir.

Her Aristotle said if you long for wisdom like you long for air. You will have. I think the average Christian would say yeah I want to live for God than everybody.

The say that I'm a church I'm here, by the way, do you really want. How badly do you hunger to please God to starving man doesn't want food and a new car is food thirsty man doesn't want water and a new purse shoes. He wants water. Nothing else matters. You have to add anything to to the list to satisfy as the average Christian, you want to please God with all yeah yeah absolutely. But on this and this and this and this and this and this and that Matt Matt, I wonder why God never really seems to come through for me. The problem is were not quite famished enough for holy living in our lack of hunger and thirst for righteousness becomes then our greatest obstacle to true happiness. So praying a prayer like this is entirely legitimate. Lord, give me a longing to long for you ever prayed that give me a thirst to first after you make me thirsting and hungry to please start the fundamental issue of appetite, and to those happy ones. God satisfied, let me rewrite these two Beatitudes this way. Blessed are those who refused to stand up for their own rights willingly helpless as they refuse to exercise their power even when it means they get crushed in the stampede of life, happy in knowing that one day they will world with Christ. Happy are those whose primary appetites in life are living for God's pleasure sure God will satisfy them and deepen their hunger to grow and be filled grow yet more and be filled again over and over and over and over until perfected in holiness pleaded with satisfaction in heaven for your listening to wisdom for the hearts the Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey Stephen is the pastor of the shepherd's church in Cary, North Carolina. The message you heard today is called happy are the helpless and hungry and it comes from Stephen series called overcoming the me attitudes please remember that title because Stephen has a book with the same name.

That book is based on his teaching series and contains Stephen's teaching through this portion of the sermon on the Mount, you'll find information about overcoming the me attitudes on our website which is wisdom online.org. Once you go there, navigate to the resource section and you'll find it while you're at the website.

Be sure and look around. We have many resources available to you. All of them are designed to teach you.

God's word and help you apply the truth to your life. In addition, each message has a manuscript that you can read if you prefer all of that content is available free online@wisdomonline.org in addition to equipping you with these daily Bible lessons.

We also have a magazine called heart to heart heart-to-heart features articles written by Stephen where he explores various topics related to the Christian life is also a daily devotional guide.

These daily meditations are rich in biblical truth. We send heart-to-heart magazine as our gift to all of our wisdom partners. If you'd like to see it.

We'd be happy to send you the next three issues.

You can sign up for it on our website or you can call us today here in our office if you ever need assistance or want to share a comment with us. You can write to us at info@wisdomonline.org you can also call us each weekday at 86 648 Bible. Stephen's daughter Candace and her team of volunteers are happy to assist you.

Michael who lives in rocking him North Carolina contacted us to share this comment he said I'm glad to know there are true men of God who teach the truth. I pray for your ministry daily. Well, Michael, and all of you who pray for us that means so much to us.

We gather regularly pray for you as well. You can write to us at wisdom for the hearts. PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627. I'll give you that again in case you want to jot it down its wisdom for the hearts. PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627 and finally we have a form on our website that you can use to communicate with us. Visit us online@wisdomonline.org is a form there. Thanks for joining us today. Please join us next time. For more wisdom for the hearts